Iowa Car Rental

Guide to Iowa

Geography

Iowa is divided into seven regions: the Des Moines Lobe, Loess Hills, Northeast Iowa Plains, Iowa Surface, Paleozoic Plateau, Missouri Alluvial Plain, and Southern Iowa Drift Plain. The state’s eastern, western and southern borders are formed largely by rivers – the Mississippi, Missouri and Big Sioux, and Des Moines rivers, respectively.

Climate

Fall (September-October) is the best time to visit Iowa. Summers here are hot, winters are cold, and spring is riddled with severe weather conditions. Rainfall is mostly in the month of June.

Traditional food in Iowa

Iowa is the birthplace of sliced bread and home to one of the biggest state fairs in the nation. You’re likely to find everything from fried butter to fried chocolate bars there.

Things to do in Iowa

Explore art in Des Moines

The Des Moines Art Centre is a major cultural hub in the state. It displays the works of modern artists from across the world, including Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, and Takashi Murakami. Once you have finished looking at all its exhibits, head to the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, situated on the same grounds.

Learn about Native history

Near the town of Harpers Ferry, over 200 mounds, built by the ancient Woodland Culture, dot the landscape. These mounds, all part of the Effigy Mounds National Monument, are shaped like different animals – bears, birds, foxes, and so on. Many of Iowa’s Native American people consider the area sacred; anthropologists think that the mounds had some ceremonial purpose. Take a guided tour here to learn more about Iowa’s first inhabitants.

Venture into the wilderness

The Maquoketa Caves State Park includes a large number of limestone caves that you can explore. Once, these caves had several stalagmites, stalactites, and Native artifacts; while these objects are now mostly gone, the caves are still a beautiful reminder of the richness of nature. Carry a torchlight, wear outdoor clothes, and maybe plan to set up camp for a day or two.

Eating out in Iowa

Burgers are great, but burgers with zany names? Even better! For starters, at Short’s Burger and Shine in Iowa City, try the Essex, Gravity, Baxter, and Cylinder burgers. La Juanita, in Storm Lake, makes spicy but delicious house salsa to be enjoyed with hot tacos. Amana’s Ox Yoke Inn, opened in 1940, is a German-American restaurant that makes excellent wiener schnitzel cutlets and sauerbraten. If you’re thinking of running for president, try Waveland Cafe, in Des Moines. Their hashbrowns have been endorsed by a surprising number of rising politicians.

Iowa Transport

Airport

The Des Moines International Airport (DSM), the state’s largest airport, is located 3 miles from Des Moines. To get from there to the city center, take a Des Moines Area Regional Transit bus.

Getting around

The best way to get around Iowa is to drive on the outer highways, which are never too far from places of interest. The most reputable car rental agencies serving Iowa include Enterprise, Hertz, and Budget.