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Major city · United States

Amana Colonies

Give the Amana Colonies one full day plus one night: seven villages, one main street each, and no public transport between them. Skip it as a day trip from Chicago.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Oct; late Jul–early Aug for flowers at Lily Lake
avoid Jan–Feb (cold, snow, some businesses on winter hours)
Airport
CID
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

The Amana Colonies are seven small villages in Eastern Iowa, settled by German Pietists in 1855 and run as a communal society until the Great Depression. The whole set became a National Historic Landmark in 1965. Main Amana holds most shops and restaurants; the other six villages are a couple of miles apart and need a car. Plan one day and one night, two if you want the communal dinner and the bike trail.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Amana Colonies, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or bakery item$3–7
  • BeerBeer at a brewery$5–8
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entrycheck$3.50–10
  • Budget bedTent or RV site (mid-Apr–Oct), a night, per roomUS$20
  • Mid-range bedCountry inn or B&B double room, a night, per roomUS$120
  • High-end bedCountry inn or B&B double room, a night, per roomUS$180

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$110 · High US$200

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Seven historic villages on the National Historic Landmark listAmana Woolen Mill, Iowa's only working woolen millFamily-style German meals in former communal kitchensAmana Colonies Recreational Trail between Main Amana and Middle Amana
Airports
CID Eastern Iowa Airport (Cedar Rapids) (Nearest airport with scheduled service; about 30–40 min by car to Main Amana (check))

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Amana Colonies: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−2°C

−12°C

7 rd

Feb

1°C

−10°C

7 rd

Mar

8°C

−3°C

9 rd

Apr

16°C

2°C

10 rd

May

22°C

9°C

11 rd

Jun

27°C

15°C

10 rd

Jul

29°C

17°C

9 rd

Aug

28°C

16°C

9 rd

Sep

24°C

11°C

8 rd

Oct

17°C

4°C

8 rd

Nov

8°C

−3°C

8 rd

Dec

1°C

−9°C

8 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

By car. There is no public transit, no bike rental and no car rental inside the colonies, and each village is a couple of miles from the next — roughly an hour on foot. Inside a village, walking is best: each has one main street with the shops on it. The Amana Colonies Recreational Trail (Kolonieweg) runs about 3.1 miles (5 km) between the old depot in Main Amana and Middle Amana, mostly paved with some gravel.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Iowa City

go

Door to door: About 30–40 min

I-80 east, about 25 miles (40 km)

University town with more food and lodging; pairs well with a half day in the colonies.

Cedar Rapids

go

Door to door: About 30 min

US-151 north, about 20 miles

Largest nearby city and the airport side; chain hotels and a bigger restaurant choice.

Kalona

go

Door to door: About 50 min

US-6 east then IA-1 south, about 35 miles

Amish and Mennonite shops and bakeries; a natural second stop for the same kind of trip.

Davenport

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

I-80 east, about 75 miles

Doable as a long day, but better as an overnight on the way to or from Chicago.

Dubuque

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

US-151 northeast, about 85 miles

Mississippi riverfront town; too far for a comfortable return day.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Main Amana

Most shops, restaurants and the woolen mill within walking distance; Guest House Motel is on the main street.

Homestead

Quieter, 2–3 miles south; Zuber's Homestead Hotel and Die Heimat Country Inn are here.

Amana RV Park (northwest of Main Amana)

Tent and full-service RV sites, open mid-April to end of October.

Williamsburg or Cedar Rapids

Larger chain hotels 20–30 min away if the villages are full.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–100 excl. bed
Mid
$100–170 excl. bed
High
$170+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Country inn or B&B double room1 × 1 night × US$120US$120
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$110US$220
Family-style dinner, per person2 × US$35 · checkUS$70
Communal dinner at the Communal Kitchen Museum, per person2 × US$30 · check; seasonal, reserve aheadUS$60
Mini-Americana Barn Museum entry, adult2 × US$4 · check; April–OctoberUS$7
Fuel, 100 miles of local driving1 × US$12 · checkUS$12
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$49
Trip total≈ US$269 per person per day, bed includedUS$538

2026 estimate in US dollars; prices shown before Iowa sales tax. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or bakery item$3–7
Family-style German meal, per person$20–35
Beer at a brewery$5–8
Wine tasting (often free or a few dollars)check$0–10
Museum entrycheck$3.50–10
Tent site / full-service RV site per nightcheck; open mid-April to end of October$20 / $36

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low crime rate. The real risks are car crashes on rural roads and I-80, winter ice and snow, and summer storms and flooding. The nearest ER is a small hospital in Marengo about 20 min west; trauma care is 30 min away in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids.
  • No public transport between villages: without a car you are limited to one village plus the trail.
  • Rural roads and I-80 traffic are the main physical risk; winter ice and summer storms are the seasonal ones.
  • The nearest hospital is small and has no intensive care unit; larger hospitals are about 30 min away in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids.
  • Some businesses keep short or seasonal hours, and a few close on Sundays or Mondays: check before you drive between villages.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Amana ColoniesAmana Colonies

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Please take me to this addressPlease take me to this address

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No consulates in the colonies; nearest consulates are in Chicago. For emergencies, call 911 first.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) → Main Amana by car: about 30–40 min, taxi or rideshare (check)
  • Main Amana → Middle Amana on the trail: 3.1 miles (5 km), about 1 h on foot or 20 min by bike
  • Main Amana → Homestead by car: about 5 min, 2–3 miles

Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Amana Colonies. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Oct; late Jul–early Aug for flowers at Lily Lake · avoid Jan–Feb (cold, snow, some businesses on winter hours) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources