Attractions & Sightseeing
20 places in Dubuque
Attractions & Sightseeing
Shot Tower Historic Landmark
Rising 120 feet above the Port of Dubuque, this 1856 limestone tower is the only shot tower west of the Mississippi River still standing — a remarkable survivor from the era when molten lead was dropped from its heights to form perfectly spherical ammunition pellets, which cooled as they fell into water below. Built by George W. Rogers & Company, it operated for just two years before being made obsolete by Civil War-era demand for standardized cartridges, yet the tower endured while almost everything around it changed. Today it stands as one of the most photographed landmarks in the Port — a quietly dramatic monument to industrial ingenuity and the raw materials that made Dubuque wealthy.
Attractions & Sightseeing
Q Casino + Resort
Dubuque's locally owned casino and resort — set on Schmitt Island in the Mississippi River — has transformed into a full destination with a hotel, multiple dining concepts, live entertainment, and the attached ImOn Arena, home to the Dubuque Fighting Saints hockey team. Unlike corporate-owned casinos, Q Casino is community-funded and returns its proceeds to local nonprofits and the Dubuque Racing Association. The Midwest Island Experience positioning gives it a vacation-resort feel in the middle of Iowa, and the live concert and comedy lineup draws acts from well beyond the region. If you want gaming, dining, sports, and shows under one roof, this is it.
Attractions & Sightseeing
Diamond Jo Casino
Right in the heart of Dubuque's Port district, Diamond Jo Casino goes well beyond slots and table games. With 699 gaming machines, 24 live tables including craps and roulette, a FanDuel Sportsbook, three dining venues, and regular live entertainment, this is a destination for a full night out on the Mississippi. The casino's waterfront location puts you steps from the Riverwalk, the River Museum, and Grand River Center. Open 24 hours — whether you're feeling lucky or just looking for a lively night out, Diamond Jo delivers around the clock.
Attractions & Sightseeing
Julien Dubuque Monument
Standing on a dramatic bluff above the Mississippi within the Mines of Spain Recreation Area, this 25-foot limestone tower was erected in 1897 to honor Julien Dubuque — the first European settler in Iowa and the man who gave the city its name. The cylindrical Galena limestone structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and marks the approximate burial site of Dubuque himself, who died in 1810. The real reward is the hike to reach it: a scenic trail through the Mines of Spain that delivers sweeping river views and a genuine connection to this city's origin story. It's one of those understated historic sites that leaves a bigger impression than you expect.
Attractions & Sightseeing
Mathias Ham House Historic Site
Built in 1857 for lead magnate and river trader Mathias Ham, this magnificent Italianate villa is one of the finest examples of Victorian-era architecture in the Upper Midwest — and costumed guides bring it vividly to life with stories of Ham's business empire and the rough-and-tumble world of 19th-century Dubuque. The site also includes Iowa's oldest log cabin, a restored one-room schoolhouse, a replica lead mine, and a miner's dwelling, making it a remarkably complete picture of frontier Iowa life. The bluff-top setting near Eagle Point Park is stunning in any season. Operated by the Dubuque County Historical Society in partnership with the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium.
Attractions & Sightseeing
Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
Spread across 50 acres of Marshall Park, the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is a rare gem: meticulously maintained themed gardens that are completely free to the public every day of the year. Stroll through rose gardens, hosta collections, children's garden spaces, Japanese-inspired plantings, and more, with the landscape shifting dramatically through every season. In peak summer bloom it rivals paid botanical gardens found in much larger cities, and the fall color display is spectacular. Volunteer-run and community-cherished, it's the kind of place that surprises even longtime Iowa residents.
Attractions & Sightseeing
Fenelon Place Elevator
Billed as the world's shortest and steepest scenic railway, the Fenelon Place Elevator has been hauling passengers 189 feet up Dubuque's bluffs since 1882. The ride takes about a minute, but the views from the top extend 30 miles across three states: Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. At just $4 for a round trip, it's possibly the best-value view in the entire Midwest. Originally built so a businessman could get home for lunch faster, this beloved funicular is now the most iconic image in Dubuque — cash only, charming forever. Don't miss it.
Attractions & Sightseeing
National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium
The only Smithsonian-affiliated institution in Iowa, the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium is a 14-acre campus in Dubuque's Port district that tells the full, extraordinary story of the continent's greatest river — from prehistoric geology to the golden age of steamboats to the complex ecology of today. Live animals including river otters, alligators, and more than 100 native species inhabit tanks and habitats throughout; outdoor exhibits include historic vessels and a working boat yard. Genuinely world-class and worthy of a full day's exploration, this is Dubuque's single most-visited attraction — and it earns the distinction completely.
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