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...
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...
The name “Brau Haus” simply means “brew 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 Millstream Brau Haus gave the brewery the opportunity to make more ‘one of a kind’ brews and specialty beers only to be sold in the Millstream Brau Haus! And of course, these special brews are complemented by delicious German-style pub food! Under new ownership, the Millstream Brau Haus continues the tradition of serving delicious German-inspired food in a festive, 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 difference 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 Read more...
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 limited quantities and sold exclusively 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...
Millstream Brewing Co. is Iowa’s original craft brewery. It all started in 1985 with a dream and a small batch of German Pilsner. Today, Millstream produces nearly 8,000 barrels of beer and soda each year. That equals 2.5 million pints (in case you were counting). Our Amana, Iowa taproom features 20 rotating beers on tap, new releases each week, and some of the best live music in the Midwest. There’s no better way to spend your day than sitting along the banks of the Amana millstream with the sun in your face, a cold beer in your hand, and a Read more...
You hungry? An Amana Colonies Tradition Since 1940. World famous for American and German food served “family style”, where all side dishes are refillable and shared by all guests at the table. 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 and coconut cream pies. Serving lunch, dinner, and banquets daily. Enjoy pies to go, daily specials, children’s and carry out menus. Local, American and imported wines, beers and cocktails. Bierstube Bar, an outdoor biergarten, banquet and meeting rooms, Read more...
The first Amana Colonies Gravel Bike Routes are ready for use. The routes each begin in Middle Amana, separating into Route A going to High Amana and Route B going to West Amana. While on the gravel routes, the riders will experience historical points of interest in Middle, High and West Amana. Route A begins in Middle Amana at the entrance to the Amana Colonies Golf Course and takes riders on a scenic gravel route through native hardwood timberland to High Amana. This route is moderately easy and approximately a 7 mile round trip. High Amana features the historic High 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...
Situated along the Iowa Scenic Byway, family-owned Fireside Winery invites you to slow down, sip, and savor. Enjoy a glass of handcrafted wine or FireCider beneath the vine-covered veranda, wander our beautifully landscaped grounds, or strike up a conversation with new friends in the tasting room. With a wine (or cider!) to suit every palate and an experience for every mood, Fireside Winery is the perfect place to recharge, celebrate, or simply enjoy the moment. Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape from the hustle of daily life or a lively night filled with music, we welcome you to discover 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...
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...
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...
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...
Amana textiles express the heritage, value, and essence of the original Amana community. The Amana Woolen Mill is the oldest business in the Colonies and Iowa’s only remaining working woolen mill. It has 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, the mill helped 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 they’re a part of Read more...
Tom Milligan has been a working theatrical professional for the past 45+ years, working as an actor, director, scene designer, producer, and writer. Originally from Des Moines, companies credited to his resume include Charlie’s Showplace Dinner Theatre, The Drake Opera, The Drama Workshop, The Old Creamery Theatre Company, The Iowa Theatre Artists Company, as well as many other arts groups around the state. Deb Kennedy has been working professionally for the past 25 years, working throughout the Midwest onstage, offstage, touring, and occasionally onscreen. Deb & Tom’s career paths crossed in 2005, where they quickly realized they were a Read more...
