Here at Hoopla, we know the Corridor is a hip and happenin’ place because we write about it every week. But we thought what better way to prove it than to ask local young professionals what they think is so great about calling the Corridor home. From the top places to work to the best places to grab a bite or a drink, consider this your guide the best of the Corridor — a place we’re sure glad to live, work and play.

Thanks to ImpactCR and BASE members for taking the time to answer our survey.

Oh, and go here for full results.

– KATIE

CollegeGrad.com makes it easy for job hunting grads by ranking some of the top employers in the country on their Website. So we thought we’d check to see how local young professionals ranked those same companies.

1. Rockwell Collins

2. Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

3. RSM McGladrey

4. GE

5. Cargill

The following companies may not be on CollegeGrad.com’s radar yet, but here in the Corridor young professionals think these organizations are also some of the best places to work. Twenty-two other companies — from all sectors — got a shout out on our poll so be sure to check out the full list here.

1. Mercy Medical Center

2. University of Iowa

3. AEGON

4. Henry Russell Bruce

5. ClipperWind Power

Home sweet home! From renting an apartment to buying your first home, there are an abundance of housing options between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. These neighborhoods, small towns and urban centers are where most locals would like to settle down.

1. Downtown Cedar Rapids

2. Downtown Iowa City

3. Marion

4. Iowa City

5. SE Cedar Rapids

Honorable Mentions: Coralville and Mount Vernon

Whether it is just for happy hour or for a night on the town, the bars listed here were the top vote getters when it comes to the best place to grab a drink. But it’s certainly worth noting that people who took our poll were able to come up with some 25 other local bars they consider the toast of the town. Cheers!

1. Cedar Rapids Piano Lounge

2. Moose McDuffy’s

3. Chrome Horse Saloon

4. Daniel Arthur’s

5. RG Books

Honorable Mention: Lincoln Wine Bar and Quinton’s

Hungry? Well, young professionals here in the Corridor have plenty of suggestions of great — and eclectic we might add — restaurants to try. The list below are a few of the tastiest options, they say, but just as in the nightlife category people who took our survey came up with plenty of other suggestions for places where they like to grab a bite.

1. Irish Democrat

2. Phong Lan Vietnamese

3. Zins

4. Hacienda Las Glorias

5. blend and Atlas

Honorable Mention: Tomaso’s Pizza

Contrary to popular belief, there’s more to the state of Iowa than rows of corn and soybeans. There are more than 150 arts and cultural organizations that offer a variety of experiences from theater to museums and opera to dance.

1. Theatre Cedar Rapids

2. Ped Mall

3. Brucemore

4. Amana Colonies

5. Hancher Auditorium

Honorable Mention:
CSPS/Legion Arts and
the Cedar Rapids
Museum of Art

From Cedar Rapids to Iowa City, we know how to appreciate the great outdoors. You’ll know you’re in Hawkeye country thanks to the sheer turnout and enthusiasm for University of Iowa sporting events. There also are baseball and hockey teams to cheer on and plenty of options (from bike trails to state parks) to get you in the game so to speak.

1. University of Iowa Hawkeyes

2. Cedar Rapids Kernels

3. Cedar Valley Trail

4. Gym and Fitness Centers (YMCA, Midwest Athletic Club, Farrell’s Extreme
Body Shaping)

5. Palisades Kepler
State Park

It’s all about mall madness when it comes to shopping in the Corridor. Our traditional shopping centers offer a whole host of the most popular national chains so you can shop ‘til you drop. And while not a lot of locally owned shops were the top vote getters, plenty of people were eager to remind us of all the great boutiques in this area.

 1. Coralville Mall and Strip

2. Lindale Mall

3. Tanger Factory Outlet Mall

4. Uptown Marion

5. Iowa Artisans Gallery