I'm up in NW Iowa but been down that way a time or two.
33 miles north of Red Oak is the town of Walnut. Lots of antique stores, flea markets, and such. They have some interesting stores and interesting stuff in'em. If you are an antique person, this is the place to go in Iowa.
Nearby, to the east of Walnut, about 7 miles is the tiny town of Marne, Iowa. They have the only Triumph dealer in Iowa. Baxter Cycles. They have some (lots of) vintage Triumphs in the back room. Not junk ones either. Kind of like a museum of sorts in the back. Showroom in front. If you are into bikes and I'm just guessing you are because we are discussing this on a motorcycle site, well worth the trip.
The Freedom Rock is about an Hour away from Red Oak. Exit 86 on I-80. Hwy. 25 junction. South about a mile and a half and the rock is on the East side. Can't miss it. I've met the man who paints it. Bubba Sorensen. He is on a mission to put a Freedom Rock in every county (99 of them) in Iowa.
About an Hour away from Red Oak, almost straight west is the SAC and Aerospace museum. I have not been there yet and have been meaning to get there. I have heard it is fantastic.
http://sacmuseum.org/Had you more time and a motorcycle you could ride through the Loess Hills which run up the Western side of Iowa. Nice easy curvy county roads through the farmland. Quite a few of them down in that area just northwest of Red Oak.
That's about all I got. There are wineries in the area but don't know what their hours of operation are.
And there is Old Market in Omaha. Downtown renovation. Number of craft, artisan and style shops and boutiques with a number of restaurants mixed in. Maybe 10 min. from the airport. If your travel time is limited, this may be a place to kill some time before a flight.
