Lakeside Living
Life on the shore of Storm Lake — more than a college town, a place you'll fall in love with and never quite leave behind.
Where campus meets community.
Storm Lake wraps around Buena Vista University like the lake wraps around the town — inseparable, beautiful, and full of surprises. With a vibrant downtown, diverse cultural scene, and 3,097 acres of glacial lake just steps from your residence hall, this is a college experience defined by place.
Iowa's Backyard Ocean
Storm Lake is Iowa's fourth-largest natural glacial lake — a shimmering 3,097-acre expanse of water that defines the rhythm of life here. Renowned across the Midwest for world-class walleye fishing, the lake is also where students kayak between classes, watch sunsets from the shore, and find a kind of peace that's hard to come by anywhere else.
In every season, the lake gives you a reason to step outside: ice fishing in winter, sailing in summer, bonfires in fall, and the first warm-weather run along the shoreline trail in spring.
Your playground is everywhere.
Storm Lake is built for people who love the outdoors. Six public beaches line the lake. Nine city parks — three of them directly adjacent to campus — offer green space for pickup games, morning runs, and quiet afternoons with a book. An extensive network of trails connects campus to the lake and beyond.
When you want a bigger adventure, King's Pointe Resort is right in town with an indoor/outdoor waterpark. Three full eighteen-hole golf courses and a mini-golf course are all within a five-minute drive.
6 Beaches · 9 Parks · 3 Golf Courses · 1 Waterpark
All within five minutes of campus.
Restaurants & local attractions.
From waterfront mornings to downtown evenings, here are a few of the places that make Lakeside Living feel like home — all just minutes from your residence hall.
Storm Lake Waterfront
Six public beaches, a paved shoreline trail, and 3,097 acres of glacial lake for kayaking, fishing, and sunset walks — the heart of life on the shore of Storm Lake.
King's Pointe Waterpark Resort
An indoor/outdoor waterpark, lakeside lodging, and a full-service restaurant right in town — the go-to spot for a weekend escape without ever leaving the neighborhood.
Historic Downtown
Walkable streets lined with specialty shops, coffee houses, and a local multiplex theatre. Forty-nine storefronts where owners know your name by the second visit.
La Juanita
Authentic Mexican cuisine, open late and easy on a student budget. The midnight-burrito tradition and the can't-quit-it salsa make it a campus institution.
Storm Lake Bakery
Home of the donut holes that Travel Iowa named the state's best. Get there early on Saturdays — the line out the door is half the fun.
Smokin' Hereford BBQ
Low-and-slow smoked meats and the award-winning Hereford Burger, crowned Iowa's Best Burger. Hearty, smoky, and worth every napkin.
30+ restaurants within five minutes.
From late-night cravings to weekend brunch, Storm Lake punches well above its weight class when it comes to food. These are a few student favorites.
La Juanita
Mexican Cuisine — authentic, affordable, and open late. The go-to spot for burritos at midnight, weekend dinners with friends, and the kind of salsa you'll crave long after graduation. Student Favorite.
Storm Lake Bakery
Bakery & Breakfast — home of the legendary donut holes named Iowa's Best Donuts in 2021. Get there early on Saturday mornings — the line is part of the experience.
Smokin' Hereford BBQ
Barbecue — low-and-slow barbecue with a signature Hereford Burger named Iowa's Best Burger. Smoky, hearty, and worth taking seriously.
Shopping & Entertainment
Forty-nine specialty shops line the walkable downtown — from bookstores and boutiques to locally-owned gift shops. Chain retailers are a short drive away, and the local multiplex movie theatre means you never have to go far for a Friday night out.
Storm Lake's downtown is the kind of place where shop owners know your name by your second visit and every storefront has a story.
A thriving, diverse community.
Storm Lake is one of the most culturally diverse small towns in America. Families from around the world have made this place home, and that diversity shows up everywhere — in the restaurants, the festivals, the classrooms, and the warmth with which this community welcomes you.
Ranked as Iowa's 13th safest city, Storm Lake is the kind of place where you leave your doors unlocked, where neighbors wave from their porches, and where you quickly stop feeling like a visitor and start feeling like you belong.
Alumni in Every Corner
BVU alumni are woven into the fabric of Storm Lake's business community. Local employers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who graduated from Buena Vista actively mentor current students, provide internships, and create pathways to employment. Your professional network starts the moment you arrive on campus.
Meet our alumni →Apply to BVU.
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