When friends heard I was celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary in my mother's hometown of Dubuque, Iowa, they groaned. Yep, no free Caribbean cruise or posh dude ranch for this family. But what those friends -- and indeed most Minnesotans -- don't know is that Dubuque is one of the last, great secret vacation spots of the Midwest. It's smack dab in the middle of the driftless area -- that lovely rounded part of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa that the glaciers didn't smash flat. And it's an old river city on the Mississippi with plenty of Italianate, Greek Revival and Queen Anne architecture that no one ever bothered to urban-renew. I dare you to peer down from a river bluff onto Dubuque's many steeples without thinking of Europe.

Why go now

Fall is a particularly lovely time to drive to Dubuque. Once you arrive, hike or bike and enjoy the breathtaking views along the 26-mile Heritage Trail from Dubuque to Dyersville (go to www.dubuquecounty.com and hit the "Heritage Trail" link). Just outside Dyersville, head to the Field of Dreams (www.fieldofdreamsmovie site.com), where you can ogle the ball diamond that Kevin Costner made famous. There are also some nearby apple/pumpkin/hayride farms. Try the Bahl Family Farm (1-563-582-1097) or Czipar's Orchard (1-563-582-7476). Mississippi lovers can enjoy fall foliage river tours (www.dubuqueriver rides.com) or awe-inspiring tri-state views from 146-acre Eagle Point Park (www.dbq.com/parks/eagle.html).

Our little secret

The Black Horse Inn (www.blackhorse-inn.com) in Sherrill, Iowa (8 miles north of Dubuque), is a potpourri-free bed-and-breakfast that area native Mark Maiers carved from a 150-year-old native limestone hotel (now on the National Register of Historic Places). Enjoy five spacious rooms, showers with river-rock flooring, solid antiques, and not a teddy bear in sight. Maiers, who lived in Germany for many years, will hold an Oktoberfest on the inn's grounds Oct. 17-18.

Six months out

Before spring fully arrives there's still plenty to do in Dubuque. Visit the excellent National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium (www.mississippirivermuseum.com) or take a ride on the Fenelon Place Elevator, a century-old cable car that takes a short, steep trip up the river bluffs from downtown to a residential area where the swells once lived (www.dbq.com/fenplco/). House lovers can get a peek at a few more historic houses by signing up with the Victorian House Tours and Progressive Dinners (1-563-557-9545), featuring a five-course dinner and four mansions.

Lynette Lamb is a Minneapolis-based writer.

GETTING THERE

One pretty route from the Twin Cities is to take Hwy. 52 south to Rochester and follow it all the way to Dubuque (look for Amish buggies near Harmony). The last 40 miles, as you wind through Guttenberg, Luxemburg and Rickardsville, are a topographical wonder of farms, pastoral views and small towns. The speed demons in my family swear by taking Interstate 35 south and Hwy. 20 east, but that route is just a few minutes faster and far less scenic.

CHECKING IN

The Black Horse Inn (see main text) is a good pick, but if you'd rather stay in the city, go to the Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark (www.grandharborresort.com) and ask for a river-view room. For a better sense of Dubuque history, choose the massive Redstone Inn (www.theredstoneinn.com) downtown or the turreted Hancock House (www.thehancockhouse. com) on the bluffs.

EATING OUT

You know a city isn't famous for its cuisine when Olive Garden shows up near the top of the TripAdvisor list. Don't despair, though: There are some possibilities. Enjoy the German food and décor at Europa Haus Restaurant and Bier Stube (1-563-588-0361) or go 16 miles north to Breitbach's (1-563-552-2220) in Balltown. This century-and-a-half-old restaurant was destroyed by fire last winter, but reopened recently in a brighter, larger incarnation. It looks much like a German beer hall now, and is operated by the same family that has owned it since the 1860s.