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| Alexis Park Inn & Suites |
| 1165 S. Riverside Drive |
| Iowa City, Iowa 52246 |
| Toll Free: 888-9ALEXIS |
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(888-925-3947) |
| Local: 319 337-8665 |
| Fax: 319 351-4102 |
| Email: |
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Proud Members of: |
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Iowa Bed & Breakfast Guild |
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Iowa City Chamber of Commerce |
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Iowa City Convention & Visitor's Bureau |
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Take an Iowa town; surround it with Amish and Mennonite communities; add a world-class university that counts 5,000 foreigners from 106 countries among its 30,000 students; toss in a booming downtown; and you've got one of the most surprisingly un-Midwestern towns in the Midwest. Then add the oldest established airport west of the Mississippi and a fly-in hotel with nothing but Jacuzzi-equipped, aviation-theme suites, and Iowa City, Iowa, becomes a seriously attractive weekend destination for general aviation pilots.
AOPA members and pilots Jay and Mary Honeck are serious airplane junkies, so when they retired from their newspaper distribution business and thought about running a hotel, the only one they considered seriously was the Alexis Park Inn and Suites — at the foot of a runway. The couple, who fly a Piper Cherokee Pathfinder, bought the place from another local pilot and ran their credit cards and nerves to the limits completely refurbishing the all-suite hotel. Each room has an aviation theme, from a Wright brothers suite to the new Stearman suite. Down to the aviation-theme stained glass in the lobby, this place is seriously airplane obsessed. The Honecks traveled on business enough to know what they didn't like about hotels and set to avoiding it here. So all the appliances are full-size (no itty-bitty Euro-fridges or teeny-weeny coffeemakers here), and they deliver a local newspaper with breakfast, right to the suite, every morning. No standing around a public dining room angling for toaster pole-position. Huzzah. Pilot guests have free use of the Honecks' club-van on a first-come, first-served basis. Iowa City Municipal Airport (IOW) is a truly classic GA field, with three intersecting runways, not a lot of traffic, a fine fixed-base operator, and that great hotel. The airport opened in 1918 and has stayed in the same place ever since — it's the oldest airport west of the Mississippi River to claim that. From the start of airmail flights, Iowa City was a stopping point; the beacon you see today in front of the WPA-era terminal building was once part of the string of transcontinental airmail beacons (it was once located south of the field). The United Hangar — a gargantuan pre-jet, brick-and-metal structure — was one of the largest clear-span-enclosed structures on Earth when it was built by Boeing Air Transport in 1930. The building was intended to allow airplanes to taxi in one end and out the other and allow passenger boarding — although its planning genius fell somewhat short of advances in engines and aircraft size: The airplanes simply got too big, and the building eventually was converted to storage space. Still, it's one of seven remaining Boeing/United airmail hangars in the country, and local pilots are seeking National Historic Landmarks protection for the building. WHAT TO DO The Pedestrian Mall is the heart of downtown Iowa City. The area is simply gorgeous in summertime; a truly walkable outdoor mall, with playground, fountains, cafés, and boutiques. Surrounded by the University of Iowa campus, this is an environment abuzz with stimuli. There's music, too, throughout the summer; the Friday Night Concert Series features local bands, and the Just Jazz Festival features free jazz on the Weather Dance Fountain Stage in front of the Sheraton Iowa City Hotel from 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. Speaking of jazz, July 2 through 4 will see the 2004 Iowa City Jazz Festival, held downtown. It is also free. The excellent Iowa Children's Museum is probably one of the best and most creative in the country; it has a kid-size town (its supermarket has plastic lobsters in a water tank, kid-size shopping carts, and a checkout desk) and a life-size African board game. There's even a special activity room for wee ones five and younger. It's in a mall about four miles west of town; right in front of the entrance to the museum, you can rent skates and run round Coral Ridge Ice Arena, an NHL regulation-size rink that has indoor ice-skating year-round. The Devonian Fossil Gorge was formed when a 1993 flood washed away tons of soil and sediment, revealing an abundance of fossils of critters that lived in a shallow tropical sea about 375 million years ago. A self-guided tour takes you down into the gorge as you learn about the fossils visible here. There is also a variety of activities — camping, swimming, hiking, and picnicking — to pursue at adjacent Coralville Lake. For more fossils — including a recently discovered sloth fossil — or to learn about animals or the people of Iowa's past, visit the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History. Admission is free. The University of Iowa's sprawling campus contains no fewer than four museums. The Art Museum and the Old Capitol Museum are closed for renovations/restoration, but you can still visit the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame and the Natural History Museum. The Hancher Auditorium hosts theater and concerts on campus. Amana Colonies Seven villages were established in the region, and tourists may visit them to explore the old buildings and village structures. If the name Amana sounds familiar to you, perhaps you're thinking of the Amana Radar Range — the first household microwave oven introduced in 1967. These were indeed manufactured at the Amana Colonies. If you're up for some golfing, try the Amana Colonies Golf Course: 300 acres on forested land with streams and lovely natural features. The University of Iowa has its own links, the Finkbine Golf Course. Kalona For more information about area attractions, visit the Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau's Web site. RESTAURANTS
There are nearly 50 restaurants within a mile of the field. The Lark is as good as classic American food gets without getting froufrou; with great steaks, service, and portions, this is not a place for the meek-hearted or vegetarian. For a hundred-dollar taco, El Ranchero, within walking distance from the field, has great Mexican food, which is truly authentic — half the staff here doesn't even speak English. Iowa River Power Restaurant, in a former power station right on the river in Coralville, about five minutes drive northeast of the field, is a great upscale entry. It's the place to bring the boss or a date, and food and service match the high prices. There are beautiful views of the river and dam. FLYING IN There's nothing even remotely complex about this airport, with its three intersecting runways and easy-to-spot profile. A new flight school is joining the existing one, and there is a flying club on the field, but traffic levels are fairly light and CTAF communication excellent. The 70,000-capacity Kinnick Stadium is also an easy-to-spot landmark, and you'll pass overhead on a left base for Runway 12. When you're departing Runway 36, please be noise sensitive, as you're passing directly over a busy hospital; local pilots suggest a 10-degree turn to the left and throttling back as soon as safe. Note that on arrival to Runway 18 you're right over the hospital's rooftop. The West Branch Towers, northeast of town, are good reporting points — and you'll know 'em when you see 'em! FOR MORE INFORMATION
Alexis Park Inn and Suites Friday Night Concert Series Iowa City Jazz Festival Iowa Children's Museum Coral Ridge Ice Arena Coralville Lake and Devonian Fossil Gorge University of Iowa Museum of Natural History University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Hancher Auditorium Old Capitol Town Center Amana Colonies Amana Colonies Golf Course Finkbine Golf Course Woodin Wheel Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau The Lark El Ranchero Mexican Restaurant Iowa River Power Restaurant Written by Gwen Sanchirico, Nick Selby |
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©1995-2004 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association