Ottumwa, IA

The Beach Ottumwa is a slightly better-than-average waterpark with a wave pool, a speed slide, a twisty slide and a colorful, active children's pool. It's roughly $5 for a day pass. Parents tend to lay out for a tan, kids play.

Bridge View Center, a beautiful (some say excessively nice for a small city) convention and performance center usually has something going on; events range from AKC dog shows to gun shows; Musical concerts with known but not currently huge artists (so, Kenny Rogers, Lee Ann Womack, Gatlin Brothers) and comedians (Ron White with the glass of scotch; Tom Arnold from Best Damn Sports Show), as well as weddings, cow/calf conferences, bull rider sanctiioned evetns.

Ottumwa has a good, busy Oktoberfest at the very end of September or beginning of October.

The American Gothic House behind the "farmer with a pitchfork and his daughter" is about an 18 minute drive in the little town of Eldon.