Why Council Bluffs, Iowa, Is the Perfect Place to Call Home
If you visit Council Bluffs, IA, there’s a chance you might stay a lifetime. Located just across the Missouri River from Omaha, NE, it delivers small-town charm and all the perks of big-city life. These include career opportunities in various industries, good schools, a stunning natural landscape and plenty of things to do and see, like attending the local farmers market, plus hiking and biking along the region’s many trails.
To get a better idea of what it’s like to live in Council Bluffs, read on to learn about two relocatees who share why they moved to the area, what they most enjoy about it, and some of their go-to spots that you need to check out.
The Perfect Combination
“I grew up on a farm outside of Treynor, Iowa, but moved to Denver, CO, in my early 20s,” says Shannon Kotlarz, executive administrator for Right Idea Media & Creative, a full-service ad agency in Council Bluffs. “After living there and working in corporate banking for many years, I decided I wanted to be near family, so in 2011, I moved back to Iowa and bought my first house in Council Bluffs.”
The opportunity to live near family and join a creative team where she could grow professionally motivated Kotlarz to make the move, but the ability to purchase a home on her own sealed the deal. Today, the average home price in the region is just over $200,000, making it an affordable place to buy.
Since moving to the area, Kotlarz has fallen more in love with her community, from its amenities, including schools, to its never-ending things to do.
“I love our school – Lewis Central Community School District – here in Council Bluffs, and my son has a blast every summer at the Charles Lakin YMCA day camp,” Kotlarz says. “Our family enjoys dinner at Barley’s or The Salty Dog and finds an afternoon at Full Fledged Brewing Co. a fun time, as well.”
As a runner, she especially enjoys having access to so many trails and places to take in nature, like Lake Manawa State Park and Lewis and Clark Monument Park. For those who love to hike or bike, Fairmount Park and Vincent Bluff Nature Preserve have paths worth exploring. Plus, the region boasts plenty of events for all ages, from Springfest, where large, colorful kites fill the sky, to story time gatherings at the Council Bluffs Public Library for little ones.
A Place to Grow
Like Kotlarz, Anna Scott, a Realtor at Embarc Realty, relocated to Council Bluffs to be closer to family, but she quickly realized that the city was also the perfect place to grow her career. Scott worked in insurance and property management before pursuing her passion for real estate and becoming a full-time agent. “I’ve been so lucky and blessed to build my business and meet so many fantastic people here,” she says.
Outside of work, Scott and her family enjoy taking in all the entertainment, restaurants and nature that the region has to offer. And with a diverse arts community and an ever-growing food scene, there’s never a shortage of things to see and eat.
“I really like going to the Hoff for their ballets and Friday night musicians,” Scott says of the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, which is home to several arts-based organizations and includes a theater, rehearsal areas, a gallery, artist studios, classrooms and a commercial-grade teaching kitchen that hosts a food startup incubator.
Other creative offerings in Council Bluffs include public art, like Molecule Man, a 50-foot aluminum sculpture, and Rhythm, a 22,000-square-foot sculpture garden.
For good eats, Scott says she and her family often head to LPL’s Restaurant & Pub, where they always get an order or two of the crispy fried cheeseballs. Another favorite for them is 712 Eat + Drink, a contemporary restaurant known for its extensive beer and wine offerings, weekend brunches and American classics.
“We always enjoy all of the activities during Celebrate CB, a weeklong celebration of the Council Bluffs community, and we go to Sunset Park as often as we can,” Scott says of the beautiful 6-acre park. It’s the perfect place to spend a day watching a local baseball game, playing horseshoes or barbecuing with friends and family.
Get To Know Council Bluffs
Learn more about working and living in Council Bluffs, IA, by visiting livability.com/council-bluffs.