Visit These 8 Towns To Celebrate Iowa's Most Exciting Summertime Festival
By Kim Magaraci|Published June 25, 2019
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Kim Magaraci
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Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com
One of Iowa’s most exciting festivals is coming to a town near you this July! RAGBRAI 2019 is taking place across the state from July 21-27, 2019, and you’ll want to visit at least one of the overnight towns to see what this exciting bike ride event is all about.
Council Bluffs is the first stop on the Register's Annual Bike Ride Across Iowa - or RAGBRAI.
RAGBRAI was first held in 1973, when Des Moines Register writers John Karras and Donald Kaul planned the route as a friendly challenge. 114 other riders completed the journey with them, and a tradition was born. Every year, the route changes and riders are taken through the Hawkeye State's most charming towns.
Head to the small town of Atlantic, Iowa, for the first overnight town.
This town is home to just 6,000 people year-round, but thousands will pedal in on Sunday, July 21st. RAGBRAI grows every year, and it's likely that 10,000 riders will begin the ride in Council Bluffs this year.
Winterset is one of Iowa's most pleasant towns, and it's the perfect overnight town for the second stay of the ride. If you're planning to visit, remember that accommodations are extremely limited and this is primarily a camping event.
When everyone rolls into 'nola, there will be hundreds ready to greet the riders! This friendly town is excited to be a stop on the map this year, and there's sure to be entertainment, food trucks, vendors and more taking over downtown.
Fairfield prides itself on being a memorable town, and RAGBRAI 2019 will not be any different. In 2013, the town set a record for the "largest gathering of people wearing fake mustaches", when 2,268 people gathered near the center of town. This year's plans are sure to be just as entertaining.
Burlington is the penultimate stop - hope you're ready for Snake Alley!
Burlington is one of the most popular stretches for day riders, who join the race every year for just one stretch. Snake Alley, the world's most crooked street, makes this leg of the race one of the most fun to watch and to ride.
Finally, head down to Keokuk to watch the riders dip their tires in the Mississippi.
The final leg of the journey takes riders from Burlington to Keokuk - they've ridden all the way across Iowa! Keokuk is sure to be one of the best towns to visit if you want to get in on the RAGBRAI action.
By the way – if you’re toying with the idea of joining on a bike, you’ll be happy to know this year is a great first ride! With just 427 miles, it’s the 6th shortest route in history, and with just 14,735 feet in vertical climb, it’s been calculated to be the 8th easiest route in the history of the ride. Because there are always more entries than starting spots available, riders have to enter a lottery to win the chance to participate. Read more about entering RAGBRAI online, here.
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