The District, Cedar Rapids
The Czech Village and New Bohemia neighborhoods combine to form The District. From its origins as an ethnic enclave, this area has evolved into a lively art and cultural hub. Shop for humorous T-shirts at Raygun, imported treasures at the Czech Cottage and vinyl records at Vinyl Emporium. The NewBo City Market, a community gathering place and business incubator, has a dozen small shops and eateries selling artisan items and specialty foods. 

Village of East Davenport
This charming neighborhood filled with historic buildings was founded in 1851 as a logging town on the Mississippi River. Today, many of those Victorian buildings house one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants and art galleries. For home design and decor items, visit Calla. Kaleidoscope Works Art Gallery & Gifts sells original works of art, including brilliant kaleidoscopes created by artist Tom Chouteau, while Doodads is the place to go for retro relics, antiques and jewelry. Before leaving the area, enjoy a sweet treat at Lagomarcino’s confectionery, purveyors of fine chocolates and more.

Downtown Decorah
Shop for Scandinavian-themed gifts at the Vesterheim Museum Store, and then wander the eclectic stores that line Decorah’s downtown. Agora Arts carries contemporary art and handmade crafts from more than 250 artists, while Cardboard Robot has gifts for tinkerers, amateur engineers and artists. Browse the shelves at Dragonfly Books for the readers on your list, and find gifts for yarn enthusiasts at Blue Heron Knittery.