Nestled In Northern Iowa Is A Midwestern City With Craft Brews, Dutch Treats, And Zip Line Fun

Iowa is bigger than many people realize. It doesn't quite crack the upper half of the land-mass rankings of the 50 states, coming in at 26, but the list of states it's larger than features some surprises, including New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. Given its size, there's more to do in the Hawkeye State than you might expect, and not just in cities like Des Moines and Davenport, but spread out throughout the state, in smaller, out-of-the-way places — places like Sioux Center, in Iowa's northwestern corner.

Don't let the name fool you: Sioux Center might be named after the tribe that once inhabited this area, but the city you'll find today was settled by Dutch immigrants. You'll find signs of that Dutch lineage throughout the city and outlying areas, both in the names of its residents and also in its food, beer, and attractions. It's a long drive from Iowa's biggest cities — several hours apiece from Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, and the Quad Cities – but it's only a little over an hour from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and its regional airport.

If you visit Sioux Center, make sure to stop by Late Harvest Brewery for some drinks. Head brewer Stephen Stiles oversees a beer menu that features a diverse range of popular brews while also tapping into the city's Dutch heritage. The Dutch are known for pale lagers and witbiers, so order up a Barn Dance lager or a Nit Wit witbier at Late Harvest and drink like the Dutch do. If you're not feeling those brews, don't worry; the lineup includes an imperial stout aged in a Buffalo Trace barrel, a West Coast-style double IPA, ciders, saisons, wine, cocktails, and even the Banana Ooh Nah Nah IPA, which Late Harvest describes as a drink that's "somewhere between brewery and smoothie shop." Proost!

The Dutch influence on Sioux Center's food and cultural scenes goes beyond beer, of course. Iowa's a rich panoply of European influences, where you can experience authentic German culture in the Amana Colonies or visit the small town of Elk Horn, rich with Danish culture, and the area around Sioux Center is defined by its Dutch roots.

You can taste it at Casey's Bakery, which has been making traditional Dutch pastries in Sioux Center since 1946. Come in for delicious Dutch treats like almond-butter cake, almond patties, and almond macaroons, or buy almond paste to make your own. (Clearly, almonds are the star here.) You'll also find cookies with windmills on them alongside the traditional Dutch cookie known as the stroopwafel, which looks like two tiny waffles with a sweet, sticky filling in the middle. There's also a deli serving breakfast, soups, and sandwiches; a cafe called the Koffie Huis with a variety of coffee drinks; and a shop selling licorice, baking ingredients, and other goodies.

Sioux Center's Heritage Village features several historic buildings — some preserved and moved here, others recreated as faithfully as possible — that offer a glimpse at how the Dutch settlers who came here lived, worked, and worshipped. The annual Harvest Festival in September is a great time to visit. Meanwhile, 11 miles away in Orange City, you'll find Windmill Park, with windmills and a Dutch bridge, along with the Dutch American Heritage Museum, focused on the Dutch immigrants to Sioux County.

If you need to cut loose after all that Dutch-American history, head to Siouxnami Waterpark. It quickly became a local favorite when it opened in 2019, and it's not hard to see why. This water park features multiple water slides, a lazy river, a splash pool, a 16-foot climbing wall, and even an indoor section for rainy days. And since the outdoor area is only open for the summer, that indoor section inside the All Seasons Center turns Siouxnami from a seasonal park into a year-round one.

One of the big draws at Siouxnami is the only aquatic zip line in the whole state of Iowa. This line starts atop an 8-foot platform and whisks you out above Siouxnami's largest outdoor pool, where you plunge right into the water below. It's up to you if you slice gracefully into the water or cannonball into a huge splash; no matter your approach, that zip line is a direct route to the deep end. It's so fun, you'd be excused if all you do all day is go on the zip line.

Don't expect a large, sprawling water park like you'll find at Disney or Universal's resorts, though. With 12,512 square feet of water area, Siouxnami has a fairly modest footprint. What it lacks in size it makes up for in two other ways: quality and value. It's rated one of the 10 best water and amusement parks in Iowa on Tripadvisor, alongside the much larger Adventureland Park in Altoona, the city called "the entertainment capital of Iowa." And both daily tickets and seasonal memberships are relatively affordable, with BOGO specials and other discounts during the week, plus "Family Night" savings on summer Fridays.