The staff here are very rude and were disrespectful toward my entire party. They denied a REAL id…read morein attempt to buy one beer with our meal. In return we decided to leave and as we were leaving the hostess called out that we looked like high schoolers. We are all juniors in college earning our degrees. Would not recommend this place and will never be going back.

It's lakefront, how can you go wrong?! It was closed when…read moreyelp said it was open. Had to wait till the weekend to partake.

We stayed at Clear Lake a State Park for 4 days and Three nights in a tent with our two young kids…read more It was the Best Camping experience we've ever had. The camp hosts were amazing and so helpful. The beach was awesome!! The park was clean and the bathrooms and showers were top notch and always spotless. After being at a few other state parks this summer I can honestly say that Clear Lake State Park is one of the best campgrounds in Iowa! We will be back!

This Iowa landmark is one of 4 (that I remember) that requires a drive in the country, while…read moreenjoying the vast stretches of rural beauty. The other 3 are the Estherville Meteorite, the highest point in Iowa (Hawkeye Point at 1670 feet), and the Field of Dreams baseball diamond. 75 years after that fateful plane crash, folks are still coming to the informal shrine to "Where the Music Died". They come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They turn into the small parking lot, not knowing for sure why they're doing it. We arrived as innocent as children, longing for the past. People will come, Ray. OK, that's from Field of Dreams, but it fits. After a brisk walk of about 1/2 mile starting from the big glasses, what I found was a stainless steel guitar and a set of three stainless steel records marking the exact spot where the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, & JP ''The Big Bopper'' Richardson came to rest following their final concert at the Surf Ballroom in nearby Clear Lake. A second monument was erected on the 50th anniversary of the tragedy honoring their pilot, Roger Peterson. Waylon Jennings was also at the Surf that day, but gave up his seat to Richardson, and took the bus. When Holly learned that Jennings wasn't going to fly, he said in jest, ''Well, I hope your ol' bus freezes up'' and Jennings responded, also in jest, ''Well, I hope your ol' plane crashes''. This would haunt Jennings for the rest of his life. Dad stayed in the car while I completed my lone pilgrimage. The visit was short, the day was cool, and this fan monument was insightful and worth the trip to this lonely stretch where unfortunate history was made. I hope that any person reading this review has a chance to visit here and the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, which is the site of Buddy Holly's last performance.

Took a detour of the road during my travels today and visited the Buddy Holly Crash Site. Popular…read morespot to stop and view the crazy tragedy that occurred on 2/3/59. The trail head to the crash site (which is located in a corn field) is marked by a large pair of Buddy-Holly type glasses. You can park on the side of the road, and then walk through the corn field on a well-travelled path to the crash site, which has some fan-made memorials there. I placed my sunglasses in the middle of the bridge of Buddy Holly's glasses in the photo attached. True artists and RIP to all that past that day. RIP Highly recommend checking out this spot. Pretty cool to see.

When I'm in Mason City and want to get outside for a bit, my first thought is to go out to Lime…read moreCreek. They've got a nice assortment of trail loops of differing lengths that intersect so you can get whatever distance hike you want, and see the different parts of the land. There is also a nice long trail that runs along the river that has some scenic spots as well. The nature center building isn't super big, but it's nice to take a look at the fossils, taxidermy, and information about the animals. In the winter especially, the trails aren't busy and you can really just walk about and take be at peace in the environment. It would be nice if there was a bit more signage at some of the intersections of the trails, however, as there are some spots where it's not clear where you'll end up.

The visitors center is a great place to learn about the flora and fauna of Iowa. It's filled with…read moreall kinds of unique stuffed animal wildlife. Some taxidermy guy had fun. Kinda creepy, but still interesting. They also have a few aquariums with live fish. Oh..and a live turtle. Very clean and well organized. If you check out the upstairs, there's a lot of hands on exploration things to do with the kids. Remember...don't forget to go to use the restrooms before you go hiking. Yes...there are 11 hiking trails to choose from. Some are short, some are long. I chose the easy hike since it looked like a storm was coming. There are also wheel chair accessible trails. Nice place to check out if you enjoy nature.

McIntosh State Park is a small. but nice park. on Clear Lake in the town of Ventura. It has a boat…read morelaunch area, camping sites and trails. The entry area is planted with prairie plants. It is very inviting. If you are looking for a camp site, hiking, picnicking or boating in the Clear Lake area, check out this State Park!

Wow, what a wonderful surprise to pull off hwy 35 after miles of farming fields and land in this…read morelush green campground. Filled with huge shade trees and grass I was so happy to be in the woods. Lots of peaceful trails that have been mowed, take you deeper into and under the canopy of trees and ferns. I know most people probably camp here for the lake, but for me it is all about being in nature. Lots of frogs along the grassy shoreline, bunnies in the open grass areas and plenty of birds. $16 is a great deal for sites with electricity. Happy to be here.

It's amazing that even 65 years after one of pop culture's defining tragic moments happened, people…read moreare still coming to visit here. Yes, this is where the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Big Bopper happened. It is on a farm field, and I am grateful the owners let people walk a-ways to where the memorial is. It is about a half-mile from the parking lot, or where the oversized dark-rimmed glasses are from the road. Try to wear old shoes or boots when the grounds are wet. To get here, just plug it into your GPS. There are no signs that guide you there. Park in the "Day the Music Died" parking lot, and there are johnny toilets available. And please, pick up after yourself.

"I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed…read morebride But something touched me deep inside" Five miles outside of Clear Lake, Iowa up a county road, then a gravel road and then a 1/2 mile hike on a dirt trail through a corn field, lies a marker that marks the spot in 1959 where a small plane crashed. It is a pilgrimage that I have always wanted to do The isolated location and the majestic autumnal cloud formations created a somber and silent Sunday afternoon trek that was heavier than I expected. We streamed Buddy Holly's catalogue in route and American Pie on our exit. An afternoon I'll always remember. "But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken"

This review is for the museum and the historical part of the place. The Surf Ballroom is best…read moreremembered as the final place that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Big Bopper performed just hours before the tragic fatal plane crash. The place is not just a museum and landmark but it is mostly an events place as well as still being a music venue! The museum is self-guided and free, though donations are encouraged. They also have a souvenir shop so be prepared to spend some $$. But plan on at least an hour just looking around if you're a rock and roll history geek like me. Several photos on the wall and memorabilia. You'll be very surprised on who has played here - from the 1940s big bands to modern-day rock and pop/country acts. Be sure to step onto behind the stage as well as the green room. I could go on, but be sure to check this out for yourself sometime. Yes, the location is in central-northern Iowa, one of the least visited spots in the USA. It's between the Twin Cities and Des Moines, but driving all the way to Clear Lake to check this out is, in my mind, worth it. Check it out!

Wow...so much history here! I had no idea what I was walking into here...its definitely a must do…read morefor anyone with a love for music.

This park has a nice open feel to it. It also has a nice…read morewooden playground structure full of all kinds of fun things for the kids to explore and play on. I would of played on it, but the rules stated...playground is only for kids up to a certain age. They keep this playground neat and clean. Its a tobacco and dog free playground. I'm guessing if your dog smokes, skip this place..

Visiting the area for a few weeks and needed a place to run the dogs. I asked some locals and they…read morepointed me here. It's a great space for both large and small dogs. They have separate areas for both. There weren't a lot of dogs usually one other person, but hopefully more people will find.