Amana offers several distinct travel experiences: the original village, with its main street and side streets, recalls a German town; the Colonies Trail connects Amana with Middle Amana; and at the Fireside Winery location, you can sample wine and hard cider. When planning a stay, it helps to consider these separately: local history, scenery and food and drink each offer a different perspective on Amana.
Village History and Streetscape
Construction of the first village, called Amana, began in 1855. The original village recalls a German town, with a main street and side streets. Amana’s history is therefore centered on both a specific starting point in time and the streetscape described here. If you are interested in how the place developed, these two aspects offer a starting point: the year construction began and the distinctive layout the village recalls.
Two Ways to Explore the History
The Amana Colonies app features a self-guided historical tour of Amana. Another way to explore is the Amana Heritage Society’s main site in Amana. The society has four historic sites, and its main site is one of them. Visitors can walk around the grounds and through the buildings and see artifacts from the period of communal living.
A visit to this main site begins with a 20-minute video about its history. Since the visitor program may change, check the latest information before your visit. The app tour and the main site offer different experiences: the app features a self-guided tour of Amana, while the buildings and artifacts from the communal-living period are the focus at the site. This gives you a clear choice between a tour through the village and a visit that includes a video, buildings and historical objects.
The Colonies Trail and the Landscape
The Colonies Trail is 3.1 miles long and connects Amana with Middle Amana. From the trail, you can see Lily Lake, the millrace, pastures, farmland and the surrounding landscape. This offers a different way to discover Amana than visiting historic buildings or taking a tour through the village: the focus here is on these landscape features along the route connecting the two places.
The Amana Depot serves as the starting point for the Colonies Trail and offers parking and seasonal restrooms. If you are counting on the restrooms during your visit, check their current availability, as they are seasonal. The trail’s length and the connection between Amana and Middle Amana give you specific details for planning your trip, without needing to estimate how long the walk will take.
Tastings and the Wider Region
At the Fireside Winery location in Amana, you can sample wine and hard cider. This adds a food-and-drink focus to the historical and scenic themes. If you are planning your trip around your interests, you can weigh whether local history, the Colonies Trail or a tasting should take priority.
One possible destination in the wider region is the Wurst Festival in the Amana Colonies. The festival features savory sausage specialties, live music and a dachshund race. Specific dates and programming may change, so check the latest event information if you plan to include the festival in your itinerary. It offers a different focus from the experiences in Amana itself and should be considered separately as a regional destination.
Choosing the Right Vacation Rental in Amana
If you are looking for a vacation rental in Amana, start by considering what you want your stay to focus on: the history of the original village, the self-guided tour, the Amana Heritage Society’s main site, the Colonies Trail or a tasting. This lets you choose your destination based on your interests rather than treating different experiences as a single program. For a regional event such as the Wurst Festival, be sure to include the latest dates in your plans. The details about village history, the trail and tastings provide specific, distinct starting points for planning.
For the broader travel overview: Iowa County.
