My mother and I loved everything music man in this town. We geo cached around here and had a blast…read more Mason City is a under rated gorgeous town with the history of Music man Musical

Scenic footbridge over Willow Creek named in honor of Meredith Willson. The bridge was originally…read morebuilt so people living in the neighborhoods on the south side of the creek could more easily walk to downtown (the bridge is over a block long and quite high over Willow Creek). The view is scenic with the many trees along the bank of the creek and the water flowing along. I can remember being "impressed" as a child riding across this bridge in a stroller (a cautionary note to parents). The bridge is worth a visit and was named in honor of Meredith Willson, but please note this is not the foot bridge that is an important part of the story in Willson's "Music Man." You will find a small "Till there was you" limestone bridge located in East Park (a few steps north of the site of the original band shell). Also, a little to the west of the band shell, and on the banks of Willow Creek, you will find the foundation of an old wooden footbridge that was once a popular crossing point. Willow Creek makes an attractive turn there with a view of limestone outcroppings. Willson would have been familiar with this location, and it would have been an appropriate location for such a song.

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.

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.

The Day The Music Died crash site. At 315th & Gull Ave are a pair of large Buddy Holly black rimmed…read moreglasses. It was about a half mile trek into the cornfield until you got to the crash site. It's been there since 1959 and you can tell a lot of memorable items have been added on. The couple we met there... weren't happy that the site hadn't been kept up... (weeds) but it still touched my soul. We made a donation at the box across the street in the parking lot... where we were able to grab a pair of mini glasses and a guitar pic. Here's hoping you boys see all your fans that come to visit you. And know this... your music lives on forever.

If you're a rock and roll fan this is a must visit! We went to the Surf Ballroom in the morning and…read moredecided we wanted to see the crash site afterwards. It's about a 10 mile drive, you'll see a small parking a lot across the street from the Buddy Holly glasses. It is private property, but the owner is gracious enough to allow visitors and they maintain the pathway to the spot. It's about the half mile walk from the street, and it's eerily quiet! It's very somber when you get there and realize this is the spot where "The Music Died". People leave their mementos, which is cool. Definitely a must visit!

The Lady of the Lake is a real paddle boat. She was built a long time ago and had a whole other…read morelife hauling cargo. The Lady goes out for a 90 minute cruise several times a day during the summer season. During the trip you can relax and learn a bit of the history of Clear Lake and if it is your pleasure, enjoy a drink (they have a bar) or two. As of August 2013, the fare is $12 for adults and IMHO, well worth the price of admission. Don't forget the sunscreen however, as I did. I paid dearly for that mistake. It really is a very nice trip out on the lake and I would do it again. They also have themed events. A few nights after our trip, they were having an "adult pirate themed" party that sounded like it was going to be great fun. If you find yourself in Clear Lake, this is something fun and relaxing to do. There aren't many real paddle boats left, so check it out while she still operates.

This post is mainly to warn any people of color about the hostile environment on this boat. When we…read morewere first boarding the boat, I noticed that my family was the only family of color among about 40ish riders. None of them wearing masks. Apart from having all 80 eyes on us as we were boarding the cashier lady just stared at us as if we were stupid thinking we didn't speak English, while she had greeted the other white guests with smiles. For the entirety of the ride, no one was socially distanced and it was very crowded upstairs. The least the employees could do is greet people without prejudice and enforce social distancing to keep people safe.

OPA!!!! Whooooo hoooo...my 250th review!! My Big fat Greek…read moreFestival. It's hot and humid but that doesn't stop people from enjoying a good Greek festival. I came at 11:30am and things were just getting started. By the time I left, it was packed with people. It's not a huge festival, but it's till worth visiting. This festival lasts all day long until 10pm. Plenty of Greek food, Greek beer, Greek music, dancing and more. Remember to go to the ticket booth first. Each ticket is worth $1.00 You can redeem your tickets at each of the booths you desire to go to. Example: Want a Gyro? That's 6 tickets. Service is fast so you don't have to wait too long. Grab a chair under the canopy and enjoy the sights and sounds. There's even a Greek bake sale inside the church if you want to take home some baklava or other Greek pastries. Have fun! OPA!!!

Would have got 5 stars but it's Rediculous how they cut back so much on the free popcorn on…read moreTuesday--like it cost them an arm and a leg!! For popcorn! Come on now!

another excellent experience with the theatre)))…read more thank you for playing some of the unpopular/controversial movies like Melania and Americana 2025 (Sydney Sweeney) To bad we can't petition Sydney Sweeney to play "Spider-Woman

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"

It's a tiny, rural town and they have a movie theater? Everyone should be happy. The theater was…read morehuge, and ticket prices dirt cheap. The seats are in decent condition, the parking was easy, and the people were friendly. What else can you ask for? It's not perfect. The squeaky seat hinges could be silenced with a $5 can of WD-40. They could offer Twizzlers. But it's great for what it is.

For a life-long patron of big city theaters and having to always pay $9.50+ for each person, this…read moretheater was a breath of fresh air! Granted there is only one screen, so only one movie can be played at a time, but for the price and the grandness of the theater, I can't say I care. The candy is a little high for the size, but in relation to a big city theater, still cheap. The soft drinks were plentiful and cold and there were many other drink options as well. The only negative of the evening, was that the popcorn was stale. It was warm and buttery, just tasted like it had been reheated from a previous showing. And last, the seating, it's nothing to write home about, but still adds to the character and small town charm of the Forrest Theater. Some had scuffed backs from people putting their feet up, while others had tape holding the vinyl together, but all in all, I enjoyed seeing a film in this old-style theater.