31 days in Iowa Itinerary

Council Bluffs is a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. Explore Council Bluffs' surroundings by going to Desoto National Wildlife Refuge (in Missouri Valley) and Sioux City (Trinity Heights, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, &more). And it doesn't end there: take an in-depth tour of Union Pacific Railroad Museum, try your luck at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, and take in panoramic vistas at Lewis and Clark Park.

To see where to stay, photos, traveler tips, and more tourist information, you can read our Council Bluffs driving holiday website.

Des Moines to Council Bluffs is an approximately 2.5-hour car ride. You can also do a combination of bus and taxi. Expect a daytime high around 85°F in August, and nighttime lows around 65°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 4th (Sun) early enough to drive to Mason City.

Mason City is a city in and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. Change things up with these side-trips from Mason City: Grotto of the Redemption (in West Bend) and Decorah (Dunnings Spring Park, Vesterheim, &more). And it doesn't end there: make a trip to Historic Park Inn Hotel, get to know the fascinating history of Music Man Square, take in nature's colorful creations at Central Gardens of North Iowa, and admire the masterpieces at Charles H. MacNider Art Museum.

Quickly create a custom-made itinerary for Mason City using our trip planner.

Getting from Council Bluffs to Mason City by car takes about 4 hours. Traveling from Council Bluffs in August, things will get a bit cooler in Mason City: highs are around 80°F and lows about 58°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 8th (Thu) early enough to drive to Cedar Rapids.

Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. Bring the kids along to Lost Island Water Park and The Iowa Children's Museum. Explore Cedar Rapids' surroundings by going to National Motorcycle Museum (in Anamosa), West Branch (Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum & Herbert Hoover National Historic Site) and John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum (in Waterloo). The adventure continues: see the interesting displays at National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, don't miss a visit to Grant Wood Window in Veteran's Memorial Auditorium, contemplate the long history of Brucemore, and get your game on at The Play Station.

For ratings, other places to visit, maps, and other tourist information, read Cedar Rapids online vacation planner.

Traveling by car from Mason City to Cedar Rapids takes 2.5 hours. Expect a daytime high around 81°F in August, and nighttime lows around 60°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 13th (Tue) so you can drive to Dubuque.

Dubuque is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. Kids will appreciate attractions like National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and Maquoketa Caves State Park. You'll find plenty of places to visit near Dubuque: Motor Mill Historic Site (in Elkader), McGregor (Pikes Peak State Park & Spook Cave) and Effigy Mounds National Monument (in Harpers Ferry). And it doesn't end there: make a trip to Fenelon Place Elevator Co., examine the collection at National Farm Toy Museum, take in the architecture and atmosphere at St. Francis Basilica, and pause for some photo ops at Julien Dubuque Monument.

To find ratings, maps, and tourist information, use the Dubuque travel route planner.

You can drive from Cedar Rapids to Dubuque in 1.5 hours. In August, daily temperatures in Dubuque can reach 79°F, while at night they dip to 60°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 19th (Mon) early enough to drive to Davenport.

Davenport is the county seat of Scott County in Iowa and is the largest of the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population estimate of 382,630 and a CSA population of 474,226, making it the 90th largest CSA in the nation. Bring the kids along to The Putnam Museum & Science Center and Figge Art Museum. Explore Davenport's surroundings by going to Burlington (Mosquito Park, Snake Alley, &more) and Clinton (Eagle Point Park & Wide River Winery). The adventure continues: get advice or help at Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, walk around Vander Veer Botanical Park, pause for some photo ops at Soldier's Monument, and have fun and explore at Family Museum of Arts and Science.

To find traveler tips, where to stay, and tourist information, you can read our Davenport trip planning app.

You can drive from Dubuque to Davenport in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. In August, plan for daily highs up to 83°F, and evening lows to 62°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 24th (Sat) so you can drive to Des Moines.

Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. Bring the kids along to Capitol Building and Adventureland. Venture out of the city with trips to Winterset (Roseman Covered Bridge & John Wayne Birthplace & Museum), Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Iowa (in Madrid) and Ames (Textile and Clothing Museum, Iowa State University, &more). And it doesn't end there: learn about wildlife with up-close encounters at Blank Park Zoo, admire the masterpieces at Salisbury House, admire the natural beauty at Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, and make a splash at Clive Aquatic Center.

To find photos, other places to visit, where to stay, and tourist information, you can read our Des Moines trip builder app.

You can drive from Davenport to Des Moines in 3 hours. In August, daytime highs in Des Moines are 84°F, while nighttime lows are 65°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 31st (Sat) to allow time to travel back home.