Iowa Definitively Joins Civilization! Show Your Appreciation — & Have a Cool Trip
Sioux City and Gemorrah? Field of Queens? Once again, the Hawkeye State has shown that contrary to the insulting stereotype, not all of the “heartland” is irredeemably bigoted and brain dead. By now everyone knows that on April 3 the state’s supreme court opened the door for Iowa to on April 24 become only the third state to provide marriage equality to gays and lesbians — and it’ll be open to non-Iowans as well! What you may not know is that if you’re looking to get hitched or just for an affordable vacation spot this summer that combines outdoorsy charms with some pretty respectable culture and sophisticated fun, Iowa’s well worth a gander.
Most people, if they know anything about the state, inevitably think of cornfields — especially the Field of Dreams baseball diamond in Dyersville (even 20 years later, it still draws a respectable tourist trade). Some might recall that Grant Wood, famous for painting the stick-up-the-butt couple of “American Gothic,” was from here. Throughout this 56,000 square miles there’s also oodles of golf and plenty of outdoorsy, nature-oriented stuff to do. Fall foliage? Check. The five famous covered bridges of Madison County? Check. And one of the “quirkier” attractions here, which appeals to me because of my family background, is Cedar Rapids’ National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, the top spot of its kind in America.
But there’s a cultured, even hip side to the state, too. Capital Des Moines has its cool gentrified nabes filled with shops and dining spots, such as the East Village, not to mention a good art museum (others can be found in Davenport and Cedar Rapids). Davenport has its music festivals, Iowa City an honest-to-goodness serious literary vibe, and if you’re an American history buff and/or Log Cabin type, check out the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library. Or not.
Finally, there’s enough of a queer community here that at least nine Iowa cities can support gay clubs. First and foremost, of course, is Des Moines, which even has a little bit of a scene, with four clubs including The Garden and The Blazing Saddle. Davenport, Cedar Rapids, and Sioux City at last count had a pair each — certainly enough to make your evenings a little more happy and homo.
This is all just scratching the surface of course, so for more info have a look at tourism info sites like TravelIowa.com, IowaTourism.com, IowaBeautiful.com, and VisitIowa.org. It’s funny (well, maybe “funny’s” not quite the right word) — the state’s tourism slogan is “Life Changing.” As of April 2009, that sucker’s gonna take on a whole new meaning.
Yours truly,
Dave