Pella Tulip

Day 1

Go Dutch this spring with Lamers, as we enjoy windmills, blooming tulips and old world delight at the annual Pella Tulip Time Festival. Pella, Iowa is beautiful and unique all year long, but at Tulip Time it comes alive! Dutch attire, parades, authentic food, a Dutch Market, Dutch Dancing and the sounds of wooden shoes will transport you to the Netherlands right here in the heart of the Midwest. Get to know your fellow travelers as we motor to our first attraction later this morning. The Klehm Arboretum & Gardens will get us into the greening of spring with its rare trees, special gardens and many other unique features. It consists of 155 acres with over 1.5 miles of paved, accessible paths with water features throughout. Traveling to Moline, IL we check into our accommodations for the night at The Stoney Creek Inn. Tonight, enjoy a live performance and dinner at the delightful Circa '21 Dinner Theater in Rock Island, IL.

Day 2

Depart Moline and head for the I-80 system to finish our morning commute to Pella. Arrive for lunch and shopping time at a local eatery before taking your bleacher seat for the Dutch Street Show. Traditional dancing, singing and street sweeping will all be on display. Then, visit the Scholte House for a tour of the home and its gardens. The 175-year-old home was built by Hendrik Scholte in 1847 and sits on what is now the north side of Pella's town square. As the town's proud beacon, the Vermeer Windmill, has five floors, from the base of the mill where grain would have been brought in, to the top floor where grain is milled. Take in the giant blades and the superb view of Pella from the deck! Just below the windmill, The Miniature Village began in 1938 as a work study project for students at Pella's Central College. It depicts life in the Netherlands in the 1840s. Enjoy some shopping time in Historic Pella Square before checking into the Country Inn & Suites for the next two nights. Later, enjoy dinner at a local eatery then relax while listening to the Feesthouden Music Show to top off the evening.

Day 3

Today we leave Pella for the nearby Amana Colonies. Step into an authentic German setting, created by past generations and preserved by its residents today. Experience the culture of seven unique villages that has German roots and has flourished in the USA for over 90 years. Great food, wines and beers plus quality handcrafted products, art, and a variety of quaint shops await our visit. Learn more during our locally guided driving tour of these villages before sitting down to a family-style luncheon at the locally famous Ox-Yoke Inn. After lunch we make three more historic stops to discover more about these communal villages. The Heritage Museum, The General Store, looking like it did in 1918, and finally the Church Museum to learn more about how religion played its role. A quick drive takes us to Coralville, IA and our final overnight at the Drury Inn. Relax and enjoy the Inn's evening hospitality.

Day 4

After breakfast we're on the road again. Approaching Davenport, IA we'll pause at the Bix Beiderbecke Museum. This beautifully done museum focuses on Leon Bismark Bix Beiderbecke, an American jazz cornetist, pianist and composer. Bix was one of the most influential jazz soloists of the 1920s, noted for an inventive lyrical approach and purity of tone. A contemporary famously described his clarity of sound like "shooting bullets at a bell." Beiderbecke taught himself to play the cornet largely by ear, leading him to adopt a non-standard fingering technique. Sadly, his extraordinary life was short-lived. He died at just 28 but left a lasting legend. Later, board the Celebration Belle in Moline, IL for a narrated afternoon luncheon cruise on the Mississippi River. A great way to end a lovely spring tour.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D =Dinner