Diverse architectural styles, historical monuments and lively community hubs make Downtown Dubuque an exciting destination. Tour the historic city streets and look out over the city from the top of a bluff. Have coffee in a buzzing café and dine in a restaurant within a heritage building. Check out boutique retailers and one of Iowa’s oldest farmers markets to get acquainted with the local Dubuque community.
Start your Downtown Dubuque walking tour at the historic Ice Harbor and the Port of Dubuque, once humming with steamboats. Stroll up Historic Old Main Street to admire the variations in old world architecture. Notice the Hotel Julien Dubuque, old stone buildings with ornate carvings and steamboat-style houses, with front porches on both the first and second floors.
At the Town Clock Plaza, see Dubuque’s restored Clock Tower. Open-air concerts are regularly held in the plaza every summer. Nearby, the Dubuque County Courthouse and the Carnegie-Stout Library are open to visitors. Pick up locally made souvenirs, boutique apparel and well-known labels from heritage homes converted into cozy stores. Walk toward the bluff and peruse the gift shops and galleries lining the streets. Reach the top of the bluff via the historic Fenelon Place Elevator, which takes passengers diagonally up the face. Stop at the Cathedral San Raphael to check out the imposing building’s gothic revival architecture.
On Saturdays between May and October, visit the weekly Dubuque Farmers Market, which has operated in the Upper Main district since 1845. Purchase homegrown produce and handmade souvenirs at this popular local market. Other regular events in Downtown Dubuque include jazz concerts, art festivals and architecture tours.
Downtown Dubuque stretches from the old port toward 12th Street in the north. Visit the district for free at any time. Public transit is limited, but a network of buses operates between the east and west sides of the city.
