Traveling the river and staying in Dubuque overnight. Anxious to visit the park because all the…read morepositive reviews. Everything says it's open. (looking at you Yelp) ITS CLOSED. SEASONAL! Thank goodness there's lots of history to find in the oldest Iowa town. The one star is for all the review sights that don't check details.

Absolutely amazing view of the Mississippi River Valley flew my drone over the river and took some…read morepictures like no other it's definitely a must see for Dubuque Iowa

This outdoor kids rec center is phenomenal! If you have kids (even bigger kids), they'll love this…read moreoutdoor park. Check the pics n vids. Must experience!

Beautiful and extensive trails over a surprisingly large area, many along or near pretty waterways…read more....there are several well marked parking lots near the trail heads. We did get lost trying to find the nature center which didn't seem connected to the part of the park we first arrived in...it seems there are two separate entrances? Fortunately we were near the cool castle-like tower, the Julien Dubuque Monument, which offers stunning panoramic views of the Mississippi and of the city of Dubuque. Definitely would like to come back for more hiking here!

Mines of Spain is a go to place for me and has been for years. A wonderful scenic outdoor space…read more Great for hiking.

I absolutely love the Arboretum. Beautiful peaceful place. Spent hours there just soaking in and…read moreenjoying the area. The koi pond was wonderful. This place charges no fee for admittance. I don't understand how they cannot as such a wonderful place. I highly recommend

Small and quite walkable even for me with a disability. The Japanese garden was quite pretty. We…read morewere there early in the day so not a lot of other people around, which can be enjoyable. Would return to see it in different seasons.

Wanted to experience the Mississippi River while in town and made our way to the Riverwalk. It was…read morea weekday and it was relatively quiet. The weather was amazing so we enjoyed a nice stroll viewing all of the interesting art along the way and stopping to watch the various birds who were enjoying the river as well. A beautiful and well maintained place.

Scenic and clean, that's what I want in a walk. It's like a long curvy park, wonderful views of…read morethis immense and unbelievable river. Good for mild exercise, it's just the right distance. Good for meeting people and being friendly, but you can also keep your distance and contemplate by yourself. It's also the best walking path from the Grand River Conference Center, which has a big back door and deck onto the Riverwalk, to the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. I found myself wondering, what did those French explorers think when they ran into this monstrous waterway? What indigenous technology from their guides helped them across? Turns out the newest part of the museum has these answers. I do wish Dubuque put this much consideration for pedestrian traffic into the rest of the downtown area. There aren't many crosswalks, and not enough stop signs for walking from downtown towards the river. Just look both ways before crossing the street and don't text and walk.

We been avoiding going to Flora pool this year. Unfortunately is always full, they close at 5pm and…read moreto top it off the people that's always at the pool always have an attitude. We been experiencing better customer service and Sutton

My children and I went on a little family vaca to my moms in Dubuque IA. While there we went to…read morevisit Flora Pool. We weren't there an hour when my 11 month old daughter wanted her chi chi. So I whip it out not thinking anything of it. 4-5 minutes later a lifeguard comes up to me and says mam you can't do that here, find somewhere more private. I'm still so upset by it. My baby had to stop eating bc some twat felt uncomfortable! She just cried for her chi chi. So we left and I will never return. When did it become offensive to feed your baby? God intended on our breasts to feed our babies that our bodies birthed. Who are they to say we can't?!!! So I go to their fb page and it's happened numerous times there. Honestly I want to start a lawsuit and get all these other mothers involved just bc they were jerks!!! #FloraPool #IjustWantedToFeedMyBaby #BoycottFloraPool

The grave of Julien Dubuque is placed on a point that offers a beautiful view of the area, above…read morethe mouth of Catfish Creek and the Mississippi River. Julien Dubuque was born in Quebec in 1762 and died in 1810 in the city that bears his name. Dubuque was granted rights by the Mesquakie Indians to mine lead in the area, and he remained in the area for the rest of his life. When he died, he was buried on this high point overlooking the Mississippi River and city. The log crypt was replaced by this stone monument sometime in the 1880s. Not only is the city named for him, there is an upscale hotel, a bridge and a film festival that also bear his name. He befriended Chief Peosta, who is also the namesake of Peosta, Iowa. Legend has it that he married Chief Peosta's daughter, supposedly named "Potosa." There is little evidence to support the legend, which also claims that Potosa was the namesake of the Wisconsin lead-mining community of Potosi. Residents of Potosi claim the city was named for Potosi, Missouri, which, in turn, was named for the silver mining town of Potosi, Bolivia. Julien Dubuque opened Iowa for European settlement. The governor of Spain also granted Dubuque permission to mine lands under Spanish control, and the park that contains Dubuque's monument is named Mines of Spain. The area was mined until 1914. It is a beautiful site, with a view of the City of Dubuque, a few miles to the north. The monument is a short walk from a parking area.

The Mines of Spain Park is fairly small but has some great hiking trails. Not to be missed is the…read moreDubuque Monument Tower where Julien Dubuque is buried. Yes, the town of Dubuque received it's name from the French Canadian who arrived to these shores of the Mississippi River as one of the First European men. Unlike most settlers who tortured and murdered the local tribes, Dubuque befriended the Meskwaki Native American tribe's Chief Peosta and peacefully received permission to mine lead in 1788. (He may have even named his daughter "Potosa" after the tribe...a little Pocahontas story in the making.) Subsequently, the Spanish gave Dubuque a land grant for such a feat in 1796. After his death, the Meskwaki constructed a log crypt for Dubuque's corpse, which was later replaced in the late 19th century by this stone monument tower. A little history for you! There is a plaque commemorating Dubuque next to his grave which explains the story more in depth. For those who are unable to hike, there is a parking lot at the top of the hill where the monument stands tall to allow cars up to enjoy the views of downtown Dubuque, the Mississippi River, and the rest of the Mines of Spain. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area and only a 5 minute short drive from Downtown.

Very cool part of Dubuques history. This along with its…read moremines of Spain park is always and great walk in the evening . This tower is close proximity to Dubuques River walk . So many great things to see in Dubuque .

The tower itself is a bit uneventful, it's tall (120 feet), and it's a piece of history (built in…read more1856). The tower is a registered historical landmark. It is kind of neat how the tower was used in shot production... "Lead was melted at the base of the tower, hoisted to the top, poured through screens of different gauges, tumbling smoothly round as it fell into the water vats below. The shot was then sorted and packed. When completed, the tower could produce between 6 to 8 tons daily" Even if the tower really isn't your thing the nearby Mississippi riverwalk is really nice with several nearby lookout points... Hungry or thirsty when you're over by the George W. Rogers Company Shot Tower...? If you have time definitely check out the nearby winery and brewing company. https://www.cityofdubuque.org/712/Shot-Tower