Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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Hey guys, created a username so I could hopefully get some info on my upcoming trip to Knoxville.  I am bringing my 7 year old son and we are coming out for the 360 Nationals (first trip for both of us).  Looking at booking a hotel room in Pella, are there better options closer?  I checked airbnb and options seemed a little sparse.  All hotels are booked solid, as i figured they would be.  Also looking for ideas of things to do in and around the Knoxville area wit hmy son that he may enjoy.  Definitley hitting the HOF museum and Slideways for some mini golf.  Any suggestions on homes for rent in town or activites would be greatly appreciated!

When I went with my wife, we would always stay in Des Moines.   It is a very easy drive back and forth, and you have a lot more choices.   You have more hotels to pick from, more resturants to pick from and more activities to pick from.   Not sure on the timing, but the State Fair is always going on during the 410 nationals.   Maybe you could take your son to the state fair as well.  

Pella Is your best bet as it’s only 20 minutes from the track and it’s a very nice town with some decent hotel options . Jaarsma Bakery is fantastic if you like sweets and the whole town really embraces the out of town race fans.

Pella is a great town, great food options, a fantastic water park on the east side of town. Cinema, best pub in Iowa(for dad). Our California team is based in Pella, we always find something new!

Pella is a good bet if you can find a room there.   We stay in Indianola, which is about 25 minutes from the track and only 10 minutes from the south side of Des Moines.    Lakeside Casino and Hotel in Osceola isn't bad but it's a 45 to 50 minute drive.    Prairie Meadows Casino and Hotel in Altoona is very nice and also about 45 minutes from the track.   Regardless of where you wind up staying, you're gonna love it! 

I would say the other option that hasn't been mentioned would be Oskaloosa. About a half hour drive from Knoxville and has a few hotels there.

I would probably stay in Pella or Des Moines as first choice but Osky would be an option if needed.

Chariton, Iowa has hotel/motel's and is only 25 mi south on 14. Resturants, shopping and easy drive back to Knoxville.

We stay in Osky for the Nationals.  Works good for us as we are coming from the southeast. 

Pella or Osky are both nice towns with good food options during the day. Make sure you bring your appetite to the track.  Lots of good food there.  If you lions bbq pay a visit to the Rib Shack. It is by the hall of fame behind turn 2.  Very good. 

Pella !! As stated above, not far from the track, great food and people. We stay at the Super 8. As far as first time to Knoxville, be prepared to do a lot and I mean a lot of walking. The best place in town I found to eat was Mr C's, it's right there by the Rib Shack and the Pizza Hut. Sorry, I can't recommend anything that would help entertain a 7yr old other than walking around checking out the team’s cars and rigs. The pits aren’t big enough to accommodate all the teams, so you’re going to see most of the teams right by Mr C's in the Goodwill parking lot. It's a sight to see no doubt ...!! It's a great time and you’re going to love it. But to get the full grasp of the event, you’re going to need to come back for the 410's !!! I'm not knocking the 360's but, the 410 shows and then the main show on Saturday is one that can't be explained in words !!! At least not by me, because I have no words to explain it, other than, Fucking Wow !!!!

I will add this, bring a back pack with a few things to help accommodate your son and yourself if things go south with all the walking. It can get pretty hot there, walking and hot can equal chafing. Not much worse than carrying around  7yr old with a severe case of the crotch burn. So, bring some extra underwear, socks and maybe shoes in case some blisters pop up. Oh, and a little first aid kit with cream for the chaffing and band-aids. Plus you’ll need a place to carry the souvenirs and t-shirts. If you don’t need that stuff, great ! but if you do, priceless !!

It's going to be a blast !!! Enjoy !!!

Super Chuck says if you end up staying in Pella, they also have a fantastic city water park. That might be a good afternoon break for your little fella.

Super Chuck

I have a 5 year old and live about 45 mins away from Knoxville however I'd assume my best bet would be to stay in Osky or Indianola both about 30 mins aways. So I'll give you my perspective if I was in the same boat traveling with my son. 

Benefits of Oskaloosa

3 grocery stores; hyvee, wal mart, and fareway

Wooden Playground

Jaarsma

Wood Iron Grille

McDonalds

Wanderlunch (inside mall, minimal retail in mall)

3 golf courses 

mini putt 

Bike Trails

Nature Center just off trails

Outdoor pool

Family Restaurant; cheap breakfast

Smokey Row (coffee, smoothies, pastries, sandwiches, ice cream)

Frosty Udder ( West End of Town)

Skate Park

cheap hotels, nicest one is currently being build just at the intersection of HWY 92 and 163, however the second nicest is probably right across the hwy, which is also where walmart is. 

Pella:

I won't go into hotels...but it is worth driving over to Pella since it's so close to Knoxville. 

Aquatic Center, wooden playground, lake redrock, Cordova Look out tower, Jaarsma Baker and other shops, bike trails, library, smokey row (coffee, smoothies, ice cream, sandwichs)

Indianola is about 30 mins away but can't state how much is there outside of the usual, grocery stores, parks, etc. 

Keep It Real

I have stayed in Newton a couple of times for the Outlaw show there.  (there are a handful of budget hotels right on the interstate) Don't know about availability during Nationals though.  I have camped for Nationals the last 18 years. 

First of all, welcome to the area!  I've got great memories of the first times I took my kids to the Nationals and spent the week in the area.

As Super Chuck said, hit the aquatic park in Pella.  Fun, clean and a great escape from the heat.

Smokey Row for lunch (cheeseburger chowder is awesome) and the ice cream is good too.  There are plenty of other food options in the surrounding area and the food by the track is great too.  BBQ to the south of the track is awesome.

Lots of bike trails so bring the bikes if you can.

The wooden playgrounds in Pella and Osky are huge - lots of fun.

The 360 Nationals are quieter than the 410's.  Make sure to check out the trailers parked all over town.  Drivers and crews will be working but most will take a minute to say hi or chat.  Great time for your little dude to get close to the cars and see them up close.  Who am I kidding, great time for you too!

I have not done this but we want to check out the Cordova observation area on the north side of Red Rock right off of 14

from what I heard it is an amazing view. You hit it when ya said slideways that place is a blast. Pella is an awesome town, nuf said on that. Up in Des Moines, you have Bass Pro Shops which you can kill a bunch of time in, then right by there is a heck of an outlet mall. Also, you can do the indoor go karts in Des Moines (cool place). Other than that you will stay busy in K-ville . Look up some of the local teams that have shops most of them do not say a word when you stop by. Lets not forget Adventure land not my come of tea, but the little dude would love it. Like what was said before the 360 nat's are way more quite that the 410's. SSo with that said find as much to do outside of K-ville as possible till at least 3pm each day. Have a blast the little dud will remember it for the rest of his life.

My wife and I stayed at the casino in Osceola(sp).  Nice people, nice rooms, and a very nice drive to the track.  If(or shall I say when) we go back we will stay there again

'Yeou can't lose, plan for rain or brutal heat/humidity and everything in between. I'm an Iowa native but live 700 miles away, I make this pilgrimage annually, I camp in Knoxville now but I've flown in and rented a car and hotel camped, pitched a tent with buddies, one year stayed in my pickup bed, 2015 we  rented a nicer hotel in downtown DM ( the only time my wife came with). All were fun, when I used to fly in I stayed in a different location every trip. 

My daughter (now 32) still raves about the corn at the Iowa State Fair. It's a big fair, if you end up in Des Moines, uber to the fairgrounds. Take the overhead tram to look over the whole place before you decide what to see, it's overwhelming. There are shuttle tractors full of nice people running every 5 or 10 minutes. Doesn't start until the Thursday of 410 nationals week. Don't go if it's over 95 degrees unless your already used to the humidity.

Everything I've read on this post is true. Probably your biggest challenge will be the length of the show, maybe skip time trials in the interest of your partner. You can hang around under the stands in the shade, but the noise will still be there. Depends on the weather.

If your kid is burned out by Friday, skip it, it's traditionally the weakest of the nights. It's still good but 4 nights straight could be tough for a 5 year old. 

Depending on where your seats are and where you're coming from, there are parking options close to the track, I like the private place to the north of the track owns several lots, a few are shady, that gives you a place to chill near the the track. Save the museum for the hottest part of the day, marvelous AC.

I went to my first nats in 1963, I remember it pretty well. My cool dad took me.

joesgarage

Thanks for all the tips!  We are driving in from PA.  Lucked into some tickets so this is kind of a last minute deal.  if everything works out i am sure we will be back, maybe for the whole week in future years.  I was hoping to make this trip a scouting trip to prepare for future trips.  I did book a room in Pella, and we will be sure to check out some of the stuff you mentioned!

Oh yeah, you'll definetly be going back.   

I've passed through Chariton quite a few times when staying at Lakeside in Osceola.   I don't remember for sure, but are there any chain hotels there or are they all independent?    Independent owned hotels in small town Texas would be dicey, but I would bet in small town Iowa they are good.   

They also have bike rentals in the Tulip Park area so you can park your car and cruise. There is a Deli accross from the park as well which is excellent! Pella has tons of great food, the water park is awesome, I know we are always servicing our car in the Pella town and usually there are others. Have a great trip, and maybe you will run into us there!