 | Dubuque Flights and Airline Tips | Tips 1 - 10 of 10 |  |
You won't find big crowds and long lines at the Dubuque Regional Airport. Here there is only one ticket counter, one gate, and one commuter airline - American Eagle. When we went to Dubuque, I drove out early and Karen flew out later to join me. I parked, free of charge, right in front of the airport, so meeting her was a cinch.
There are four flights offered every day. All of them are to and from Chicago, O'Hare. The airport is located about 6 miles south of Dubuque off U.S. 61. Leave a Comment |
The Fenelon Place Elevator is the cheapest thrill in Dubuque, and it is a "Must" for those who visit the city. For only $2.00 (round trip) you can take a unique ride on "the world's shortest, steepest, scenic railway."
The Elevator was originally built in 1882 by local businessman J.K. Graves, for his personal convenience in traveling from his home to his place of work and back. However, it was soon opened to the public.
The 296 feet of track elevates passengers 189 feet from Fourth Street to Fenelon Place, connecting the downtown area of Dubuque with an older residential area. From the top you will thrill to a magnificent view of the historic Dubuque business district, the Mississippi River and three states - Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois.
At the top, I asked a ticket agent how they could claim to be the "steepest" when the Incline Railway between Lookout Mountain and Chattanooga, Tennessee also claims to be the steepest railway in the world. He explained to me that the Fenelon Place Elevator is the "shortest, steepest" while the Incline Railway in Tennessee is much longer.
The Elevator operates daily from 8 a.m. till 10 p.m.
Address:
512 Fenelon Place
Dubuque, Iowa 52001 Leave a Comment |
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Those who are staying in Dubuque without are car, or those who would just prefer not to drive, may still see many of the sights and attractions of the city by riding the trolley. One hour narrated tours are available. Also, the trolley may be used as a shuttle between downtown hotels and major attractions at the Port of Dubuque.
Tours most days begin at 12:15 p.m. at 4th and Bluff Streets and 12:30 p.m. at the Iowa Welcome Center. The trolley may also be chartered for conventions, reunions, shopping, and parties. Trolleys can be heated and enclosed. Christmas lights tours are also available. Leave a Comment |
The Shot Tower in Dubuque is one of the last standing shot towers in the United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The tower was built in 1856 to provide lead shot for the military. Molten lead was poured from the top of the tower, where it passed through a grate. The droplets that fell from the grate had relatively uniform size, and the fall provided enough time for the liquid-metal droplet to form into a sphere before landing in the water below. The water cooled the lead to its solid state, retaining the spherical shape.
The development of newer technology for manufacturing amunition made the tower obsolete. It found a new purpose for a while as a fire lookout post to help protect a nearby lumberyard. Fires had severely damaged the city's lumber industry.
The Shot Tower was abandoned as the lumber industry declined, but in 1976 was designated a historic landmark. Today the Shot Tower is part of the ongoing renovations to the riverfront and it still stands as one of the most recognized symbols of the city. Leave a Comment Directions: The Shot Tower can be seem from the Riverwalk. It is near East 4th and East 6th Streets. |
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If you visit Dubuque you must take a stroll along the beautiful new Mississippi Riverwalk which opened in the summer of 2003. Along the walk you will see both old and new points of interest.
Old sights include the Dubuque Shot Tower and Dubuque Star Brewery. Newer attractions are the Alliant Energy Citizen’s Amphitheater, a 25,000 square-foot waterpark, and the River’s Edge Plaza. Of course, Old Man River himself, the Mighty Mississippi, is the main attraction.
The Riverwalk is part of a 44-mile trail connecting America’s River to the nationally renowned Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. Leave a Comment |
I've seen literally hundreds of county courthouses during my travels, but can't think of a one that is any more ornate or beautiful than that you will see in Dubuque, Iowa's first county.
The current courthouse was built in 1891 to replace an earlier courthouse built in 1839. It is the most dominant landmark in the downtown Dubuque area, standing between the Mississippi River and the main downtown business district. It has a gleaming golden dome, topped by a 14-foot statue of Lady Liberty. Although this is a working courthouse and not a tourist attraction, it is still well worth seeing simply for its architectural interest.
The Dubuque County Courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. Leave a Comment |
The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium is the top attraction in the entire state of Iowa and is the one place you MUST see if you visit Dubuque. Karen and I spent a very enjoyable afternoon here, and wished we had had even more time to explore all there is to see.
The Museum is excellent with all the features and displays you might expect and a few that may surprise you. We particularly enjoyed viewing many of the short films shown in various parts of the museum which graphically illustrate the natural and human history of America's greatest river. The aquarium makes no effort to bring you sharks, jellyfish and other creatures of the ocean, but you will find lots of fish and other creatures that inhabit the Mississppi river and its tributaries.
There is also a large outside viewing area where you can see old boats, machines etc, including a boardwalk around a wetlands area were we spied several birds, turtles, and a muskrat.
Summer Hours
10:00 am - 6:00 pm Daily
Memorial Weekend through Labor Day
Winter Hours
10:00 am - 5:00 pm Daily
Labor Day through Memorial Weekend
Christmas Eve 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Admission
Adults $9.95
Seniors (65+) $8.95
Youth (7-17) $7.50
Children (3-6) $4.00 Leave a Comment |
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This very interesting old building was for many years the home of Dubuque Star beers, established by Joseph Rhomberg in 1898. The brewery was forced to close twice - first by prohibition and later by floods. About four other beers were later produced here including Pickett's Premium Beer and Rhomberg Beer, but each of them eventually failed.
The city of Dubuque has now accquired the building through eminent domain proceedings as part of the riverfront renovation efforts. A winery is now said to be in the process of taking over the property, but as of our visit in August, 2006, it was empty. Still the historic old buliding is interesting to see. The hospitality room of the brewery was featured in the movie F.I.S.T., as well as the 1981 comedy "Take This Job and Shove It." Leave a Comment |
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We are not the kind of people who get excited about casinos, but we did find our way over to the Diamond Jo for about an hour one evening. As is our custom at such places, Karen and I each invested $10 (a total of $20) in the slot machines. We walked out with $28 - a 40% profit for our investment. Gambling on that level is fun. I feel sorry for the poor fools who gamble and loose thousands of dollars. Virtually everyone ultimately loses at a casino. The way we play, the maximum we could ever lose would be $20, which isn't a bad price for an evening's entertainment.
The Diamond Jo is open for suckers and other tourists 7 days a week, and 24 hours on the weekends.
The casino also has two restaurants, a deli, and a souvenir shop. Leave a Comment Address: 400 East 3rd Street, Dubuque IA 52001Phone: 1-800-LUCKY JODirections: At the Port of Dubuque, on the Mississippi RiverWebsite: www.diamondjo.com |
If you think of all cathedrals as grand ornate buildings which are always open to the public, you may be dissapointed with the Dubuque's Cathedral of St. Raphael. It was an impressive structure, and just a couple of blocks up the street from our hotel, but when we walked up to see it the Cathedral was locked up tight. A sign beside the door said that prospective visitors could make an appointment, but it wasn't high enough on our priority list for that.
This is an active parish, mother church of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Masses are held once daily and three times on Sunday. It is the oldest Christian church of any denomination in Iowa.
Although we couldn't go inside we did enjoy looking at the cathedral grounds. There is an interesting piece of sculputre in a small garden across the street from and in front of the cathedral. Leave a Comment |
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on October 12, 2006
Dubuque
