Am I the only person that hasn't taken their kids to explore Dubuque yet? I mean, we have driven through several times heading to Illinois or Wisconsin, but have never actually stayed there or explored all they have to offer. It's a solid 75-90 minute drive from most towns in the Cedar Valley and certainly do-able for a weekend getaway. We were so busy that we didn't get to check out the caves, arboretum, or river walk areas, but we will definitely be back to explore some more.
Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark
This indoor-only waterpark is the perfect size for families and would be a great destination for when the weather outside is not fantastic. It's set up in a dome where you can keep an eye on the kids from pretty much any seat/table in the middle of the space (for those of us that don't feel like chasing small children through acres of water attractions). There is a small lazy river, a larger slide, a pool, kid zone (zero entry, small features, for babies/toddlers/smaller kids), and a HUGE play structure fully equipped with slides, rope obstacles, and water guns. It's definitely on my list for a winter weekend getaway.
Breakfast is included with your room, plus there is an arcade and on-site restaurant. It was rainy one of the days that we were visiting and the indoor activities were a perfect way to spend the day.
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*Money saving tip: Sign up for their promotional emails to get notified when they offer discounted rooms or package deals. I saw some family deals that included a pizza, drinks, and arcade tokens for $25. Since I can't eat pizza, we skipped on this deal and ordered carry out from Tony Roma's instead, but it is definitely a budget-friendly option for most families.
National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium
I absolutely love that we have this awesome aquarium and museum right in our backyard! As a bonus, if you are staying at Grand Harbor, it's literally a block away and a super easy walk. We had some great photo ops, the kids loved the exhibits, and they have some hands-on, kid fun areas that are just opening back up post-pandemic. It was not crazy busy for a Saturday and we spent most of the afternoon there. If you are the planning-type, I would set aside at least 2-3 hours for this adventure. We had lunch at the hotel, then walked over, and were back around 3:30-4pm.
Some of their latest and greatest exhibits include a new 9,000 square foot permanent exhibit called "River of Innovation", which includes the Iowa Marine Engine and Launch Works gallery, high-engagement interactive exhibits that reinforce river innovation themes as well as artifacts from the museum’s collections, and a makerspace. Plus their Summer travelling exhibit is Splash and Bubbles: Dive in, Lend a Fin! (based on the popular PBS KIDS TV show Splash and Bubbles), a hit animated series that encourages children to explore ocean science and marine biology through character-driven comedy. Featuring a variety of hands-on exhibit components, Splash and Bubbles: Dive In, Lend a Fin! invites children to discover a whole new world as they navigate an under-the-sea maze in a kelp forest, explore a sunken ship that has become an artificial reef, interact with puppet characters created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, become a Reeftown Ranger to learn to protect the ocean, and more!
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I added the "sting ray feeding" to our tickets for a mere $10/person and it was worth every penny for a private time to pet and feed the sting rays. This is limited to 6 tickets per time slot and only two time slots per day, so definitely book in advance. They may open up for more tickets as the pandemic precautions are relaxed, but you could even just purchase the feeding for the kids and have the adults stand by to watch and pet them (they just wouldn't get food for them). You can have one spectator for each ticket you purchase. I would even check to see when the feedings were available to determine which day you get tickets for, if you have that flexibility. It was an amazing experience (that you don't often get) and absolutely worth it.
The last picture is what a hungry stingray looks like... they know when it's feeding time... LOL
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* BONUS: The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium will be showing their teacher appreciation by offering FREE admission to teachers and educators with a school ID during the month of August!
This zipline course is certainly off of the beaten path, but definitely worth the trip. They offer a two-hour tour that includes NINE(!) ziplines. We even had friends from Cedar Falls drive over to meet us for this adventure. There were four adults, a 15 year old, a 10 year old, and an 8 year old and we all really enjoyed this course. This was a first for a few in our group and even our tour guides said that it is a great first course if you haven't ziplined before. Use your best judgement on whether this is something that would be a good fit for your family/kids. They do recommend it for ages 10 and up, but our 8 year old is big for his age and has been ziplining before. He did fantastic. I would definitely follow the minimum weight guideline though (70 lbs), otherwise they don't have enough momentum to make it across some of the lines with more gradual declines.
Some of the key features at Sky Tours:
- Hike through wooded hillsides with guides pointing out flora and fauna along the way.
- Explore the heights and sights of the ruins of Union Park, an early 1900s entertainment destination and formal garden.
- Experience nine ziplines. Lengths: 300-1,000 feet. Heights: to 75 feet.
- Designed for guests ages 10 and up, weighing between 70 and 270 lbs., a tour takes around 2 hours to complete.
- The Sky Tours Experience is perfect for: Family gatherings, birthday bashes, celebrations, and corporate events.
You can buy tickets online or call 563.484.4248 to book your flight. They also offer group discounts if you have eight or more.
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*Additional Money Saving Tips*
- Bring Groceries: Any time you are away from home, the cost of buying food can really put a dent in your budget. For short trips like this is super easy to load up on groceries at a local store or clear out what's already in your fridge and pantry. Take fruit/cereal/granola bars for breakfast, pack a cooler of drinks/waters, some sandwich supplies (lunchmeat, cheese, buns), and a grocery sack full of chips/crackers/snacks. We do this for almost every trip and it saves SOOOO much money...
- Take advantage of NON-PEAK rates: Many attractions have rates that vary based on demand or season. Even weekday rates can be significantly lower than weekend rates, with holidays generally being exceptionally high-priced. If you have the flexibility, do some research on what days or months are less expensive.
- Look for online deals: Check out our CertifiKid deals, Groupon offers, Restaurants.com, and other discount sites to see what's available at your destination. Several of our local cities have deals listed on some of these sites, but naturally, the bigger cities are likely to have even more options.
*I did receive complimentary or discounted rates in order to share our Dubuque family fun adventures with you, but all opinions are my own and I promise I wouldn't tell you how fantastic something is if it really isn't*
