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Go Rural & Drink Local with a Spring Trip to Southwest Iowa
The temperatures are warming up in southwest Iowa, and travel enthusiasts are looking to get out and explore. The southwestern part of the state is best known for the unique landforms of the Loess Hills, serene prairie grasses blowing in the wind and small towns along the highways and rural areas. There are also interesting agricultural attractions to see, railroad history to learn about and a niche craft beverage scene to experience.
The spring season is an excellent time of year to visit this region because of the potential for hiking and biking trips,
by Alyssa L. Ochs
plus lots of family-friendly things to do with the kids for spring break and before the busy summer season hits. This is also when the craft beverage industry starts ramping up operations with extended hours, open patios and more friendly folks looking to get out and mingle. If you have yet to explore what this remote and rural region offers, plan to take a spring trip here to support the local craft beverage businesses!
Springtime for Southwest Iowa Beverage Businesses
For southwest Iowa vineyards, this is the time of the year to check for damaged vines, tie up loose cordons and tighten wires before the seasonal growth starts to weigh them down. Vineyards in the region are also busy reviewing their pest management strategies to stop insects, weeds, diseases, and wildlife before they become significant problems for the newly growing grapes.
Meanwhile, breweries in the region are looking to join spring and summer craft beer festivals and events hosted by the Iowa Brewers Guild and other organizations. For example, the official Iowa Pint Day takes place at participating breweries across the state in May, which is part of American Craft Beer Week.
This is also when breweries start opening up their outside seating areas
• Monroe
• Appanoose
• Lucas
• Wayne
• Clarke
• Decatur
• Union
• Ringgold
• Adams
• Taylor
• Fremont
• Page
• Montgomery
• Mills
• Cass
• Pottawattamie
• Audubon
• Shelby
• Harrison and hosting more events throughout the week to entice both locals and visitors to come into the tap rooms.
We’re a small brewery with small town hospitality! Award winning beers, 20 taps, inviting taproom & Beautiful rural patio setting. Only 20 Minutes from Downtown Omaha!
Southwest Iowa Top Craft Beverage Destinations
Keg Creek Brewing Company: Located in Glenwood, it is as authentic of a craft brewery as you’ll find. Started by homebrewers that decided to try and make beer they enjoyed, it wasn’t long before they discovered that other beer drinkers liked their products as much as they did.
Hot Air Brewing: Located in Creston, the brewery features both “high falutin” and “low falutin” beers brewed in-house, whether you like your beer light, dark, hoppy, sour, fruity, or spicy, Hot Air Brewing offers something every beer lover will enjoy. Enjoy special events such as Tuesday Night Trivia and First Friday Karaoke in a family-friendly space well supplied with games, popcorn, hard cider and house-made Italian sodas.
Enjoy a memorable, satisfying glass of locally produced wine by exploring the Loess Hills District Wine Trail.
Spring Travel in Southwest Iowa
Although there are fewer events (craft beverage or otherwise) coming up in southwest Iowa compared to other regions of the state, this area is still an favorable springtime destination for anyone wanting a rural experience and to slow down the pace of life. The region is a getaway destination for the nearby cities of Omaha, Lincoln, Sioux Falls and Kansas City. The small towns of Carroll, Atlantic, Council Bluffs, Clarinda and Osceola are the main communities to visit in southwest Iowa.
If you love craft beverages and beer-inspired tourism, you can also make a point to stop by Full Fledged Brewing Company in Council Bluffs. This is the first craft brewery in town, with a family-friendly taproom, tours offered and private event space available for rent. The Western Iowa Wine Trail runs from Minden to Glenwood and has promoted events at the Bodega Victoriana Winery and Ditmars Orchard & Vineyard in the past.
There are also family-friendly things to do in this region of the state, making it a great place for a spring break vacation with the kids. There are water activities, such as the Splash Aquatic Center in Avoca, if the weather is warm. If it’s rainy or cool, there are the Stemplel Bird Museum and Pioneer Trail Museum in Macedonia, as well as the Nishna Heritage Museum in Oakland. Most of the big events in the region take place in the summer, but you can still stay busy in the spring by getting out in nature at the Shelby Trail, Arrowhead Park and Hitchcock Nature Center.
Other Southwest Iowa Attractions to Visit
If you’re curious to learn more about the small towns of southwest Iowa and what they have to offer for spring travelers, here is an overview to inspire your research.
Corning
• Johnny Carson birthplace
• Corning Opera House
• Main Street shops
• French Icarian Villages living - history museum
• Corning Winery Villisca
• Villisca Ax Murder House
Shenandoah
• Everly Brothers Childhood Family Home, located next to the Greater Shenandoah Historical Museum.
• Iowa Walk of Fame recognizing more than 100 famous Iowans.
Clarinda
• Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum
• Page County Courthouse clock tower Council Bluffs
• Railroad history and frontier heritage museum
Osceola
• Lakeside location for the outdoor enthusiasts; Fishing, hunting, and camping opportunities.
Enjoy a Beverage-Inspired Trip to Southwest Iowa This Spring
When you’re craving a rural getaway, consider making Greenfield, Corning, Winterset or Dexter your home base this spring. Our website, www.trailstales.net, is a helpful resource for learning about the breweries, wineries and distilleries of southwest Iowa, as well as beer, wine and spirits trails that pass through this region.
However, we’re willing to bet that you’ll find that the peaceful scenery and friendly faces encountered make your trip just as much about the journey as the actual stops along the way.
(Continued from Page 3) they might otherwise not come across in their trip research. Meanwhile, residents living near the trail stops can get more involved with businesses in their area and support the local economy, while getting out more and perhaps making new friends too.
Craft beverage trails are fun for weekend day dates with someone special and bachelor and bachelorette parties with groups of friends. With energized marketing efforts behind them and community support, they promote experiential tourism and immersion into different cultural scenes. Trails can also encourage producers to focus on local ingredients and eco-friendly methods to attract sustainable-minded consumers to their places of business, plus other activities and sights to see nearby.
Iowa Wine Trail
Iowa Craft Beverages
Examples of Fun Beverage Trails
There are craft beer, wine and spirits trails scattered all across the country in big cities, rural areas and broader regions with small towns. You can experience numerous craft beverage trails right here in Iowa that highlight offerings in specific areas of the state. To help you narrow down the options, you can even search for trails by Beverage Type and Region on the IOWA Trails & Tales website trails-tales.net.
Here are some examples that you might want to check out for yourself when you are traveling the state:
• Amana Colonies Wineries
• Heart of Iowa Wine Trail
• Cedar Falls Beer Trail
• Central Iowa Beer Trail
