Inside Iowa State

June 7, 2007

Vacationing in Iowa

Inside asked a few people on campus for their recommendation on summer day (or two) trips from Ames.

Nancy Paris
Secretary, Office of the President
Backbone State Park, near Manchester
(http://www.iowadnr.com/parks/state_park_list/backbone.html)

"We like to go trout fishing in Backbone State Park," Paris said. "There is a big trout hatchery in Manchester and they stock the streams in the park. You watch them dump the fish in and then you just hook them and pull them right back out. I've never seen anything like it, but it's fun."

Paris said the streams are similar to the ones at Ledges State Park, but they are colder since they are spring fed. She said the trout are trucked in from the hatchery to different spots, but anglers can check a daily schedule to find the release locations.

"Those [trout] you can keep, take back to camp and eat," she added. "There are certain spots -- like right by the hatchery -- that are catch and release. You can take your kids there to show them the process, and take a tour of the hatchery to see the baby ones and the big ones."

Diane Shearer
Special events coordinator, athletics department
Walnut
(http://www.iowasantiquecity.com/welcome.php)

"We like to go antiquing," Shearer said. "We like Walnut, Iowa, It has all types of antiques. They have a festival in June and the streets are full of antiques. It's just great."

"We look for anything and everything," Shearer said. "I like a lot of the glass house items; my husband is into collectibles from old gas stations, farms and cars."

Her 14-year-old daughter also is hooked. "She loves the Beatles," Shearer said. "She likes to collect Life magazines with interesting articles and any JFK articles from newspapers and magazines."

Shearer and her family make regular stops at antique stores in Des Moines, Valley Junction and Story City.

"If we see an antique store or shop when we're driving somewhere, we always stop."

Douglas Kenealy
University Professor, animal science
Dubuque
(http://www.mississippirivermuseum.com/features.htm)
(http://www.dubuqueriverrides.com)

Kenealy likes to hop on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and take the scenic route to many Iowa destinations, but his favorite is a trip to Dubuque.

"You can find some of the Iowa Scenic Byways and do a little bit of that on the way," he said.

He suggests visiting the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.

"It's a wonderful museum," Kenealy said. "It's all about the river, riverboats and nature -- the whole works."

A variety of boat cruises are available, but Kenealy favors catching the lunch cruise on a paddle boat that runs up and down the Mississippi.

"It's a nice little cruise," he said. "It's an actual paddle wheeler. You can walk to the back and get a little spray on you as it paddles its way up and down the river."

Vasant Honavar
Professor, computer science
Okoboji
(http://vacationokoboji.com/)

"In the summer, I like going north to Okoboji," Honavar said. "I like to hang out, do some hiking in the park."

Although most of his travel takes him outside the state, Honavar said he uses this trip to relax and catch up on summer reading without interruptions. He'll venture up by himself, or meet friends from Minnesota.

"I'll rent a little cabin, just get away," he said. "I just like being close to a large body of water."

Boating doesn't have to be on the agenda for Honavar.

"I'm not a sailor," he laughed. "But, I'll go if I'm with people who know how to sail."

Nancy Paris	Diane Shearer
Douglas Kenealy	Vasant Honavar