Iowa Camping
Camping in Iowa was more like our typical travel because we were near mid-sized cities and there was lots to do. We camped in two fabulous campgrounds, a Corps of Engineers (COE) and a county park. Therefore, Iowa was a great leg of our trip!
Sandy Beach Campground
Sandy Beach is a Corps of Engineers campground and was only $10 a night with our Senior Pass. Though inexpensive, it was an excellent campground! We had a water and electric site and the lake just beyond the trees in the photo below. However, our camper was in the sun for most of the day, but our tow vehicle was under a bit of shade. A real plus at this campground: the bathhouse was nice and very well-maintained.
The Sandy Beach is in the photo below. Some people were in the water, but this lake appears to be primarily a haven for boating.
Cedar Rapids
Our Iowa camping included a trip to Cedar Rapids, which was only seventeen miles away from our campground. We spent one of our two free days there.
National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
The Czech and Slovak Museum is one of the main attractions at Cedar Rapids and was well worth the time. I felt it was safe because it was not crowded and masks were required. The museum is about the history and culture of the Czech and Slovak people. A special section honored women, including Madeline Albright and Martina Navratilova in commemoration of 100 years since women’s suffrage.
A Czech writer, Karel Čapek, first coined the phrase “robot” in the play, R.U.R. in 1920. The museum has many examples of robots from the Iowa First Tech Challenge.
Much of the museum is devoted to the history of the country, Czechoslovakia, which was an advanced and prosperous democracy from 1918-1938. But the country and its people experienced massive change over the course of just just fifty-five years.
Firstly, Nazi Germany occupied it in 1939 and divided it. Entire towns were destroyed and the people were massacred. Many were put into concentration camps. This occupation existed until 1945. Next, the end of the war in 1945 led to communist rule and an alliance with the Soviet Union. During the 41 years of Communist rule, more than a half a million people fled the country. In 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two democracies, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. I can’t imagine living through that much difficulty and change.
Our Iowa Meal with Outdoor Seating
While in Iowa, we had a couple of meals at restaurants with outdoor seating. One had all our desired elements, an expectation of safety from COVID, great food, outdoor seating, and shelter from the sun. Parlor City was a recommendation of a woman at the museum. It had all the desired elements and we really enjoyed the meal. We also had a good meal at Mullets (like the hairstyle) in Des Moines.
Iowa City
The Old Capital Building
We spent our other free day in Iowa City, which was also just seventeen miles from our campground. Iowa City is a college town, home to the University of Iowa. The old Capital Building was on my list, but it was closed. Sadly, vandals had put graffiti on the lower levels of the building.
Waterworks Prairie Park
Waterworks is a 200-acre park that features three miles of paved paths that encircle several ponds. It is a lovely park—nice for walking or biking. We planned to just walk a portion of the it.
The temperature was in the low eighties, but the sun was extremely intense. However, we expected a bit of shade. Unfortunately, there was none on the path. We had started around the largest pond and the sun was bearing down on us. Both of us were sweating profusely. In the photo below, my expression shows how I felt. My husband was miserable too, but if there is a camera, he smiles. We were so grateful to get back to our car!
Iowa Camping in Des Moines
Yellow Banks County Park
Yellow Banks was a great campground and is located in Des Moines, which was a big plus. We had a level, gravel site with electric and water. The bathhouse was modern and quite well-maintained. It was only $25 per night and we were there for two nights.
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden was so beautiful. We had to make an appointment because they were limiting the number of people there at one time. Masks were also required.
There was a large pond with beautiful lily pads and many frogs.
It was so nice and peaceful in the garden, which had an abundance of flowers.
Iowa State Capital Building
We made an appointment for a guided tour of the Capital Building. I have found that a tour adds so much to my appreciation of buildings and historic sites. We certainly had a great tour guide and she shared lots about how Iowa government works. The building is breathtakingly beautiful and sits high over the city. The surrounding grounds are also nice and have many monuments.
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
The Pappajohn Park was so much fun! Many large scale sculptures were there to enjoy and photograph. It was a relaxing afternoon.
Iowa Countryside
Furthermore, as we crossed through the state, we were able to enjoy the lovely Iowa countryside. There was lots of corn and farms like the one in the photo below.
The old barn in the next photo was at a turn at one of the campgrounds. It’s not in great shape, but I enjoyed seeing it.
In Conclusion
So, we really loved Iowa! The cities were fun and we felt that while being safe in the pandemic, we were also able to do many cool things. Lastly, if you would like to see other posts about our camping experiences, check out States Visited, a Campsite Resource.
Happy camping and stay safe out there!
