About Iowa City

It's been called "the Athens of the Midwest" and "that city near the Field of Dreams place," but Denny and Aprille just call Iowa City home.  Though it's not as exciting as Las Vegas or probably even Detroit, Iowa City has its charm.  It has a surprising number of good restaurants and interesting shops, and the people here are a diverse, tolerant bunch.

If you find yourself with some spare time to explore, here are some of our suggested activities.  We've limited our list to the downtown area, but if you're interested in branching out, you might try the Lincoln Café in Mt. Vernon (best food in 100 miles), the Devonian Fossil Gorge near the Coralville Reservoir, or the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville.

Restaurants and bars (see map below):

  • Tony's Grill (1):  320 E. Burlington St.  Get your daily grease allotment here.  Tony's Grill is a popular newcomer to the breakfast scene, with strange hours:  10 p.m.-2 p.m. (all night plus breakfast).
  • The Java House (2) :  221 1/2 E. Washington. The IMU's coffee offerings are meager; take a walk downtown and get some good coffee and a pastry here instead.
  • One Twenty Six (3):  126 E. Washington.  This is a great lunch spot, with upscale-yet-casual soups, salads, and light entrees.  They're open for dinner, too, but their lunch menu is a better value.
  • Atlas World Grill (4) :  127 Iowa Ave.  Atlas serves fairly innovative food with an international touch.  Try the crème brulée.
  • Z'Marik's Noodle Cafe (5):  19 S. Dubuque (near Prairie Lights).  This casual spot offers pastas, salads, and rice dishes, with kid-friendly options.
  • George's Buffet (6):  312 E. Market St. This is not actually a buffet, but rather a bar.  They serve tasty little cheeseburgers and beer.  George's is a dive, but it's a friendly dive.
  • The Sanctuary (7) :  405 S. Gilbert St.  The top feature here is a giant beer and wine selection.  They often have live jazz, and they serve food till 11 p.m.  This was the site of Denny and Aprille's first date, so stop by if you want to relish the romance of it all.

 

Attractions (see map below):

  • Museum of Natural History (8) : Clinton Street, Macbride Hall, second floor.  This small museum is home of the famous giant sloth, as well as other artifacts from Iowa's natural history.  Don't miss the mammal and bird halls.  Admission is free.
  • University of Iowa Museum of Art (9): Riverside Drive. This is the wedding site, but you might like a chance to spend more time there.  The museum's strengths are its African art and modern art collections, including works by Pollack, Matisse, Picasso, and Miró.
  • The Ped(estrian) Mall (10):  Dubuque and Washington Streets.  This is where the action in is downtown Iowa City.  There are many shops, ranging from second-hand stores to upscale boutiques.  You'll also find many bars and restaurants.  Kids often enjoy playing in the fountain.
  • City Park (11) : Park and Dubuque Streets.  Relax by the river in this public park.  There is an outdoor pool here, too.
  • Prairie Lights bookstore (12) : 15 S. Dubuque St. This is one of the best-known bookstores in the country. It has all the books you could want, as well as an especially good selection of periodicals upstairs.