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February 9, 2009

Getaways can make the winter shorter

By Patsy Cincotta - Lifestyle editor

Looking for a weekend getaway that doesn't cost a lot of money? Need to get out of the house during this long winter? There are many interesting places to go right here in Iowa, especially if your family enjoys road trips.

Journey east on Highway 2 to Fort Madison and see the Mississippi, the historical prison built in the 1800s (not inside, please) and shop for antiques on the river front. You can visit the old fort, an accurate reproduction of the first military fort on the upper Mississippi. See reenactments of the daily lives of soldiers and their families. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sunday. The Web site for more information about visiting Fort Madison is www.fortmadison.com.

Or go west to the Loess Hills, which were formed over thousands of years, starting with the ice age. Pronounced LUSS, the hills are full of wildlife and sharp ridges, slopes and crests. Be sure to take a camera. The headquarters and visitor center is in Pisgah, phone (515) 281-8733. The Web site is www.nfinity.com.

You can travel to West Bend and see the Grotto of the Redemption which is a shrine a priest built from rocks and precious stones over a number of years. It was built in gratitude because when the priest was very ill with pneumonia, he offered to build the shrine to St. Mary if he lived. There are nearby motels and restaurants if you want to make a two-day trip of it. Phone (515) 887-5591 for more information or visit www.westbendgrotto.com.

For something different that would appeal to the kids in the family, take a ride on the railroad run by the Iowa Railroad Historical Society in Boone. There is a 1920s train, a dessert train, a dinner train, a picnic train and you can even charter a train. There are special rides on the Night Steam Special, Santa Express and Pumpkin Train. Call 1-800-626-0319 to make reservations, find out the special rides that are being offered and you can get more information at www.scenic-valleyrr.com.

About two-and-a-half hours from Centerville, 17 miles south of Iowa City on Highway 1, is the community of Kolona. There is a cheese factory that offers tours and the town is full of small shops and places to eat. Try the local bakery where you can watch egg noodles being made. This Amish Mennonite community offers a Quilt and Textile Museum, a historical village authentically restored from the 1800s and an authentic Amish country store which specializes in kitchenware. Visit the Web site at www.kalonaiowa.org for more details.

Randy Nace of Centerville Travel says there are usually good buys on airline tickets for weekend travel, if there are points further from home you would like to visit. These tickets are usually offered after 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays with a return on Monday or Tuesday.

"They have different destinations available each week," Nace said. "With packages including a hotel and car or just the airfare. People can call me and find out what special tickets are being offered."

He said the last special offered was to Chicago but there are also packages for Las Vegas and other destinations.

"Prices are different on different days, and higher on weekends," he commented.

Nace said booking far in advance to get a good deal on airline tickets is not always the best. But waiting to book right before the flight is also sometimes costly.

"It can work both ways," he said. "People have waited and paid more and some book ahead and miss deals just before the flight."

He said in the old days, when there were more flights offered there were better deals for travelers.

"The airlines are using smaller planes, fewer planes and want them full for each flight. They have cut the flights and the number of planes due to the economy," he explained.

To check on weekend ticket sales, call Nace at 437-4555.

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This week the Iowegian wants readers to think about the recent decision by the Centerville Municipal Waterworks Board of Directors to increase the fee for late payment of water bills. In a story published in Wednesday's Ad Express, board members announced a 10 percent late fee after two days late, a $50 red tag fee for accounts unpaid after seven days late and a $25 shut off fee, water service terminated after two weeks late. The board said the decision to increase the fees associated with late payment is to encourage customers to pay their bills on time. So, the question this week is, "Are these fees too much to ask for?"

A. Yes, they are.
B. No, they are not.
C. I'm not affected so I don't care.
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