TH file photo

Willy Cigrand (left) Bryce Althoff and Levi Stevenson, all of Cascade, Iowa, participate in the tug-o-war at the annual U.S. Grant Pilgrimmage.

Area Attractions

Dubuque, IA

BAHL FAMILY FARM, 6426 Asbury Road, Dubuque, IA 52002, 563-582-1097. This century farm is open the first four weekends in October for a Pumpkin festival which includes: hayrides, petting zoo, hay bale maze, food and more. We are also open in November & December to take a hayride and cut your own Christmas tree.

BELL TOWER THEATER AND EVENTS CENTER, 2728 Asbury Road, Dubuque, IA 52001, 563-588-3377. Located in Fountain Park. Shows staged monthly, ranging from full productions of plays and musicals to single performers. Open year round. Facility rental available.

CRYSTAL LAKE CAVE, 3 Miles South on Hwy. 52, 6684 Crystal Lake Cave Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003-9504, 563-556-6451. Great American Show Cave, this is a natural living cave with a panoramic view of beautiful, intricate, and rare formations. Open May through October. Gift shop, picnic grounds and informative guided tours.

CZIPAR'S ORCHARD, 8610 Rt. 52 South, Dubuque, IA 52003, 563-582-7476. Enjoy the crisp air of fall and the crisp flavor of apples at this family owned orchard just south of Dubuque. Tours available. The store offers a variety of apples, fresh pressed apple ciders, apple products, jellies, candy, honey, pumpkins, gourds and crafts. Annual Apple Festival held the fourth weekend in September.

DERBY GRANGE GOLF & RECREATION, 13079 Derby Grange Road, Dubuque, IA 52002, 563-556-4653. Dubuque's premier golf learning center. Scenic driving range, 9 hole par 3, challenging miniature golf, 6 automatic batting cages, large concession building. Home of Dubuque Little League baseball.

DUBUQUE ARBORETUM & BOTANICAL GARDENS, 3800 Arboretum Drive, Dubuque, IA 52001, 563-556-2100. Developed & operated entirely by volunteers. Free admission. Displays of hostas, formal herb garden, woodland wildflowers, water & shade gardens, ornamental tree & shrub collections, rose gardens, annuals & perennials. Visitor Center with gift shop and botanic library. 360 volunteers.

DUBUQUE MUSEUM OF ART 701 Locust St., Dubuque, IA 52001, 563-557-1851. The Dubuque Museum of Art, located in the heart of Dubuque's cultural corridor, provides national, regional and local exhibitions, entertaining and educational programs for people of all ages. The Museum is open to the public Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is charged except on Thursdays.

DUBUQUE RIVER RIDES, P.O. Box 1276, 3rd St., Ice Harbor, Dubuque, IA 52004-1276,   563-583-8093. Two excursion boats depart from the Ice Harbor, near America's River amenities. The Spirit of Dubuque, Iowa's only authentic paddle wheeler and Miss Dubuque, a modern yacht, are the perfect answer for a unique and memorable way to experience the Mississippi River. Cruising daily May-October, offering a wide variety of curises: sightseeing, lunch, dinner, private charters, murder mystery and 2 & 4 hour Fall color lunch cruises. Ice Harbor Galley Restaurant is available portside for lunch and dinner daily.

DUBUQUE THUNDERBIRDS HOCKEY, P.O. Box 1083, 5 Flags Civic Center, Dubuque, IA 2004-1083, 563-557-1228. With their own ice at the Dubuque Five Flags Center, this Central States Hockey League team offers exciting play and good family entertainment from September through March.

DUBUQUE'S AMERICAN LADY YACHT CRUISES, 1630 East 16th St.,  Dubuque, IA 52001, 563-557-9700 or 877-762-9700. Sightseeing, breakfast, lunch & dinner cruises, wedding events, group parties, theme cruises & Private charters available through October. Meals catered by Catfish Charlie's. Group dockside events available November-March.

FOUR MOUNDS FOUNDATION, 4900 Peru Road, Dubuque, IA 52001-8304, 563-557-7292. The main mission/craftsman style home built in 1908 serves as a Conference Center/Inn hosting small groups and overnight guests. A private cabin is also available for rent with a view of the river. Hiking trails and a ropes course are available. Open year round.

GENERAL ZEBULON PIKE LOCK & DAM #11, Lock & Dam Road, Dubuque, IA 52001, 563-582-0881. Part of the Army Corps of Engineer's Mississippi River system, Lock and Dam #11 at Dubuque is a wonderful place to watch the movement of barge traffic and pleasure craft through its 4,818 foot long chamber and sixteen-gate system. Complimentary Sunday tours available Memorial Day to Labor Day at 2 p.m.

GHOSTS OF THE RIVER, P.O. Box 3002, Dubuque, IA 52004-3002, 563-542-7487. What better place to hear Dubuque's best ghost stories than on the shore of the Mississippi? Join this 2-hour RiverWalk tour from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday evenings beginning March 13. Advance tickets only.

GRAND HARBOR RESORT & WATERPARK, 350 Bell St., Dubuque, IA 52001, 563-690-4000. Iowa's first themed indoor waterpark resort featuring 194 rooms with magnificent views of the Mississippi river or downtown Dubuque, 25,000 sq. ft. indoor waterpark with exciting tube rides, thrilling slides and many family oriented aquatic activities.

GRAND OPERA HOUSE/HOME OF THE BCT PLAYERS, P.O.Box 632, 135 West 8th St., Dubuque, IA 52004-0632, 563-588-4356. The Grand Opera House, celebrating 30 years of quality entertainment, features well-known musicals, plays, and special events throughout the year. A community theater offering volunteer opportunities for all, the Grand is the oldest theater in Dubuque, built in 1889. Take a walk by and discover its rich beauty and history. Group rates available. Seats 622 guests, convenient parking and rentals for all occasions. Theatre established in 1971. Open year round.

MINES OF SPAIN RECREATION AREA, 8999 Bellevue Heights, Dubuque, IA 52003, 563-556-0620. National Historic Landmark, this 1,380-acre park features nature trails, a limestone quarry, wetland, marsh walkway, wildlife blind interpretive trails, prairies, historic sites, Catfish Creek Preserve, "Iowa Watchable Wildlife Area," the E.B. Lyons Interpretive Center, plus access to the Mississippi River through Catfish Creek for fishing and canoeing.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER WALK & AMENITIES, Dubuque, IA 52001. Take a stroll along the Mississippi Riverwalk, part of a 44-mile Heritage Trail connecting America's River to the nationally-renowned Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. Enjoy a special event or live music at the Alliant Energy Amphitheater and walk to the River's Edge Plaza, a 5,000 square foot outdoor pavilion, which also serves as the docking site for the Delta Queen Company Riverboats and other large excursion vessels. Open year-round.

NATIONAL MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM & AQUARIUM, 350 East Third St., Dubuque, IA 52004-0266, 563-557-9545. Take an entertaining and informative journey on the Mighty Mississippi at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. Enjoy dynamic aquariums, historical exhibits and a stroll through the wetlands and boatyard. Each visit is a truly interactive experience where visitors can get "up close and personal" with live critters, become barge pilots, and view two award-winning dynamic films. Don't forget to tour the national landmark steamboat William M. Black and watch as a boat is launched into the Mississippi River. Open year round.

SUNDOWN MOUNTAIN, 17017 Asbury Road, Dubuque, IA 52002, 563-556-6676. For an exciting skiing & snowboarding adventure, visit Sundown Mountain Resort with Colorado like scenery, national awards, and largest vertical within 120 miles. Mountaintop lodges, with dining and lounges, overlook miles of countryside, 20 novice to expert trails, six lifts, a separate children's area, a nine acre terrain park with half-pipe, lots of rails and big air hits.

---

Dyersville, IA

St. Francis Xavier: Twin-spired church with 64 windows. One of only a few churches in the world given the rank of Basilica, which comes from the Greek work Basileus, meaning a royal or kingly building. It earned its name on May 11, 1956. It is an example of true Medieval Gothic architecture. Sites include a painting on the ceiling over the main altar, the pavilion and bell, a rose window, a pipe organ and a coat of arms, all of which signify the basilica honor. Open daily. Handicap accessible. Call 563/875-7325.

Becker Woodcarving Museum and The Inwood Exhibit: Located four miles northeast of Dyersville. One of Iowa's unique carving museums. Sculpture, plaques and clocks. By appointment only. Call 563/875-2087.

Dyer/Botsford Doll Museum: 331 First Ave. Home to more than 1,000 dolls, the house was built by James Dyer, founder of Dyersville. Displays include porcelain dolls, German dolls, a wax Charlie Chaplin, "soft" dolls and collector dolls, along with buggies, tables, chairs, cabinets, toys and cradles. Cost is $5. Open May through October Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday & Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Call563/875-2414.

Dyersville Area Historical Society: 120 Third St. SW. Office open Monday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Dyersville Family Aquatic Center: Adjacent to Commercial Club Park. A 150-foot body slide, drop slide, children's play area, zero depth swimming,sand volleyball and park are. Open noon-9 p.m. Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Call 563/875-8675.

Field of Dreams Movie Site: 28963 Lansing Road. Go the distance and visit this quiet, quaint century old family farm with a baseball diamond carved into its heart. It is the original baseball field and house where the movie was filmed. There are no organized activities on the field. Bring your favorite baseball equipment and hit a few balls, play a little catch, run the bases or just sit and dream in the bleachers. Souvenirs available. Free admission. Open April-November 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily. Located 3.3 miles northeast of Iowa 136. Call563/875-8404.

Heritage House: 7396 Columbus St., New Vienna. A former convent, converted to a German museum. Open daily 1-4 p.m., or by special appointment. Call 563/921-2620 or 921-3775.

Heritage Trail: Running from Sageville to Dyersville, 563/556-6745. A 26-mile-long, 100-foot-wide conservation and recreation corridor along an abandoned railroad in the scenic Little Maquoketa River Valley. Recreation includes hiking, bicycling, nature study, cross-country skiing and more.

National Farm Toy Museum: Located one block east of the intersections of U.S. 20 and Iowa 136. Known as the number 1 experience for farm toys in the world, featuring two floors filled with history. Open daily from 8 a.m.to 7 p.m. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $1 for children 6-11. Children5 and younger free. Call 563/875-2727 to verify prices.

Plaza Antique Mall: At U.S. 20 and Iowa 136. Call 563/875-8945. Home for more the 200 dealers offering a variety of antiques and collectibles and farm toys. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

---

Area Events

Dubuque, IA

Nov. 20-29: 2009 Festival of Trees, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, Hotel Julien Dubuque, 200 Main St. A silent auction of the trees, wreaths and other holiday items continue throughout the festival. All proceeds benefit the building of a new Intensive Care Unit at Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque. For more information, call 563-589-8772.

Nov. 22: Midwest Basket Guild Christmas Open House, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., The Basket Weaver Shop, 12208 Circle Ridge Road. Event has hand crafted baskets. There will be door prizes and holiday refreshments.

Farley, IA

Nov. 22: Eighth Annual Holiday Tour of Homes, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., sponsored by the Farley Garden Club. Admission is $5. Cookies, punch and coffee will be served at one of the houses. Proceeds will go twoard purchasing flowers. Maps at each home or call 563-744-3016.

Dubuque, IA

Nov. 24-25: Sesame St. Live!, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, and 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Five Flags Arena, 405 Main St. Children 1 and older need a ticket. For more information, call 563-589-4254.

Nov. 26: Reflections in the Park, Louis Murphy Park. The hills of Louis Murphy Park will be alive with glitter and glitz as the glow of thousands of Christmas bulbs and animated displays light up the 13th annual Reflections in the Park: A Hillcrest Lights Festival. The festival is open 41 days to the public. All new displays will be blinking their colors and strutting their charm to an estimated 50,000 visitors. Cost: $7.00 per car benefits the many programs and services offered by Hillcrest Family Services For more information, call 563.583.7357 or visit http://www.hillcrest-fs.org/reflections.html.

Parks

* Cascade American Legion Park has baseball field, swimming pool and picnic shelters.

* Cascade Community Park, has tables, two shelters, grills, playground equipment, tennis courts, basketball court, volleyball, horseshoe courts, softball field, Frisbee golf course and rest rooms.

* Fillmore Park, on U.S. 151, northeast of Cascade, has camping grounds.

* Riverside Park has tables, shelter, grills and playground equipment.

Camping

* Fillmore Recreation Area, six miles northeast of Cascade on U.S. 151, with camping hiking, golf, stream wading and electricity. For information, call 563/852-3377.