You’ll find a wide variety of activities to do in the Amana Colonies. We are famous for our unique history, to best enjoy your visit we suggest a stop at our Amana Heritage Museum. Once you understand our past you will better enjoy our present.
You’ll also note the many special events and festivals that are spread out through the year. Some reflect our heritage and culture while others are just plain fun.
One thing you will notice is that we like to eat and drink in the Colonies, in fact, we are famous for our foods, wines, and beers. Amana Colonies restaurants have been serving family-style meals of over 75 years but we offer more than the traditional fare these days.
Are you a shopper? You’ll find wonderful small shops, each will specialize in a certain type of craft or item. Many products are made here in our small villages while we also offer products from far away places.
Art in its many forms is also part of our heritage. The Amana Art Guild has classes that you can take and local artist display their works in galleries and shops throughout the villages.
Want to experience and enjoy the scenic land in our river valley? We have nature and biking trails along with the Iowa River for you to explore.
We invite you to come to the Colonies, stay a few days, and discover all there is to do.
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The Kolonieweg, or Colony Way, is a 3.1-mile trail connecting the villages of Amana and Middle Amana. Most of the trail is paved, but a small portion is gravel. The trail offers scenic views of Lily Lake, the Millrace, pastures, farmland and the surrounding countryside. The trail is also home to numerous plants and animals. The village of East Amana and the Amana Colonies Golf Course are also accessible via a marked bike route. Parking is available at two locations along the trail: along Highway 220 between Middle Amana and Amana where parking and picnic spots are available at the Read more...
Visit Outlets Williamsburg for famous brands at outlet prices. Located just minutes from the Amana Colonies, at I80, Exit 220, offers great deals from Coach, Nike, Ralph Lauren Polo, Under Armour, Banana Republic and many more. www.outletswilliamsburg.com for more info. Read more...
Norway’s baseball tradition grew into 20 state championships, and many college, semi-pro and professional baseball players came from this small community. This museum features the history of baseball, championship trophies, major league players from the community, other major league players, and THE FINAL SEASON movie made in Norway, Ia. The museum includes a small gift shop, murals, written history, and a narrated tour. Our museum is always open by appointment by calling 319-721-6288. Read more...
The name “Brau Haus” simply means “Brewing House!” For years the Brewery owners had said that it would be wonderful to add an authentic German Bierhalle to the Amana Colonies. In August 2016, the Millstream Brau Haus was born! Adding the Brau Haus gave the Brewery the opportunity to make more ‘one of a kind’ brews and specialty beers only to be sold in the Brau Haus! And of course, these special brews are complemented by delicious German-style pub food! Under new ownership, the Brau Haus continues the tradition of serving delicious German-inspired food in a festive, welcoming atmosphere. No Read more...
Situated along the Iowa Scenic Byway, patrons of family-owned Fireside Winery can unwind while sipping wine under the vine-covered veranda, stroll through beautifully landscaped grounds, or chat with new friends in the tasting room all while enjoying a glass of their favorite handcrafted Fireside wine. At Fireside Winery, there is a wine to please every palate and an experience for every taste. When you long for a quiet break from the hectic pace of life or an upbeat Friday night with music, we invite you to discover everything Fireside Winery has to offer. #ourfiresideoryours Read more...
Amana furniture, designed and hand-built in the Colonies since the 1850’s, has an enduring reputation for high quality and timelessness. The Amana dierence is a focus on craftsmanship, using century-old building methods that have been passed down for generations. Today, these standards are still applied to our exceptional heirloom-quality furniture, clocks, and home décor. Meticulous care is taken in matching wood grains, testing durability, and expert finishing to enhance the wood’s natural beauty. Many locally made gifts also available. Our craftsmen are both designers and builders, and turn their experience, passion, and know-how into pieces that expertly blend heritage craftsmanship with modern insights. Enjoy our workshop viewing gallery and learn more Read more...
Amana textiles express the heritage, value and essence of the originating Amana community. The Amana Woolen Mill is the oldest business in the Colonies and Iowa’s only remaining working woolen mill. It’s been in continuous operation since 1857 and can be traced back more than 300 years to Germany. Textiles were critical to Amana’s beginnings. In addition to producing goods for the community’s use, the Mill helped to support the colonists’ communal living; selling textiles across the country gained Amana a national reputation for superior quality. Now, with updated designs, colors and materials, we want to ensure that they’re a part of your future. Warped & Read more...
The Amana Colonies Visitors Center is located in the village of Amana, in a restored corn crib. Make it your first stop for information about the Amana Colonies. Pick up a visitors guide, map or brochures for area businesses. Menus for Amana Colonies restaurants are also available. The Visitors Center also houses the offices of the Amana Colonies Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACCVB). Founded in 1965, the ACCVB is the oldest organized Convention & Visitors Bureau in Iowa. Lodging The Visitors Center can assist you in planning your overnight accommodations. Information for local bed & breakfasts, inns, motels, and hotels Read more...
Established back in communal days in 1857, the store’s exterior and interior have remained virtually unchanged all these years. The original tin ceiling, wooden floor, and glass-topped display cases still remain. Throughout the store are charming reminders of the good old days, of a simpler time, of the past preserved. They just don’t make stores like this anymore, and there sure aren’t many of them left in existence! The store is truly a “museum” and an authentic general store in one. We have stocked the shelves with an interesting variety of hard-to-find trinkets and unique treasures from days gone by. Read more...
Visit the extraordinary world of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art! Enter through a towering plant-filled atrium and branch off into galleries filled with a selection of more than 2,000 years of art. From Roman busts to American landscape paintings to contemporary art and craft, experience an ever-changing selection from the Museum’s permanent collection of 5,600 works of art. Included amongst the CRMA’s treasures is the world’s largest collection of works by Regionalist artist, Grant Wood, who lived and worked in Cedar Rapids most of his life. In addition, see exciting and thought-provoking temporary exhibitions on display throughout the year. Read more...
Theatre is community. It’s laughter, its family, it’s an escape. Our mission is simple. We want to make you laugh, and bring you together with your friends, your neighbors, and family. Our goal is to provide affordable entertainment to the Amana Colonies and the surrounding rural communities of Iowa. We strive to provide diverse entertainment, and life enriching projects, with offerings ranging from dinner theatre productions, comedies, live music, or children’s plays and workshops. Basically, our goal is to bring FUN to our community! Read more...
“Where your love story is captured in a celebration as unique as the love that brought you together” As an ordained minister in the state of Iowa, I’d be honored to be your Wedding Officiant. I thoroughly enjoy working with couples to create a special ceremony just “as you wish” – formal or informal, spiritual or secular, serious or light-hearted while incorporating your own beliefs, lifestyles, and vows. I specialize in outdoor ceremonies and have built a breathtaking site which overlooks one of the ponds on our property located in the timber just north of Amana. I honor all beliefs and Read more...
The Amana Heritage Society maintains a group of arts-and-culture museums that display and interpret artifacts and photos of the history of the Amana Colonies. The Amana Heritage Museum is comprised of three 19th Century buildings, set in spacious grounds. The Noé House, built in 1864, was originally a communal kitchen and later a doctor’s residence. Recently updated exhibits in the Noé House trace the history and development of Amana, include stories about Amana residents, and display the varied crafts and industries of the Inspirationists. Temporary exhibits and special programs focus on particular aspects of Amana’s culture. The Schoolhouse was built Read more...
We now have an active mining water sluice!! Come “pan” for treasures in the comfort of the indoors!! The Noble Stone is a treasure trove of fossils, rocks, geodes, crystals, gemstone jewelry, kids stuff, all within everyone’s budget. We have sought out artisans from all over the world to fill our shop with unique and wonderful items. It fun for kids of ALL ages! Read more...
WHITE CROSS CELLARS IS OPEN Located in the historic village of Amana, Iowa, White Cross Cellars is a new approach to the Amana Colonies wine industry. While the Amanas have long been famous for fruit wines, White Cross Cellars delivers a more traditional approach to the wines of the Amanas. We feature Award-winning wines from classic wine grapes as well as Midwestern varieties; producing wine in the European or California style. Our specialties are white wines reminiscent of the traditional German and French styles, along with red dinner wines designed for beef and Italian dishes. Our wines are available in Read more...
Schanz Furniture & Refinishing is a small family owned business located in South Amana. We specialize in creating custom built furniture as well as repairing & refinishing your old furniture. Our showrooms offer a nice selection of handcrafted furniture and handmade wooden gift items as well as brooms & baskets. This father & son business has been making furniture since 1966! We uniquely design furniture to fit our customers needs so they can feel confident that they are getting exactly what they want. Each craftsman selects and matches his own wood, and then cuts, glues, and assembles each piece from Read more...
Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) is a unique program that helps people protect and develop their economic, natural, and social resources in ways that improve their area’s economy, environment, and quality of life. The Iowa Valley RC&D provides ways for Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Linn, Poweshiek, Tama county and Meskwaki Settlement residents to plan and implement projects that will make their communities better places to live. Read more...
You hungry? An Amana Colonies Tradition Since 1940. World famous for American and German food served “Family Style.” Hearty and light portions including chicken, hand cut steaks, roast beef, sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel cutlets, Amana brats, ham, catfish, shrimp, sandwiches, salads, homemade soups and desserts including rhubarb custard, chocolate & coconut cream pies. Pies to Go. Daily Specials, Children’s and Carry Out menus. Local, American and imported wines, beers and cocktails. Bierstube Bar & Outdoor Biergarten. Banquet and meeting rooms, museum and gift shop. Motor coaches welcome – step on tour guide service. Handicap access. Complimentary WiFi. An Amana Colonies Tradition Read more...
The tradition of the Amana Meat Shop & Smokehouse began when the seven villages were a communal settlement and families enjoyed meals together in kitchen houses. Each village had its own meat shop and smokehouse where ham, bacon, and sausage were cured the old-world way with long-held recipes and a commitment to quality. Today the tradition of quality continues. Each year thousands of visitors come to Amana to visit our historic shop, sample our products, send gifts through our catalog, and take home the flavors of another century. Enjoy the personal service and great selection of mouthwatering steaks, chops, and bratwurst from our fresh meat Read more...
