UNIQUELY IOWA OFF-SITES

BY RACHEL CRICK

WHAT DO ROLLER COASTERS, RIVERBOATS AND FAMED MOVIE SETS HAVE IN COMMON?

They’re all great for off-site events, and they can all be found in Iowa. Whether they’re designed to reward attendees for a job well done or promote teambuilding, these exclusively Iowa venues embody the state’s spirit and delight its visitors.

Cinnamon Ridge Farms/Hansen’s Dairy

Donahue/Hudson

Farm life is essential to Iowa’s economy, and thousands of farms populate its bucolic landscapes. As well as being agricultural operations, some farms have focuses that make them attractions.

Cinnamon Ridge Farms, just north of Iowa’s Quad Cities, is a family owned and operated robotic dairy farm, which means cows enter milking stalls voluntarily and set their own schedules. This new way of dairy farming piques everyone’s interest. The farm welcomes visitors to see how the process works, how the cows are cared for and how the dairy products are made.

Hansen’s Dairy’s Tour Center can seat 64 and can accommodate up to 90 people.

“They do tours all day long and welcome small groups or groups as large as 100,” said Joan Kranovich, vice president of business growth for Visit Quad Cities.

Groups can settle in for farm-to-table dinners, with fare made with ingredients from Cinnamon Ridge. A farm store sells meats and cheeses produced there.

Kangaroos are unexpected mascots at Hansen’s Dairy, a dairy farm and creamery near Cedar Falls and Waterloo. Visitors can pet kangaroos and cows on guided tours, bottle-feed calves, watch the farm’s daily operations, make butter and sample the creamery’s products, including homemade ice cream. Lunch can be catered by nearby Randall’s Stop ‘N Shop in Hudson. For a meeting before or after a tour, the Tour Center, a monolithic dome on the farm, has a full kitchen, dishes and a smart TV, and it can comfortably seat 64 and accommodate up to 90.

A trip to the farm is “a good way to showcase something that’s very Iowa,” said Jordan Hansen of Hansen’s Dairy. “It’s a good representation of what Iowa is all about.” tourmyfarm.com | hansendairy.com

Arnold’s Park Amusement Park/ Lost Island Theme and Waterparks Okoboji/Waterloo

Amusement parks infuse meetings with adrenaline and frivolous fun, and Iowa has several options for an afternoon of excitement.

In western Iowa, Arnold’s Park Amusement Park has long been a prominent attraction, with amusement rides and event venues that effortlessly blend work with play.

“It’s a 130-year-old amusement park on the shores of West Lake Okoboji, and it’s got the oldest wooden roller coaster west of the Mississippi,” said Rebecca Peters, director of tourism at Vacation Okoboji.

Planners can organize an afternoon of team building or plain old fun at the park, and there are plenty of park venues for meetings, such as the Majestic Pavilion, a 5,000-square-foot historic building with antique fixtures and hardwood floors. It can seat 300 for banquets. Another venue, the 9,000-square-foot Roof Garden Ballroom, can handle crowds of up to 500.

In Waterloo, the new $110 million Lost Island Themepark and Waterpark is packed with thrilling rides and fun games. Ranked among the top 5 theme parks in the country, it offers group discounts and rents its pavilion for private events with catered meals. Groups can also rent the entire park for three-hour events after it closes at 7.

“It’s unique to Iowa and it’s absolutely a beautiful space,” said Lindsay Pieters, marketing director at Experience Waterloo. “It would be great for a leisure activity to do with your team.” arnoldspark.com | thelostisland.com

Field of Dreams Dyersville

Surrounded by the cornfields of Dyersville, the Field of Dreams Movie Site will appeal to sports and cinema enthusiasts right off the bat. The inspirational, baseball-themed 1989 movie starring Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta and James Earl Jones was filmed there in the expansive cornfields of the Iowan countryside. The site, about a 35-minute drive west from Dubuque, has both the baseball field and Kinsella home from the movie. Tours can be arranged, including 30-minute guided tours of the home. A sightseeing excursion to the movie site is a rewarding recreational activity to tack onto a meeting itinerary, and there are also rentals for meetings, events and team building at this Iowa-exclusive gem.

“The Field of Dreams is known internationally, and when groups have the opportunity to meet and enjoy the space, they get to know what it was like to film the movie there,” said Julie Kronlage, vice president of sales at Travel Dubuque. “It’s the most famous baseball field in the world.”

A renovated barn from the 1870s is one of the event spaces available; it can comfortably seat 150. The Kinsella Home can also be booked from March through December. Ghost players from the movie can do a meet-and-greet with groups.

For team building or a staff game, the field can be rented Sundays–Wednesdays from 8–9 a.m. or 6–10 p.m. from April through October. Just like at a baseball park, refreshments are sold at the site’s concession stand, but meals can also be arranged through J&D Catering fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com