The town of Boone in Iowa offers something for visitors no matter what the time of year may be when they visit. Travelers can hop aboard the dinner train on the Boone and Scenic Valley Road; go hiking, kayaking, or skiing among other outdoor recreational activities at Seven Oaks Recreation, sample local craft brews at the Boone Valley Brewing Company, and much more. Boone also hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, such as the Ogden Fun Days and the Pufferbilly Days, which takes place in September in downtown Boone.
Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad
The Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad, a part of the Iowa Railroad Historical Society, offers train rides traveling through some of the Midwest’s most beautiful scenery as they traverse through the region’s scenic Des Moines River Valley. A trip on one of the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad’s trains takes passengers back to days gone by as they travel aboard a 1920’s-era coach or in one of the 1950’s climate-controlled dining cars. Guests can also explore the museum, one of the world’s few museums in which visitors can see electric, diesel, and steam railroad operations. It also hosts special events.
225 10th St, Boone, IA 50036, Phone: 800-626-0319
Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace
The Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace is the restored historic home where Mamie Doud Eisenhower was born and today houses many heirlooms of the Carlson and Eisenhower family. Mamie Doud was born in Boone on November 14 of 1896 and later became the wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Also located on the grounds are a detached summer kitchen and a carriage house, containing a Chrysler Windsor Sedan given by the Eisenhowers to the Carlsons in 1948 and the 1962 Plymouth Valiant once owned by Mamie Doud Eisenhower. The Eisenhowers visited Boone regularly between the 1940’s and the 1960’s.
709 Carroll St, Boone, IA 50036, Phone: 515-432-1896
Seven Oaks Recreation
Seven Oaks Recreation provides opportunities for outdoor recreation year-round for people of all ages. Spanning across around 160 acres just outside of Boone, Iowa, the grounds are a popular spot among locals and visitors alike during the winter season, offering activities like snow tubing, snowboarding, and skiing. All of the trails and the tubing park are lighted, and the trails are groomed every day. During the rest of the year, Seven Oaks Recreation becomes a place for hiking, mountain biking, camping, paintball, canoeing, tubing, and kayaking. Visitors can also rent equipment for both winter and summer activities.
1086 222nd Dr, Boone, IA 50036, Phone: 515-432-9457
Boone Valley Brewing Company
The Boone Valley Brewing Company, located in downtown Boone, is a family-owned and operated microbrewery with a mission of providing "great beer and a unique experience" for everyone who visits the brewery. Craft beer lovers can stop by the tap room to try the assortment of handcrafted, award-winning specialty brews. The lineup of beers changes often. Boasting a family-friendly environment, the tap room also offers root beer, and guests can order food from local restaurants or bring their own with them. The Boone Valley Brewing Company is open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
816 7th St, Boone, IA 50036, Phone: 515-432-1232
Boone History Cente
The Boone History Center shares the story of the city of Boone’s past, from railroad adventures to coal mining to heroines and heroes. The center is home to several different collections and featured exhibits, including an exhibit that honors Kate Shelley, a railroad heroine of Boone. There's also the Becoming Boone exhibit featuring a collection of historic items that helped make Boone the city it is today, dating from Native American artifacts to immigrants arriving from Europe to the city’s early businesses. There’s also the CSM Marilyn Gabbard Gallery, which features several artifacts from the military past of Boone County.
602 Story St, Boone, IA 50036, Phone: 515-432-1907
Kate Shelley High Bridge
Officially known as the Boone Viaduct when built back between the years of 1898 and 1901, the Kate Shelley High Bridge is one of the country’s longest and oldest double-track railroad bridges. Shelley risked her life during a thunderstorm in 1881, at 17 years old, to warn a passenger train of an upcoming bridge being out. The train had been stopped already, so Kate Shelley then went on that night to lead a rescue team to two men who were stranded near her home in the flooded Honey Creek. The bridge is located about three miles just outside of Boone.
Boone, IA 50036
