Walker Homestead is truly something special…read more We recently hosted an evening there as part of a corporate dinner, and the entire experience exceeded every expectation. From the moment we arrived, the hospitality was warm, thoughtful, and incredibly well organized. Kristy, Bob, and the entire team made us feel genuinely welcomed and took such wonderful care of our group. The setting is absolutely stunning. What they have created is remarkable. The beautiful grounds, relaxed atmosphere, locally sourced farm-to-table meal, and attention to every detail made the evening unforgettable. Our attendees loved everything, from exploring the property and visiting the animals to enjoying dinner and participating in our murder mystery event. Planning an event for a large group can be stressful, but the Walker Homestead team made the process easy and enjoyable. They were responsive, flexible, accommodating, and committed to making sure everything went smoothly. The food was outstanding, the service was excellent, and the entire evening felt personal and special rather than simply being another hosted event. Our group is still talking about how much they enjoyed the experience. Walker Homestead was one of the highlights of our meeting, and I cannot recommend it highly enough for a private event, celebration, dinner, or simply an opportunity to experience this beautiful place. I sincerely hope we have the opportunity to return soon. Thank you to everyone at Walker Homestead for your extraordinary hospitality and for giving our group such a memorable evening!

What a phenomenal location for a wedding! Attended my nieces wedding and knew it was going to be an…read moreevent to remember. The ceremony took place on a covered large patio, in front of a wood burning fireplace that added to the ambiance. The reception was filled with an incredible countertop full of delectable charcuterie artfully arranged and just as delicious tasting as it was beautiful. They did such a wonderful job serving all the guests appetizers, drinks at the bar, and a multi course dinner, as well as the wedding cake. The brisket was so tender, it fell apart as soon as you put it on your plate. There was ample parking within the beautiful vineyard. I can't think of one thing that could have been better. The food was perfect, the atmosphere was romantic, and the venue just could not have been more special.

We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon at Calyx last weekend. We tried some yummy lavender treats and…read moredrinks, then joined Dean for a guided tour and lavender picking. The whole experience was relaxing, and the grounds were beautiful. I wish I was planning a wedding because this farm is perfect for one.

This used to be my husband's family in a little town in Iowa. The new owners have added a Lavender…read morefarm and several Airbnb's on the property. We brought three grandsons here to experience the farm that grandpa grew up on. They are big city kids and thoroughly enjoyed running free over the empty cornfields and lovely walking trails. The Lavender suite itself is lovely! High-end appliances fireplace, and fire pit However we came in March and it was pretty cold. I have some mobility problems. I don't use a wheelchair, but I have to have pretty easy access to shower and such. This place was perfect. They also have some tree houses that would be fun, but that would be difficult for me and this place. There's plenty large enough to sleep five or six. The grandkids said they wanna live here. That made me very happy because I was worried that they might be bored. There are no theme parks here. they loved exploring the woods and the frozen creeks along the walking trail. The hosts could not be more perfect. We were responsive. But left us to our family time!

I had the perfect wedding at this venue. The owner, Mary Ellen Hill, was very easy to work with and…read morewe emailed frequently. She always tried to keep us up to date on what was happening and coordinated parking, setup, put up all our chairs, and even gave us a very heartfelt tour of the gardens. The day of the wedding was a beautifully sunny day (it was yesterday!). Everything was perfect. I really have nothing to say about the location that's negative. She knew what she was doing and her hard work is seen with how beautiful the gardens are kept. She does tea and snacks on Saturdays, and I may stop by with my mom. I definitely recommend this location as one of the best Iowa City can offer for outdoor venues! She also can have a reception at the location too (though my fiance and I didn't choose to because we had a reception venue lined up anyway).

Amazing gardens! What wonderful place to visit. Never knew such a place existed right here in our…read moreown community.

This is a really cool monument in Iowa history. There is a lot of history to learn here, and the…read morebuilding architecture and decor is really neat. It's all free too! The only reason we didn't give it 5 stars is parking is a little difficult to obtain to get to the building, and there's not TONS of info in the building. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

A must-see in Iowa City. Free! Swing by here before or after you visit the Museum of Natural…read more History Museum in Macbride Hall. We've lived in Iowa City and worked on campus for a couple of years and (I'm embarrassed to say) finally visited. Pre-1857 Iowa City was the capital of the state of Iowa. This building is THE former state capital. I loved seeing how the building and its artifacts have been preserved. A heck of a lot of history here. We'll be back because there was a private event going on upstairs so we weren't able to explore those floors. Recommend. Consider donating to the museum/university's preservation efforts.

We had my Son / Daughter-in-law wedding there and they did an outstanding job. The venue was…read moregorgeous and well taken care of. we were very happy with the Wedding and Reception

Came here for a mystery dinner. It was a great place. Beautiful venue for a wedding or event…read more The staff was friendly and the facility was accommodating with lots of roo. I give them extra kudos for plenty of rest rooms.

My party of five enjoyed an elegant Mother's Day Brunch at the Heights Rooftop on Sunday. they…read moreprovided three different serving times and bottomless breakfast drinks (Champagne mimosas and a mocktail). Two omelet stations provided order-your-own omelets and a serving line served up complete eggs, bacon and potatoes style breakfast, including delicious pastries that were offered. If breakfast didn't fill you up, another service line feature various afternoon and evening entrees along with salads and vegetable sides, All were cooked to perfection. Add in a prime rib carving station and large dessert table, the Heights got our Mother's Day off to a great start.

Absolutely Beautiful! I've been to a wedding here, a super cool Halloween party, and talked our…read morecompany into having their Christmas party here! The space is so open, the food amazing, we brought in bag boards and had a fun party . The space has so much to offer for everyone!

Always looking to try new places, this one appeared on my radar. A small store front on main…read morestreet Mt. Vernon, it's a nice addition to the downtown. They have wine, antiques. Some local beers-in cans, and an assortment of snacks and salads. The ambiance is somewhat like walking into grandma's house. Comfortable and cozy. They do have a patio that was not an option on The day hi visited due to the weather and I understand they have a lower level available for events. The staff was friendly and helpful with a selection of their wines. I've liked their wines for some time, so no surprises there. A definite stop or go to place for an intimate evening with friends.

This is a wonderful winery to visit, I bought two bottles on the way out! If your in the are you…read moreshould definitely stop by!

What can you say about this gem of a theater but has not already been said? Having worked at movie…read moretheaters throughout college I can tell you that the pressure for the big movie theaters to play the biggest movies that will sell out or bring it the largest crowd is, is immense. Those theaters rarely take any kind of risk with a small movie that may or may not be the next Hollywood blockbuster. Honestly, they really are a blockbuster hit but are often really good movies that have a voice which should be heard. That is where Film Scene comes in. It fills the void created by monstrous movie theaters which are more concerned with the quality of their heated reclining seats as opposed to the quality of the movie. Now, you should know, when you go to see a movie at this theater, do not expect super comfortable seats. There are some good seats in the back of the theater but the closer you get to the screen, the worse they are, so be sure you get there early. The concession stand is reasonably priced with a good selection of candy, decent popcorn, and a wonderful selection of beer. I would also highly recommend the rooftop viewing of any movie they show. It is really awesome up there. Get some tickets, grab some popcorn, twizzlers, a cold beer, and enjoy a really good movie lovingly presented by true film lovers.

What a gift to Iowa City! Right downtown + an amazing film selection spanning major blockbusters…read moreand independent films. Please check it out!

Sierra Ferrell was my first experience at Hancher, but it was a great first impression. I arrived…read morereally early (2pm lol) not knowing what to expect, had an easy enough time parking in Lot 55, and headed inside to get my free shirt from the box office staff. Then headed out to the green, got official tour merch, and chatted with Greg, a veteran UIowa event staffer holding it down on the lawn. (He was fantastic, big shoutout Greg!) After sound check, we staked out a great spot for our group, but plenty of people had gotten there well ahead of us and some had even put blankets at the rail! The crowd was pretty navigable, even as it filled in and got dark. I think they could've had the sound louder, but it sounded good. We did spend entirely too long in the food truck line for them to run out. This happened truck by truck leaving many unsatisfied and jumping ship even before trucks closed. And only 5 portapotties were provided for an anticipated crowd of 5000-7000 folks? I ran back inside instead. As with any venue, we waited in the parking lot at least an hour before attempting to even back out of our spots because of the traffic getting out of the lot. Overall a good experience though they seemed unprepared for the impressive crowd.

I hadn't been to Hancher Auditorium since it was rebuilt-- having been destroyed in the 2008 flood…read moreand reopening in 2016. Well, I can say I finally got to see and experience this updated IC gem this weekend and it does not disappoint. My kiddos got me Mean Girl tickets for Mother's Day last year and alas, it was finally here! The show was dynamite, the venue was gorgeous, acoustics were great and staff were lovely. We got there insanely early, so parking wasn't an issue though I hear closer to showtime it can be! Tickets were priced as you'd expect. Even bathroom lines weren't horrendous, you got in and out no problem. Hancher offers many types of shows, and honestly many don't appeal to me but I appreciate the wide variety they showcase and all of the art they bring to Iowa City! When their new schedule comes out each year I am always sure to take a look, in hopes something catches my eye. I can't wait for my next time enjoying a show at Hancher!

Really amazing spot.. I get to go to weddings in Eastern Iowa every now and again and I have been…read moresuper impressed with the wedding venues I have seen over there.. The Exchange might be the best I have ever seen over there! Great space, Top notch facilities, beautiful location.. This was a super amazing experience as a guest.

Booking The Exchange for our May 2024 wedding was the best decision we could have made! A quick 6…read moreminute drive to the casino, entertainment and lodging for our out of town guests was perfect! The Millers were the most accommodating and helpful people throughout the entire process! They are responsive, reasonable and dedicated to making your event perfect! I can't say enough great things about them! The place itself is clean, has all the details you could think of while also being blank canvas to decorate as you please! The lounges are HUGE and include full bathrooms. The guest bathrooms are spacious and have enough for large events with no lines! The ceremony space outside is beautiful! I would HIGHLY recommend this venue for any medium-large event! We had 140 people at our wedding and had plenty of room for a large dance floor and both a video guest book, Photo Booth and the buffet line. 10/10 I would choose them 100x over!