Blue Waters of Okoboji

Visit the Coney Island Style amusement park with its popular wooden roller coaster. Eat a nutty bar, watch handmade salt water taffy being made, go for a boat ride on the excursion vessle 'The Queen II'. The Okoboji Summer Theatre offers terrific productions with professional actors. Spend a day on one of five lakes; great for sailing, water skiing or fishing.

Quick Tips:

Make your reservations early for one of the popular resorts (I like Fillenwarth Beach). The Fourth of July Fireworks display, shot from a barge on West Okoboji Lake, is one of the best in the midwest. Good restaurants abound, but don't forget about the food vendors that set up shop late in the evening to cater to college students who visit the area to party. The Maritime Museum is a free--and interesting--look at the boating history in the region.

Best Way To Get Around:

Okoboji has a full-system of bike trails, but the best way to get around is by car. On busy weekends, the going can be slow, even with the newly expanded four-lane highway.

I've been visiting this park since I was a toddler and I never get tired of it. The park hasn't succumbed to the allure of some of the high-tech rides you'll find at other amusement parks; some people won't like that, but the nostalgic side of me does. The roller coaster and the new Ferris Wheel on the shores of the lake afford great views of the water. An inexpensive way to spend the day.

The Maritime Museum moved into new quarters in 2000 and features an expanded display area. There's a good audi-visual presentation of maritime life in the area and lots of interesting displays, especially for people familiar with the rich history of the lakes region.

The Richter Brothers run one of the most popular stores in the midwest, a sprawling store front packed with name brand clothes and goods needed for a successful week or summer at the lake. This is the home and birthplace of the ficticious University of Okoboji and the best place to buy U of O sweatshirts, t-shirts, etc. This is the perfect keepsake for a trip to the lakes area.

The Okoboji Summer Theater is operated by Stephens College in Columbia Missouri and offers top-notch theatrical productions. The theater is located in an old airplane hangar, although you wouldn't know that from visiting the place. The casts are a mix of students and professional actors and the line-up of shows include Broadway-type productions, classics, British Sex Farces, etc. Shows run everynight but Monday.

Nobody knows the Iowa Great Lakes as well as Capt. Steve Kennedy, a maritime buff and historian who leads the daily tours on the Queen II. Passengers see some of the beautiful lake homes, learn about the Spirit Lake Massacre, and get a glimpse at what's going on at the lake. A summer tradition for many lake visitors.