Riverfront

Burlington is a river city, and downtown sits right alongside the mighty Mississippi. At one time the waterfront was busy with the clamor of steamboats unloading and taking on passengers. Today, Burlington's Riverside Park provides opportunities for fishing, boating, strolling, or just watching barges churn past. You’ll also have great views of the magnificent Great River Bridge, a single tower cable-stayed truss structure completed in 1993, and the new BNSF double track, vertical-lift railroad bridge, which opened in 2010.

The historic Port of Burlington building at Front and Washington Streets is home to a primary state Welcome Center, as well as The Iowa Store. From May to December, it's also the location of the popular Riverfront Farmers Market on Thursday evenings.

Memorial Auditorium, an Art Deco landmark built by the Works Progress Administration in 1939, hosts a variety of concerts and events throughout the year. There are boat ramps both north of the Port and south of the Auditorium. The fountains in front of the building are a favorite cooling off spot in the heat of summer. In wintertime, scores of majestic bald eagles can be seen snatching fish out of the icy water.