{"id":27747,"date":"2014-03-24T01:53:03","date_gmt":"2014-03-24T08:53:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/?p=27747"},"modified":"2014-03-24T01:53:03","modified_gmt":"2014-03-24T08:53:03","slug":"move-to-sioux-city-iowa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/move-to-sioux-city-iowa\/","title":{"rendered":"30 Things You Need To Know About Sioux City, Iowa Before You Move There"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. What SUX? Not The Sioux Gateway Airport <\/h2>\n

\"Sioux<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr user dana robinson<\/div>\n

This small airport is owned by the city and serves the public and military. Its airport designator SUX has been called an \u201cembarrassment\u201d to the city. However, after a few alternatives were discussed, the city decided to laugh about it and keep the very memorable acronym.<\/p>\n

2. Sioux City\u2019s Got A Quadfecta of Colleges<\/h2>\n
Source: Instagram user higheredimages<\/div>\n

There are four, count \u2018em, FOUR higher ed institutions in Sioux City: Morningside College, Briar Cliff University, Western Iowa<\/a> Tech Community College and St. Luke\u2019s College. I don\u2019t think I need to tell you that students are everywhere.<\/p>\n

3. Pay Tribute To Chief War Eagle<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Wikimedia user Tloftus<\/div>\n

Chief War Eagle Wambdi Okicize, which means Little Eagle, was a peacemaker, but when whites started calling him War Eagle, the name stuck. After being elected chief of the Ihanktowan, or Yankton Sioux, he traveled to Washington D.C.<\/a> with other tribal leaders to negotiate peace treaties and received a silver peace medal from President Martin Van Buren. You can visit his burial site in War Eagle Park.<\/p>\n

4. Get An Ear-Full At The Sioux City Symphony Orchestra<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Sioux City Symphony Orchestra via Facebook<\/div>\n

Since its beginning as a humble 30-piece college ensemble in 1915, the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra has tripled in size to include 90 professional musicians. The SCSO has performed with world-famous violinist Joshua Bell and alongside superbly talented acrobats and aerialists in the show \u201cCirque de la Symphonie.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. You\u2019ll Be Exiled If You Don\u2019t Profess Your Undying Love For Tastee Inn & Out<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Facebook user Tastee Inn & Out<\/div>\n

Many cities have one beloved, iconic restaurant. In Sioux City, that restaurant is the Tastee Inn & Out, which was opened in 1955 by Vincent and Marie Calligan as the city\u2019s first fast food drive-thru restaurant. Famous dishes include onion chips, Tastee pups (hot dogs), chilli soup, and the Tastee sandwich, a sort of loose meat concoction that is cooked with ground beef and special Tastee sauce.<\/p>\n

6. Three States = One City<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr user Edvydas Cicenas<\/div>\n

This may seem like a no-brainer, but when you\u2019re new in town, it can feel a bit strange to travel across state lines without ever leaving the city limits. Sioux City, the largest section, lies in Iowa, while North Sioux City is in South Dakota<\/a> and South Sioux City is in Nebraska<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7. You Can Go Catch A Fly Ball<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Source: Sioux City Explorers via Facebook<\/div>\n

If for no other reason, you have to go to a Sioux City Explorers game just because their home field has the most epic name ever: Lewis and Clark Park. But what\u2019s up with Slider, the dog mascot? He needs an Indiana Jones hat or something more…explorer-y.<\/p>\n

8. Welcome To Siouxland<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr user FordRanger<\/div>\n

The area surrounding Sioux City is called Siouxland, which includes the land adjacent to the Big Sioux River drainage basin. The area stretches north into Minnesota<\/a> and South Dakota, and down into Nebraska and Iowa.<\/p>\n

9. Go Enjoy The Green<\/h2>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

Source: Sioux City Parks and Recreation via Facebook<\/div>\n

Thanks to the Missouri River and plenty of green space, Sioux City is home to more than 35 parks. They include everything from playgrounds and swimming pools, to the Anderson Dance Pavilion, Grandview Bandshell and the Rose Garden in Grandview Park.<\/p>\n

10. Row A Boat Across The Wide Missouri<\/h2>\n
Source: Instagram user wchadjordan<\/div>\n

Sioux City is truly a river town. The Missouri River provides plenty of green space for parks and hiking and biking paths, great views and, as the navigational head of the river, a prime spot for boating.<\/p>\n

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11. Get Your History Buff On At The Sioux City Museum<\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Source: Facebook user Sioux City Museum & Historical Association<\/div>\n

This small museum is big on hands-on fun and information. Aiming to preserve and share the city\u2019s history, it\u2019s chock-full of Native American objects, pioneer artifacts, and military memorabilia. They have some pretty sweet programs for adults and kids, too–I wish I were a first grader just so I could \u201cEat Like An Astronaut\u201d for a day.<\/p>\n

12. No One Knows How To Say \u201cLoess\u201d<\/h2>\n

\"Loess<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr user FordRanger<\/div>\n

Some people say \u201cLuss,\u201d others say \u201cLoe-s,\u201d but everyone agrees that the Loess Hills are worth saving. Invasive species and runoff threaten to destabilize the fragile soil of this 200-feet tall geological marvel. Spend some time in the Loess Hills State Forest or take a drive on the Loess Hills Scenic Byway for a visually-stunning daytrip.<\/p>\n

13. People From Sioux City Don\u2019t Pack Meat No More<\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Source: Wikimedia Lordkinbote<\/div>\n

At one time, the Sioux City stockyards sold more livestock than anywhere else in the country, and the smells that wafted from the yards and packing plants were jokingly referred to as the \u201cthe smell of money.\u201d The stockyards closed in 2002, but the town\u2019s meat-packing heyday is still remembered by some of the town\u2019s older residents.<\/p>\n

14. Mark Your Calendar For Saturday In The Park<\/h2>\n
Source: Instagram user amymyers85<\/div>\n

Saturday in the Park is an annual festival that usually held at the Grandview Park Municipal Bandshell on the Saturday closest to the 4th of July. About 50,000 people attend the festival each year.<\/p>\n

15. You Won\u2019t Have To Wait At The Long Lines Family Rec Center<\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Source: Sioux City Parks and Recreation via Facebook<\/div>\n

Whether you want to climb a rock wall, hit the batting cages, bring your tiny tots to the gym or play a game of basketball, the Long Lines Family Rec Center is the place to go.<\/p>\n

16. Brandish Your Hockey Stick And Yell \u201cEngarde!\u201d<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Source: Sioux City Musketeers via Facebook<\/div>\n

The Sioux City Musketeers, a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team, plays at the Tyson Events Center. The team, which plays in the West Division of the U.S. Hockey League, has devoted fans and knows how to have fun beyond the game itself. In a Puppy Bowl-esque twist, the team hosts Lapdog Races during intermission.<\/p>\n

17. Sioux City Is Your Win-Dough To The World<\/h2>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Source: Argosy Casino Sioux City via Facebook<\/div>\n

The Sioux City area is home to several casinos, but that doesn\u2019t mean everyone plays the slots. Casinos also serve up food and host arts and crafts shows, concerts, special events and more.<\/p>\n

18. People From Sioux City Know Their Nature<\/h2>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Source: Facebook user Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center<\/div>\n

The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center and Stone State Park is a great place to go to hike in the Loess Hills, through prairie grasses and in bur oak forests, which are home to 150-year-old giant trees. You can also visit indoor exhibits to learn about prairies, wetlands, woodlands, the Loess Hills, native species and more.<\/p>\n

19. Remember The Only Man Lewis and Clark Left Behind<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Source: Wikimedia user Ammodramus<\/div>\n

Sergeant Charles Floyd Jr., the only casualty on Lewis and Clark\u2019s expedition, died in what is today Sioux City. His grave became the country\u2019s first designated National Historic Landmark in 1900. The Sergeant Floyd River Museum and Welcome Center is located in a dry-docked, decommissioned U.S. Army Corp of Engineers inspection boat aptly named after the sergeant himself.<\/p>\n

20. Swing By For A Show At The Orpheum Theatre<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Source: Orpheum Theatre via Facebook<\/div>\n

Built in 1927, the Orpheum Theatre has been used for everything from symphonies to movies and had been visited by many famous entertainers such as Fred Astaire, Katherine Hepburn, Bill Cosby, BB King, Bob Dylan, Alison Kraus and Jerry Seinfeld. The Orpheum underwent a $12 million restoration and re-opened in 2001.<\/p>\n

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21. People From Sioux City Are Drawn To Art<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Sioux City Art Center via Facebook<\/div>\n

The Sioux City Art Center specializes in artists of the upper Midwest, particularly from Siouxland. It features both a permanent collection, rotating galleries, a hands-on gallery for children and families and art classes. Admission is free (other than fees charged for certain special exhibits and events).<\/p>\n

22. Leave The (Restaurant) Chain Gang Behind<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Source: Diamond Thai Cuisine via Facebook<\/div>\n

Let\u2019s be honest, the Midwest is dominated by Bob Evans. Thankfully, Sioux City is not. If you\u2019re craving something other than a burger, local favorites include:<\/p>\n