Budget-weary travelers don't have to fear when it comes to Iowa. While it is possible to spend big on an Iowan vacation, attractions like the Iowa State Fair and local festivals can be enjoyed on the cheap.

Iowa State Fair: The Iowa State Fair in Des Moines is the single largest event in the state of Iowa and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country. It certainly is possible to spend a lot at the fair, but it's pretty easy to have a good time on the cheap, with the $7 cost of admission gaining you access to free entertainment stages, livestock shows, wildlife exhibits, a petting zoo, a Iowa State Fair museum and, yes, a life-size cow sculpted from butter.

RAGBRAI: The Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa is a seven-day bicycle ride heading into its 38th year as the longest, largest and oldest touring bicycle ride in the world. It's also an affordable way to see the state's hidden gems and take in the famous hospitality of Iowans. Taking place during the last full week of July, the event offers a week of camping, biking and camaraderie for $140.

National Balloon Classic: The National Balloon Classic will mark its 41st year in Indianola between July 30 and Aug. 7, 2010. The event features dawn and dusk balloon flights, pilot competitions, music, kids games, beer and food are all the make up of this family event. After taking in the many colorful balloons, head to the National Balloon Museum, home to vast collections of ballooning paraphernalia including pins, hats, books and time lines.

Madison County Covered Bridge Festival: Fans of the 1995 Clint Eastwood movie "The Bridges of Madison County" already have had a glimpse of the Iowa county's claim to fame. The Madison County Covered Bridge Festival celebrates those historic covered bridges each year on the second full weekend in October in Winterset, Iowa, also home to John Wayne's birthplace. The festival includes a wide variety of food, antique and craft vendors, entertainment, an antique car show and parade, and, of course, guided bus tours of the covered bridges.

Pella Tulip Time: The first Thursday through Saturday in May finds one Iowa city celebrating their Dutch heritage as Pella becomes Holland to residents and visitors alike. With many of the Pella Tulip Time festival's events free, including six separate parades, tulip gardens, a craft fair and visits to the town's working windmill, it's a great destination for travelers on a budget. Visitors can also stroll down the Molengracht, a mill canal running through downtown Pella featuring restaurants and shops, or visit the boyhood home of Wyatt Earp.