Dubuque, IA Road Trips

}} Dubuque grew rapidly during the 19th century, due to its lead-mining, lumber-milling, brewing, metal-working, and river-trade-related industries. It was Iowa's largest city for most of the 1800s, and as a result contains many historically significant structures, many of which have been carefully maintained or restored. Much of the city's character was established by heavy German and Irish immigration from the 1840s to the 1890s, with the Germans tending to settle in the "North End" and the Irish in the "South End." Large Catholic parishes associated with each group were established, and large, impressive 19th-century church buildings remain to this day. The large Catholic presence caused Dubuque to be elevated to the status of a Catholic archdiocese in 1893, and it is still the smallest US city to hold this distinction. Noteworthy church buildings include St. Raphael Cathedral, St. Mary (with its jewel-like Bavarian stained-glass windows), Sacred Heart, Holy Trinity, Holy Ghost, St. Columbkille, and the Basilica of St. Francis in nearby Dyersville. St. Luke's Methodist Church contains a significant collection of Tiffany-designed stained-glass windows in a striking Romanesque Revival structure. Dubuque, as a small industrial center, saw its economy falter in the 1980s as industries downsized or relocated.

Cable Car Square. At the base of the 4th Street Elevator. Contains many historic Victorian-era buildings housing coffee shops, restaurants, and specialty shops. Centered on 4th and Bluff Streets. Crystal Lake Cave. Limestone cavern discovered by early lead miners. 1 Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. 52-acre (21 ha) garden with emphasis on irises, dahlias, lilies, dwarf and unusual conifers; rose and herb gardens. (updated Jul 2019) 2 Dubuque Museum of Art, 701 Locust St. Four separate galleries featuring regional and national art. 3 Fenelon Place (4th Street) Elevator. April 1-Nov 30ː 8AM-10PM daily. Historic cable-car ride from Dubuque's river level to top of bluff. (updated Dec 2025) 4 Field of Dreams, 28995 Lansing Rd, Dyersville (19 mi (31 km) west, just northeast of Dyersville), toll-free: +1-888-875-8404. Considered one of baseball's most-treasured landmarks. The field is the same used in the film Field of Dreams, nominated by the Academy Awards for Best Film of the Year of 1989. The film, based upon W.P. Kinsella's book Shoeless Joe, starred Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones. At the time of filming, the field straddled two farms, with most of the field owned by one family but left and center field owned by another. Both families opened up separate tourist attractions, causing much controversy for years. Eventually, they made peace, with the owners of left and center field selling their slice of the movie site to the other family. Various events, including baseball and softball games, take place on the field at various times during the year.

American Lady Yacht Cruises. Yacht cruises on the Mississippi River, featuring happy hour and sunset dinner cruises. Also arrange wedding and event cruises. 1 Chestnut Mountain Ski Resort, 8700 W Chestnut Rd, toll-free: +1-800-798-0098. Galena, IL. South of Dubuque on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. Nineteen runs and seven-acre terrain park. 450 foot vertical drop. Open during summer months with mountain biking, miniature golf, nature trails, and alpine slide. (updated Dec 2025) 2 Diamond Jo Casino. At the Port of Dubuque. 3 Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark, 350 Bell St, ☏ +1 563-690-4000. Iowa's first indoor waterpark resort contains 25,000 square feet of Mississippi-themed indoor water activities. (updated Dec 2025) Great River Wine Trail. A collection of nine vineyards in the Tri-State area (3 in Iowa, 3 in Illinois, and 3 in Wisconsin), promoted as a weekend destination for regional and international wine lovers. Each winery is located within 50 miles of the Mississippi, and tours are organized between the various locations. Individuals visiting and tasting at each winery turn in bottle stickers from each to receive a free t-shirt commemorating their accomplishment. Heritage Trail. Scenic 26-mi (42 km) bike/snowmobile trail from Dubuque to Dyersville, built on old Chicago Great Western railroad bed. Mississippi Riverwalk Port of Dubuque. A 1/2 mile long walkway along the Mississippi River, running from the Ice Harbor in the south to the Alliant Energy Amphitheater in the north, situated atop Dubuque's flood protection levee.

Breitbach's Country Dining. A few miles northwest of Dubuque in Balltown. Iowa's oldest food and drinking establishment (opened in 1852), and has seen the likes of the outlaw Jesse James, Brooke Shields, and George Wendt walk through its doors. Pepper Sprout, 378 Main St, ☏ +1 563 556-2167. In the historic Old Main district, and specializing in beef, lamb, veal, and poultry. Large wine selection and fantastic desserts. 1 Brazen Open Kitchen, 955 Washington St. Suite 101, ☏ +1 563-587-8899. Open scratch kitchen restaurant opened in 2015 in Dubuque's Downtown Millwork District. Seasonal rotating menu with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. Owned and operated by Chef Kevin Scharpf, a 2022 James Beard Award nominee for 'Best Chef: Midwest’. (updated Dec 2024)

1 7 Hills Brewing, 1085 Washington St, ☏ +1 563-587-8306, [email protected]. Craft brewery and brewpub, a restaurant serving beer, burgers, sandwiches, and cocktails. The Lift, 180 Main St, ☏ +1 563 584-1702. An Irish-themed bar. Formerly known as the Busted Lift and 180 Main. Live music and gorgeous bar. 20 beers on tap, including every major Irish import. Catfish Charlie's, 1630 E. 16th St, ☏ +1 563 582-8600. Bill themselves as "Dubuque's #1 Hotspot", owing to their Bikini Deck overlooking the Mississippi and cheap happy hour specials. Regularly host bands on the deck during the summer months. Next Phase Bar - Kurt's Karaoke, 1700 Central Ave, ☏ +1 563-554-2544. Upscale bar north of downtown. 36-foot main bar and dancefloor. Dress code enforced on weekends, with DJ Thursday, Friday, & Saturday nights. Regularly schedules organized bar crawls. Europa Haus Restaurant and Bier Stube, 1301 Rhomberg Ave, ☏ +1 563 588-0361. In Dubuque's old German ward on the northside. A German-themed bar and restaurant with beers such as Spaten on tap. Mississippi Moon Bar, 301 Bell St, ☏ +1 563 690-4800. Inside the Diamond Jo Casino complex. Hosts Dueling Pianos every Thursday, DJs on Fridays, and live bands every Saturday night. Occasionally hosts big-name performers such as Jordin Sparks. Potosi Brewing Company, 209 S. Main St, ☏ +1 608-763-4002 ext 106.

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Dubuque, IA, 1315 Associates Dr, ☏ +1 563 583-2500, [email protected]. Days Inn Dubuque, 1111 Dodge St, ☏ +1 563 583-3297. Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark, 350 Bell St, ☏ +1 563 690-4000. Hilton Garden Inn Dubuque Downtown, 1801 Greyhound Park Dr, ☏ +1 563 585-5200. Holiday Inn Dubuque/Galena, 450 Main St, ☏ +1 563 556-2000. Holiday Inn Express Dubuque, 2080 Holliday Dr, ☏ +1 563 585-3321. Hotel Julien Dubuque, 200 Main St, ☏ +1 563 556-4200. MainStay Suites, 1275 Associates Dr, ☏ +1 563 557-7829. An extended stay hotel with fully equipped kitchens in every suite. Hancock House, ☏ +1 563 557-8989. 1105 Grove Ter. Redstone Inn & Suites, 504 Bluff St, ☏ +1 563 513-4437. Richards House, 1492 Locust St, ☏ +1 563 557-1492.

1 Dubuque Regional Airport (DBQ IATA) (located 7 mi (11 km) south of downtown). Avelo Airlines started providing two flights each week to and from Orlando in January 2023. For all other days and destinations, fly through the Cedar Rapids airport or drive three hours' east to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. To get to downtown Dubuque from the airport, stay on U.S. Hwy 61 all the way in (a 15-min trip). There are 2 car rental agencies (Avis and National) with offices in the airport terminal. (updated Nov 2022) Dubuque is connected to most of the surrounding cities by 4-lane highways. From the north (Twin Cities): Take US Hwy 52 (2-lane) From the northeast(Madison/Milwaukee): Take US Hwy 151 (4-lane) East (Rockford/Chicago): Take US Hwy 20 (mostly 4-lane, some 2-lane) South (Quad Cities): Take U.S. Highway 61 (4-lane) Southwest (Cedar Rapids): Take US Hwy 151 (4-lane) West (Waterloo): Take US Hwy 20 (4-lane) Dubuque is 183 mi (295 km) west of Chicago via I-90 and US 20, 90 mi (145 km) southwest of Madison, Wisconsin, via US 151, 70 mi (113 km) north of the Quad Cities via US 61, and 189 mi (304 km) northeast of Des Moines via US 65, US 30, and US 151. There is no passenger rail service to Dubuque. The proposed Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque passenger line has been put on hold by the Illinois state government.

Once in Dubuque, most people travel by car as public transport is limited. There are a handful of major car rental offices in the city. The City of Dubuque also operates a public bus system called The Jule (formally known as KeyLine Transit). The Jule operates 16 bus routes and a trolley route (in the summer) downtown. The buses generally operate in an east-west orientation, with major transfer stations downtown (W 9th and Main Sts.), midtown (N Grandview and University Aves.), and on the west side (Kennedy Cir./John F. Kennedy Rd.). Most buses operate on 45 min-1-hour long loops. Bus Schedule Bus fares are 50¢-$1. Discount tickets are available for students, elderly, and the handicapped, available at +1 563 589-4196 or KeyLine office at 2401 Central Ave. #1 Green Cab +1 563-495-4444 When driving around downtown Dubuque, be on the lookout for one-way streets because they are somewhat poorly marked. Also, take caution as many turn lanes become confusing with lanes simply ending or becoming turn lanes without warning.

Dubuque is a very safe city with a below-average crime rate. By and large, all areas of the city can be enjoyed day or night without fear of robbery or attack. Visitors are very common to the area, with the high number of tourist attractions and the presence of multiple colleges, and attacks on tourists are rare. The main tourist destinations and hotel locations are well-traveled and safe. However, as with any city of a certain size, there are some pockets of crime. For emergencies, call: 911 For non-emergencies, call the Dubuque Police Department: +1 563 589-4410.