The best part about small towns is the feeling of community that you get. Our latest travels to Iowa had us feeling right at home! We were fortunate enough to spend time at the 4th of July Celebration in Exira and make some super special family memories of our own as well.
For a town with less than 1,000 people, Exira really knows how to have fun. From the fun town activities all weekend long to the rodeo and carnival, there was never a dull moment happening during the 4th of July weekend.
If you’re looking for a getaway that isn’t too far, plan your visit to Audubon County in Iowa. There are so many family-friendly activities to do – and mark your calendars for the Fourth of July celebration next year!
We were hosted during our trip, but the written thoughts and opinions below are all our own.
4th of July Celebration in Exira, Iowa + Things To Do In Audubon County
What I love about the state of Iowa is that it’s just full of beautiful scenery. Rolling hills, flat prairies, and beautiful blue skies are what we traveled through and with from our trek from Missouri to Iowa.
We’d heard so many great things about the 4th of July weekend in Exira, Iowa, and we couldn’t wait to be a part of the fun!
Where to Stay in Audubon County
For those of you who know me, I have a high standard for hotels. This dates back to my Hotel degree from college, and it’s something that I don’t waiver on when we travel.
I was SO IMPRESSED with our stay at Blue Grass Inn & Suites. I loved that it was literally in the middle of nowhere, and it was honestly one of the cleanest hotels that I’ve stayed at.
When you pull up, you’ll notice that it’s part of a huge trucker complex, but I assure you that there’s nothing to worry about. There was minimal traffic, no noise, and we loved having two great restaurants right there to order and pick up food. (The pork tenderloin was AMAZING. Seriously.)
Not only was the location great and convenient, but I loved the fact that the hotel rooms had ZERO carpets. None. This meant that the floors were super clean – just how I like ’em.
The rooms were so spacious as well. We had a room with double queen beds and then a huge bathroom and a separate vanity for all of us to get ready. It was really, really nice. I would honestly rate this hotel a 10/10 because of how modern, updated, and clean it was.
We spend a good portion of our time swimming in the indoor pool, which was clean and spacious. The area was well lit, and the hot tub was a nice added perk.
Blue Grass Inn & Suites also has complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel that worked really great, too. In the morning, we could grab a coffee and prepackaged donuts/muffins free of charge in the meeting room.
If you’re traveling through, please give this hotel your business. You’re not going to be disappointed in the space, cleanliness, location, or affordability.
Right across the street from the hotel offers the chance to hop on the T-Bone Trail. This paved trail is a biking/walking/ bird watching trail that you can easily hop on and go exploring. The trail is 21 miles total, and 16 of those miles are right there in Audubon County.
Things To See In Audubon County, Iowa
There are a lot of really cool things to see in this neck of the woods. Unfortunately, our time was short in the area, and I can’t wait to get back to explore more.
Albert the Bull
One of my favorites was getting a chance to meet Albert the Bull. Albert the Bull and I became buds quickly. He’s literally the world’s largest bull, and I’m kinda obsessed.
To keep him looking sharp, he takes 65 gallons of paint! Weighing in at 45 tons, you have to see him up close and personal. He’s perfect for getting a larger-than-life selfie.
Tree in the Middle of the Road
Yes, it’s literally a tree in the middle of the road, but a very cool tree at that. It’s a 100-foot cottonwood tree that is literally splitting the road. So a drive to it is totally worth your time.
John James Audubon Mosaics
If you’re a fan of the arts, I suggest taking a driving tour through Audubon and seeing how many different mosaics you can spot. We were able to see a few at night, and they were lit up pretty cool! I loved looking for them and spotting them. They were unique and added a fun artsy feel to the town.
You’ll want to be certain to drive downtown around the square to spot them!
More Things To Do In Audubon County
Depending on the amount of time you have, I suggest looking up and researching other fun activities. You can also ask any local who will be happy to give you fun ideas, too.
Here is a list of activities you can do indoors or outdoors during your time in Audubon, Iowa.
- Go bowling or hit up the batting cages at the Rec Center in Audubon
- Grab a movie at the Rose Movie Theater in Audubon (tickets are only $4!)
- Throw a disc and play some frisbee golf at Legion Park
- Go fishing, hiking, or kayaking at Littlefield Recreational Area
Places to eat in Audubon, Iowa
There are also quite a few places to dine in the area as well. As I mentioned earlier, I had a bomb-diggity pork tenderloin from Waspy’s Grab & Go Kitchen there at the gas station by the hotel. I’m serious. It was amazing.
Other popular places in the area to eat are:
- Bakery on Broadway – Audubon
- El Adobe- Audubon
- Feed Mill Restaurant-Waspy Truckstop
4th of July Celebration in Exira, Iowa
Since we were able to visit during the 4th of July weekend, we spent most of our time in the town of Exira. This small community puts on quite the 4th of July celebration. Activities started on Friday and went all the way through Monday!
The town was so nice, and we just hopped right in and acted as one of the locals. This year, Exira celebrated their 156th 4th of July Celebration, and it was a big deal!
If you’re looking for a small-town feel to celebrate the fourth, put the town on Exira, Iowa, on your calendar for next year.
Below are just some of the highlights from our weekend!
4th of July Rodeo in Exira, Iowa (Audubon County)
I love rodeos. Everything about them, from the clowns to the horses. We were able to get tickets to the Saturday afternoon rodeo, and it was a blast. The crowd was large and ready for a great show!
The rodeo started with a prayer to keep all the riders and animals safe – and I love that they took the time to do that.
Once the introduction was done, the rodeo kicked off and was full of action. My husband is the photographer, and he got some really great action shots. Many cowboys and cowgirls in attendance were from Iowa, but some had traveled pretty far to participate.
The rodeo was very well organized and moved quickly. Each person involved helped out, and it seriously went off without a hitch.
In true July fashion, it was hot hot hot…so we had to cool down with one of the biggest and best-shaved ice I’ve ever seen. (This was ONLY $5!)
There were men and women who were in the arena showing their skills and doing them well. The crowd loved the passion, and the announcer was great about keeping things moving and interacting with the crowd.
Every event in the rodeo was exciting as there was some true talent that was competing!
Even the kids had a chance to come down from the crowd and do their best – and there are definitely some future cowboys and cowgirls being raised there!
There was also live music at the park in town throughout the weekend, a pancake breakfast, and so many other fun events. So there really was something happening all weekend long.
4th of July Carnival in Exira, Iowa
Everyone knows that a 4th of July celebration has to have amusement rides and fried food, right? We hit up the carnival Saturday night and had a blast. Well..some of us more than others. My husband was a trooper and rode the super-fast, twirly, backward and forwards ride (don’t quote me on that name), and let’s just say after riding it twice with our oldest daughter, his coloring was just a little green…(don’t be fooled though – he loved every minute of it and it created a fun bonding moment that they’ll never forget)
I kept it a bit more low-key when it came to the amusement rides, and I stuck to the ones I knew I could handle. The girls and I rode the spinning strawberries like champs.
I also had a lot of fun riding the swings with our youngest as well. This was one of her favorites as it was just the perfect speed and height.
There were other rides as well, like the roller coaster that was a big hit, too. Since they closed down the main road for the carnival and the rides, it was nice not to worry about any vehicles’ traffic.
And let’s not forget that it’s a rule that funnel cake is a MUST when it comes to any carnival. I happily waited in line to get this beauty. (and yes, I did share!)
The carnival took place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and tickets could be purchased right there at the gate.
There was also a fireworks display at night in Exira that was quite impressive! There wasn’t a bad seat in the house, and the open-air and clear skies created some truly stunning fireworks. The town did a great job putting on a wonderful show.
4th of July Parade – Exira, Iowa
To end the 4th of July festivities, the town of Exira ended the weekend with a parade Monday morning. I love parades because everyone in town typically participates.
The streets were lined with people from all over, and they were geared up and ready! Kids had bags in hand for candy, and adults were smiling from ear to ear.
The parade started and went on for about an hour, and it was an absolute blast. And since it was a SUPER hot day, the “Beast” was more than happy to cool down the crowd!
Every participant in the parade was nice and threw out handfuls of candy and popsicles! The kids were so happy to have something nice and cool to enjoy while watching the parade.
I even rescued a few lone pieces of candy (safely) because I couldn’t let them go to waste. (Adults should get parade candy too, right?!)
One other really fun aspect of the parade was that they actually handed out bites of meat. I’m. Not. Kidding. It was delicious, and I wanted more – but I was super happy to get a tasty bite!
We were sad to see the parade end, but we were so happy that we could be a part of the small-town fun. It was a fun way to relax and celebrate the 4th of July weekend.
Plan a fun day trip or weekend getaway and explore the area. I also recommend that you check out their 4th of July celebration next year as well, as it’s certain to just keep getting bigger and better!
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