Area Attractions

No matter your age and taste, Waterloo has opportunities and attractions for you to spend time exploring!
From our world-class museums to the largest water park in the state of Iowa or from the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo to outdoor recreation, Waterloo features affordable family fun and entertainment.

Agriculture

Silos & Smokestacks
E. 4th & Lafayette Sts., Waterloo, IA, 319-234-4567
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The story of American agriculture comes to life within this 37-county region in northeast Iowa. From dairy farms and museums to vineyards and tractor plants, join us for an agriculture experience you won't find anywhere else. An affiliated Area of the National Park Service.

Sunrise Exchange Club Children's Petting Zoo
257 Ansborough Avenue, Waterloo, IA, 319-234-4110
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Open June to September, this zoo features a variety of farm animals. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 am - 8 pm; Sunday 12 - 5 pm. Closed Monday. Free Admission.

 

John Deere Tractor Assembly Tour (13 and older)
3500 E. Donald Street, Waterloo, IA, 319-292-7668
Visit the John Deere Tractor Assembly to watch a tractor being built start to finish.
Tour times are 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 1:00 p.m. weekdays.
No open toed shoes, no video or still cameras, no cell phones.
Reservations are required.

 

John Deere Engine Works Tour (13 and older)3801 W. Ridgeway Ave., Waterloo, IA, 319-292-5347
Visit the John Deere Engine Works to watch an engine being built from start to finish.
Tour times are 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., weekdays.
No open toed shoes, no video or still cameras, no cell phones.
Reservations are required.

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Kids and Family

Bluedorn Science Imaginarium
322 Washington St., Waterloo, IA, 319-233-8708
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This hands-on science center makes learning scientific principles fun through interactive exhibits and formal demonstrations. Exhibits focus on light and electricity, momentum, liquids, gases and sound. Demonstrations daily. Open Tuesday - Saturday 9 am - 5 pm. Closed Sunday & Monday.

Crossroads 12 Theatres
2450 Crossroads Boulevard, Waterloo, IA 319-433-7436Map it!
Theatre Amenities:
4 Day Advance Ticket Sale
ATM
Digital Sound
Handicap Accessible
Hearing Assisted Listening Devices
Stadium Seating

Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute & Museum
303 Jefferson Street, Waterloo, IA, 319-233-0745Map it!
The museum offers a Teaching Center for youth clinics and artworks of wrestling through the ages. Also footage of Dan Gables winning the Gold at the 1972 Olympics. Open Tuesday through Saturday 9 am - 5 pm.

Lost Island Water Park
2225 E. Shaulis Road, Waterloo, IA, 319-233-8414
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Lost Island is a 74-acre recreation park with water slides, miniature golf, and go-karts, two 18-hole Adventure Golf Courses, 18 of which are handicapped accessible, and the go-karts are open (May – September) 2 pm - 10 pm, Monday - Saturday, Sunday 2 pm - 7 pm. The water park is open (June – August) 10:30 am - 6:30 pm daily. The park features nine slides as well as five other water attractions... there's something for everyone!

Phelps Youth Pavilion
225 Commercial Street, Waterloo, IA, 319-291-4490
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Imagine a dynamic interactive place where the young and young-at-heart can explore the arts and experience cultures from around the world. The Cedar Valley is home to just such a place at the Waterloo Center for the Arts Phelps Youth Pavilion. Presented with the opportunity to create things with your own hands and to appreciate the handmade creations of others is more vital now than ever and the new Phelps Youth Pavilion will provide that creative outlet for one and all. The Phelps Youth Pavilion is a place where art launches a world of discovery, wonder, and learning.

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Museums & More

Grout Museum of History and Science
319-234-6357
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The Grout Museum of History & Sciences history collection focuses on the period from 1833, when Iowa was opened for settlement, to the present. The Maytag Car, 1915 Waterloo Boy, Rath Packing Company whistle and Pioneer Hall Mural help visitors envision and understand bygone eras. Hours: Tues-Sat 9-5

Rensselaer Russell House Museum
520 West 3rd Street, Waterloo, IA, 319-233-0262
319-234-6357 Part of the Grout Museum District.
Map it! This small jewel of mid-Victorian architecture is one of the oldest homes in Black Hawk County. Informative guided tours allow visitors to enjoy a beautiful Victorian interior, which features original Russell Family belongings. Hours vary. Please call ahead. 

Waterloo Center for the Arts
225 Commercial Street, Waterloo, IA, 319-291-4490
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Located along the banks of the Cedar River, the Waterloo Center for the Arts features Midwest art including works by Grant Wood, Marvin Cone, and Thomas Hart Benton; plus the largest public collection of Haitian art in the United States. The Center also offers a gift shop with works by over 200 Midwest artists. They offer a full selection of classes, programs, special events, and performances. Tuesday - Friday 10 am - 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 1 - 4 pm, closed Monday.

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Outdoor Adventures

Airline Amusement Park
1666 W. Airline Highway, Waterloo, IA, 319- 232-9384
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Go-carts, driving range, batting cage, bumper cars, and miniature golf. Open 9 am-11 pm.

All Golf Center
1844 W. Ridgeway, Waterloo, IA, 319-236-1010
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Driving range, Executive 9 par three golf course, and miniature golf. Open March 1 - December 1. 8 am – dark.

Beahr Ridge Legendary Stables
5533 Hudson Road, Cedar Falls, IA, 319-988-3021
Map it!Beahr Ridge offers riding instruction, training, boarding, Arabian stallion service, and horses for sale. beahrridgearab@mchsi.com

Big Woods Lake Recreation AreaBig Woods Road, Cedar Falls, 319-273-8624
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Big Woods Lake Recreation Area is a 320 acre park that offers picnic areas, trails, a fishing lake, and a boat ramp.

Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens
1927 E. Orange Road, Waterloo, IA, 319-226-4966
Map it!The Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens (CVABG) offer visitors a wonderful array of native Iowa plants, trees, and flowers. The six gardens on this lovely 75-acre site showcase the incredible natural variety of the region. The Arboretum is open daily from dawn to dusk from April 1 to October 1. Admission is free; however, donations are welcome. The Arboretum is located East of Hawkeye Community College, at 1927 East Orange Road, Waterloo, Iowa. For more information, please call (319) 226-4966, visit our website at www.cedarvalleyarboretum.org, or email us at office@cedarvalleyarboretum.org. Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens, P.O. Box 1833 Waterloo, IA 50704-1833

Cedar Valley Trails6510 Hudson Road (319) 233-8350, (800) 845-1955
Map it!The Cedar Valley’s outstanding recreational trail system sets us apart from most other communities. Over 80 miles of hard-surfaced trails configured in a series of loops offer users a variety of experiences from peaceful wooded areas along our lakes and streams to attractions located in our vibrant downtown entertainment districts.

George Wyth State Park2659 Wyth Road, Waterloo, IA, 319-232-5505
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George Wyth State Park is a 1,100 acre park that offers 5.5 miles of multi-use paved trails and is linked to 80 miles of trails in the area. It also offers boating, fishing, picnicking, shelters (3 open shelters), lodge, 69 camping units, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, hiking, biking (no mountain biking), in-line skating, walking, sail boating, windsurfing, and swimming. The park has four lakes and is home to over 200 species of birds. The park facilities are handicap accessible. The camp reservation system can be found at www.reserveiaparks.com or by calling 1-877-IAPARKS.

Hartman Reserve Nature Center
657 Reserve Drive, Cedar Falls, IA, 319-277-2187
Map it!This 295-acre natural area is a wooded oasis located in the heart of metropolitan Black Hawk County along the banks of the Cedar River. The Interpretive Center houses displays and exhibits and is connected to several habitats by five miles of trails. Utilized for school field trips, weddings, reunions, family gatherings, and a whole variety of recreation. The Intrepretive Center is open Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm; Sunday 1 - 5 pm only in March, April & May and again in September and October. Hartman Reserve also has 10-25 acre lakes that offer canoeing and fishing.

South Hills Golf Course
1830 E. Shaulis Rd, Waterloo, IA, 319-291-4268
Smooth, quick and true best describe the greens at South Hills. Our fairways are lined with a pleasant mixture of 35-year-old hardwoods and mature pines. South Hills Golf Course was designed by the legendary Leonard Kawtowski and has been a favorite among Cedar Valley golfers since 1974.

 

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