Discover the Best Day Trips around the Quad Cities
Looking for fun places near the Quad Cities? QC Day Trips is your local guide to unforgettable adventures across Iowa and Illinois — all within easy driving distance. Plan a spontaneous weekend, a family road trip, or a peaceful day away without going far
The House on the Rock
The House on the Rock is one of the Midwest’s most bizarre and unforgettable attractions. Originally built atop a rocky outcrop in the 1940s, this sprawling destination features wildly imaginative architecture, winding halls, and an enormous collection of eccentric exhibits. Visitors can explore the Infinity Room extending over the forest canopy, marvel at the world’s largest indoor carousel, and wander through themed rooms filled with antiques, animatronics, and oddities. It’s a surreal, immersive experience that blends fantasy, history, and spectacle in a way that defies explanation. A must-see day trip destination for fans of the unusual and unforgettable.
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John Deere Pavilion
Explore the legacy of American innovation at John Deere’s Quad Cities attractions. From hands-on exhibits at the John Deere Pavilion to immersive history at the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum and the historic Deere family home, these destinations bring agriculture, technology, and Midwest pride to life for visitors of all ages. Addresses (key locations): John Deere Pavilion 1400 River Dr, Moline, IL 61265 Tractor & Engine Museum 500 W. Field Ave, Waterloo, IA 50701 (Note: not in Quad Cities but sometimes mentioned as part of extended visits) Historic Deere Family Home (Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House) 1105 8th St, Moline, IL 61265
Devonian Fossil Gorge
Imagine walking on a 375 million year old ocean floor! This glimpse into Iowa's geologic past was first exposed during the Floods of 1993 at Coralville Lake, then again more was exposed during the Floods of 2008. The fossils and limestone bedrock of the Devonian Fossil Gorge date back almost 200 million years before the dinosaurs!