Why visit Marion
Townapedia lists 33 museums and landmarks, 39 parks and trails, 149 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cedar Rapids Galaxy 16 Cine, Collins Road Theatres, A. T. Averill House and B Avenue NE Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 12°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Marion
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Marion
Marion is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26,294 at the 2000 census and was 41,535 in 2020, an increase of 58%. The city is located next to Cedar Rapids and part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area. Marion was designated as the first Linn County seat before it was moved to the larger neighbor Cedar Rapids in 1919.
From the Wikipedia article Marion, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Mount Mercy University
School · 4.5 mi
American Catholic liberal arts university
Museums and landmarks33
A. T. Averill House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.6 mi
Historic building located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
B Avenue NE Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
Historic district in Iowa, United States
Bever Woods Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
Historic district in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Braska House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Brown Apartments
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
Historic building located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
Brucemore
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Calder Houses
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Charles W. and Nellie Perkins House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
Historic building located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
Douglas and Charlotte Grant House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
House in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Glenn O. and Lucy O. Pyle House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic building in the United States
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Granger House
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in Linn County
21 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds39
27 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes149
Applebee's
Diner · American · 2.7 mi
303 Collins Road Northeast, Cedar Rapids
Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00; Su 11:00-22:00
Biaggis Ristorante Italiano
Restaurant · Italian · 2.7 mi
320 Collins Road Northeast, Cedar Rapids
Su-Th 11:30-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-21:00
Buffalo Wild Wings
Restaurant · Wings · 3.5 mi
1100 Blairs Ferry Road Northeast, Cedar Rapids
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-24:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-01:00
Cheddar's
Diner · American · 2.4 mi
161 Collins Road Northeast
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:00
Earl's Chill and Grill
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 0.8 mi
955 29th Avenue
Mo-Fr 10:00-21:00; Sa-Su 11:00-21:00
Granite City
Diner · American · 2.3 mi
4755 1st Avenue East, Cedar Rapids
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 09:00-21:00
NaRa Thai Cuisine
Restaurant · Thai · 2.4 mi
1725 Blairs Ferry Road Northeast, Marion
Tu-Fr 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:00; Sa-Su 12:00-15:00,17:00-20:00
Napoli's Italian Restaurant
Restaurant · Italian · 1.9 mi
500 Marion Boulevard, Marion
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00
Noodles & Company
Restaurant · Pasta · 2.7 mi
310 Collins Road Northeast, Cedar Rapids
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
137 more on the map.
History
The town was named after Francis Marion, a hero of the Revolutionary War. The site was selected in 1839 to be the first county seat of the newly organized Linn County. After years of debate over moving the county seat to Cedar Rapids, it was put to a vote in 1919. The vote was 9,960 in favor of moving the seat and 4,823 not in favor.
The current site of the Indian Creek Country Club was once the home of a sulky horse racing track.
The town was the home to St. Berchman's Seminary, established in 1905 by the Sisters of Mercy as a boarding school for small boys. The academy, which closed in 1942, consisted of five buildings spread over 23 acres. One of the most famous residents was actor Don Ameche, who lived in the facility as a boy; he went on to star in the movie Cocoon. Today, the main building, now housing apartments, is all that remains.
In 2023, Mayor Nicholas AbouAssaly was re-elected for another term, being unopposed. AbouAssaly is, as of 2025, serving his third term, after winning the 2019 and 2015 elections in a landslide.
From the History section of Marion, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Best Western Plus Longbranch Hotel & Convention Center
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
90 Twixt Town Road Northeast, Cedar Rapids
Hampton Inn & Suites Cedar Rapids - North
Motel and hotel · 3.4 mi
1130 Park Place Northeast, Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids Marriott
Motel and hotel · 3.6 mi
1200 Collins Road Northeast, Cedar Rapids
Churches and places of worship49
First Church of Christ, Scientist
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
First Presbyterian Church of Marion, Iowa
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
St. Paul United Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.3 mi
Covenant Seventh Day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 3.1 mi
601 Old Marion Road Northeast, Cedar Rapids
First Baptist Church of the Brethren
Church · Baptist · 2.6 mi
5200 Northland Avenue Northeast, Cedar Rapids
First Church of Christ, Scientist
Church · Christ Scientist · 3.0 mi
640 Blairs Ferry Road Northeast, Cedar Rapids
Shopping37
Gas and EV charging22
Schools, colleges and libraries48
Healthcare13
Allergy & Asthma Clinic, P.C.
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.7 mi
4301 1st Avenue East, Cedar Rapids
Integrative Health and Hormone Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.6 mi
290 Blairs Ferry Rd NE #300 Blairs Ferry Rd, Cedar Rapids
Map of Marion
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 12°F | 1.2 in | 8.7 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 1.3 in | 8.3 in |
| Mar | 49°F | 28°F | 2.1 in | 4.0 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 38°F | 4.0 in | 1.5 in |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 61°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 42°F | 3.0 in | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 29°F | 2.2 in | 2.2 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 19°F | 1.7 in | 9.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cedar Rapids #1 (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Linn County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-10-31: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-08-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-07-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 miles away.
- Robins 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Hiawatha 5 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Cedar Rapids 7 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- Springville 7 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Alburnett 7 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Mount Vernon 12 mi southeast, about 19 min by car
- Coralville 24 mi south, about 38 min by car
- Iowa City 27 mi south, about 43 min by car
- Dubuque 55 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Cedar Falls 55 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Marion, IA city hall, RifeIdeas, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Calder Houses Cedar Rapids IA pic1, RifeIdeas, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Granger House - Marion Iowa, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Indian-Creek-Bridge-3, ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Brown Apartments, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Church of Christ, Scientist (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A.T. Averill House 2, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Braska House, ABreiholz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- William and Phebe C. Dunn House, Kevin Schuchmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Image of St. Paul's United Methodist Church (founded as Methodist Episcopal) taken across 3rd Ave SE in 2008., RockLaura, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Samuel M Lane House, ABreiholz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Terrace Park Historic District 4a, ABreiholz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Glenn O. and Lucy O. Pyle House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First Presbyterian Church - Marion Iowa, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- William and Sue Damour House, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
_taken_across_3rd_Ave_SE_in_2008..jpg){kind=link}
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