91. AMANA MEAT SHOP & SMOKEHOUSE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (319) 622-7586 or (800) 373-63
Address: 4513 F St.
Description: Pick up some of the same meats you may have enjoyed at one of the Amana Colonies’ family-style restaurants at this smokehouse that dates to 1855. Smoked hams are the main draw here, along with big, Iowa-style pork chops and steaks, sausages, and bacon. If you don’t want a whole ham, at least try a sample. Amana-made cheeses, jams, and jellies are also for sale here.
92. AMANA WOOLEN MILL
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (319) 622-3432 or (800) 222-64
Description: Get a look at the wool-making process by watching looms in action at Iowa’s only operating wool mill, which has been in operation since 1857, and produces Amana’s own wool and cotton blankets. Blankets are for sale here in all sorts of colors and patterns, as are sweaters and other items. Poke around their selection to find a bargain or several.
93. COLLECTIVELY IOWA
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: This shop specializes in dry, semisweet, and dessert wines from vineyards across Iowa, which you may sample in the tasting room. The staff can also provide information about Iowa wines and help you pick out a bottle. The shop is right across from the visitor center.
94. HAHN’S HEARTH OVEN BAKERY
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (319) 622-3439
Address: 2510 J St.
Description: Pick up some dense German-style breads at this shop, with a stone-hearth oven that has been in the building since it was built in 1864—the last such hearth operating in the Amana Colonies, and a throwback to the days when each village had numerous such bakeries. Delicious pastries are available as well. Opens early in the morning, Tues through Sat from Apr through Oct and Wed and Sat in Nov, Dec, and Mar.
95. HIGH AMANA GENERAL STORE
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (319) 622-3232
Address: 1308 G St.
Description: Open continuously for over 150 years, this shop still looks like an old-fashioned general store, with a tin ceiling, glass display cases, and barrels stacked along the wooden floor. Vintage-style soaps and other personal items are available, as is a wide selection of toys and Amana food items like pancake mix. Old-fashioned candies stand in glass jars lining the shelves. Open daily Apr. 1 through Oct. 31 and Sat only in Mar, Nov, and Dec.
96. LEHM BOOKS & GIFTS
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (319) 622-6447 or (800) 840-23
Description: A mixture of books and collectibles are for sale at this well-stocked shop. There’s an impressive collection of dolls and figurines, including lots of angels and teddy bears, and plenty of Iowa memorabilia as well. Books include numerous titles about the Amana Colonies, as well as a nice selection of children’s books. Numerous other gift items should give you some ideas, including those for people on your gift list who are impossible to shop for.
97. MILLSTREAM BREWING COMPANY
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (319) 622-3672
Insider Pick:
Description: This modest wooden building on the edge of Amana Village is home to Iowa’s oldest microbrewery, which pumps out some excellent varieties, including German pilsner, white ale, and stout. Each beer has a distinctive taste, some with more zip than others—try some free samples in the small tasting room. They also make a delicious root beer, as well as black cherry and cream sodas. The brewery features a small beer garden right outside the tasting room and store, which is a great spot to sample the brew on a warm afternoon or evening.
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 210 Parkside Dr.
City: Des Moines, IA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 1390 Hwy. 141