Photo of Decorah, Iowa courtesy of ThinkDecorah.com
Decorah, Iowa is a small town of about 8,500 people located in Northeast Iowa.
Upon hearing this, many people may think that Decorah is just another boring, little town. The local residents, however, will tell you that this small, Iowa town is far from boring with its colorful history and boatload of modern day activities.
Here are 5 Fun Facts that will make you want to visit Decorah, Iowa:
1. Decorah is a center of Norwegian-American culture.
Dancers in Norwegian clothing perform during the parade at Nordic Fest.
Courtesy of thinkdecorah.com
Every summer, Decorah hosts Nordic Fest in celebration of its Norwegian history. The event includes a wide variety of activities ranging from a rock-throwing contest to sampling different delicious Norwegian foods such as Lefse and Kranskake.
2. Decorah has its very own mini waterfall.
Dunning Springs is a great place to visit during Spring, Summer, or Fall. Photo courtesy of ThinkDecorah.com
This beautiful “waterfall” is one of the town’s hidden treasures, known only by the locals and the few lucky visitors to Decorah during spring, summer or fall. It’s. There are trails and stairs located near Dunning Springs to allow hikers to get a variety of views of one of Decorah’s marvels.
3. Decorah is home to one of the best ice cream shops in all of Iowa.
Decorah locals enjoy a tasty treat at the Whippy Dip. Photo by by Audrey Kletscher Helbling of Minnesota Prairie Roots.
If you ask any of the Decorah locals, “Where can I go for quick, tasty bite to eat,” they will say, “the Whippy Dip.” This small restaurant features a variety of food and ice cream that will satisfy anyone’s taste buds. The best part is that the Whippy Dip is within walking distance of Luther College as well as downtown Decorah. To learn more about The Whippy Dip, check out this post on the Minnesota Prairie Roots blog.
4. Decorah has its very own Ice Cave.
A visitor explores the Decorah Ice Cave.
Photo courtesy of Geocaching.com
The Ice Cave is another gem of Decorah, Iowa. It was declared a state geological state preserve, and is open to the public. Visitors and even the locals of the small town enjoy a trip to the Ice Cave when looking for an adventure.
5. Decorah is home to the famous Decorah Bald Eagles.
Here is a screen grab of the Decorah Eagle Nest showing two newborn eaglets.
Courtesy of Usteam.tv taken from wikipedia.org.
The Decorah eagles are definitely a sight to see, but you don’t even need to go to Decorah to view this spectacle. Visit Decorah Eagle Cam Alerts to see videos and pictures live from the camera set high up in a tree where the eagles reside. You can also learn more about bald eagles at the site.
Have you visited Decorah, Iowa? Or perhaps you live there? Please share your favorite Decorah ‘fun fact’ or destination in comments below.
This post was written by Kathryn Johnson, a junior majoring in Spanish at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Kathryn’s passion for travel blossomed from her love for foreign language In August, 2015, she plans to volunteer in France or Morocco before traveling to Spain for a semester-long study abroad experience.
Kathryn is currently learning about travel marketing and social media during an internship with VentureTime Travel.
View her LinkedIn profile at to learn more about her accomplishments and future goals.
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- 8 Fun (and Cheap) Weekend Activities to do in Ames, Iowa
- A Quick Detour Off I-35 in Iowa to Explore the Bridges of Madison County and John Wayne’s Birthplace
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