Things to do & places to visit in Clear Lake, Iowa, United States

Clear Lake city in Iowa, United States. Timezone: America/Chicago, current date and time: Friday, May 03, 2024, 7:23.

Top things to do (16)

Top places to visit (20 attractions)

5.0 Surf Ballroom (351 reviews)
- WOW WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Bars & Clubs

I traveled to Clear Lake to visit the Surf Ballroom and I am glad I did. I didn't know what to expect but when I arrived I was overwhelmed with history. The ballroom is preserved just as it was when Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens played their last show here. From the original wood floors to the thousands of signatures on the walls of the green room, the Surf Ballroom is history every where you look. The wall are covered with autographed photos and artifacts from those that have played here. You can see B. B. Kings Guitar and Charlie Daniel's Fiddle. Plus this place is still making history as it is still a very active music venue. Admission is free but a $5.00 donation is suggested. I spent about 2-hours here and loved every minute. See more..
5.0 Clear Lake Farmers Market (3 reviews)
- Love this market
Spent < 1 hour Flea & Street Markets • Farmers Markets

The mission of the Clear Lake Farmers Market is to offer healthy, fresh produce and handcrafted products to consumers while building community connections and supporting the local economy. See more..
5.0 Lake Theatre (2 reviews)
- Loved it!!
Spent 1-2 hours Movie Theaters
One of my favorite things to do is to go to theaters in new cities. This theater has such great charm! They show 1 movie at a time, and we wanted to see Lego Movie 2, so it was perfect! Everyone was friends, the seats comfortable, and you can't beat the prices!! See more..
5.0 Oak Hills Par 30 Public Golf Course (1 review)
- Always Enjoy a Round fo Golf Here
Golf Courses
A great little (mostly) par 3 course set in the middle of the woods. This is an especially good course for beginners, older golfers, or someone just looking for a relaxing round of golf. The course is not ultra-challenging which can be great if you're just looking for a leisure activity. The owners are always very friendly and personable. See more..
5.0 Kevan Paul's Guide Service (1 review)
- Fishing with Kevan Paul
Fishing Charters & Tours
I have taken multiple guided Musky fishing trips with Kevan on Clear Lake and have been successful in catching at least one fish each time. Highly recommend a guided fishing trip with Kevan if you are in the area. See more..
4.5 Plane Crash Site of Buddy Holly (275 reviews)
- A SOMBER VISIT
Points of Interest & Landmarks

After visiting the Surf Ballroom, I made the 6-mile drive down a dusty dirt road to the the site where Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens died in a plane crash in February 1959. You end up driving down a dirt road until you see a large pair of black glasses on the shoulder of the road. Park here on the shoulder then you have to walk a little over a quarter mile down a path in a corn field to the actual crash site. The crash site is marked by a small makeshift memorial with the names of those who died here. It is a somber walk but one many music fans have made over the years. While it was not crowded while I was there there were several other visitors making the walk to the site. If you are near Clear Lake you should visit the Surf Ballroom and then make the drive out to the Crash Site. See more..
4.5 Central Gardens of North Iowa (59 reviews)
- Summer Beauty
Friday: 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Gardens

Come and enjoy this expertly designed space that brings stunning architectural features, terraces, water features, and 22 themed gardens together for an unforgettable experience. Attend an event, stroll through the gardens, or sit and enjoy lunch with friends. This special place is waiting for you! Free and open to the public May 1 through October 31 from dawn to dusk. See more..
4.5 Clear Lake State Park (50 reviews)
- Kite Festival on the Ice
State Parks • Parks

This may be each year on the third Saturday of February, I’m not sure. We heard about it last year as it was on the today show and wanted to go and fly a kite on the ice there were literally hundreds of colorful kites being flown see the pictures attached. We took beanbag style water toys that made nice chairs that were insulated to sit on the ice with. It was a nice day because the temperature had come up from the previous day by about 25°. We parked at the high school and took the shuttle to the kite flying area (on frozen Clear Lake). The downtown area was doing it’s best to handle the crowds but the lines were long wherever we went for food you might want to consider taking food with you if you went to this event next year! We ended up spending about three hours flying the kite and watching the other kites and had a great time! See more..
4.5 Lady of the Lake (28 reviews)
- Lady of the Lake relaxing ride
Sightseeing Tours

What a wonderful ride! This is an hour and half ride in a paddle boat around Clear Lake. The captain does a commentary about points of interest and the history of the community. As you go around the lake, you have views of the lakeside homes, most of which are more breathtaking than the previous ones. You will need to check their website as each day is different. No advance tickets so come early to ensure you can board. Boarding is 15 minutes before departure. Tickets were $15 for adults cash only. There are beverages aboard for sale. We drank several microbrews that were very reasonably priced. A very relax enjoyable time for the whole family. I heartily recommend! See more..
4.5 Lake Time Brewery (25 reviews)
- Interesting brews in a quaint house
Spent 2-3 hours Breweries

After having several of their brews throughout the day we knew we needed to make a stop at this brewery. We did a flight of their 10 beers and with only two of us we could not finish them all. None of the beers we had tasted throughput the day were included so these 10 were all new to us. As with all flights, some you love and some you don’t —. Interesting blend. The brewery is located in an old house with a porch that we sat on only to find that the sun was in our eyes and it was too hot so we moved back inside. Limited parking and is located on a busy street. We had a snack plate that was very reasonable but we would have been happy with a bowl of popcorn. It was busy so staff was not able to talk to us much so we were not able to know about them. Even with the tiny negatives I am still giving an excellent rating. We will go here again if ever back in the area. See more..
4.5 Rookies Rockin' Sports Bar (15 reviews)
- We love Rookies!
Friday: 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM Bars & Clubs

We're Rookies Rockin' Sports Bar, and we've been a leading bar and lounge here in Clear Lake, IA, since 1995. We offer an amazing atmosphere with great service and great food that you can enjoy with your friends or family. Our full-service menu includes burgers, wings, steaks, and more! We are also proud to offer our famous wings and full sports bar menu during all football games. We're looking forward to growing our business to continue to serve Clear Lake and the surrounding areas. Stop by soon to enjoy our fully stocked bar, including craft beer on tap, or while you're waiting for a table in our party room. And don't forget to ask about our legendary burgers and wings! See more..
4.5 Clear Lake Tiki Bar (11 reviews)
- Great food! Great views! Great brews!
Bars & Clubs

What a delight! The Tiki Bar was recommended to us ( my sister and I) for a fun place to have lunch. The service and staff was the best. Friendly and attentive and food was amazing! I had a po’ boy sandwich that had the most amazing sauce and there was plenty of shrimp. We had a Tiki Bar brew that was made locally for them. We sat on the porch with great views of the lake. We arrived early and they were filling up. I would recommend calling for reservations if you have a large group. One thing to note. When we received our bill it was noted that they were transitioning from credit cards to cash so be sure to take along plenty of cash. We would definitely go again! See more..
4.5 Clear Lake Fire Museum (6 reviews)
- Went out of their way to accomodate our time frame
Friday: Speciality Museums

They opened it for us outside of normal hours... were patient and answered all my son's questions. WONDERFUL visit See more..
3.5 Movement Solutions (2 reviews)
- Spectacular company to work with
Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Gear Rentals

We are your one stop shop rental company in Clear Lake, we rent pontoon boats, kayaks, paddleboards, float pads, water skis, pull tubes, kneeboards, wakeboards, bicycles, electric scooters & more!!! Check availability and book online at movementclearlake.com See more..
Escape Clear Lake (0 review)
Escape Games
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Eva Marie's On 8th (0 review)
Speciality & Gift Shops
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White Barn Picket Fence (0 review)
Friday: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Speciality & Gift Shops
Modern Farmhouse Home Goods & Lifestyle Shop Curated inspiration to create moments that matter. See more..
TAP'd (0 review)
Bars & Clubs
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Brin + Lew (0 review)
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Speciality & Gift Shops

Brin Lew in Clear Lake, IA, is the leading clothing store serving Mason City Garner, Forest City, Clarion, Belmond, and surrounding areas. We offer custom apparel and accessories, custom printing, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, gifts, and much more. We're looking forward to growing our business to continue to serve the Clear Lake community. We'd like to personally invite you to contact us today for all your custom apparel needs. See more..
Grace & Strength The Boutique (0 review)
Speciality & Gift Shops
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