Grinnell

Gates Tower, Grinnell College

Grinnell is a town of almost 10,000 people (2020) in Central Iowa, home to Grinnell College.

Understand

Grinnell is a town with strong agricultural roots that hosts a highly rated liberal arts college, Grinnell College.

Climate

The climate in Iowa is pretty much the same everywhere. In the autumn, when the daytime highs get down in the 50s, people break out the sweaters and talk about how cold it is. In the spring, when the daytime highs get up to the 50s, people break out the shorts and start talking about how warm it is. The difference has more to do with what you've become accustomed to, rather than any meteorological difference. After months of cold weather, sometimes not rising above freezing for a week or more at a stretch, anything reliably above the freezing point feels warm.

Grinnell
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       1     29 10       1.4     34 14       2.3     46 24       3.6     60 35       4.5     70 46       4.8     80 57       4.3     84 61       4.6     82 59       3.5     75 49       2.8     62 37       2.3     47 26       1.5     32 14 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches   Data from NOAA (1981-2010)
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       25     −2 −12       36     1 −10       58     8 −4       91     16 2       114     21 8       122     27 14       109     29 16       117     28 15       89     24 9       71     17 3       58     8 −3       38     0 −10 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

Get in

By car

Grinnell is along Interstate 80 about midway between Des Moines and Iowa City.

By bus

• 1 Greyhound Bus Lines, 1115 8th Ave (middle of the college campus), toll-free: +1 800 231-2222. You can catch a bus to Grinnell from Des Moines (about $25 one-way), Iowa City ($30), Omaha, Nebraska ($60), or Chicago, Illinois ($75). There is only one bus in each direction each day. (updated Feb 2023)

By plane

• 2 Grinnell Regional Airport, 1607 West St S (half-mile north of I-80), ☏ +1 641 236-0188. General aviation airport. No scheduled passenger service. Restrooms, pilot lounge. (updated Jun 2021)

Get around

You will either need a car or a bicycle, as there is no mass-transit option. Alternatively, sidewalks are plentiful in the central portion of the town, near the college and several small bed and breakfast inns.

See

Merchants' National Bank

• 1 Louis Sullivan Jewel Box Bank (Merchants' National Bank), 833 4th Ave (at Broad St). One of many banks in the Midwest designed by Louis Sullivan. Built in 1914. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Grinnell College Museum of Art (Faulconer Gallery), 1108 Park St (corner of Park St and Hwy 6), ☏ +1 641 269-4660, gallery@grinnell.edu. daily 11AM–5PM; closed holidays. Art gallery in the middle of Grinnell College's Bucksbaum Center for the Arts. Free. (updated Jun 2021)

Do

• 1 Strand Theatre, 921 Main St, ☏ +1 641 236-7600. Three-screen cinema. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Rock Creek State Park (north entrance is at Rock Creek East St off County Road F-27), ☏ +1 641 236-3722. Bike to the park, about 7 miles west of town. Take a picnic. Go fishing (wheelchair-accessible options), canoeing, kayaking, or pedal boating. Boat rentals available during warmer months. Motorboats allowed with a maximum speed of 5 mph. Swimming in designated area. Multi-use trails on either side of the man-made lake permit hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Almost 200 campsites with restrooms, showers, playground, and seasonal camp store selling ice, snack food, bait/tackle and firewood. (updated Jun 2021)
• 3 Grinnell Mutual Family Aquatic Center, 120 8th Ave West, ☏ +1 641 236-2621. Summer only. Open swimming noon–6PM. Municipal swimming pool. Lap swimming only in the mornings; hours vary. Two water slides, lap pool, lazy river. $5. (updated Jun 2021)
• Grinnell Games. mid-June. Annual family-oriented sporting event featuring races, basketball, and other games. 
• 4 Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve, 15148 Jacob Ave and 14892 Jacob Ave (SW of town, 2 miles west of the airport, where Hwy T38N/Jacob Ave/E 156th St N meet). This nature preserve, about three-quarters of a square mile in size, has about seven miles of trails to walk through the prairie and a man-made lake. Fishing by boat or off the wheelchair-accessible pier at the lake. Good for picnicking, hiking, and cross-country skiing. Dogs welcome, but watch for ticks. Restrooms. Free. (updated Jun 2021)
• 5 Miller Park at Lake Nyanza, 1132 Nyanza Drive (Washington Av and East St, just north of the middle school). 6AM–11PM. Free disc golf course next to a pond. Playground, restrooms, and drinking water. (updated Jan 2023)
• 6 Ahrens/Paschall Memorial Park, 1510 Penrose Street, ☏ +1 641-236-5518. Best playground in town for kids with mobility impairments, with an inclusive swing, poured rubber surfaces, and transfer points that let kids climb up. Separate playground structures for big and little kids. This is the main destination for youth sports programs, with soccer fields, baseball and softball diamonds, and dedicated courts for basketball, beach volleyball, pickleball and tennis, plus a driving range for golfers. During the winter, there's an outdoor ice skating rink and a hill that's good for sledding. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms. (updated Jan 2023)

Buy

There are several chain stores, including the discount stores Walmart, DollarTree, and Dollar General, as you head south towards the interstate. There are also several convenience stores, including the "Almost Always Open" (which isn't open overnight), and some vintage and consignment stores downtown.

• 1 Grinnell Farmers' Market, Broad St and 4th Ave (Central Park in downtown). Open mid-May to October: Th 3PM–6PM; Sa 10AM–noon. Farmers' market with about 20 vendors. Many baked goods and crafts. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms at the park. Free entry. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Bikes To You, 921 Broad St (Downtown), ☏ +1 641 236-8600. Tu-F noon–5:30PM; Sa 9AM–5PM. The place to go if you need bike gear, repairs, rentals, or advice on where to bike. (updated Jun 2021)
• 1 Pioneer Bookshop, 933 Main Street, ☏ +1 641-269-3424, bookstore@grinnell.edu. M–F 8:30AM–5PM, Sat 9AM–1PM. The college's bookstore is downtown and does double-duty as both the supplier of textbooks to students and a bookstore for the general public as well. They sell children's books, books on local history, a few travel-friendly toys, and all the logo-adorned souvenirs anyone could ever wish for. (updated Jan 2023)

Eat

• 1 Grin City Bakery, 934 Main St (downtown), ☏ +1 641 236-4746. Th F Sa only 7AM–noon. Open only three mornings a week, this little bakery is the place to satisfy your doughnut fix. The cream-filled coneys are a local favorite. Pick up a few cookies for later while you're there. $3. (updated Nov 2024)
• 2 Dari Barn, 1810 6th Ave, ☏ +1 641 236-7828. Mar–Oct: 10AM–10PM. Soft-serve ice cream and some fast-food options at this locally owned business. Sundaes are a popular choice, and available in a "mini" size for $3 (plus sales tax). Outdoor seating only. $5–10 sandwich; $2–7 ice cream. (updated Jun 2021)
• 3 El Cascabelia, 1014 3rd Ave, ☏ +1 641 659-6217. M–Sat 11AM–10PM, Sun 11AM–9PM. On the site of the former Union Depot for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, this Mexican restaurant serves lunch and dinner. $15–20. (updated Nov 2024)
• 4 Pagliai's Pizza, 816 5th Avenue (Downtown), ☏ +1 641 236-5331. Su–Th 5–9PM, F Sa 5–10PM. A small, family-owned Iowa pizza chain since 1957. Order a slice of cheese bread to eat while waiting for your pizza. Large pizzas for $15–30; hot sandwiches for $12. (updated Nov 2024)
• 5 West Side Family Restaurant, 229 6th Ave W (on Highway 6), ☏ +1 641 236-5939. Tu–Sa 6AM–8PM, Su 6AM–2PM (closed M). Classic diner food on the west side of town. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Wheelchair accessible. Kids welcome. If the kids need to burn off some energy, then you're right next door to the Grinnell Area Recreational Trail, and they can be running around in Lion's Park in two minutes. $10–20. (updated Sep 2022)
• 6 Rube's Steakhouse, 118 Elm Street, Montour (18 miles north of Grinnell), ☏ +1 641 492-6222. Tu–Sa 5–9PM, Su 5–8PM. The original grill-your-own steak house. Call ahead if you don't want to wait in line. Children's menu is about $12, or they can have free sides and share your steak. During the day, you can buy their steaks at their butcher shop across the street. $30–70. (updated Jun 2021)

If you are looking for grocery stores, there are two in the downtown area: McNally's and Fareway. McNally's, which has a deli counter and sells hot food at lunch during the week, may be the best option if you're looking for high-quality picnic fixings. Fareway (closed Sundays) is a low-cost grocery store with a butcher counter in the back. The biggest grocery store in town is the Hy-Vee, close to the interstate. Some food is also sold at the Walmart and the DollarTree across the street from Hy-Vee.

Drink

• 1 Saints Rest, 917 Broad St (Downtown), ☏ +1 641 236-6014, saintsrest123@gmail.com. M–Sa 6:30AM–5PM, Su 9AM–4PM. Local coffee shop since 1999. In addition to hot tea and the usual list of coffee drinks, they sell horchata, iced coffee, chai lattes, hot chocolate, cider, Italian sodas, and Italian creams. Muffins, scones, cookies, and other baked goods available. The 2018 film of the same name was named after, and partially filmed at, the coffee shop. $2–5 for most coffee drinks. (updated Nov 2024)

Sleep

The large hotel chains are south of the main part of town, near Interstate 80. They often cost around $100 per night for a basic room.

Usually, it's easy to find a place to stay in Grinnell. However, you should book your accommodations early for the weekend when the students of Grinnell College return to school (end of August), family visitation weekend (end of September), graduation weekend (one week before Memorial Day), and alumni reunion (the weekend after Memorial Day).

• 1 Hotel Grinnell, 925 Park St (downtown), ☏ +1 641 236-9250. Check-out: noon. Upscale small hotel with 45 rooms in a former school building. Unusual "bunk rooms" sleep 10 – perfect for youth groups, sports teams, class trips, or large family groups. $30 fee per dog or cat. $200–500. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Carriage House Bed and Breakfast, 1133 Broad St (Broad St and 7th Ave), ☏ +1 641 236-7520, irishbnb@iowatelecom.net. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Six-room bed and breakfast in home built in 1895. All rooms have private bathrooms and central air conditioning. Breakfast served in the dining room. No smoking. Contact directly for reservations. (updated Jun 2021)

Stay healthy

• 2 Grinnell Walk-In Clinic (UnityPoint Health), 202 4th Ave, Suite 100 (at the Grinnell Regional Medical Center's main campus), ☏ +1 641 236-2323. M–F 8AM–7PM, Sa 8AM–2PM. Walk-in medical care for non-emergency issues. After clinic hours or for medical emergencies, look for the hospital's emergency room, just around the corner of the building. (updated Nov 2024)

Cope

• 7 Drake Community Library (previously, Stewart Library), 930 Park St (downtown), ☏ +1 641 236-2661, library@grinnelliowa.gov. Opens M-Sa at 10AM, and on some Sundays at 1:30PM. Evening closing hours vary. In addition to the opportunity to escape the summer's heat or the winter's cold to read a book for a while, the city's public library offers free, unsecured, wireless Internet access, water fountains and wheelchair-accessible restrooms to the public. (updated Jun 2021)
• 8 The Grinnell Herald-Register, 813 5th Ave (downtown), ☏ +1 641 236-3113. Local newspaper, published twice each week. (updated Aug 2018)
• 9 Grinnell Friends Church (First Friends Church), 1115 West St (1.5 miles north of exit 146 off I-80, between the airport and the Walmart), ☏ +1 641 236-6412, questions@grinnellfriends.org. Sunday School at 9:15AM, and main worship service at 10:30AM on Sundays. Quaker church. Expect one traditional silent worship period during the service. (updated Jun 2021)
• 10 St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1002 Broad St (downtown), ☏ +1 641 236-7486. Services Su 9AM and 11AM, Sa 4PM, Tu Th 5:30PM, W F 8AM. Office M–F 8AM–12:30PM. Red brick church decorated with Roman arches and custom painting inside. (updated Jun 2021)

Go next

Grinnell is about halfway between Des Moines and Iowa City on Interstate 80 (I-80).

Routes through Grinnell

Des Moines ← Newton ←	W  E	→ Jct N → Iowa City → Davenport
Des Moines ← Newton ←	W  E	→ Amana Colonies → Davenport