The heart of Iowa is home to several unusual attractions that make perfect side trips for groups. In Ames, planners can give their attendees a caffeine boost with the 90-minute For the Love of Coffee workshop at Burgie’s Coffee Roast Lab. The workshop includes a brief history of coffee, plus a demonstration of how the coffee is roasted, how the beverage should be cupped and how to make superior coffee at home. Each attendee receives a bag of Burgie’s best to take home and apply what they’ve learned. Planners interested in scheduling a workshop should contact the Ames CVB.
Treehouses occupy a special place in everyone’s heart. Some think of the treehouse they had as a child, and some wish they had one now. Attendees can revisit those feelings of wonder at The Big Treehouse near Marshalltown. The Big Treehouse is a six-story, 12-level structure with a spiral staircase, walkways and observation points from 50 feet in the air above the trees. It began as a hobby for the Jurgensen family, and as the treehouse grew, its reputation spread. Now it’s a one-of-a-kind destination built for adults to be able to reclaim a bit of that wistful nostalgia. It has 13 porch swings, music, electricity, running water and 5,000 square feet of space. Tours are available on dry weather days during warm seasons.
Outside Des Moines in the town of Winterset is a museum dedicated to an American original: John Wayne. The John Wayne Birthplace & Museum is located next to the four-room home where the actor was born in 1907. More than a million people have toured the home since the John Wayne Birthplace Society opened it in 1982, and it remains a popular attraction today. The home has been restored to appear exactly as it did when Marion Robert Morrison (John Wayne’s birth name) was born, and the museum next door holds an amazing array of memorabilia including scripts, costumes from his movies and his car. There’s also a theater where visitors can watch a presentation on Wayne’s life and career. Although the museum can’t accommodate receptions, it gladly welcomes group tours and can host up to 55 people per tour.
