Redstone Inn And Suites

The Mississippi River

by Stephen-KarenConn

No matter where you are in Dubuque you are never far from the all pervasive Mississippi River. And the Mighty Mississippi is never far from the hearts and minds of the people of Dubuque.

The Mississippi is the largest river in the United States and one of the great rivers of the world. It begins as a small stream in northern Minnesota and cuts southward through the heart of America to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, other great rivers, the Missouri, the Ohio, the Illinois, the Arkansas and many others, empty their waters into the Mighty Mississippi.

This is a hard working river. If you look for only a few minutes you are sure to see great barges plying these waters with their heavy cargo. But the river is also a playground, and you will also see lots of pleasure craft on the river.

From it's source, at Lake Itasca in Mississippi, the Mississippi flows 2,320 miles to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. It drains most of the land between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. Theoretically, a drop of water falling into the headwaters of the Mississippi would take 90 days to flow downstream to the Gulf.

The Mississippi is truly "America's River."

www.greatriver.com

Crystal Lake Cave

by Stephen-KarenConn

About 3 miles south of Dubuque, off US-52, is Crystal Lake Cave. It is the longest "living" show cavern in the state of Iowa.

The cave was discovered in 1868 when miners drilled 40 feet into the ground searching for lead. They found little of the metal they sought, although rich veins are nearby. But instead in this particular spot they discovered a beautiful cavern. The cave has no known natural entrance, although an occasional bat inside the cave indicates that there must be at least a small natural opening somewhere.

In 1932, the late Bernard Markus, (one of the original lead miners), opened the cave to the public, naming it Crystal Lake Cave. The name is a bit misleading, since the so called "lake" is very small. However, we still enjoyed exploring the cave. There are no large rooms on the tour. Instead you will walk through a maze of narrow passages. I frequently had to duck to keep from hitting my head on the ceiling, and some of the passages required me to turn sideways to negotiate them. This may not be the best cave for people with claustrophobia.

Promoters call Crystal Lake Cave a "Matchless wonder." That's an optimistic description since Crystal Lake Cave is surpassed by many other caves I have toured. Still there are several interesting formations and we thought it was worth the visit.

Admission:
Adults - $10
Chilren 4-11 - $5
Children under 4 - Free
Senior Citizen - 10% off

The cave is open daily in season and closed in winter. For current operating hours see the website below.

William Black

by Eaglesnest

The William Black is an old barge located in the Ice Habor in Dubuque. It is a museum where you can view what life
is like living on a barge. I think school children can even go and stay overnight to get the full experience.

Take A Riverboat Cruise on the Spirit of Dubuque

by Stephen-KarenConn

One of the most fun things we did while in Dubuque was to take a cruise up and down the Mississippi River on the Spirit of Dubuque. This paddlewheel boat is a replica of a century-old Mississippi River steamboat. It has decorative smokestacks and a scalloped canopy over its open-air deck. There is also an enclosed dining salon with decor in Victorian red and gold.

We enjoyed the deli lunch cruise. Afternoon sightseeing cruises and dinner cruises are also available.

Tickets and boarding for the Spirit of Dubuque are at the Port of Dubuque, near the the Diamond Jo Casino and the Mississippi River Museum. The cruise takes you first downstream, past the Julien Dubuque Monument near the Mines of Spain. Then you head back upstream, past the city skyline, through a "swing span" railroad bridge, and to within viewing distance of Lock and Dam #11. On the narrated trip you will learn much of the human and natural history of this very interesting area, where Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois meet.

Click the link below for current schedules and pricing.

Beautiful Dubuque

by AppleSally

"Great Historical City"

We stayed at the Days Inn-Dubuque.
We used our discount coupon from the Virtual Tourist. It was a great motel. We visited the historical sites.The courthouse is newly restored and beautiful. There is a lot of beautiful arquitecture in Dubuque