16 Top Rated hotels near Mt Vernon, IA 52314, USA

The "mountain" on which Mount Vernon sits is a paha, a ridge formed of sand and clay during the ice ages. The Mount Vernon paha is roughly one mile long and 1/4 miles wide and stands up to 100 feet above the surrounding landscape. You can see some of the most scenic landscapes in Mount Vernon when you hike Palisades-Kepler State Park, just along the picturesque Cedar River. The 840-acre park has dramatic river bluffs, deep ravines, majestic hardwood trees, a large variety of wildflowers and an abundance of wildlife. Tying it to Mount Vernon’s Ice age beginnings is a molar tooth of a mammoth was once found here and the exposed rocks along the Cedar River that are laden with fossils of millions of years of history. The presence of Indian mounds reminds us that this was a favorite haunt of Native Americans hundreds of years ago. Lake MacBride and the Coralville Reservoir offer boundless water and woodland opportunities just 10 miles away. In 1853, the Iowa Conference Male and Female Seminary was established - four years later it became Cornell College. Cornell is the only college in the nation to have its entire campus listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Cornell is located on a beautiful, wooded hilltop in Mount Vernon, Iowa, just a few blocks from the town's historic Main Street, which also lies in the midst of Iowa's Cultural Corridor, which has a thriving local art scene and an eclectic variety of businesses – everything from cozy coffeehouses to movie theaters and restaurants. Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa, is 20 miles south and offers many opportunities for young people, ranging from concerts and bookstores to excellent food and Big 10 sporting events. Cedar Rapids, Iowa's second largest city, is even closer and also full of many additional cultural outlets. For excellent shopping options, you are near Coralville's Coral Ridge Mall, one of the largest in the Midwest. When you start planning your visit to the area, you’ll have a convenient location to rest and recharge when you stay at one of our Choice Hotels in Stevens Point, WI. Book a room online now!