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New Day Dairy GuestBarn

Street level view of main street shops with a large red brick wall decorated with a painting of a black and white cow, rainbow, green tree, and Welcome to Clarksville text

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Explore the Area

Day trip ideas galore... you may need to add a night!

Road Trip Time! Coming to North Central Iowa to sleep with the cows inevitably involves the classic American road trip. Whether you are arriving from the North, South, East, or West, here are some great stops on the way!

Biker? History Lover? Ag-venturer? Sports Fan? Find your “thing” to add-on to your visit with the cows. Make your Day Trip route… ask us if you have any questions!

No matter where you’re coming from, you can plug us into Travel Iowa’s trip planner to discover other attractions and fun things to do along the way!

Looking for something specific? Head over to our Blog where you can search using categories & tags for the perfect vacation activity in the perfect place right in our neighborhood!

Lots of fun things to do within 20 minutes or so of the guest barn, we hit up a couple splash pads, swam at a lake and Kid’s Kingdom Park. A little farther out we stopped at Prairie Fossil Park and the Spillway in Hampton Iowa. ~ Angie B. ~ Des Moines, Iowa

During our stay we picked apples at the girlhood home of Carrie Chapman Catt and walked along the beautiful riverwalk in Charles City, both a short drive from the Guest Barn. ~ Sheryl, Ames, Iowa

The gravel road biking was fantastic for the adults and we enjoyed  our family bike ride on the rails-to-trails path (an easy ride from the farm to the trail) as well. ~ Jessica, Madison, Wisconsin

Bike path with surrounding trees with green and orange leaves with three people riding bikes

The Great Outdoors

If you’re going to get out of the city, you’d better enjoy all that the outdoors offer:

Close up view of large red barn with E Tyden Farm No. 6 1936 text in white

Ag-Ventures

If Sleeping with the Cows isn’t enough Ag-Venture for you, try these out:

Want more time with the animals?  Get up close with animals at:

  • Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch (you can hand feed buffalo – American bison); Call for Information as tours are sporadically scheduled.
  • Hike with the Llamas at Rector Llamas (typically held Spring & Fall)
  • Sunrise Children’s Zoo is located in Waterloo during the summer months.  It’s free because it’s run completely by volunteers!
  • Three Pines Farms has opportunities to cuddle with goats & a few other farm animals while enjoying some delicious food (reservations required).
  • ANKRA Acres has lots of cute goats and great fresh veggies!

Explore Agriculture Past & Present when you visit these great places:

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Close up view of ice cream cone with chocolate and vanilla ice cream scoops

Eats, Sweets, & Brews

Whether you want a fine dining experience, locally brewed beer, an ice cream cone while you stroll by the river, or a great cup of coffee, you’ll find what you’re looking for in the area!

Eats:

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Sweets:

Brews:

Beans:

Street level view of main street shops with a large red brick wall decorated with a painting of a black and white cow, rainbow, green tree, and Welcome to Clarksville text

Clarksville–Waverly Attractions

Clarksville is our hometown, less than 10 minutes away and holds:

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Waverly, home of Wartburg College and a bit larger, is a short 15-20 minute drive and holds:

  • The Cedar River runs through the heart of Waverly – great place for kayaking!
  • Main Street crosses the river and is filled with cute boutique shops.
  • Enjoy an indoor golf simulator at Tee Up on Main Street in Waverly.
  • Dining options abound – from ice cream & coffee to bars & fine dining.
  • Kohlmann Park, along the river, hosts summer concerts & festivals.
  • Wartburg College offers college sports & culture through the year.
Large red barn with gray silo sitting in a field of green grass

Charles City-Nashua Attractions

Charles City & Nashua are north of us about 30 minutes.

Charles City holds:

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Nashua Area holds:

Regular sized old green and yellow tractors and a toy sized green and yellow tractor

Cedar Valley Attractions

The Cedar Valley encompasses Cedar Falls & Waterloo, about 45 minutes south-east of us. Great places to visit include:

Large windmill house with white painted walls and gray wood slats on top

On Your Way: Des Moines, Omaha, or Kansas City

We’re 2 hours from Des Moines, 4 from Omaha, and 5 from Kansas City!

North on I-35 and then an hour east on Hwy 3… there’s plenty to see on your way!

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From Des Moines:

  • In the summer, stop for a spin on the Story City Carousel – just like we did on our wedding day!
  • Enjoy a beautiful day on the river with the Scenic City Empress RiverBoat in Iowa Falls!
  • Stop at Rustic Brews in Hampton, about an hour before your arrival, to fuel yourself up with coffee or (everyone but the driver) try their micro-brewed beer!

From Omaha:

  • If you want to jump off I-80 for 6 miles, get off between Exit 64 & Exit 79 and drive “around” the “Tree in the Road”.
  • 6 miles north on Exit 54 explore Iowa’s Danish Heritage with a working windmill tour, learn about the Vikings, and Danish food! Did you know that #DairymanDan’s Grandpa Pete is 100% Danish?
Long corridor of small store fronts and street lights inside a large building

On Your Way: Minneapolis/St. Paul

We’re 4 hours from the Twin Cities (where Lynn grew up by the way!)

Head south on I-35 and then loop around on Hwy 218 (the Avenue of the Saints).

Metal sculpture of playful rabbits next to a body of water with a large bridge in the background

On the Way: Chicago

We’re 6 hours from Chicago!

Take the north or south route – there are great stops along the way no matter what you choose!

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Northern Route through Dubuque:

  • As Iowa’s Oldest City, Dubuque has a lot to offer! Take a ride on what’s billed as the shortest, steepest, funicular railway in the world – built in 1882!
  • Stop at the Iconic Field of Dreams movie site – especially on a Sunday! In August of 2020, they’ll be hosting a MLB game at the site!
  • Stop at the Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, east of Waterloo and about an hour from the GuestBarn.

Southern Route through Quad Cities:

  • Just outside the Quad Cities stretch your legs at the (free!) Iowa 80 Truck Museum.
  • Just south of Exit 271 between the Quad Cities & Iowa City, make a stop for ice cream at Candy Kitchen in Wilton, Iowa. They are on the National Historical Register and have been serving visitors for over 150 years!
People with heavy coates flying multicolored kites in a field covered with snow

Festivals, Fairs, & Events

You can #sleepwiththecows year-round, and thankfully there are some great fairs, festivals, and events that happen in our area year-round too. Find out if you’ll visit during one!

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