Iowa's 'Silicorn Valley' Is A Rural City With Picture-Perfect Scenery, Outdoor Fun, And Small-Town Charm

Fairfield is a hip little town with relaxed vibes, considered one of the coolest places to visit. This calm rural city in the center of Iowa, off Interstate 34 and Highway 1, lies just south of the unusual and progressive Maharishi Vedic City. If you're driving, you might even stumble upon one of the Midwest's prettiest scenic byways featuring several covered bridges on your way into town. Surrounded by cornfields and with a surprising tech presence, it's no shock the town is affectionately referred to as "Silicorn Valley." And, like another Iowa city known for its natural landscapes, Fairfield offers visitors plenty of options for outdoor adventures. You can also learn about the agricultural industry and how it helped shape the town. 

Besides its natural beauty and breathtaking scenery, the town radiates a creative and artistic spirit. With its thriving performing arts scene, you can just as easily watch a play or catch a rock show at a local bar. The town's quirky and lighthearted vibe lends itself to fun festivals and live music events. For example, the town often holds the Running of the Wieners event, with dozens of dachshunds racing wildly in the streets.

The Maharishi International University Campus is a big part of the town's heritage, encouraging a community of spiritual seekers and cultural diversity. Besides its spiritual contributions to the community, the campus houses the intriguing Maharishi Vedic Observatory. The beautiful golden domes on campus serve as centers for meditation and public discourse, providing a place where small-town community values and progressive ideas meet in harmony. The Carnegie Historical Museum is another fascinating point of interest, housing collections from 1876. This impressive museum was formerly Fairfield Public Library, built by Carnegie in 1892; it was the first Carnegie library west of the Mississippi. 

The Maasdam Barns, located in the historic Evergreen Ridge Stock Farm, will show you all you need to know about raising horses and baling hay. The farm belonged to J.G. Maasdam, who raised draft horses in the early part of the 20th century. There are three barns on the farm: one for mares, one for stallions, and a show barn, where they would sell the horses to prospective buyers. These draft horses were massive, as evidenced by a life-size cutout of the "World's Largest Horse", forever immortalized on a sign at the farm. Inside the barns, you will find vintage farm equipment used to tend to the horses and a cool antique farm wagon. 

Guests are able to see demonstrations of how the draft horses would plow the fields and how hay was loaded into the barns. It's impressive to see how the iron claw hay fork would pick up giant bales of hay. Seemingly precarious at first, reminiscent of one of those claw machines that pick up toys at the fair, the iron claw can effortlessly pick up multiple bales at once. Maasdam Barns has a visitor center with a museum containing old photographs of the town's early farming practices, as well as a wealth of history about the town. Stop by the gift shop before you leave to pick up a memorable souvenir from your travels.

For more outdoor adventures, take a kayak ride through the Cedar Creek or Skunk River Water Trail. Fairfield has beautiful parks where you can go fishing, biking, birdwatching, or hiking along the trails. The Fairfield Loop Trail is perfect for viewing a variety of ecosystems and landmarks in the area.

The vibe in Fairfield is artsy and creative, with friendly street performers and fun community events. Yearly celebrations, like Oktoberfest, provide a chance for the community to get out and mingle. Whether it's carriage rides in the fall or farmers' markets in the spring and summer, Fairfield usually has something exciting going on. Having a vibrant artistic community draws performers and musicians to the town's many venues, and it also happens to have a pretty amazing nightlife scene. It's also not unusual to see artists painting in the park or students sitting on the lawn enjoying live music. 

Before you head out for some evening fun, start with a refreshing cocktail at La Notte, an intimate Italian lounge. Or, venture over to Mad Hatter Billiards, a laid-back pool bar with delicious eats. The most difficult part of your night will be deciding where to grab a late dinner. The town has an array of international cuisine, like Ethiopian, Mexican, and Asian fusion, at your fingertips. If you are craving something savory and fragrant, Green Gourmet serves delicious dishes from Thailand and India, like sweet potato curry and paneer. 

Besides the delightful mix of international flavors, Fairfield's cultural melting pot has made practices like Transcendental Meditation more common and accessible among its residents, encouraging a community focused on health and wellness. Residents here place focus on healing and self-improvement, while acupuncture, massage, and meditation centers abound. The Maharishi School has been a huge factor in this spiritual renaissance. Whatever draws you to Fairfield, whether artsy or spiritual, you are bound to have a magnificent time.