Cedar Rapids, Iowa Road Trip Guide

Fast Facts

Population: 137,710 (2020 census); 137,935 (2025 est.)
Elevation: 810 ft
Best Season: May–June or September–October
Nearest Interstate: I-380 through the city; I-80 about 25 miles south

What to Know Before You Arrive

The site was settled in the late 1830s, platted in 1838 and surveyed in 1841, and the city was incorporated on 15 January 1849. It is named for the rapids in the Cedar River, which in turn was named for its red cedar trees.

Czech immigration shaped the place early and visibly. By the 1850s about a quarter of the town's roughly 1,600 inhabitants were Czech immigrants, and Czech Village still runs south of the river along 16th Avenue SW. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library here was dedicated in 1995 by the presidents of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States, and in 2024 a new astronomical clock was built, opening with the Czech and Slovak presidents present. Three heads of state at one dedication, and two more nineteen years later, is not ordinary for a city of this size.

The river that defines the city also nearly took it. On 13 June 2008 the Cedar River reached a record 31.12 feet, against a previous record of 20 feet; 7,749 flooded properties had to be evacuated and at least 1,300 were ultimately demolished. City government had been headquartered in the Veterans Memorial Building on May's Island until that flood. Much of what a visitor sees along the water today is rebuilding from that year.

The Road Trip Stop

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library at 1400 Inspiration Place SW is the anchor. Admission is $12^* general, $10^* for ages 65 and over, $6^* for students, $5^* for active military and veterans, and $4^* for ages 6 to 13, with ages 5 and under free.

Time it for the top of the hour

The galleries open Monday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4:00 p.m. The library inside keeps different hours again — Tuesday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday — and librarian appointments should be booked at least two business days ahead.
The Orloj runs on the hour. The Buresh Immigration Clock Tower and Orloj gives its full show at the top of every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. during its season, which runs 20 March to 17 November, dates subject to change. Arriving at ten past means waiting fifty minutes.
Reduced and free admission is available. The museum takes part in Museums for All, giving free admission with a state EBT card, and in Blue Star Museums for qualifying active military families; groups with disabilities pay $5^* per person including chaperones and carers, with advance booking.
Several holidays are closures. Check the list before planning a visit around a public holiday. The telephone number is 319-362-8500.

*Fees subject to change, please check ncsml.org for updated information.

Neighborhoods

May's Island
The island seat of government in the middle of the Cedar River, holding the Veterans Memorial Building and the county courthouse.

Czech Village
South of the river along 16th Avenue SW, the historic Czech commercial street, with the museum nearby.

NewBo
New Bohemia, the district around NewBo City Market, a nonprofit business incubator and community hub that Cedar Rapids Tourism describes as housed in a renovated manufacturing warehouse; the tourism board also notes the revitalization of Czech Village and New Bohemia over recent decades.

Downtown
The downtown district, where the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art stands at 410 3rd Ave SE; the museum places itself in the heart of downtown, and Cedar Rapids Tourism lists shops, dining, craft brews, art and culture, and riverfront views there.

Hidden Gems

▣

The Grant Wood Studio

At 5 Turner Alley, the loft where the painter worked. The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, which owns and operates the studio, lists it as open noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from April to December, with free docent-guided tours starting on the hour and half hour; the museum's own page lists current hours.

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The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Which “houses the largest collection of Grant Wood paintings in the world.” For a city of 137,710 that is a remarkable thing to be able to say.

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The Orloj

An astronomical clock built in 2024 in the Czech tradition, opened in the presence of the Czech and Slovak presidents.

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The flood line

Markers and rebuilt ground along the river showing where the water reached 31.12 feet in June 2008. The city's riverfront is legible as a response to that year.

The Food Stop

Czech Village along 16th Avenue SW and NewBo across the river are where Cedar Rapids concentrates its independent food, including the Czech bakery tradition the district is built on. We were unable to confirm a specific long-standing Cedar Rapids bakery or restaurant for this guide, and this guide does not name a business without checking that business's own site. One timing note that holds: the museum closes at 4:00 p.m. every day, so lunch rather than dinner is the natural pairing with it.

6 breweries within 10 miles of Cedar Rapids, 3 of them brewpubs with a kitchen.

See all 6

Lion Bridge Brewing Company59 16th Ave SW, Cedar Rapids
Quarter Barrel Arcade616 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids
Third Base Brewery500 Blairs Ferry Rd NE Ste 2, Cedar Rapids
Clock House Brewing600 1st St SE, Cedar Rapidsproduction site*
Iowa Brewing Company708 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapidsproduction site*
Thew Brewing Company301 2nd Ave, Cedar Rapidsproduction site*

*Check before you go. This list says what the source records as open and where it is — nothing more. Opening hours, whether a kitchen is serving, and whether anywhere suits your family are not in this data and change without notice. A production site may have no public room at all. Please confirm with the venue.

Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)

The Home Teams

Cedar Rapids Kernels

High-A baseball

Veterans Memorial Stadium

High-A baseball: the Cedar Rapids Kernels play at Veterans Memorial Stadium, which opened in April 2002 and seats 5,300 plus standing-room areas; the club's official site lists the schedule and tickets.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

USHL (junior ice hockey)

ImOn Ice Arena

Junior ice hockey in the USHL, where the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders play in the Eastern Conference; the league reports that this season more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience.

No MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL or MLS team plays in Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids Tourism's sports page points spectators to the Kernels for baseball and the RoughRiders for hockey.

Day Trips

Destination	Time	Distance	How we got it
Iowa Cityguide	43 min	31 mi	routed
South-east, the Old Capitol Museum, a national historic landmark on the University of Iowa campus that has served state legislatures, and the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature.
The Amana Colonies	42 min	25 mi	routed
South-west, seven villages founded in 1855 by a group of German Pietists who established a communal way of life.
Dyersville	1 hr 20 min	58 mi	routed
The Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, which the site places 25 miles west of Dubuque; the field is listed as open from sunrise to sunset year-round, weather permitting, and may be unavailable at times for private rentals or scheduled events.
Dubuque	1 hr 25 min	70 mi	routed
Dubuque, where the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium stands at 350 East 3rd Street; the museum lists spring and summer hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, 23 May to 1 November 2026.
Palisades-Kepler State Park	23 min	14 mi	routed
East of Cedar Rapids on U.S. Highway 30, a state park on the banks of the Cedar River, where the Iowa DNR describes dramatic river bluffs and trails over rocky limestone bluffs.

1 of these is a place the Hub has its own guide to — marked guide and linked from the name.

Routed figures are computed over map data at free-flowing speeds, between map points rather than street addresses, so a real drive runs longer.

Distances routed by OSRM and places geocoded by Nominatim, over map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Worth a Weekend

6 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Cedar Rapids in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.

Dyersville (Field of Dreams)Iowaabout 40 mi
GalenaIllinoisabout 70 mi
Des MoinesIowaabout 110 mi
MadisonWisconsinabout 140 mi
Wisconsin DellsWisconsinabout 150 mi
HannibalMissouriabout 160 mi

Wineries Nearby

1 producer we have checked near here. These are the ones from our research we could check against their own site — not every producer there is.

Fireside Winery - Marengo
winery · about 26 miles away · Iowa Valley Scenic Byway
Eastern Iowa winery at the edge of the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway; part of the Iowa Wine Passport.
- Toursyes - production facility tours
- Phone(319) 662-4222
1755 P Ave, Marengo, IA

*Check before you go. Every producer here links to its own site, which is where we read these details on the date we checked. Opening hours, tour times, tasting fees and who may come in change without notice and belong to the producer. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something they lack. None of these say anything about children, so do not plan around it without asking them.

Music Venues Nearby

Within 60 miles of Cedar Rapids, nearest first.

Where to see something

Paramount TheatretheaterCedar Rapids
Address
123 3rd Ave. SE
Capacity
1,693 (original)
Opened as Capitol Theater; damaged by 2008 flood.

This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Opening times, line-ups and ticketing change without notice, so check the venue’s or organiser’s own site — every name above links to it.

Water Parks and Theme Parks Nearby

Within 60 miles of Cedar Rapids, nearest first.

Lost Island Theme ParkSeasonaltheme parkWaterloo
Opened
2022
opened 2022; site lists park closed Oct 29, 2026
Lost Island Water ParkSeasonalwater parkWaterloo
sister water park next to Lost Island Theme Park

This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Every one of these runs a season rather than opening year round. Opening and closing dates move every year and we hold none of them, so check the park’s own calendar before you build a day around it. Prices, hours and ride closures change without notice — every name above links to the park’s own site.

Practical Road Trip Info

The main museum closes at four. The Czech & Slovak museum shuts at 4:00 p.m. seven days a week, so the museum half of a Cedar Rapids visit has to happen before then. The eating and the NewBo district run later.

The Orloj season ends in mid-November. Outside 20 March to 17 November, the clock's full show is not running.

I-380 runs through the city and connects to I-80 about twenty-five miles south, so this pairs naturally with Iowa City on one trip.

The riverfront is a rebuild, not a restoration. Knowing that the water hit 31.12 feet in 2008 and that 1,300 properties came down explains the shape of the city along the water.

10 public campgrounds within 25 miles of Cedar Rapids, all bookable ahead. Public campgrounds run by federal agencies. State-park and private campgrounds are not included.

The Local Debate

Local Debate

Should the city still govern from the island?

May's Island was bought in 1909 specifically to be the seat of government, on the theory that an island in the river belonged to neither the east nor the west side and would therefore keep the peace. It was intended to be the only island used that way in the Americas. As civic symbolism, it is hard to beat.

As flood planning, it has an obvious flaw. In June 2008 the Cedar River reached 31.12 feet against a previous record of 20, and the city government that had been headquartered in the Veterans Memorial Building on the island had to go elsewhere. Putting the administrative heart of a river city into the river is a decision the twentieth century made and the twenty-first has had to live with.

The counter-argument is that the island is the city's best idea about itself: a deliberate choice to govern from the middle rather than from one bank, made at a moment when the two halves did not trust each other. Abandoning it would be easier and would say something.

Highway Heads verdict: walk onto the island before you do anything else in Cedar Rapids. It takes ten minutes, it is free, and it explains both the city's self-image and its central vulnerability more quickly than any museum.

Family-Friendly

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The Orloj on the hour

A full mechanical show at the top of every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in season, which is a short, timed, reliable spectacle.

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Free entry for ages 5 and under

The Czech and Slovak museum charges nothing for the youngest visitors and $4 for ages 6 to 13.

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A Kernels game

Minor-league baseball at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Kernels' ballpark information says the team signs autographs on the field after Sunday games while fans play catch, with fans bringing their own baseball.

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Walking onto May's Island

Crossing a bridge to stand on an island that holds a city hall is a concrete idea children can grasp immediately.

Plan Your Visit

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

Address: 1400 Inspiration Place SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404; 319-362-8500
Gallery hours: Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Sunday noon-4:00 p.m.; several holiday closures
Library hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday; book librarian appointments at least two business days ahead
Admission: $12 general; $10 ages 65+; $6 students; $5 active military and veterans; $4 ages 6-13; free for members and ages 5 and under^*
Orloj: Full show top of the hour, every hour, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., season 20 March to 17 November; dates subject to change
Reduced entry: Museums for All (free with state EBT card); Blue Star Museums for qualifying military families; groups with disabilities $5 per person with advance booking^*
Link: ncsml.org

*Fees subject to change, please check ncsml.org for updated information.

We checked opening hours, fees and operating status on 2026-10-12. These change without notice — confirm with ncsml.org, crma.org, fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com, rivermuseum.org and milb.com the week you travel.

Sources — 32 claims, 29 checked against the source on 2026-10-12

Claim	Source	Status
National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 1400 Inspiration Place SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, phone 319-362-8500; galleries and museum store Mon–Sat 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday noon–4 p.m.; Skala Bartizal Library Tues–Sat 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Sundays and Mondays, librarian appointments at least two business days ahead; several holiday closures	Visit — National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library	Checked monitored · 2026-10-12
Admission: members free; general $12; senior 65+ $10; active military and veterans $5; students $6; youth 6–13 $4; ages 5 and under free; groups with disabilities $5 per person including chaperones and caretakers with advance booking; Museums for All free admission with a state EBT card; Blue Star Museum free admission for qualifying active military families	Visit — National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library	Checked monitored · 2026-10-12
The Buresh Immigration Clock Tower and Orloj gives its full show “Top of the hour, every hour, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.” during an Orloj Season from 20 March to 17 November, with dates subject to change	Visit — National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library	Checked monitored · 2026-10-12
Population 137,710 at the 2020 census with a 2025 estimate of 137,935; elevation 810 feet	Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Wikipedia	Checked
Settled in the late 1830s, platted 1838, surveyed 1841, incorporated 15 January 1849; “named for the rapids in the Cedar River”, the river itself named for its red cedar trees	Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Wikipedia	Checked
The city acquired May's Island in 1909 “for the purpose of making it the seat of government”, hoping a neutral site would ease east–west tensions; “it was designed to be the only island used in this manner in North and South America”; until the 2008 flood city government was headquartered in the Veterans Memorial Building on Mays Island near the Linn County Courthouse	Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Wikipedia	Checked
The Cedar River “reached a record high of 31.12 feet (9.49 m) on June 13” 2008, against a previous record of 20 feet; “7,749 flooded properties had to be evacuated” and at least 1,300 properties were demolished	Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Wikipedia	Checked
“The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art houses the largest collection of Grant Wood paintings in the world”; the Grant Wood Studio is at 5 Turner Alley	Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Wikipedia	Checked
Czech Village lies south of the Cedar River along 16th Avenue SW; in the 1850s “a quarter of its roughly 1,600 inhabitants were Czech immigrants”; the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library was dedicated in 1995 by the presidents of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States; “In 2024, a new astronomical clock was built”, opened with the Czech and Slovak presidents present	Cedar Rapids, Iowa — Wikipedia	Checked
A named, verified Cedar Rapids bakery or restaurant for the food stop — we were unable to confirm one on 2026-10-12	No source accepted yet	Not confirmed
The Grant Wood Studio, 5 Turner Alley (810 Second Ave SE), is owned and operated by the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art; open noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays with free docent-guided tours from April to December, tours on the hour and half hour (checked 2026-10-14)	Grant Wood Studio - Cedar Rapids Museum of Art	Checked monitored · 2026-10-14
The Kernels' official site identifies the club as a High-A affiliate; Veterans Memorial Stadium opened April 2002 as the third home for professional baseball in Cedar Rapids, seating 5,300 plus standing room (checked 2026-10-14)	Veterans Memorial Stadium - Cedar Rapids Kernels (official site)	Checked
Distances from Cedar Rapids to Dyersville and Dubuque: no official page stating them was found on 2026-10-14 (Iowa City, the Amana Colonies and Palisades-Kepler State Park are now sourced)	No source accepted yet	Not confirmed
Flood markers along the Cedar River and the current status of city government offices on May's Island	No source accepted yet	Not confirmed
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 3rd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401, described as in the heart of downtown; museum hours Monday closed, Tuesday and Wednesday 12 to 4 p.m., Thursday 12 to 8 p.m., Friday 12 to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 12 to 4 p.m. (checked 2026-10-14)	Visit - Cedar Rapids Museum of Art	Checked monitored · 2026-10-14
Museum admission listed as adults $10, seniors 62+ $9, college students $8, ages 6-18 $5, ages 5 and under free (checked 2026-10-14)	Visit - Cedar Rapids Museum of Art	Checked monitored · 2026-10-14
NewBo City Market, 1100 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401, 319-200-4050; describes its mission as a nonprofit business incubator and event center (checked 2026-10-14)	NewBo City Market	Checked
The tourism board describes the market as a nonprofit business incubator and community hub housed in a renovated manufacturing warehouse in the New Bohemia district	NewBo City Market - Cedar Rapids Tourism	Checked
Revitalization of Czech Village and New Bohemia over the past few decades (checked 2026-10-14)	A taste of Central Europe in Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids Tourism	Checked
Downtown is described as offering shops, dining, craft brews, art and culture, and riverfront views (checked 2026-10-14)	Downtown Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids Tourism	Checked
After Sunday games the team signs autographs on the field while fans play catch; fans bring their own baseball (undated FAQ, checked 2026-10-14)	Ballpark information - Cedar Rapids Kernels (official site)	Checked monitored · 2026-10-14
Official site of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders; lists Cedar Rapids in the USHL Eastern Conference (checked 2026-10-14)	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (official site)	Checked
The league reports that this season more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience (league's own statement, checked 2026-10-14)	USHL announces 2026-27 schedule - USHL	Checked
The tourism board's sports page points spectators to the Kernels (baseball) and a RoughRiders hockey match (checked 2026-10-14)	Sports and teams - Cedar Rapids Tourism	Checked
The Old Capitol is a national historic landmark; the building has served state legislatures; 21 N. Clinton St., Iowa City (checked 2026-10-14)	Old Capitol Museum - University of Iowa	Checked
Iowa City holds a designation as a UNESCO City of Literature (checked 2026-10-14)	Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature	Checked
The University of Iowa states that it lies 25 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids (checked 2026-10-14)	Neighborhood context - University of Iowa planning and development	Checked
The Amana Colonies lie 20 miles southwest of Cedar Rapids; established in 1855 by a group of German pietists in seven villages (checked 2026-10-14)	Day trips from Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids Tourism	Checked
28995 Lansing Rd., Dyersville, IA 52040, 25 miles west of Dubuque; field open sunrise to sunset year-round, weather permitting, and may be unavailable at times due to private rentals or scheduled events (checked 2026-10-14)	Visit us - Field of Dreams Movie Site	Checked monitored · 2026-10-14
350 East 3rd Street, Dubuque, IA 52001; spring/summer hours 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, 23 May 2026 to 1 November 2026 (checked 2026-10-14)	National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium	Checked monitored · 2026-10-14
The park lies on the banks of the Cedar River outside Cedar Rapids; dramatic river bluffs; trails follow rugged topography over rocky limestone bluffs (checked 2026-10-14)	Palisades-Kepler State Park - Iowa Department of Natural Resources	Checked
The park is 10 miles east of Cedar Rapids on U.S. Highway 30, with dramatic bluffs along the Cedar River (checked 2026-10-14)	Palisades-Kepler State Park - Cedar Rapids Tourism	Checked

Make the drive part of the trip

Road Trippin’ with the Harts

The Highway Heads books turn the miles between stops into a game the whole car can play.

See the books

✈

Nearest Airports

Straight-line distance from Cedar Rapids, not drive time.

The Eastern Iowa (CID) — 9 miles
Waterloo Regional (ALO) — 54 miles
Dubuque Regional (DBQ) — 55 miles

Next stop

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Return to the Highway Heads map and discover the next family-ready stop.

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Cedar Rapids