New to Do in 2024

The new Cone Park Mountain Bike Trails consist of 10.5 miles of soft surface trails, a paved pump track and skill features designed for novice and experienced riders alike, including rock elements, pre-engineered bridges, boardwalks, skinnies, wall-rides and more. Visitors to the Sioux City attraction can bring their own bike or rent one onsite, with options ranging from full suspension to electric.

This new 57-room property will feature a breakfast area, swimming pool, fitness center, event space, outside terrace gathering space, electric vehicle charging stations and exclusive Algona décor, including photos of historic and notable landmarks around Algona and Kossuth County.

Phase One of The Landing project includes the construction of a large, 12,500-square-foot activity pool in Bettendorf. It will feature a zero-depth entry pool with spray features, a ninja-style ropes course, lap lanes and a diving well with two diving boards and two climbing walls. In 2025, a slide tower, lazy river and spray pad will be added.

On May 18, 2024, the Imaginarium will be opening Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice™, an immersive experience that will take over the entire facility. This new exhibit, created for children ages 3-10 and on loan from the Minnesota Children’s Museum, will transport families back to the Cretaceous Period, the time when dinosaurs last lived on earth. Fossil dig stations, rock steps with icy slides, dinosaur statues safe for climbing, fun costumes and so much more will greet visitors to the Waterloo attraction.

This new indoor theme park will soon arrive to the Bettendorf area. It will include go karts, a roller coaster, laser tag, miniature golf, bowling, an arcade and a restaurant and bar.

This new art project features approximately 25 six-foot tall fiberglass sculptures of TC, the University of Northern Iowa’s mascot, which will be embellished by local artists and displayed at various locations throughout Cedar Falls and the Cedar Valley from May to October, 2024.

A one-time roadside staple for travelers across the United States, Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodges are a rare site for vacationers these days. Thanks to partial funding from federal and state historic tax credits, a $22 million project is bringing Des Moines’ former “Ho-Jo” back to its glory days for modern-day visitors at “MoLo,” short for Motor Lodge. A complete renovation of the 80-room property will revive the atomic mid-century modern vibe of the original Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge with some added old Hollywood glamour. In addition to the exciting nearby dining and shopping experiences on Ingersoll Ave., the surrounding neighborhood is enjoying redevelopment.

Renovations adapted this historic Des Moines building for continued use as the Val Air Ballroom, an entertainment venue with a capacity to host national acts and draw an audience of up to 2,400 people from across the state and Midwest. The project rehabilitated elements of the facility that are historically significant, such as signage, the dance floor and exterior features, while bringing more modern amenities to the facility.

When completed, the new Fort Madison Marina will have 170 boat slips, a new paved parking area and a hospitality building that will house a restaurant, bar and patio seating. The one-mile-long pier will be a great walking path for people to view the Mississippi River, passing boats and wildlife, making it a great Fort Madison attraction.

Treehouse Village at the Iowa Arboretum will serve children of all ages and abilities. The project includes elevated and ground-level treehouse experiences accessible to all. The main feature of the project is the treehouse play area with accessible ramps, a wheelchair-accessible swing, slides and hammock swing, ground-level zip line, hammock netting and other fun activities. Other experiences include a treehouse with a suspension bridge, a walkout to a treehouse with a view of the tree-lined valley and an observation treehouse with a view of the Richardson Creek valley.

Following hugely successful public art events in 2004 and 2014, Herky on Parade returns to celebrate Herky’s 75th birthday in 2024. Herky the Hawk is the mascot of the University of Iowa. Seventy-five Herky statues will be decorated by different artists and on display throughout the Iowa City area approximately May 1 to August 30, 2024.

This three-level, 75,000-square-foot project in Johnston will feature 36 climate-controlled hitting bays overlooking a 270-yard driving range, more than 100 state-of-the-art arcade games, 16 bowling lanes, areas for ax-throwing, billiards and other games, two Popstroke-style putting courses, pickleball courts, restaurants and bars.