Iowa Favorite Vacation Rentals by Owner.

Between the mighty rivers you'll discover a sloping tableland with clear lakes and grasslands, dotted with hundreds of friendly, laid-back towns, Iowa vacation rentals by owner, and the modest urban centers of Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Waterloo and Iowa City.

And you'll also discover with surprise that Iowa offers downhill skiing at Sundown Mountain in Dubuque, caves yielding unusual aragonite “cave flowers,”  Native American burial mounds in the shapes of animals (at Toolesboro Mounds National Historic Landmark and Effigy Mounds National Monument,) and evidences of diverse cultures merging in this verdant landscape.   Tulip gardens, windmills and a Klokkenspel— a 147-bell carillon that features animated figures—add to the ambience of the Dutch settlement of Pella where Iowa vacation rentals by owner are to be found. 

In Decorah, Iowa from your Iowa vacation rentals by owner, you can see a Norwegian sailboat that made the overseas voyage. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, you'll discover Old World crafts from people of Czech, Moravian and Slovak origin.  German immigrants formed the Amana Colonies, a cluster of seven closely united villages founded in the mid-1800s, and lived communally and worked together in the fields. The plain and simple life of the Amish is captured in the land around Kalona, Iowa - an interesting area to explore from your Iowa vacation rentals by owner.

Recreation in Iowa from your Iowa vacation rentals by owner focuses on the water.  Great fishing can be enjoyed in 35 natural lakes, 200 man-made lakes and some 19,000 miles of streams.  Popular catches include trout, northern pike, crappie, white bass, perch, largemouth bass, bluegill, and of course the Mississippi catfish. 

Other Iowa water sports from your Iowa vacation rentals by owner include jet skiing and water skiing on the rivers and reservoirs, paddling the Inkpaduta Canoe Trail along the Little Sioux River, and sailing on Big Spirit Lake.

Iowa state parks offer miles of hiking trails.  Notable hikes include the 52-mile Cedar Valley Nature Trail, running from Waterloo to Cedar Rapids, and the Sac and Fox National Recreation Trail along the banks of the Cedar River. Iowa vacation rentals by owner, though limited, may be found near these parks.

Four historic roads in Iowa near Iowa vacation rentals by owner welcome motorists, hikers and bicyclists.  Try the Great River Road from your Iowa vacation rentals by owner, a scenic touring route that follows the Mississippi. The Lewis and Clark Trail is clearly marked, as is the Mormon Pioneer Trail across southern Iowa. The Dragoon Trail runs 200 miles along the Des Moines, Boone and Raccoon rivers.  In the wintertime, hiking trails become snowmobile and cross-country skiing trails.

Hunting for pheasants, deer, turkeys, and waterfowl is a favorite sport in Iowa.  If you're more into observing wildlife, watch for bald eagles around Rathbun Lake and hundreds of thousands of migrating ducks and geese at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge.

Iowa's largest cities offer great quality of life through affordable housing, excellent school systems, short commute times, and friendly neighborhoods.  From the capitol city of Des Moines, to Cedar Rapids and Davenport, you'll enjoy ethnic diversity, diverse entertainment and dining, and many cultural attractions from the comfort of your Iowa vacation rentals by owner condo or house.