Weekend Plans
Gallivanting with the Girls
(a girlfriend’s weekend experience)
Whether you are a Diva or like to get Down and Dirty, however you and your friends define fun, Cedar Rapids is the perfect place to connect and cut-loose with your girlfriends. You pick the friends. You choose the dates. Cedar Rapids will provide the activities that will make this a weekend to remember!!!
Divas - You like the bright lights, big city vibe and all it has to offer. Your agenda: shop till you drop, wine and dine, primp and pamper.
Friday – Begin your weekend by uncorking the laughs and the memories at one of our area vineyards. Just a short drive from Cedar Rapids into the beauty of the rolling hills of the Iowa countryside, you will enjoy wine & spirits tastings, tours, musical entertainment, and culinary experiences that will have your taste buds singing. Most are open year round with beautiful views in every season.
You are now ready for a night on the town…Continue the fun by taking in a Broadway quality community theater experience in downtown Cedar Rapids at Theatre Cedar Rapids or a nationally touring production at the Paramount Theatre. Finish your evening's entertainment with a nightcap at one of our many fine nightlife establishments.
Retire for the night in one of Cedar Rapids’ swank hotels or at a cozy Bed and Breakfast, both will accommodate the fun and laughter as you relive the slumber party experiences of yesteryear.
Saturday - Kick off the fuzzy slippers and head out for a day of endless possibilities. Shopping is on every "Diva’s Do list" and Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas provide the perfect shop till you drop experience as you discover our many hidden treasures and best kept secrets.
Begin with breakfast at Farmer's Daughter's Market with homemade cinnamon rolls and quiche, served right in the midst of one of our most unique retail venues. With advance notice, owner Jennifer Goodlove will cater specifically to the needs of your group. As you continue in Cedar Rapids, for stylish and unique finds, be sure to visit the gift shops at Pecks and Piersons florists, Brambles, Basket Bowtique, Kathy’s Pies Cutting Gardens gift shop at Brucemore Mansion, Covington and Company, Sweetopia Chocolate Shop and many more boutique and mall offerings.
Ready for a break? After all, you are just getting started!! Head to downtown Marion. Witte's End Coffeehouse will beckon you when it is time for the perfect mid-morning refueling break. Homemade scones and pastries are baked fresh daily and there are many cozy rooms to sit back and take a load off. Next, shop the quaint shops of downtown Marion including The Chocolate Shop, Campbell Steele Gallery, and Intelligent Life Toys, before you head out to experience the historic charm and beauty of Mount Vernon just 15 minutes to the East on Highway 30. Truly unique shops like Czech Feather & Down and Maya's Contemporary Clothing and the endless antique stores that offer one- of- a -kind finds, make this historic town a shoppers haven. Some of the best kept culinary experiences of the area are also to be found in this town.
Sunday – as you wrap up the weekend, wrap up the memories. Brunch at Zins restaurant in downtown Cedar Rapids will bookend your weekend of fun and frivolity. With the shopping complete, next on the Diva's Do List is time to rejuvenate. Verbena Spa and Teabar await!!!! Visit the place where time ceases to exist. You won't want to leave and you are sure to return but now it's time to get all dolled up with lots of places to go. Dine your way thru the city, progressive dinner style. Many dining and entertainment options await.
Top off your visit with one final, purely Cedar Rapids experience, with a visit to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and a tour of the Grant Wood Studio where the 2nd most recognizable painting in the world, American Gothic, was painted or choose from many other cultural attractions.
Get Down & Dirty – so you’re the group voted “most likely to play in the mud”. You are rough and tumble and ready for the outdoors.
Friday – The Ceramic Center is the perfect place to kick-off the weekend. Bring your wine and your stories and plan to spin the clay on the wheel creating a keepsake of your great weekend. From the Ceramic Center it’s a short walk down the block to your choice of Harley good times at the Chrome Horse or fun at Parlor City Pub. Roughing it may be your style so overnighting in a cabin in Linn County’s Pinicon Ridge Park or choose from a variety of lodging options.
Saturday – Grab your canoes, kayaks, rafts, inner tubes, pontoons, whatever boat floats, or is that
whatever floats your boat, either way spend the day with a relaxing float down the river or on nearby Lake McBride. There's plenty to do if the water isn't your thing, hiking or biking on the trails, golfing, tennis. Cap off your evening by taking in a game with one of our minor league affiliates or professional sports teams. We have something for every season, Cedar Rapids Kernels Baseball, Roughriders Hockey, Titans Indoor Pro Football and Hawkeye Downs auto racing.
If camping is not your gig, but gaming is, Riverside Casino and Golf Resort or Meskwaki Casino offer a variety of headlining entertainment options, diverse dining options, and a great place to rest your head.
Check out our group itinerary ideas here.