Sports & Recreation

It's little wonder the Men's Journal ranks the Iowa City area No. 6 healthiest, safest and sexiest place to live in America. The Iowa City area is an outdoor paradise, rich with public open spaces; picturesque vistas; pristine, natural tall-grass prairies; savannah forests; gentle, rolling hills and productive farmland.

Those seeking an active life experience, especially out-of-doors, need not look any further. With a 5,300-acre, man-made reservoir, developed to protect valuable Iowa farmland from flooding, and 25,000 acres of surrounding woodlands that provide camping sites, hiking trails, water skiing, fishing, boating, swimming and picnic facilities --  the area has something for everyone.

The area also offers great spectator Big-Ten sports, organized sports and activities for all ages and abilities. More than 30 miles of hiking and biking trails connect neighboring communities. And, the cities and towns in Johnson County coordinate programs for residents at their neighborhood community centers.

Iowa is a golfing Mecca with more courses per capita than any other state. The region has numerous nine- and 18-hole golf courses and three of the state's top-ranking links are in Iowa City and nearby, Amana, Cedar Rapids and Riverside.

Number of Recreation Facilities in Iowa City area

Arenas/Stadiums                             5
Ball Diamonds                                39
Basketball Courts                           22
Bowling Alleys                                  2
Flag Football Fields                          7
Frisbee Golf Courses                       4
Ice Skating -  Indoor                          1
Ice Skating - Outdoor                       3
Movie screens                                 29
Recreation Centers                          4
Public Golf Courses                         9
Recreation Trails                     25-plus
Sand Volleyball                                 6
Senior Center                                   1
Skateboard Parks                             2
Soccer Fields                                  37
Swimming Pools                               6
Swimming Pools - indoor                  3
Aquatic Centers                                 2
Skate park                                         1
Tennis Courts - outdoor                  48
Tennis Courts - indoor                        

Public Parks

Hawkeye Wildlife Area
Herbert Hoover Historic National Park
Lake Macbride State Park
Coralville Lake Army Corps of Engineers
F. W. Kent Park
Johnson County Heritage Trust
Thornberry Off-leash Dog Park
Southgate Park  - 160-acre park with an 80-acre lake
More than 48 city parks in the area