The Cedar Valley, IA, Boasts Big-City Convenience and Small-Town Nostalgia
As home to Waterloo and Cedar Falls and smaller communities like Waverly, the Cedar Valley, IA, boasts both urban amenities and small-town charm.
For instance, Waterloo offers draws you’d find in major metropolitan areas, such as Lost Island Waterpark, and the city’s downtown is packed with attractions including RiverLoop Amphitheatre, Waterloo Center for the Arts and local craft breweries. By contrast, Waverly’s historic downtown and the presence of Wartburg College create a community one might find in a Hallmark movie.
Two area residents share their thoughts on what makes a perfect day during all seasons in the Valley.
From Bosnia to Black Hawk Country
Edita Begić was born over 5,000 miles from Iowa, but since moving to the Cedar Valley from her birthplace, Bosnia, at age 11, the area has become home. Begić has put down roots both familial – she married her high school sweetheart, with whom she has three daughters – as well as professional, founding Vine Valley Real Estate in 2019.
During the winter, the family’s ideal day starts at Tata Yaya in Cedar Falls, a casual breakfast spot where Nutella crepes with bananas are a favorite order, before heading out in search of a good sledding hill.
“Afterwards,” Begić says, “we always enjoy warming up with coffee and hot chocolate from Cup of Joe in downtown Cedar Falls.”
For lunch, she says Urban Pie is always a good bet.
“Their Thai pizza and sweet chili salad are top picks for us, making it a perfect outing any time of year,” she says, although she does point out warmer months mean relaxing on the patio and enjoying the views from the adjoining River Place Plaza.
The rest of the afternoon is spent taking advantage of a wealth of local events.
“In November and December, Waterloo and Cedar Falls offer festive outdoor activities and events leading up to the holidays. The streets are adorned with lights, Santa arrives, and there are Holiday Hoopla festivities, including trolley rides. It’s truly magical,” Begić says.
Finally, Begić and her husband like to spend date night with a drink at The Wine Shop and dinner at high-end restaurant Montage in Cedar Falls.
“The Cedar Valley is a gem,” she says. “It’s not big or small. It’s a perfect place to raise a family and call home.”
Hometown Heart in the Cedar Valley, IA
In contrast to Begić, Kate McGlaun has called the Cedar Valley home for her entire life (“absent a few years in college,” she says). Her family has owned a farm outside Waverly for well over a century. Now, McGlaun is proud to raise her own children in the same community in which her ancestors lived.
Breakfast is at the Wild Carrot, which serves up “huge and delicious” pancakes in Waverly. Then, McGlaun opts for a visit to the Wartburg-Waverly Sports & Wellness Center (also known as “the W”) where, she says, “we could go for a swim in their pool or climb the rock wall if we’re up for a good challenge.”
The Other Place – aka the OP – is McGlaun’s pick for lunch. “From personal-sized pizzas to taco salads, they offer options for any member of my family no matter what age,” she says. “I enjoy their chicken wraps.”
As for the rest of the afternoon, the options are broad for a smaller city: She suggests going to the Waverly Bowl Inn bowling alley and visiting the Waldemar A. Schmidt Art Gallery at Wartburg College. In the winter, she enjoys outdoor ice skating, hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing along the Rail Trail system or at Cedar Bend Park in Waverly.
After dropping the kids off, McGlaun and her husband are off for a date night.
“We are fortunate to have a lot of restaurants within the community, but one of our ‘go-tos’ is Asian Garden,” she says. “They are a family-owned business, and my husband and I go out of our way to support any local business when given the opportunity. Then, I would want to check in with the Bremer Brewing Co. to see if they were hosting a trivia night for entertainment and also probably enjoy one (or two) of their delicious concoctions.”
McGlaun is never bored in her hometown.
“I don’t think that people realize how many different events are going on within the community on any given day,” she says. “If you say you ‘can’t find anything to do’ in Waverly, then you must not be looking very hard, or you are not talking to the right people.”
Get to Know the Cedar Valley
Want to learn more about living and working in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Metro Region of Iowa? Check out the latest edition of Livability Live the Valley.