Things to do in Mason City Iowa

Mason City Iowa has so much more to offer than it may seem. The amount of history, music, art, and food that is here is so unexpected!

Located about 2 hours south of the Twin Cities of Minnesota, Mason City is such a fun destination for a day trip or weekend trip. Cole and I spent about 3 days here in late August and loved every second!

Our trip to Mason City was hosted by Visit Mason City, and we created our itinerary together to ensure we not only did things we like to do, but also things that are unique to Mason City and things we know you would like to do as well! All opinions are my own.

Where we stayed – Historic Park Inn Hotel

If you like history, architecture, or boutique hotels, The Historic Park Inn Hotel is for you. In my opinion, it’s one of the most iconic hotels you can stay at in the midwest and is an experience I’ll never forget. Plus, it’s the only hotel that is still in operation that was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. YOU HAVE TO STAY HERE!!

Tour the Historic Park Inn Hotel

Regardless if you stay at the Historic Park Inn Hotel or not (you REALLY should to get the whole experience), you can still tour the hotel through the Wright on the Park organization. Tours run Thursday through Sunday and are $10 per person. You will learn all about the history and restoration of the building, including how it was once a bank, law office, and hotel at the same time! Step back into the early 1900s – you definitely don’t want to miss this!

Shop at the Historic Park Inn Hotel gift shop

Ok, last Historic Park Inn thing I promise! Walk into the plaza to find a fun gift shop that sells all sorts of fun Frank Lloyd Wright inspired things from puzzles, socks, flasks, and wall art. I spent way more time in here than I thought, and was surprised to find more information, history, and photos about Frank’s impact on Mason City.

Get nostalgic at Music Man Square

What is Mason City known for? The Music Man! Meredith Wilson wrote the music, lyrics, and script for the Music Man musical and is originally from Mason City, Iowa. He based the musical setting of River City, Iowa on his hometown and you can find so many fun relics in Music Man Square. See a replica of the 1962 movie set streetscape and the Meredith Wilson museum for only $10. We had so much fun walking around and learning more about the history and making of the film!

Tour Meredith Wilson’s childhood home

Meredith Wilson’s childhood home was under renovations when we were there, but you can still get a good look at the outside right next-door to Music Man Square. The $10 admission covers entrance to the home, and there’s also some cool sculptures you can see outside.

Shop local at Art on the Plaza

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Cole and I love to find local shops while we’re traveling, so we had to check out Art on the Plaza, which is a downtown Mason City shop that features local artists from around Northern Iowa. Here, you can find everything from fine jewelry, glasswork, paintings, photography, pottery, and much more! Some of the artists are usually around and love to talk about their work. Make sure to stop and get a unique souvenir from Mason City!

See all the River City Sculptures on Parade

For a small city, I never expected Mason City to have so much of a focus on art. As we walked through downtown, we kept coming across outdoor sculptures from artists across the country. Did you notice that the gorillas in the photo above are made from silverware?? They’re all so unique! Give yourself a self-guided tour to see all the sculptures on parade starting downtown, looping through the cultural crescent, and ending in Music Man Square!

Take cool photos in front of Mason City Murals

After a few beers (more on where to find these below) we decided to go on a hunt to find all the murals around town and take some jumping photos. Maybe not the most glamorous photos, but we had so much fun doing it! Find the murals inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright at Brick Furniture, City Center, and Central Par Dentistry. Find other cool murals at the Mason City Community Theatre, Blue Heron Bar and Grill, and State Street Styles.

See The Sound of Music puppets at Charles H Macnider Museum

As if Mason City didn’t have enough cool history as-is, the Charles H Macnider Museum is home to the puppets from The Sound of Music. I was SO EXCITED to see these in person! One of the world’s most famous puppeteers, Bill Baird, grew up in Mason City Iowa and you can find a collection of his puppets on display here from the 20th century. Museum admission is free so there’s no excuse to miss this!

Walk across the Meredith Wilson footbridge

Visit the Meredith Wilson footbridge in Mason City to get the best views of Willow Creek. While you walk to the bridge, notice all the beautiful old houses that line the streets and pretend like you’re Meredith Wilson back in the day growing up here!

Experience the Rancho Deluxe sculpture garden

We ended our weekend with one of the most unique things to do in Mason City Iowa. Rancho Deluxe is a garden of art that’s full of recycled, re-purposed, and rogue pieces of Mason City’s history. Think of this as an ever-evolving sculpture garden that’s always full of something new. It is fun to explore and great for photos!

Enjoy Mason City Food and Drinks

In addition to all of these fun things to do in Mason City Iowa, this city is also full of some amazing restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, and more! We definitely ate our way through Mason City and will be sharing a recap of our favorites spots here in the next few days! Pictured here is Birdsall’s Ice Cream, Mason City Brewing, and Blue Heron Bar and Grill.

Thanks to Visit Mason City to hosting our time in this unique midwest town. Make sure you stop by next time you’re driving through Iowa or make this a quick weekend getaway! You won’t be disappointed.