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7 Friendliest Cities to Visit in Iowa in 2024

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Small-town living in Iowa offers a unique blend of charm, community, and simplicity that’s hard to find elsewhere. In these close-knit communities, residents enjoy a slower pace of life and welcome visitors with a friendly smile. The state’s small towns are rich in history, with well-preserved architecture, local festivals, and attractions that reflect their heritage. From the Danish roots of Elk Horn to the ice cream fame of Le Mars and the baseball nostalgia of Dyersville to the riverfront beauty of LeClaire, Iowa’s small towns exude friendliness and hospitality, creating the perfect setting for a day trip, an overnight stay, or a long weekend in 2024.

Paintville

Field of Dreams film set in Dyersville, Iowa
Field of Dreams film set in Dyersville, Iowa. Editorial: Steve Cukrov / Shutterstock.com.

Dyersville is a quintessential American town that pays homage to toys and baseball. Known as “The Farm Toy Capital of the World,” it’s home to the Ertl Company, the farm toy maker of those little yellow-and-green John Deere tractors that kids love. Visit the National Farm Toy Museum, learn about unemployed founder Fred Ertl, Sr., who started making toy tractors in his basement, and see an exhibit chronicling 75 years of farm toys. There’s also a doll museum in Dyersville, the Dyer Botsford House, housed in a historic Victorian home with an extensive collection of over 2,000 dolls.

“If you build it, they will come” is a classic line from the iconic 1989 film, “Field of Dreams,” filmed in Dyersville. Experience a little movie magic by visiting the Field of Dreams Movie Site, which will host MLB games and tournaments like the Moonlight Graham Classic from September 6-8, 2024, or head to the site for Ghost Saturdays in July and August 2024 to watch the Ghost Players entertain visitors with their self-proclaimed “Greatest Show on Dirt.” Visitors can also explore the Kinsella home, the Field of Dreams Farm House, a gift shop and, for super fans, even spend a night in the house.

The Mars

Downtown Le Mars, Iowa
Downtown Le Mars, Iowa. Image: SkylerSailer via Wikimedia Commons.

Known as the “Ice Cream Capital of the World,” the small Midwestern town of Le Mars is home to Wells Enterprises, one of the world’s largest ice cream manufacturers. The town pays tribute to the delicious treat with 55 6-foot-tall ice cream cone sculptures designed and painted by local artists throughout the downtown area. Visitors can pick up a map and set off on a self-guided tour, then reward themselves with ice cream at the historic Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor and Museum. Pick up a souvenir from a large selection of ice cream-themed merchandise in the gift shop. Finally, Le Mars holds a 3-day festival each June that offers frozen fun for the entire family.

Stroll through downtown Le Mars and explore ten alleys filled with wondrous murals by 115 Midwestern artists, or visit the Le Mars Arts Center to see the prestigious American Watercolor Society 157th Traveling Exhibition from June 11 through July 13, 2024. Housed in a century-old bank building, Browns Music Theater offers live entertainment, comedians, and Broadway-style musicals.

Pella

Tulip Time Festival Parade of the Dutch community of Pella
Tulip Time Festival Parade of Pella’s Dutch community. Editorial: yosmoes815 / Shutterstock.com.

Less than an hour’s drive from Iowa’s capital city of Des Moines, lies Pella, a small town founded in 1847 by immigrants from Holland. The town’s distinctive Dutch architecture is reminiscent of Holland, complete with wooden clogs, delicious Dutch pastries from Jaarsma Bakery, and the Glockenspiel, a four-foot-tall clock tower with eight historical figures and bells that chime several times a day. Visitors to Pella can’t miss the Vermeer Windmill, built from an 1850s-style gristmill in the Netherlands and shipped to Pella in 2002. At 125 feet tall, the windmill is the tallest working windmill in North America. Take a tour of the windmill in the center of Pella’s Historical Village and tour the 22 historic buildings surrounding the windmill, including the Scholte House Museum & Gardens, the home of the town’s founders.

Pella hosts its annual Tulip Festival for three days each spring, attracting thousands of visitors each year. From May 1-3, 2025, the city will host its 90th Tulip Festival, celebrating Pella’s Dutch roots with vibrant tulip displays, traditional Dutch costumes, colorful parades, performances, and delicious Dutch food.

LeClaire

Historic Cody Road district in LeClaire, Iowa.
Cody Road Historic District in LeClaire, Iowa. Image: Kepper66 via Wikimedia Commons.

LeClaire is a river town across the Mississippi River from Illinois, so why not spend some time on the river on a Riverboat Twilight sightseeing cruise? From LeClaire, visitors can choose from 90-minute cruises or a 2-night round-trip cruise from LeClaire to Dubuque, Iowa. During your stay, take time to stroll along the levee, relax in the parks, and watch the riverboats and barges sail by. Try Steventon’s or the Crane & Pelican Cafe in a historic River Pilot house for casual dining with a view of the Mississippi.

Although LeClaire is located in the Midwest, the town has strong ties to the “Wild West,” as it was the birthplace of William Frederic Cody in 1846, better known as Buffalo Bill. The town pays tribute to their local son with the Buffalo Bill Museum, which showcases his life, his contributions to American history as a legendary figure of the Wild West, and memorabilia from his famous show “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West,” which he started in 1883. The town is also home to “Antique Archaeology,” a store that sells vintage treasures, collectibles, and unique home accessories made famous by the History Channel show “American Pickers,” currently in its 25th season.

Winter set

View of downtown Winterset, Iowa
View of downtown Winterset, Iowa. Editorial: dustin77a / Shutterstock.com.

From Buffalo Bill’s birthplace in LeClaire to the birthplace of iconic actor John Wayne in Winterset, the sons of Iowa both had significance in the popular image of the American West. John Wayne (“Duke”) is recognized as the quintessential cowboy, and Winterset pays tribute to him with the John Wayne Birthplace and Museum. The museum features an extensive collection of clothing, letters, movie paraphernalia and memorabilia from the actor’s life and career. There’s even an on-site movie theater where visitors can sit in seats from Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood and watch a documentary about Duke’s career.

The Hollywood connection doesn’t stop there. Winterset is famous for its beautifully preserved covered bridges, which were featured in the book and film The Bridges of Madison County . It was made famous by Clint Eastwood, another actor known for his gruff portrayals of cowboys on the big screen. Stop by the Welcome Center in town to book a two-hour personalized tour of Madison Country’s bridges, including the Roseman Bridge, Holliwell Bridge and Cedar Bridge, where visitors can learn about the history of the bridges, secrets of the film set and get plenty of scenic photo opportunities.

From October 12-13, 2024, Winterset will celebrate the 2024 Covered Bridge Festival with a pancake breakfast, tractor rides, arts and crafts vendors, live music, food, and more. With so much to do in this small town, it’s no wonder it was named a “Best Small Town in the Midwest” in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice 2024.

Shenandoah

Welcome sign in Shenandoah, Iowa
Welcome sign in Shenandoah, Iowa. Image: Matthew Shaw00 via Wikimedia Commons.

Shenandoah, 60 miles southeast of the Omaha and Council Bluffs area, is called the “City with Energy” thanks to its renewable fuel production, entrepreneurial spirit and friendly locals. The city also recognizes more than 120 famous Iowans from across the state on its four-block Iowa Walk of Fame, including the Everly Brothers, who sang “Bye Bye Love” and “Wake Up Little Susie.” The brothers are considered pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950s and ’60s and spent their youth in Shenandoah. Their home is now a historic house museum. For more history about the area, visit the Shenandoah Historical Museum to view local artifacts, historical documents and exhibits highlighting the city’s heritage.

Take a self-guided tour of the center to see colorful murals created by local children attending Wabash Arts Camp, then continue outdoors by biking or hiking the Wabash Trace Nature Trail, a converted railroad that stretches 63 miles through the scenic Southwest Iowa countryside, crossing 70 bridges, with a trailhead in Shenandoah. At the northern end of the trail, visitors travel through Loess Hills, formed 14,000 years ago by windblown loess soil. While loess soil is not uncommon, the hills have grown to heights of over 200-300 feet, previously only seen in northern China.

Elk horn

View of a Danish windmill in Elk Horn, Iowa
View of a Danish windmill in Elk Horn, Iowa.

Without a doubt, the authentic 1848 Danish windmill, brought over from Nørre Snede, Denmark, and rebuilt in Elk Horn, put the small town of 638 people on the map. The brainchild of a local farmer of Danish descent, Harvey Sornson, the 60-foot-tall monument survived two world wars, a fire, and a journey across the Atlantic Ocean to reach Elk Horn in 1976. Today, it is the only working Danish windmill in the United States, and shortly after its arrival, Denmark passed a law banning the export of mills from the country.

There is a Museum of Danish America in town, which preserves and promotes Danish heritage. Nearby Bedstemor’s House, a restored 1908 Danish immigrant home, offers a glimpse into early Danish settler life in Iowa with tours and historical artifacts. Each year on Memorial Day weekend, the city celebrates Tivoli Fest. This event has attracted thousands of people from around the world for over 40 years and includes a street fair, parade, and an aebleskiver (a traditional Danish pancake) eating contest. Elk Horn and the neighboring town of Kimballton stand out as two of the largest rural Danish settlements in the United States.

Friendly faces and welcoming, down-to-earth communities are just a few reasons people love the Midwest. The area is also home to some of the most charming, quaint, and historic small towns in America. Visitors looking for a relaxing vacation, a cultural adventure, or a family-friendly destination in 2024 will find what they’re looking for in one of these seven friendly small towns.

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