When we first moved to Iowa in 1990 — and before we got tied down with attending weekend Little League and soccer games — my wife and I loved to poke around Iowa and check out the state’s fun, and often quirky, tourist attractions.

One of our favorites was the Fenelon Place Elevator in Dubuque, which graces our Family Living cover this month. It’s not a long or very hair-raising ride, but the view of the Mississippi River...