Amana Colonies

It is obvious that the Amana Colonies are a tourist destination. Why else would a town like Amana, Iowa, with a population around 500 residents, be able to support multiple wineries. Fortunately for us, this made for the perfect chance to create a walking Amana Wine Trail tour. Now it is highly possible that this will become an actual tour in the future, so if it does perhaps they will name it the "Our Changing Lives Wine Trail". One can always hope. All of the wineries in this article are located in the main town of Amana, which also holds most of the [...]

One of the longest operating restaurants in Amana, Iowa is Ox Yoke Inn. Since 1940, this full service restaurant has been serving up "family style" meals to locals and visitors alike. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, they also offer a Sunday brunch buffet option. We want to thank the Ox Yoke Inn for their hospitality. Rest assured that all opinions are our own. Old World Architecture Our visit was scheduled for dinner time. During the day, as we spoke with shop keepers they would ask about our dining plans. When we told them it was Ox Yoke Inn, they would all tell us [...]

During our stay in the Amana Colonies we had an opportunity to sample every restaurant in the town of Amana. Our visit to Millstream Brau Haus (simply means "brew house") introduced us to the oldest brewery in the state of Iowa. We had spent the morning checking out some of the unique shops around town, and had worked up healthy appetites. We want to thank the Millstream Brau Haus for their hospitality. Rest assured that all opinions are our own. Inside or Out? It was wonderful weather for late July, and the outdoor patio was very popular. When we entered, the hostess asked if we [...]

We all have seen products that we can immediately identify as "high quality". At the Amana Woolen Mill, we could tell that the textiles were a grade above what we usually see. This type of quality is a hallmark of this small Iowa community. Designed for Durability The weekend we visited was in between festivals, so the crowds were lighter than usual. This was certainly okay with us, as it gave us more space to wander. We also were able to observe in more detail, than what you would expect during a busy period. When we first entered the Amana Woolen Mill we [...]

Amana, Iowa has tons of shops, restaurants, and scenic beauty, but nightlife is a little more slim pickings. One great choice is the Creamery Theater, which offers a variety of live entertainment. many of their shows focus on the talents of the local entertainer pool, but for our visit they had something a little different in store. We want to thank the Creamery Theater for their hospitality. Rest assured that all opinions are our own.  A Little Background The Old Creamery Theater has been an entertainment staple in Amana, Iowa since 1971. They are a productive group, with around 200 events scheduled for 2017. Their [...]

Amana was a communal society for many generations. This meant that large groups worked and ate together. To accomplish this they would serve meals in a family style. The dishes would come out on platters or large bowls, which could be passed around the table. While the communal lifestyle ended in the 1930's, you can still find family style dining at Ronneburg Restaurant. Friendly Atmosphere Since our dinner at Ronneburg Restaurant was planned for Saturday evening, we stopped by earlier in the day to make reservations. While there, we spoke with the hostess for quite a while. She told us about her migration from [...]

These days one of the hottest type of lodging arrangements is to book an Airbnb. Our visit to the Amana Colonies allowed us our first experience during our stay at Buh Schloss. The home is one of the last communal residences built by the colonists in the 1890's. We want to thank Buh Schloss for their hospitality. Rest assured that all opinions are our own. Loads of Room This place is huge, and boasts five bedrooms, as well as four bathrooms. Three of the bedrooms are on the second floor, which is where guests stay. The home has two kitchens, one on each floor. The hardwood [...]