Five Ridge Prairie showcases the Loess Hills as a landscape of narrow ridges and deep, wooded valleys. The 790-acre preserve lies at the northern end of the hills. Broken Kettle Grasslands is another example of prairie: it contains the largest remaining prairie in Iowa. Different natural features meet here—from distinctive ridges and valleys to prairie that stands out across the state.
Loess Hills and Expansive Landscapes
The Loess Hills National Scenic Byway offers another perspective. Plymouth County is the northernmost county along this route. The byway’s panoramic views include the fertile farmland in the Missouri River valley, wooded hills, and expansive grasslands. The landscapes range from cultivated valley floors to woodland and prairie. If you’re interested in the distinctive features of the Loess Hills, these different descriptions can inspire you to get to know the region’s landscape more closely.
Culture and Entertainment in Le Mars
In Le Mars, local history, memorial sites, and stage entertainment come together. The Plymouth County Historical Museum is housed in the historic Old Central High School. The Plymouth County Veterans Memorial is also in Le Mars. Its features include monuments, sculptures, military artifacts, and tributes to all branches of the military. The town’s history is also connected to English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh communities that shaped Le Mars’s British heritage.
Browns Music Theater offers live entertainment, including a variety of music shows, special guests, comedians, and Broadway-style musicals. The program also includes dinner theater experiences; the shows on offer vary by season. A buffet is served at each performance, starting an hour and a half before the show. The theater thus combines a stage program with a meal before the performance begins.
Another kind of outing takes you to the Wells Visitor Center and Ice Cream Parlor. It offers ice cream specialties and interactive exhibits for all ages. Visitors are invited to sample the ice cream, with more than 40 flavors to choose from; the selection may change. A visit combines ice cream with exhibits rather than focusing on just one flavor.
Trails, Golf, and Events
The Le Mars Recreational Trail begins at Willow Creek Golf Course and follows the Floyd River. Activities along the trail include cycling, hiking, and nature watching. Willow Creek Golf Course has three courses on the same grounds: the Green Course, Black Course, and Red Course. West Floyd Disc Golf Course offers a different kind of course: it is mostly open, with some wooded holes, gentle elevation changes, and a river in play. The options described therefore differ in both the activity and the landscape features noted.
The event calendar also features recurring occasions. Christmas in Hometown Le Mars takes place every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Another annual event in Le Mars lasts four days, from Wednesday to Saturday over Father’s Day weekend, and includes family activities, live entertainment, and ice cream. If you’d like to plan your trip around one of these festivals, check the dates for your desired year.
Discover more destinations: Le Mars, Cass County, Pottawattamie, Jefferson County, Emmet County, Ida County, Dickinson County, Wapello.
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