Why Grinnell?
Nieka and Ken both graduated from Grinnell College, and Grinnell is where they met. It's a beautiful setting in the heart of Iowa, and the best place we could think of to start our lives together.
Times and Places
The service will be held at 4:00 PM at Herrick Chapel on the Grinnell College campus.
There will be a reception at 5:30 PM in the nearby Bucksbaum Fine Arts Center, with dinner to follow.
Please see the campus map. Herrick Chapel is outlined in red. The Bucksbaum Fine Arts Center is outlined in blue. Parking is outlined in green -- to access these spaces, go north on Park Street to 7th, turn left, and turn left again.
Getting to Grinnell
For those who fly: You have a choice of two airports. Des Moines, larger and with better connections to hub cities, is 60 miles to the west. Cedar Rapids, smaller and well-connected to Chicago and Minneapolis, is about 65 miles to the east. There are no regular shuttles between either city and Grinnell, so a rental car is a must.
Please follow this link to Mapquest for a map of Grinnell and central Iowa.
For those who drive: Grinnell is at exit 182 on I-80, the major east-west road across Iowa.
To help you find your way around Grinnell, here is a map of Grinnell with Herrick, Bucksbaum Fine Arts Center, and other campus buildings.
Where to Stay
There is a block of rooms reserved at the Country Inn of Grinnell at a special rate; call the Country Inn at (641) 236-9600 and mention for the Apell-Varnum wedding. There are also three Bed & Breakfasts in Grinnell: Marsh House, Carriage House, and Clayton House.
Registry
We're registered at two stores:
- Marshall Field's (Find our registry by typing either Ken Varnum or Nieka Apell in the name boxes on the left side of the screen. To see our china pattern, please go to Small Island Trader, who have pictures of what we're registered for.)
- Crate & Barrel
Things to Do In and Around Grinnell
If you arrive early there are a number of places in and around Grinnell to visit. The Amana Colonies are about 45 miles east of Grinnell on U.S. Highway 6. The Amanas are famous for their restaurants and crafts. Living History Farms in Des Moines is an outdoor museum, along the lines of Greenfield Village or Colonial Williamsburg, that recreates farms from the past several centuries. Also in Des Moines is the Botanical Center with a large tropical greenhouse. And for outdoor recreation, Rock Creek State Park in nearby Kellogg, Iowa.
Grinnell has a number of restaurants; for a complete list, see the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce. One place you shouldn't miss is Cunningham's Drug Store. Cunningham's has a soda fountain where you can still get a nickel (yes, that's right -- FIVE CENTS) cup of coffee or a mixed-on-the-spot lime Coke.
There are also two nearby golf courses: Grinnell Golf & Country Club and Oakland Acres.