Traveling through Iowa may provide rolling views of cornfields and stunning sunsets, but don’t overlook all the fun things that many communities in Iowa have to offer along the way. We’ve noticed the tourism boom picking up throughout the past year, and Iowa was one place that we couldn’t wait to explore more. Our sights? Mahaska County, Iowa, with our focus on fun things to do in Oskaloosa, Iowa as well. And what better time to explore during the fall months and create our own super fun weekend family getaway?
Our time in Oskaloosa was spent exploring, camping, and spending quality learning about some of the histories of the area and what makes it truly special.
While we were hosted for our stay, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Weekend Family Fun Getaway: Things to do in Oskaloosa, Iowa
When I think of Iowa, I think of places to camp and fun outdoor activities to explore. Luckily, the powers to be agreed with us, and we enjoyed some of the best fall activities happening in Mahaska County.
Place to camp in Oskaloosa, Iowa
Ever since we bought our Class C camper, he’s been our little buddy (literally little at just 23 feet long!) for the past few months and carried our family safely from one location to another.
We were able to park “Doc” for the weekend at a lovely campground called Eveland Access. Not only were the spots flat and the area super clean, but there were great views of the Des Moines Iowa River as well.
Waking up with a good locally made coffee and this view isn’t bad, right?! (and if you want to get your own coffee which we highly recommend, check out Smokey Row Coffee House when you’re in the area)
The camping spots at Eveland Access have electricity, and there is a dump station on-site as well. There are two campgrounds to choose from, where one side is for 30AMP hookups, and the other side is for 50AMPS. The 50AMP side is the side that has a modern bathhouse with showers.
We got a pretty sweet spot right near the base of the bathrooms on a nice and almost perfectly flat area.
Each site also has a picnic table and a fire pit, and there are places throughout the campground to fill up with clean water as well.
Located on the 30AMP side of the campground is a great park for the kids and a nice seating area for the parents who want to kick up their feet a bit and relax.
But don’t worry – just because there are two sides to the campground doesn’t mean that they’re that far apart. It’s just a short stroll under a fun overpass to get from one side quickly to the other. (There is a gravel road that you can drive on as well that makes for a quick trip)
The cost is $15 per night, and the Eveland Access Campground is on a first-come/first-serve basis. This means that there are no reservations taken, and you’re able just to show up and set up, which is always a fun plan.
Make sure to arrive in the daylight and get your walking shoes on. We loved seeing this tree along the riverbank, and it was such a fun place to sit and just chill for a bit.
The Eveland Access Campground is located at 2890 Galeston Avenue, located just outside Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Visit the Nelson Pioneer Farm Fall Festival
While the farm festival at the Nelson Pioneer Farm only happens once a year, it’s a weekend to mark on your calendar for the future. This year it was held on the weekend of September 18th, and it was a ton of family fun.
This historic farm was started in 1843 and became the home of the Mahaska County Historical Society in 1958. Now it’s open to the public for guided tours, visits, and various celebrations throughout the year.
It’s currently open from May through September, from 10 AM-4 PM, Tuesday through Saturday. It can be opened on Sundays but by appointment only.
Located at 2211 Nelson Lane, make a plan to visit. You can also become a member to enjoy year-round perks and show your support in keeping the history of this area alive and active.
Fun things to do at the Nelson Pioneer Farm Fall Festival
We had so much fun at the fall festival in Oskaloosa! It was like taking a step back in time. We loved exploring the old houses and being able to immerse ourselves in learning about history.
During our time at the fall fest, we were able to learn about the family that lived at the farm, see some cool antiques and items, and even listen to our own mini-concert as well.
The entire event was done so well, and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment that we were there.
Throughout the festival, many people were doing live demonstrations and talking about their work. It was eye-opening to the kids how much work goes into a lot of the items that were made by hand!
We even watched taffy get created right in front of our eyes by Johnson’s Taffy. Of course, you know that we had to dive in and take a sample – and it was delicious! Two thumbs up from this taffy-loving family.
Our youngest loved making her own “corn doll,” which we could make from corn husks, with some help. It was fun to talk about how this was how many toys were made on the farm, using resources that they had at their disposal.
We tried our hand at stilt walking and also loading up freshwater to carry it back home like they used to back in the day. We quickly found out that while it was a fun challenge, the two really shouldn’t be combined to try simultaneously! 🙂
Our girls caught on pretty quickly and showed their stilt-walking skills. I stayed behind the camera as I have trouble most times even walking with my own two feet.
Arrive early, so you don’t miss out on the pony rides! Maylin loved her ride on Snickers and was super stoked to have the chance to ride a pony all by herself.
And it’s factual that no festival would be complete without being able to hang out with the goats. So the girls were able to get up close and personal and made a few new friends along the way.
At around 1:30, the tractor parade started, and there were quite a few tractors in the line-up. It was really neat to see all the different types of tractors and how they’ve changed throughout the years.
They’re always looking for more entries and announced that old cars are welcome to join in next year, too!
I enjoyed moseying through the old barn to view the crafts and offerings that were set up inside. The interior of the barn itself was cool to check out as well.
Please make sure to take a tour of all the old buildings that they have there on the property. We met the friendliest guide at the Wright Post Office, who was full of knowledge and history.
This is the view of buildings to explore and learn more about while you’re there. As you can see, there are quite a few. From the post office to the hardware store to a grocery store – they’re all enjoyable to walk around in and take a peek!
Overall, our time spent at the festival was a lot of fun. We could explore and relax and just hang out together as a family, learning about the past.
I loved seeing the old Oskaloose bricks lining our path to explore more and more.
We also filled our bellies with the food they had there, which was made up of burgers, beans, coleslaw, and homemade pies! Nothing like homemade food straight from the heart!
Pumpkin Fun at Autumn Acres
Our other family fun adventure in Oskaloosa had us pulling right up to Autumn Acres. We were able to arrive at opening weekend and couldn’t wait for all things fall fun!
Our sites were set on sliding down the slide, which is something that we did over and over again. So our family competition came out full force to see who could slide down the fastest. (spoiler alert – the girls won every time!)
Not only is there a hayride to hop in and enjoy, but there is a barrel train to ride, which is one of our favorite things to do! Sitting in a barrel and being pulled around is a fun way to kick up your feet and relax.
Once you pay the admission to get into the gate, you get tickets to try, and either canon shoot a cob of corn or slingshot a tennis ball into the bullseye that is floating in the middle of the lake. If you succeed – Autumn Acres will give you $50!
We tried and tried and got SUPER close – but never got it in the bucket. As you can see below, we gave it all we had!
Our youngest is quite the artist, so we had to paint a pumpkin. There are smaller pumpkins available there to purchase, and the paint supplies are provided.
A fun fact about myself is that I grew up in a small town full of farming and haybales. But since the girls were born, we’ve always lived in a bigger town. I was so excited to see them doing something that I used to do growing up, which was “jumping hay bales.”
My husband has a different way of remembering hay bales as he bucked them and didn’t play on them as I did. 🙂
Make sure that you arrive hungry, as there is food and drinks to purchase, too. We splurged on some cookie dough, and it was TOTALLY. WORTH. IT.
Be sure to stop by and pet the goats and the donkey because they’re the cutest animals ever.
The jumping pillow was widely popular and not just for the kids! So we channeled our inner-child and joined in on all the bouncing fun!
To wind down, take a relaxing rest in the corn pit. Our eldest spent her time there and said it was actually pretty comfy!
If you’re looking for family activities for all ages, plan a trip to Oskaloosa, Iowa, and have fun exploring. Not only are there activities all the time, but the community is so friendly as well, making for a fun and pleasant experience and visit!
Autumn Acres is located at : 2421 Hwy 92, Oskaloosa IA
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