Here we catalog the various destinations and leisure opportunities that make the Manchester area so pleasant. For information on Delaware County parks in general, click here. And to see more of the area's attractions, don't miss our expansive photo album.
Days Inn Manchester - provides singles, doubles, and whirlpool or business suites, pool/spa, and meeting facilities. 1220 W. Marion St., Manchester. (563) 927-1011
East Inn - 948 E. Main, Manchester. (563) 927-4850
Hansel's B & B Inn - open year-round, central air & full breakfast. 21807 182nd Ave., Manchester. (563) 927-6920
Lake's End Cabin Resort - Located at the upper end of Lake Delhi, approximately 6 miles from both Manchester & Delhi. Quiet
surroundings perfect for that weekend getaway. www.lakesendcabins.com. (563) 922-2649
Super 8 Motel - 49 rooms, 7 suites, comfortable and friendly accomodations. Meeting room available. Exercise room, Deluxe Jacuzzi suites. www.super8.com. (563) 927-2533
Backbone State Park - The oldest park in the State of Iowa, featuring hiking, rappling, fishing, boating, picnic areas, biking, camping, swimming, and canoe & cabin rental. Northwest of Manchester. (563) 927-2527
Delaware County Conservation: County Parks - 5 county parks with full campground facilities including Bailey's Ford, Coffins Grove, Turtle Creek, Twin Bridges, and Fountain Springs. 2379 Jefferson Rd. (563) 927-3410
Delaware County Fairgrounds - Year-round events. Over 1,000 camping sites, 400 permanent hook-ups (water, electricity, sewer, telephone, and two dump stations), and two reception halls seating 450 and 500. (563) 927-6449
Lazy T Campground - 2249 205th St. (563) 927-4507
Tri State Raceway & Campground - Earlville, IA. (563) 923-3724
Entertainment & Performing Arts
Backbone Bluegrass Festival - A 3-day bluegrass festival featuring artists from throughout the Midwest. Near Backbone State Park in Dundee, IA.
Hartwick Huskies Water Show - Nationally recognized water skiers. On Lake Delhi.
Edgewood Rodeo Days - Pro rodeo with all the trimmings. Last weekend in June in Edgewood, IA.
Tri State Raceway & Campground - Earlville, IA. (563) 923-3724
Lake Delhi
The residents of the lake have committed themselves to doing whatever is needed to keep this a high quality piece of water by the creation of a special tax district to help pay for the lake's upkeep and maintenance. Occasional visitors are able to use the lake through access via two county parks or by way of one of the rental cabins.
For more information concerning Lake Delhi, visit www.lakedelhi.com.
Hunting & Fishing
An area below the Delhi Dam is limited to "catch and release" fishing for small mouth bass. The stream near the trout hatchery is open to artificial baits only. The trout streams winding through three county parks and one state park are regularly stocked with hardy-sized trout that hide in the spring fed streams.
The state trout hatchery near Manchester is wonderful for kids. You'll want to bring along dimes and quarters to run through the feed machines in exchange for handfuls of food to feed the trout in the raceways and ponds.
Aquatic Center - Stearns Drive, (563) 927-6488
Backbone Golf & Country Club - A 9-hole golf course next to Backbone State Park where golfers often witness deer and turkey emerge from the woods. Open to the public. (563) 933-4545
Budweiser Clydesdale Statue - Located in Greeley, IA.
Castle Theatre - A one-screen theatre. (563) 927-5726
Civil Conservation Corps. Museum - A collection of memorabilia on the history of the CCC constructing Backbone State Park. (563) 924-2527
Colesburg Swimming Pool - (563) 856-4065
Cricket Hollow Zoo - Walk thru exotic zoo featuring large jungle cats, snakes, camels, and some petting animals. (563) 927-6655
Delaware County Courthouse - Completed in 1896 on historic register with gardens and a gazebo.
Delaware County Historical Museum Complex, Lenox College Campus - A complex of nine buildings including a library, dormitory, chapel, Old Main, gym, railroad
depot, farm machinery museum, and one-room school house. Open June through September, 1-4pm, Thursday through Sunday. (563) 926-2639
Delaware County Nature Center - Over 100 exhibits including live animals. Located at Bailey's Ford, southeast of Manchester. (563) 927-6449
Earlville Swimming Pool - (563) 923-5355
Edgewood Swimming Pool - (563) 928-6628
Francis Childs Farm (deceased) - Five-time National Corn Grower Champion, 1997-2001. Eleven-time Iowa Masters Corn Grower Champion.
Hart Ridge Golf Course & Driving Range - A 9-hole golf course open to the public. (563) 927-5494
Hopkinton Swimming Pool - (563) 926-2433
Kendrick Forest Products - A large, working sawmill featuring a glassed-in viewing room where visitors can watch logs being cut into dimensional lumber. (563) 928-6431
Lane Pine Golf & Country Club - A 9-hole golf course open to the public. (563) 856-3445
Lake Delhi Recreational Area - McCreery Monument/Hobb's Chimney, remnants of one of the area's first homes.
Lightning Lanes - Bowling alley. (563) 927-5939
Little Red School House - D13 north of Manchester. Picnic area, fireplaces, playground. May through September by
appointment. (563) 927-2161
Manchester Golf Club - Award-winning, 18-hole golf course open to the public. (563) 927-4155
McGee School - Build in 1868, listed on National Register of Historical Places. One of three remaining one-room brick schools in Iowa. (563) 927-6956
Red Barn Model Railroad Museum - Large model railroad layout with railroad antiques. Open to the public. (563) 924-2482
Ruth Suckow Memorabilia - Located at the Earlville Library. (563) 923-5235
State Fish Hatchery - Built in 1897. View and feed hatchery trout, fishing, swinging bridge, picnic area. D22 southeast of Manchester.
(563) 927-3276
Woods Edge Golf Course - 9-hole course with putting green. (563) 928-6668
World's Largest Umpire - Statue located in Ryan, IA.
Country Haven Motel - Hwy 20, Earlville. (563) 923-2415
West Delaware Auditorium
The West Delaware Community School District and a community wide fundraising effort completed a beautiful, state of the art auditorium in 2008. This allows us to bring in high quality entertainment such as the Steinway Signature pianist, an outstanding Midwest harmonic group, and our community playhouse group to compliment our already award-winning high school fine arts program.
Delaware Crossing Scenic Byway
In 2002, the Iowa Department of Transportation designed a corridor in central and southwestern Delaware County as its 10th Scenic Byway. This 32-mile drive is a great way to experience
Iowa's natural beauty, history, and culture. The route is marked with Scenic Byway signs. Bikers will especially enjoy this picturesque route.
Once known as the "best kept secret in Iowa," Lake Delhi has been discovered over the last 20 years and is now the home of almost 900 homes or weekend cabins. This 250 acre impoundment of the Maquoketa River is created by a picturesque 30 ft. high dam and offers scenic boat rides with prior arrangements, fishing, water skiing during the warm weather months and ice fishing and snowmobiling in the winter.
Hunting and fishing opportunities abound in the area with the locals enjoying turkey hunting in the spring and deer, duck, geese, squirrel, and pheasant in the fall. One particular group of campers comes to Delaware County every spring to feast on freshly caught trout, water crest, and mushrooms.
Delaware County Fair
The second week in July boasts a regular attendance of over 50,000 and features big name entertainment, carnival rides and games, exciting car and motorcycle races, great domestic animal shows (beef, dairy, hog, horse, and sheep), and live animal auctions. Country and rock music groups, demolition derbies, and even mixed martial arts contests name a few of the spectacles featured at the Delaware County Fair in recent years.
Delaware County Fair - An annual event featuring entertainment, rides, auctions, and more. (563) 927-6449
