What’s it Like to Visit Field of Dreams in Iowa? + Top Tips

Iowa is known for corn, hog farming, caucuses, and that one university. If you’re even a mid-level baseball (or Kevin Costner) fan, you probably know it was also the setting for Field of Dreams.

I’m going to be a little vulnerable here. I was an adult when I saw the movie for the first time and thought it was super weird. Did that stop me from wanting to visit Dyersville to see the cornfields where it all happened?

Nope. I love a good movie connection in our travels, and this is a big one.

This guide will detail our experience, whether the real Field of Dreams is heaven or just Iowa, and what there even is to do once you make the trip.

Is the Field of Dreams worth visiting?

A visit to the Field of Dreams is definitely worth it. Yes, it takes some effort to get out there, but they built it. You simply must come.

They built it in Iowa for a reason.

Before you visit the Field of Dreams movie site and other places so near and dear to the American consciousness, you need to sit down and watch the relevant movies. That’s if you haven’t already, of course.

I had never seen the movie as a kid because baseball interested me about as much as going to Polish school on Saturdays, which I’m saying was not very much. 

In any case, back in 1989, a group of Hollywood types from Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios) went on the hunt for the perfect family farmhouse. This was to serve as the home of the Kinsella family in the movie. 

Their travels took them all the way to Iowa, where they knew they’d find the long stalks of corn to be featured so prominently in the movie at the very least. 

Enter Dyersville, a small town in Iowa’s Dubuque County about an hour and 15 minutes from Cedar Rapids.

READ MORE: We really liked Cedar Rapids. Steal our guide if you want to check out the town while you’re in Iowa.

They found not one but two picture-perfect farms there that could be adjusted a bit for their purposes. They had to build a baseball field, after all, because as you saw in the movie, it’s not usual to play baseball in the middle of a working farm.

The house used in the movie was owned by the Lansing family. On a tour, you’ll hear all about the changes filmmakers made to the interior for easier lighting and camera work. I imagine they wanted better views of Kevin Costner in those jeans, too.

A neighbor’s farm owned by the Ameskamp family was also used in the movie to expand the footprint of the field and allow for clear sight lines during magic hour.

How much does it cost to visit the Field of Dreams?

It doesn’t cost anything to visit the Field of Dreams. There is, however, a suggested donation of $20 if you visit.

The spirit didn’t move us to donate further as we had gotten house tour tickets for a house tour in advance. 

Fun fact: That $20 is purposeful, by the way. There’s a clip in the movie where Terence Mann (played by James Earl Jones) tells Ray that people will come to Iowa to cheer on the ghost baseball players without even much marketing involved. He suggests they’re charged $20 per person. “They’ll pass over the money without even thinking about it,” he says.

Things to Do at the Field of Dreams

You can’t visit the MLB field adjacent to the Field of Dreams unless you have tickets to the actual game. That field isn’t open to the public. The actual Field of Dreams IS open to the public and likely what you came here to see.

Play catch on the Field of Dreams.

You can absolutely play catch on the Field of Dreams. You can run the bases, too. The gift shop even has gear for you to rent if you haven’t brought your own.

I imagine that includes bats and helmets and…balls? I’m not some athlete.

You don’t even need to book a guided tour or pay the suggested donation to mess around on the actual Field of Dreams. That’s pretty awesome.

Disappear into the corn.

Even if you booked a tour, arrive with enough time before your tour to take the required photos and disappear into the corn. Maybe you’ll hear a whisper from the ghost players.

Just follow the posted signage and keep close to the edge. You want to keep things fun and whimsical, not vanish into the stalks.

Tour the Field of Dreams house.

I highly recommend booking a house tour on your visit to the Field of Dreams. If you don’t, you’ll only have access to the field itself. There are only so many balls you can throw (or catch?) out there. 

As you enter the house, you’ll see all kinds of touches that play up the home’s connection to the movie.

Your excellent guide will point out all of the Easter eggs but don’t miss the Jimmy Stewart movie Harvey playing on a ledge overlooking the main room. 

Note: One of the most interesting original pieces from the film set is still here. It’s the stove filmmakers added for those farmhouse vibes. The original owners liked it enough to keep it.

Your guide will also tell you about plans for the future here, including additional fields for local youth baseball fields, a hotel, and even a whiffle ball field.

It’s all been bought and paid for by a group of investors led by Hall of Famer Frank Thomas and Dan Evans, the former general manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Note: The field has exchanged hands a few times over the years, but it didn’t really become a commercial site until 2010 when the Lansings put the land up for sale. At that time, the land was bought by a private entity known as Go the Distance Baseball.

The good news is that even under new ownership, the Field of Dreams will stay right where it is, along with home tours of the old Kinsella house.

Interested in imagining yourself as part of the Kinsella family? You can actually overnight at the house as part of the Kinsella Experience. You’ll get a commemorative baseball, wine, and a DVD of Field of Dreams, naturally, as part of your booking.

Hit the gift shop.

If you’re just dying for a souvenir of your time here, the gift shop has all of the expected Field of Dreams movie apparel, baseballs, caps, and collectibles. This is also where you can rent baseball gear if you’re here to play.

Catch a baseball game.

The MLB hosts special Field of Dreams games at the site where professional teams play on a specially built field next to the original movie set. You can also catch amateur and vintage baseball games played in classic uniforms.

I’m generally at games for the hot dogs, but catching a game at a site so beloved by baseball fans does sound like a charming time.

Attend a special event.

The Field of Dreams holds all kinds of special events throughout the year like concerts, festivals, and Ghost Saturdays.

The latter is a free event featuring the Ghost Players performing what’s described as their Greatest Shot on Dirt. If that sounds like a good time for you, bring your own seating.

Eat at The Dugout.

We opted for the brewery in town, but if you’re feeling, you can grab a bite to eat at The Dugout while soaking in all of that nostalgia. The concession stand menu offers all of the classic ballpark favorites with views of the field.

When to Visit the Field of Dreams

You can see the Field of Dreams by visiting Dyersville from the months of April through November.

Sadly, this is a seasonal pursuit. Iowa enjoys all four seasons, and winter means snow and imperfect conditions for ghost baseball. The corn itself is harvested around the first weekend of November.

The best time to visit Field of Dreams is at the very start of fall. The weather is still pleasant and the corn is tall. The site gets very busy in the summertime when kids are at school, so keep that in mind if you’re planning a summertime visit.

How to Get to the Field of Dreams

You’ll likely have to drive or fly in from elsewhere to get to Dyersville. We were coming from Cedar Rapids, about an hour and 15 minutes away from the movie site. If you’re flying, here are your options:

• Dubuque Regional Airport (Dubuque, IA): 35 minutes
• Eastern Iowa Airport (Cedar Rapids, IA): 1 hour 20 minutes
• Quad City International Airport (Moline, IL): 1 hour 35 minutes
• Dane County Regional Airport (Madison, WI): 2 hours 15 minutes
• Chicago Rockford International Airport (Rockford, IL): 2 hours 20 minutes
• Des Moines International Airport (Des Moines, IA): 3 hours 3 minutes

You’ll likely need to fly into a larger airport to connect to one of those smaller regionals above. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport will likely offer the best airfare deals.

It’s about four hours away if you want to extend your trip with some time in my hometown. Don’t miss the best pizza ever if that’s what you decide to do.

General Mitchell International Airport is another good option for decent flight deals. That one is about 3 hours and 20 minutes away from the field.

If you do fly into one of those regionals, you’ll still need a car once you land. Don’t expect public transportation out here or much access to rideshare services. He had to build it for them to come if you recall. There’s really not a whole lot out there.

Once you’re there, parking is easy. There is a large lot upon arrival, and a kind volunteer (or worker, I’m not sure) will show you where to go.

Special event parking is a little different. If you’re here for one of the MLB games, those typically come with a parking pass.

READ MORE: Planning a trip to Iowa City while you’re here? Don’t miss the Devonian Fossil Gorge.

What’s so special about the Field of Dreams

The Field of Dreams movie holds all kinds of special memories for anyone who watched it as a kid. Yes, I think it’s a weird movie to watch for the first time as an adult, but I totally get the nostalgia people feel for it.

I also get the heart flutter some may feel over watching Kevin Costner navigate those jeans.

Anyway, our experience was special despite my feelings about plot holes in the movie. We arrived to find kids playing ball on the baseball field. That was about as adorable as it sounds. 

Dogs are allowed on the grounds, too. You just can’t bring them into any of the buildings or on a tour of the house.

Fun fact: Yes, you can get married here, too. One of the workers’ daughters was getting married the afternoon of our visit, so we got to see all kinds of people hustling to make their own movie magic happen for the happy couple.

More Things to Do in Dyersville

Your visit to the Field of Dreams won’t take all day, even if you have yourself a pickup game of baseball on the actual field. Is that a thing, by the way? Pickup baseball? I’m just imagining The Sandlot at this point.

Here are a few more things to do on your Iowa road trip to Dyersville.

Sip on corn lager at Textile Brewing Company.

If you went on the home tour, you probably got a quick view of the corn lager on one of the shelves in the kitchen. You can actually drink that beer at Textile Brewing Company. It’s not on draft, but you can pour out a can on-site or take it with you.

It’s called “If You Brew It.”

I was a bigger fan of the apple pie cider on tap and the giant pumpkin spice pretzel we housed as a post-tour snack. I love fall everything.

Visit a doll museum.

The Dyer-Botsford Historical House and Doll Museum is a history museum of sorts, but people don’t typically come here to learn about Dyersville. They’re here for the hundreds of dolls on display. 

Gaze at the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier.

We only drove by this basilica on our way back to Cedar Rapids, but you’ll likely see it at some point by the way it dominates the city’s landscape. If you go to the brewery, you’ll be able to see its towering spires from the road.

The church is one of only two basilicas in the entire state of Iowa. If you’d like to stop in, it’s open from sunrise to sunset.

Bike the Heritage Trail.

If you didn’t get enough exercise out on the field, this scenic trail is 26 miles of multi-use trail for hikers, bikers, and yoggers. That’s a very slow jog, by the way, and my favorite type of fitness.

If you want to bike the full route, the trail takes you through nearby towns like Durango and Farley.

Where to Stay Near the Field of Dreams

I’ve already mentioned the Kinsella Experience if you want a bucket list overnight at the Field of Dreams. Eventually, a planned hotel will allow for more affordable accommodations near the field, as well.

As far as your other options at this time, you’re going to pay extra to stay closer to the Field of Dreams. This is a big tourist attraction, and people want to visit with efficiency.

You can stay at the Comfort Inn in Dyersville if that’s what you’re after, but you’re spending quite a bit for basic accommodations.

We visited on a day trip from Cedar Rapids, a city with plentiful accommodations for all budgets. Dubuque is another good option for budget-friendly hotels nearby and a little closer than Cedar Rapids.

Use the map below for your options:

The Field of Dreams is worth seeing in person.

No, Field of Dreams is not a true story. If you’ve seen the movie, you know it’s about ghost baseball players. That didn’t happen.

What did happen at the site is a movie that has delighted millions of kids over the years and confused at least one adult at the time of this writing. Despite that, I had a great time visiting these hallowed grounds.