Kings Pointe is a beautiful hotel located on the lake with an indoor and an outdoor waterpark. The venue also features the Regatta Grille, an amazing restaurant where the food is even better than the lakefront views.
Hosting thrilling IMCA races weekly on Wednesdays during the summer, this challenging 3/8 mile banked dirt track never fails to put on a show.
Allee Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Leased to Newell Historical Society in 1989, this beautiful mansion is open for tours, demonstrations, and events!
The Buena Vista County Historical Society was founded in 1960 to preserve our County’s historical heritage. Our museum occupies a 1920 Ford building at 214 W 5th St., downtown Storm Lake, and features a Mill Creek Native American exhibit, Pioneer Main St., with exhibits of early stores, doctor’s office, and the interior of the Rembrandt bank robbed by the Bonnie & Clyde gang in 1934, and other interesting exhibits. Nearby, also visitable, is an 1872 Country School from Elk Township, and a log house near Rembrandt built by homesteader Halvor Dahl. Please call (712) 732-4955 for current visitor information.
Buena Vista University is a private university located in Storm Lake, Iowa. Founded in 1891, Buena Vista University offers a wide variety of majors and programs with a beautiful campus located on the shores of Storm Lake, a 3,200-acre natural lake.
For five days in July, the Buena Vista County Fairgrounds in Alta, IA hosts a family fun fair. The fairgrounds include a grandstand with a dirt track for a Demo Derby and Tractor Pull, Impact Wrestling, a Horse Arena that will host the Extreme Bull Riding & Barrel Racing and Horse Shows, a Bike Ride, Axe Throwing and so much more! Enjoy true Buena Vista entertainment with carnival rides, exhibitors, concerts, fair queen and king competition, 4-H livestock, and much, much more!
Buena Vista County Conservation Park is located just off the Glacial Trails Scenic Byway on 400th Street, 2 miles east of M-27 in the beautiful Little Sioux River Valley of Northwest Buena Vista County. Buena Vista Park offers multiple camping areas, Cabin and Lodge over-night rental facilities, day use shelter, arboretum, prairie grass plantings and miles of trails though woodland areas for visitors to explore.
Enjoy a step back in time as you visit the Hanover Historical Village. The restored country general store showing original furnishings, old-time barbershop, unique two-story machine shed, and old-time home provide an experience from long ago. The working mill house with its pulleys, shafts, and belts as well as the display barn with old-time agricultural displays, also provides an insight into agriculture from years past.
Mark your calendars for the Annual Hanover Festival. Come and help us celebrate our festival with toe-tapping polka and old-time music to listen or dance to. All buildings will be open and numerous displays, demonstrations, games and a petting zoo will be enjoyed by all. Food is also available. Gates open at noon with music from noon-7pm. Admission will be charged to all over 14 years of age. Free parking – bring your lawn chair.
The Harker house on Lake Avenue in Storm Lake was the first brick residence in Buena Vista County. It was built for Mr. and Mrs, James Harker in 1875. It is of French Manchard cottage-style architecture, The plans were drawn by an architect in Fort Dodge. J.M. Russell of Storm Lake was the contractor and builder. The woodwork in the house was made by a Dubuque firm who also did the stonework for the two marble fireplaces. The brick was made in the Storm Lake brick factory, In 1877, the first furnace in the county was installed in the home, It. was a bricked-in type furnace and served the family for 35 years. We are told that the Harker children were thrilled by the roar of the big fire that their father could build. The Harker’s also owned the first covered carriage in the county; it was made to order from a factory in Freeport, Illinois. The Harker house still stands and has been restored the house to much the condition it was when first built.
Everyone’s a kid when they visit Santa’s Castle. With the purchase of four animated elves in 1962, Santa’s Castle began acquiring one of the largest displays of antique, animated Christmas characters. The collection is on display in Storm Lake’s historic Carnegie Library, delighting kids of all ages.
The Albert City Threshermen & Collectors Show is an annual event held the second full weekend in August. The event started in 1971 and has been going strong for over 50 years. The organization is a non-profit dedicated to the preservation and display of agricultural and pioneer equipment. Each year the show features a line of tractor equipment and hosts a national or state chapter of collector clubs. The show averages 14,000 in attendance and is best known for its wide variety of live field demonstrations and its homemade ice cream.