Davenport offers a wide range of reasons to visit: river trails, wetlands, gardens, culture, and a farmers market held year-round. When looking for a hotel in Davenport, you can first consider whether riverside activities, nature, history, gardens, or food offerings will be the focus of your stay. The places below differ in their types of trails, themes, and time frames—from specific trail lengths to changing exhibitions.
River Trails and Outdoor Activities
Sunderbruch Park offers two different types of trails. A 1.3-mile paved multi-use trail is designed for walking, running, and cycling. In addition, the park has seven miles of narrow off-road mountain biking trails. The trails therefore differ both in surface and in the activities they are intended for: the paved trail can be used in various ways, while the trails are designated for mountain biking. Trail conditions and closures may change seasonally. Check conditions before planning your outing.
The Mississippi River Trail also offers specific guidance: several access points are within Davenport city limits. The 11.3-mile Davenport section runs parallel to the Mississippi River and begins at the western city limit. If you have a particular trailhead in mind, check access in advance, as construction or maintenance may affect it. In downtown Davenport, LeClaire Park provides access to riverside cycling and walking trails. It is a separate in-town access point for trails along the water; the 11.3-mile figure refers to the Davenport section of the Mississippi River Trail.
Nature, Gardens and Play Areas
Nahant Marsh is one of the largest urban wetlands along the Upper Mississippi River. Trails, a boardwalk, and an observation platform offer ways to experience different habitats. While Sunderbruch Park offers a range of outdoor activities, Nahant Marsh focuses on experiencing different habitats. Check conditions at the preserve before your visit.
The gardens have their own distinctive features. Hosta Glade is an official American Hosta Society National Display Garden and was established in 1998. The Vander Veer Conservatory has a century-long tradition of showcasing gardens under glass; its seasonal displays change annually. Thus, a garden with a stated founding year and the Conservatory’s changing seasonal displays differ both in how they are described and in their time frames.
The Fejervary Learning Center features nature-based play spaces and play areas themed around rhymes. In addition to trails, wetlands, and gardens, the selection therefore includes specifically named play offerings.
History and the Market
The German American Heritage Center and Museum is a National Historic Site. It features a large permanent exhibition and two changing special exhibitions. The building originally served as a busy hotel for thousands of immigrants in the 1860s. The exhibitions and the building’s former use as a hotel give the site a specific connection to history.
The Freight House Farmers Market takes place year-round at the historic Freight House Market Place on Davenport’s riverfront. More than 200 vendors from Iowa and Illinois are represented, including farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and seafood vendors, cheesemakers, and specialty food producers. The market therefore offers a different focus than the museum and gardens: the emphasis is on the variety of vendors and the different food categories.
Davenport’s offerings range from trails for different activities to wetlands, garden displays, history, and a year-round market. When using the trails or visiting Nahant Marsh, factor current conditions into your plans; annual changes to the seasonal displays are part of the offering at the Vander Veer Conservatory.
Discover more destinations: Eldridge, Walcott, Bettendorf, Le Claire
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