You will always be able to find something for fun in Greater Burlington, no matter what age you are. Annually, Des Moines County has seen the largest increase in tourism in the state of Iowa. The attractions have helped make this possible. Whether you are looking for fun in the sun, a relaxing day at a spa or taking in a baseball game, we have lots to offer.

Snake Alley
Located between Washington & Columbia Sts, Burlington

Test your driving, walking or bicycling skills on what Ripley’s Believe It or Not calls the “Crookedest Street in the World.” Perhaps Burlington’s most famous landmark, Snake Alley consists of five half-curves and two quarter-curves and drops 58 feet over a distance of 275 feet. The street is reminiscent of vineyard paths in France and Germany.

Catfish Bend Casino
3001 Winegard Dr, Burlington 800-372-2WIN, www.thepzazz.com

Hot gaming action the way you like it, in a beautiful, all-new casino filled with more than a thousand games: sizzling slots, new penny and nickel slots, video poker, exciting high-paying progressive games plus the action-jammed tables you like best! Catfish Bend Casino features 24,000 square feet of edge-of-your seat gaming excitement! Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington, Iowa is part of the PZAZZ! entertainment complex that is home to multiple dining options, the PZAZZ! Event & Convention Center and Fun City! The Best Time is Anytime at Catfish Bend Casino!

Fun City
3001 Winegard Dr, Burlington 877-5432-FUN, www.thepzazz.com
Fun City is the Midwest’s premiere family entertainment destination! Enjoy a 10,000 square foot arcade and take a ride in the 3-D virtual roller coaster at the Extreme Theatre. Take a splash at Huck’s Harbor, an indoor/outdoor water park featuring slides, dump buckets, water cannons, and a lazy river. Battle it out in the state-of-the-art laser tag arena, or experience a high-tech game of bowling at the 24 lane King Pins. Race on the indoor speedway featuring Formula One-style electric go-karts. Upscale billiards and gaming lounge, an indoor golfing simulator, as well as several restaurant and sports bar areas offer people of all ages a unique experience.

Des Moines County Heritage Center
501 N Fourth St, Burlington 319-752-7449, www.dmchs.org

Open May-September 10 AM - 5 PM Tuesday thru Saturday, noon - 5 PM Sunday, closed Monday. October - April open noon - 5 PM Wednesday thru Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday. Visit the Heritage Center and browse the galleries to discover the history and creative spirit that exemplify Des Moines County. Step back in time in the 19th Century Gallery which includes the “Roads, Rails, and River” exhibit, Flint River diorama, furniture manufacturing, and an operating newspaper hand press. Honor the men and women of Des Moines County who have served their country in the Military Gallery, and look at how the installation of the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant and technological innovations changed life in the county in the 20th Century Gallery. Keep the kids entertained for hours learning about pioneer life in the Catfish Corners Children’s Area. Relive the glamour and talents of local musicians in the Bart Howard Room. Bart Howard was a Burlington native and famous composer of “Fly Me to the Moon.” A wide range of memoribila is on display.

Phelps House Museum
512 Columbia St, Burlington 319-753-5880, www.dmchs.org

Open May – October on weekends from 1 to 4 PM
Located at the top of Snake Alley, this elegant Victorian house was built in 1851 with an expansion doubling its size in 1870. The nine rooms on display feature furnishings dating back to 1774. Don’t miss the “Medical Memories” display, in honor of the years this historic building housed Burlington’s first Protestant hospital.

Hawkeye Log Cabin, Crapo Park
2900 S Main St, Burlington

Open May – September on weekends from 1 to 4 PM
This cabin is located in Crapo Park on the bluff where Lt. Zebulon Pike raised the first American flag on what would become Iowa soil. This unique museum recalls the settlement era with pioneer furniture and tools.

Wildlife Lakes Elk Farm
13852 Washington Rd, West Burlington 319-752-4659, www.wildlifelakes.com

Group Tours welcome by appointment Wildlife Lakes Elk Farm is home for some of Mother Nature’s most beautiful scenery, wildlife, and elk. A series of man-made ponds and lakes make this an ideal location for many animals and waterfowl to call home. Canadian geese return year after year to nest and raise their young ones. Visitors can view the day-to-day operations of a working elk farm that has been raising and breeding elk for 10 years. Call for more information, visitors are always welcome.

Big Hollow
8 miles North of Burlington, Woff Hwy 61 319-753-8260, www.dmcconservation.com

As Des Moines County’s largest park, Big Hollow consists of 768 acres. It features an extensive trail system that progresses through woods, prairies, and around ponds. If one tires of hiking the trails, try horseback. Camping, cross-country skiing, and hunting are also permitted in this diverse park. Visitors can try their luck fishing in the stocked, no wake, 178-acre lake, target practice on the shooting range (must be certified to do so), swim at the beach or stargaze at the observatory. The John H. Witte Observatory is run by the Southeastern Iowa Astronomy Club and is open to the public the first and third Fridays of the month.

Burlington Bees Baseball
Community Field, 2712 Mount Pleasant St, Burlington 319-754-5705, www.gobees.com

The Burlington Bees invite you and your family to Community Field to experience the fun and excitement of minor league baseball. The Bees are the Class “A” affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and the only professional sports team in the region. The Bees offer fans of all ages a chance to be part of the action and have a lot of fun with special promotions each night, plus a playground with an inflatable for kids. Visit the Bees’ website for news, photos, promo information, and to purchase tickets or shop for great Bees merchandise.

Port of Burlington Welcome Center
400 N Front St, Burlington 319-752-8731, www.growburlington.com

Open all year. The beautiful Mississippi River provides a scenic backdrop for this historic building. Dedicated in 1928 as the Burlington Municipal Docks, the building enabled barges to be loaded with coal by means of an overhead conveyor. The Port of Burlington is now the home to a State of Iowa Welcome Center. Information on statewide attractions, souvenirs and a video of local attractions combine with historic displays to make this an ideal starting point for visitors. Self-guided audio tours of North and South Hill areas are available.

Starr’s Cave Nature Center & Preserve
11627 Starr’s Cave Rd, Burlington 319-753-5808, www.dmcconservation.com

Part of the State Preserves System, this forested area contains limestone bluffs, three caves, prairie remnants and some endangered plant species. The Nature Center offers hands on displays and scheduled activities including folk concerts and environmental education programs.

RecPlex – Burlington’s Regional Family Sports Complex
501 S Broadway St, Burlington 319-758-9419, www.burlingtonrecplex.com

The RecPlex features tournament-class facilities for soccer, softball, sand volleyball, and a guest services building including a restaurant and spectator plazas. League play is planned during the week, and various tournaments and special events will be offered during the weekend. Batting cages are open to the public.

Spas
Dana’s Total Image AVEDA Concepts Salon & Spa
914 Maple St, Burlington 319-753-6995, www.danastotalimage.com

Partake in a host of delicacies for the body and soul including refreshing herbal body wraps, relaxing massages, soothing aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, rejuvenating facials, body treatments, and salon services.

Qi - The Spa
3001 Winegard Dr, Burlington 319-237-1271

Qi is more than just a spa, it takes relaxation and rejuvenation to new heights. Five treatment rooms offer facials, body wraps, manicures, pedicures, massage stations and a private outdoor pool, jacuzzi and sun deck. Qi – The Spa will invigorate and exhilarate your mind, body and senses.

Styltique
313 Jefferson St, Burlington 319-753-1831

A new generation of relaxation and beauty from head-to-toe is awaiting you. The latest hair trends, manicures, pedicures, facials, massage therapy, body wraps, and many other services designed to help you look and feel your best.

Bangert Gardens
3500 Hillcrest, Burlington 319-752-9328, www.bangertgardens.com

Experience acres of beautiful gardens uniquely designed. Over 200 different trees and dozens of varieties of perennial and annual flowers can be found. Take time to walk through the moss garden to the one and a half acre pond, explore the cactus garden, and see hundreds of hostas and shade plants. A variety of antique tractors and equipment can be viewed on the grounds. Call and learn more about setting up a tour of these beautiful gardens.

Bluff Harbor Marina
800 N Front St, Burlington 319-753-2590, www.bluffharbor.com

Whatever your marine needs may be, Bluff Harbor Marina is ready to serve you. Services include fuel sales, slip rental, boat and motor sales and service, fully equipped ship store, fresh water, electricity, restrooms, pump-out station, towing service, and a full service repair facility. Looking to get out and explore the Might Mississippi? Check into renting a boat from Bluff Harbor Marina. Access to Riverside Park, dining, shopping, the library, and grocery can all be found close by.

Burlington – Located on the Great River Road

The Great River Road is a three-thousand mile network of federal, state, and county roads that parallel the Mississippi River on both sides from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. To follow the Great River Road into Burlington you will take either U.S. Highway 61 from the south or State Highway 99 from the north. Burlington –located on the Great River Road.

Lock and Dam #18
Located four miles east of the Great River Bridge on U.S. Hwy 34, then four and a half miles north on Lock & Dam Rd, 309-873-2246

Constructed between 1934-37 at a cost of over 9 million dollars, this lock and dam is one of 29 on the upper Mississippi River. See how barge traffic moves up and down the river as they pass through this 600-foot lock with a maximum lift of 10 feet. During the winter months, view large populations of bald eagles as they migrate south and feed at the open water around the lock and dam.

Kenny’s Roller Ranch
8989 Koestner, Burlington 319-752-2043, www.kennysrollerranch.com

Kenny’s Roller Ranch is your one stop shop for family fun.  Open skating, private parties, and special events take place at the rink which is open year around. Kenny’s Roller Ranch also features batting cages and miniature golf.

Lindon Wines
12646 Highway 61, Burlington 319-752-3677

Tours by appointment. Lindon Wines produces wine from locally grown grape varieties, red, blush, and white to pair with foods ranging from beef to seafood depending on your palate. We have wines from dry to slightly sweet and a cram sherry appertif.

The Mighty Mississippi River

Greater Burlington, Iowa is located on the bluffs overlooking the Mighty Mississippi River. The river is valuable for leisure, recreation, and commerce. The river is home to at least 260 species of fish, and 40 percent of the nations’s migratory waterfowl use the river corridor during their spring and fall migrations.