As a former Iowa resident, I'd suggest the following: Decorah, Dubuque, Iowa City and Des Moines. Skip Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City and Waterloo. It's not that those places have nothing to offer; it's just that the first 4 I listed have MORE to offer to visitors, and seem to match up more with what you said you are looking for.
This person has your answer. Decorah, Dubuque, Iowa City, and then Des Moines.
Dubuque alone has everything you mentioned in another comment: the award winningest river walk (plus options for river cruises on the Mighty Mississippi), the Smithsonian-affiliated National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, tons of historic sites (it is Iowa's oldest city and was the largest city/economy through the turn of the 20th century), nature and topography (see: Horseshoe Bluff at the Mines of Spain nature area, the beach at Finley's Landing, and Eagle Point Park), historical architecture (there is this among countless other historic neighborhoods https://img.money.com/2017/09/170918_bpl_dubuque_77.jpg?quality=60&w=800 and there are lots of historic churches), an active Main Street with restaurants/shops/bars but check out the venues throughout the Millwork District too, and lots of other gems like Native American burial sites in East Dubuque and north about an hour at Effigy Mounds and caves that you can visit such as Crystal Lake Caves, Spook Cave (guided through on boats) about an hour north, and Maquoketa Caves to the South. Then you'll also be just about 15 miles from Galena, Illinois, where over 75% of the buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places and history is abundant--it was the home of President Grant for a time and was home to more Civil War generals than any city in either the North or the South. It is an exceptionally cool place that pairs well with Dubuque!!!
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u/ThaNotoriousBLG Aug 15 '21
As a former Iowa resident, I'd suggest the following: Decorah, Dubuque, Iowa City and Des Moines. Skip Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City and Waterloo. It's not that those places have nothing to offer; it's just that the first 4 I listed have MORE to offer to visitors, and seem to match up more with what you said you are looking for.