Every time is the perfect time to get out of the house and enjoy a fun outing, don’t you think? Well, we have a particularly lovely one on deck for you; the gorgeous scenery, the proximity to one of the most beautiful state parks in Iowa, and the charming downtown area make the tiny river town of McGregor, Iowa, the ideal scenic destination for a picture-perfect day trip. If you got here by looking up “day trips near me in Iowa”, look no further – this is the ultimate!
River Bluffs Scenic Byway Experience/Facebook Even the drive into the town will afford some pretty spectacular scenery, as it’s located on two scenic byways: the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, and the beginning of the River Bluffs Scenic Byway.
McGregor-Marquette, Iowa/Facebook McGregor is a postcard perfect river town situated in the northeast Iowa bluffs near the Mississippi River. With a population of only around 870, the town has a laid-back, slow pace that’s perfect for a relaxing day of exploration.
McGregor-Marquette, Iowa/Facebook The small town was nicknamed “The Pocket City” because it’s literally pocketed between the Mississippi on the east side and steep, tree-lined bluffs surrounding the rest of the town. In the fall, the scenery is sure to be nothing short of breathtaking.
EarlRShumaker/Flickr Main Street in downtown McGregor is lined with beautiful historic architecture, antique stores and other specialty shops, so make sure to plan some time to wander through the the stores.
Froelich Foundation/Facebook After you’ve explored the stores, you may want to pay a visit to the Froelich Foundation Museum. This museum was established in 1986 and was built with the intention of preserving the heritage of the village of Froelich, Iowa, a once thriving community with a depot, sawmill, blacksmith shop, creamery and more.
Facebook/Cafe McGregor For a delicious breakfast or lunch, stop off at Cafe McGregor, a homey, diner-style eatery with a large breakfast selection, burgers & fries, sandwiches and more. Find it at 211 Main Street, McGregor, Iowa, 52157.
Flickr/Neal Wellons While you’re in the area, it’s a great idea to get outside the town and explore the nearby natural beauty. Pikes Peak State Park is just a few miles south of town, with one of the most spectacular overlooks in Iowa from a 500-foot-bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Find it at 32264 Pikes Peak Road, McGregor, Iowa.
The Great River Road/Facebook The Effigy Mounds National Monument is just a few miles north of McGregor, near Harpers Ferry. The monument is a large collection of about 200 Native American-built mounds that are shaped as different animals. There’s a walking trail that you can take to explore the mounds, and the scenery along the way is also quite beautiful. You’ll find this breathtaking slice of history at 151 IA-76, Harpers Ferry, Iowa.
Spook Cave and Campground/Facebook Finally, if you have the time, you can take a boat ride through Spook Cave. The cave is said to be haunted by the souls of early explorers, so enter only if you dare. You’ll find the caves at 13299 Spook Cave Road, McGregor, Iowa.
Have you visited this quaint little town? For some awesome fall day trips in Iowa, The Fall Foliage At These 10 State Parks In Iowa Is Stunningly Beautiful. Let us know what you think of McGregor in the comments! We love hearing from you.
River Bluffs Scenic Byway Experience/Facebook
Even the drive into the town will afford some pretty spectacular scenery, as it’s located on two scenic byways: the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, and the beginning of the River Bluffs Scenic Byway.
McGregor-Marquette, Iowa/Facebook
McGregor is a postcard perfect river town situated in the northeast Iowa bluffs near the Mississippi River. With a population of only around 870, the town has a laid-back, slow pace that’s perfect for a relaxing day of exploration.
The small town was nicknamed “The Pocket City” because it’s literally pocketed between the Mississippi on the east side and steep, tree-lined bluffs surrounding the rest of the town. In the fall, the scenery is sure to be nothing short of breathtaking.
EarlRShumaker/Flickr
Main Street in downtown McGregor is lined with beautiful historic architecture, antique stores and other specialty shops, so make sure to plan some time to wander through the the stores.
Froelich Foundation/Facebook
After you’ve explored the stores, you may want to pay a visit to the Froelich Foundation Museum. This museum was established in 1986 and was built with the intention of preserving the heritage of the village of Froelich, Iowa, a once thriving community with a depot, sawmill, blacksmith shop, creamery and more.
Facebook/Cafe McGregor
For a delicious breakfast or lunch, stop off at Cafe McGregor, a homey, diner-style eatery with a large breakfast selection, burgers & fries, sandwiches and more. Find it at 211 Main Street, McGregor, Iowa, 52157.
Flickr/Neal Wellons
While you’re in the area, it’s a great idea to get outside the town and explore the nearby natural beauty. Pikes Peak State Park is just a few miles south of town, with one of the most spectacular overlooks in Iowa from a 500-foot-bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Find it at 32264 Pikes Peak Road, McGregor, Iowa.
The Great River Road/Facebook
The Effigy Mounds National Monument is just a few miles north of McGregor, near Harpers Ferry. The monument is a large collection of about 200 Native American-built mounds that are shaped as different animals. There’s a walking trail that you can take to explore the mounds, and the scenery along the way is also quite beautiful. You’ll find this breathtaking slice of history at 151 IA-76, Harpers Ferry, Iowa.
Spook Cave and Campground/Facebook
Finally, if you have the time, you can take a boat ride through Spook Cave. The cave is said to be haunted by the souls of early explorers, so enter only if you dare. You’ll find the caves at 13299 Spook Cave Road, McGregor, Iowa.
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Address: McGregor, IA 52157, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Day Trips in Iowa Near Me September 12, 2021 Tori Jane Where is McGregor, Iowa? McGregor, Iowa, is a tiny little town with a population of under 1,000 people in Clayton County. It’s a river town, being nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River just across the way from Wisconsin. It’s a charming little place despite the remarkably small population; one will find plenty of interesting history should they know where to look. It’s one of the smaller towns to visit in northeastern Iowa, but it’s cute enough that we think you’ll want to stay a while. Nearby is Pike’s Peak State Park, which is worthy of a day trip in and of itself. Hey – that means you can stay in McGregor! What are the most charming small towns in Iowa? Believe it or not, Iowa is a state with more than one super charming small town. In fact, there are enough that it’s impossible to list them all in a short paragraph like this one. Some of our favorite small towns in Iowa include beautiful Osceola, which is so pleasant that it feels like home even to first-time visitors. There’s also breathtakingly enchanting towns like Pella, which is a mini-Holland of sorts, and Spirit Lake is a super-unique lakeside type of town that you don’t find just anywhere in the Midwest. If you like those towns, you’ll probably also fall in love with Elkhorn, Waverly, and Bentonsport, too. For a longer list with more details about some of these and other favorite towns, take a look at this article. Where are the best places to see fall foliage in Iowa? Iowa is one of those places where fall color is just magical. Here, the color tends to peak just past the end of the first week of October, with lots of places seeing some of their best vibrance around October 10th. Depending on which part of the state you find yourself in, you’ll see the brilliant changes occurring with elm, ash, hickory, maple and oaks, which shift through brilliant phases of golds, oranges, and reds. Though you’ll see beautiful color in most places, some of the notably excellent ones are places like Backbone, near Strawberry Point, and Palisades-Kepler, near Cedar Rapids.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Day Trips in Iowa Near Me
September 12, 2021
Tori Jane
Where is McGregor, Iowa? McGregor, Iowa, is a tiny little town with a population of under 1,000 people in Clayton County. It’s a river town, being nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River just across the way from Wisconsin. It’s a charming little place despite the remarkably small population; one will find plenty of interesting history should they know where to look. It’s one of the smaller towns to visit in northeastern Iowa, but it’s cute enough that we think you’ll want to stay a while. Nearby is Pike’s Peak State Park, which is worthy of a day trip in and of itself. Hey – that means you can stay in McGregor! What are the most charming small towns in Iowa? Believe it or not, Iowa is a state with more than one super charming small town. In fact, there are enough that it’s impossible to list them all in a short paragraph like this one. Some of our favorite small towns in Iowa include beautiful Osceola, which is so pleasant that it feels like home even to first-time visitors. There’s also breathtakingly enchanting towns like Pella, which is a mini-Holland of sorts, and Spirit Lake is a super-unique lakeside type of town that you don’t find just anywhere in the Midwest. If you like those towns, you’ll probably also fall in love with Elkhorn, Waverly, and Bentonsport, too. For a longer list with more details about some of these and other favorite towns, take a look at this article. Where are the best places to see fall foliage in Iowa? Iowa is one of those places where fall color is just magical. Here, the color tends to peak just past the end of the first week of October, with lots of places seeing some of their best vibrance around October 10th. Depending on which part of the state you find yourself in, you’ll see the brilliant changes occurring with elm, ash, hickory, maple and oaks, which shift through brilliant phases of golds, oranges, and reds. Though you’ll see beautiful color in most places, some of the notably excellent ones are places like Backbone, near Strawberry Point, and Palisades-Kepler, near Cedar Rapids.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
McGregor, Iowa, is a tiny little town with a population of under 1,000 people in Clayton County. It’s a river town, being nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River just across the way from Wisconsin. It’s a charming little place despite the remarkably small population; one will find plenty of interesting history should they know where to look. It’s one of the smaller towns to visit in northeastern Iowa, but it’s cute enough that we think you’ll want to stay a while. Nearby is Pike’s Peak State Park, which is worthy of a day trip in and of itself. Hey – that means you can stay in McGregor!
What are the most charming small towns in Iowa?
Believe it or not, Iowa is a state with more than one super charming small town. In fact, there are enough that it’s impossible to list them all in a short paragraph like this one. Some of our favorite small towns in Iowa include beautiful Osceola, which is so pleasant that it feels like home even to first-time visitors. There’s also breathtakingly enchanting towns like Pella, which is a mini-Holland of sorts, and Spirit Lake is a super-unique lakeside type of town that you don’t find just anywhere in the Midwest. If you like those towns, you’ll probably also fall in love with Elkhorn, Waverly, and Bentonsport, too. For a longer list with more details about some of these and other favorite towns, take a look at this article.
Where are the best places to see fall foliage in Iowa?
Iowa is one of those places where fall color is just magical. Here, the color tends to peak just past the end of the first week of October, with lots of places seeing some of their best vibrance around October 10th. Depending on which part of the state you find yourself in, you’ll see the brilliant changes occurring with elm, ash, hickory, maple and oaks, which shift through brilliant phases of golds, oranges, and reds. Though you’ll see beautiful color in most places, some of the notably excellent ones are places like Backbone, near Strawberry Point, and Palisades-Kepler, near Cedar Rapids.
