Top Things to Do in Cedar Rapids

Czech heritage permeates this town 30 miles northwest of Iowa City, where top things to do include visiting the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (with the world's largest collection of works by Grant Wood), seeing the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, and shopping at NewBo City Market.

NewBo City Market Cedar Rapids

Do

African American Museum of Iowa

Learn about what it was like to be a minority in Iowa throughout history. blackiowa.org

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Jason Donnelly

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Admire the world's largest collection of works by Grant Wood before checking out his nearby home and studio. crma.org

Grant Wood Studio

Owned by the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, this is where Grant Wood worked from 1924 to 1935. crma.org/grant-wood

Grant Wood Memorial Window

The Veterans Memorial Building houses this Wood-designed masterpiece, with about 10,000 pieces of stained glass. cedar-rapids.org

Cedar Rapids, Iowa: National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library
Courtesy of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library

National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library

Located in the business hub of the city's Czech community, Czech Village, the building houses elaborate folk costumes and more. ncsml.org

NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Ackerman + Gruber

NewBo City Market

What was once an abandoned industrial building is now the place to shop for produce, regional cheeses and local gifts. newbocitymarket.org

Paramount Theater

See Broadway shows, concerts and more at the renovated 1928 building, once a movie theater. Guided tours can be arranged on non-event days. artsiowa.com

Eat and Drink

Brewhemia

Try coffee and a ginormous cinnamon roll at this family-owned cafe. brewhemia.com

Caucho

Find modern street tacos with house-made tortillas and fresh salsa near NewBo. cauchorestaurant.com

Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery.

Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery

Taste smooth whiskeys and full-bodied wines at Iowa's first distillery licensed after Prohibition ended. crwine.com

Cobble Hill

The menu changes regularly, but chef Andy Schumacher's Parisian-style gnocchi never disappoints. cobblehillrestaurant.com

Rodina

Find artfully plated fare, such as potato pancakes and pheasant with mushrooms. The name means "family" in Czech. rodinaiowa.com

Sykora Bakery
Sykora Bakery.

Sykora Bakery

The line goes out the door as customers order kolache pastries and other Czech specialties. Sykora Bakery's Facebook page.

Stay

Hotel at Kirkwood Center

On the Kirkwood Community College campus, hospitality students and professional staff provide top-notch service at the 71-room hotel and restaurant. thehotelatkirkwood.com

For more information tourismcedarrapids.com

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