Onawa combines an annual bike ride through the Loess Hills with several ways to explore local history and water-based activities. The surrounding area adds another highlight: Lewis and Clark State Park is less than five miles from Onawa. The options range from an annual event to museum exhibits and a nearby historic landscape. When planning your trip, it’s worth choosing your preferred focus and keeping the timing requirements of each activity in mind.
Bike Ride Through the Loess Hills
ONABIKE XXXIV (“The Shawn Gosch Memorial Ride”) is Onawa’s annual bike ride through the Loess Hills. If cycling is your main focus, the event gives you a clear reason to plan your travel dates around a specific edition. Check the date of the ride before planning your stay.
Landscape and Expedition History
Less than five miles from Onawa, but outside the city, is Lewis and Clark State Park. The scenic park is also a historic site along the route of the 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition. Landscape and expedition history come together here, giving the park a different focus from the collections and exhibits in Onawa. It is a destination in the nearby area, not part of the city.
Museums and Local History
The Monona County Historical Museum displays artifacts from the 19th and 20th centuries. One exhibit is also dedicated to Eskimo Pie, which was invented in Onawa. The topics offer different perspectives: the artifacts provide a look across two centuries, while the exhibit focuses on a single product story connected to Onawa. A broad historical span and a specific local invention are presented side by side.
The Onawa Kiwanis Museum Complex includes a railroad depot, a caboose, and railroad memorabilia. The complex also includes a rural church, a blacksmith shop, a log cabin, and a fire station. Its scope ranges from railroad history to several rural buildings. Compared with the artifacts and the Eskimo Pie exhibit, the focus here is on railroad memorabilia and a variety of buildings. The historic attractions differ both in the objects on display and in the topics they cover.
Water Activities and Seasonal Planning
You can register for swimming lessons and water aerobics at the Onawa Aquatic Center. Scheduling may vary by season, so check which periods and dates work for your stay before your trip. Swimming lessons and water aerobics are two different activities, so it’s worth checking the dates for each.
The Onawa Pool has a slide and a small children’s pool. If you’re planning to visit the pool during your stay, check the current operating details before you go.
For the broader travel overview: Monona County.
