Great food, beautiful landscape, and sleeping in a grain bin….sounds like a great place to visit, right?! You’ll find a weekend of fun and great things to do in O’Brien County, Iowa with all of this and more! Located in Northwest Iowa this county is about 14,000 people. And those people are some of the friendlies you’ll meet. They are also offering you a weekend full of fun and great things to do! Check out all these great options to fill your weekend with.
**Thank you to Tour O’Brien County and their partners for hosting us during our visit. All thoughts and opinions are 100% authentic and true. For more information, please read the Disclosure Tab.
Fun Things to Do in O’Brien County
1. Getting’s Garden
If you decide to visit O’Brien County during the summer, then a stop at Getting’s Garden is a must! This strawberry farm has been around and family owned for almost 40 years! This is a true family business which now is not only run by Don & Mary Getting, but their kids who are also joining in the biz!
During the strawberry season, stop and pick your own fresh berries, grab a snack, kiddos can play in the playground area complete with giant slide, strawberry shaped jumping pillow, a petting zoo type area, and more! Of course, don’t forget the strawberry infused tea or strawberry donut! This pastry is so popular, they produce at least 1000 almost every day they are open! If that isn’t your thing, make sure to grab a strawberry shake made with fresh strawberries! Their market place offers a large variety of strawberry food products and other goodies! We’re sure you’ll want to make Getting’s Garden an annual stop.
2. O’Brien County Freedom Rock
When traveling in Iowa, no road trip is complete without seeking out that county’s Freedom Rock. O’Brien’s Freedom Rock is located in Sandborn and tastefully done! The park is well landscaped, there is a cute little information shed adjacent, and the rock itself is beautiful, as always! This Freedom Rock provides a memorial to 9/11 along with other items! Its definitely worth a stop!
3. Broadway Market Place
For a bit of shopping, head to Broadway Market Place in downtown Paullina. Broadway Market Place is a home for a variety of vendors to sell their goods and services….I love a great collaboration. You’ll find gifts, home décor, and women’s clothing at the Market Place! It’s such a fun stop with cute things that is worth a visit. (I may or may not have made a purchase! 😉 )
4. Paullina Hardware – Kayak & E-Bike Rentals
Get outside and enjoy the beautiful countryside of O’Brien County with Paullina Hardware! Yes, you heard me right! At the top of your list of things to do in O’Brien county needs to be renting kayaks and E-Bikes from this locally owned hardware (and more store). Not only is the store amazing (a true hardware store that also sells bikes, grills, smokers, gifts/toys for kids, and more!
Owner Eric, and his wife, moved back to the area about 4 years ago and purchased the store and added kayak rentals briefly after that. In 2021 they were able to make an agreement with Mill Creek State Park to rent kayaks directly from the park! Next year, they are adding e-bikes for rent. By renting e-bikes, kayaks, or both you can enjoy all of Mill Creek State Park plus pedal around the entire area! We promise it’s a great way to spend a morning or afternoon or an entire day!
5. Solsma’s Punkin Patch
If you’re looking for things to do in O’Brien County in the fall, definitely head to Solsma’s Punkin Patch. Located between Hartley & Sanborn, you’ll find this small, but great pumpkin patch. This patch offers free admission where the family can pick from a large variety of pumpkins and mums plus other produce and treats. Out back you’ll find lawn games, a small bounce house, basketball, and several picture ops. Make sure to take a photo of the kids with their “How Tall This Fall” board and in their giant lawn chair. For a small price, you can enjoy their corn maze. You’re bound to make some memories with a stop at Solsma’s.
Good Eats in O’Brien County
Of course, we are always on the hunt for delicious eats while we’re traveling and O’Brien County definitely isn’t lacking! Check these out!
1. Crazy Bob’s
Located in Hartley, you’ll find Crazy Bob’s, an eclectically decorated restaurant with a bar, super friendly staff, and delicious food! Their menu offers a wide range of appetizers, sandwiches, BBQ, steak, and more! They also offer a full bar and even feature a couple of small Iowa brewery beers! My recommendation is to pick the Chislic, which is diced top sirloin steak cooked to your liking served with sides and with sautéed veggies. The steak is so well done, seasoned perfectly, and super tender! Their hand-cut fries are a great option and a side salad rounds out a delicious meal! You won’t be disappointed with a stop at Crazy Bob’s.
2. Dairy Dandy
Who doesn’t love an old fashioned, mom and pop drive-in style eatery?! That’s exactly what you’ll find at the Dairy Dandy in Sheldon. They offer take away service or dine-in service (in the back). Their lunch/supper menu offers sandwiches, salads, snacks/appetizers, and broasted chicken! They are also super affordable so it’s a great place to take the family! During our visit, T chose a cheeseburger and fries and said it was a great classic meal. I chose a piece of broasted chicken and their criss-cut fries! Both were hot, crispy, and the chicken was delicious and juicy!
Of course, no trip to the Dairy Dandy is complete without ice cream! Choose from one of their 24 soft serve flavors, a sundae, or Cyclone! I enjoyed a peanut butter crunch Cyclone after our meal and it was a great ending!
4. The Cobblestone Bar
The Cobblestone Bar, in downtown Primghar, just opened in the spring of 2022, but owner Marshall has it figured out. He and his wife renovated a beautiful historic building with exposed brick, black accents, and natural woods. You get a great vibe the minute you walk in!
As far as a bar is concerned, they have found a great balance between Iowa classic beer (Bush Light), local brewery beers, and hard liquors for classic and specialty cocktails! What is Marshall’s claim to fame?! It is definitely the Smoked Old Fashioned! You get a drink and a show with this delicious feature. I’ve tasted quite a few of this classic cocktail and this was definitely the smoothest I’ve ever experienced!
5. Breu Haus Coffee & Brewery
Who doesn’t love beer combined with coffee and a beautiful historic building?! That’s what you’ll find at Breu Haus Coffee & Brewery in Sheldon. It’s a fun place to grab a coffee or enjoy a pint. Of course, a flight is always a great way to enjoy a pre-dinner drink!
6. Langer’s Bar & Grill
If you’re looking for a super laid back place to enjoy a delicious meal, head to Langer’s Bar & Grill in Sheldon. This sports bar delivers a wide variety of options from unique burgers to prime rib, steaks, shrimp, fish, and more! Unique burgers like the Bentley features a 1/3 pound burger with shaved prime rib, melted Mozzarella Cheese, bacon, sautéed jalapenos, and rock and roll sauce, which is a spicy ranch.
The grilled tilapia is another great choice that is very well seasoned and well cooked. If you love French fries as much as I do, then you definitely need to order the Garlic Parmesan fries! They were quite possibly some of THE BEST fries I’ve ever had! A strong (but not overpowering) garlic flavor with parm sprinkled on top….YUM!
Of course, no meal is complete without a piece of their famous cheesecake like the Snickers cheesecake!
Where to Stay in O’Brien County – Bill’s Cabin
When planning your stay in O’Brien County, the only place to stay (in our opinion at least) is Bill’s Cabin in Primghar! You might drive right by it, but it’ll be worth pumping the brakes for. Many years ago, brothers Kurt & Jim transformed a grain bin into a 2-story cabin and began renting it out! This vacation rental with modern amenities is fantastic. It features hard wood floors, comfy oversized chairs, a small kitchen, a full bathroom, and large bedroom with a second story deck.
The best place on the property is the deck that overlooks one of the greens of the Primghar County Club. It’s the perfect place to enjoy your morning coffee. They also offer free wi-fi, a coffee maker (with coffee supplied), and cable TV. It is immaculately cleaned and well cared for. It’s also very quiet which makes it perfect for truly relaxing and unplugging.
There are a couple things to keep in mind when staying. The bedroom is on the second level, so stairs are required. They aren’t super steep, but something to keep in mind if you have physical restrictions. The bathroom (and especially shower) are very nice, but small, so you have to be ok with close quarters. The upstairs bedroom is a an open-air loft, so sound carries. Again, nothing major and it didn’t bother us, but something to keep in mind if you’re traveling with others.
Overall, we know you’ll love your stay at Bill’s Cabin and leave feeling as relaxed as we did.
There Are Plenty of Things to Do in O’Brien County
You may have never heard of O’Brien County before, but we promise once you take a trip, you’ll leave being happy that you decided to explore the unexpected. Outdoor adventures, great food, a fun and unique place to stay makes for a great weekend getaway. And, if you need help planning your trip, the folks at Tour O’Brien County would be happy to help! When will you visit?!
Your trip looks so fun!
We had a great trip!
Fun times! You hit some fun places while in O’Brien County!
We had a great weekend!