Where do you head to experience great food, shopping, outdoor recreation, and more?! I make a plan to visit Northwest Iowa! Whether you stop in Fort Dodge, Okoboji, or Estherville (and a few in between), you’ll enjoy your adventures in this part of the state!
Visit the Painted Silos – People drive from hours around to view these stunning hand-painted silos, so you don’t want to miss them!
Create at Studio Fusion – Head to Studio Fusion to paint ceramics or fuse glass.
Explore The Fort Museum – Learn about the original Fort Dodge and the role it played in the Civil War along with history of Iowa and the area!
Venture out to Veterans Memorial Park & the Children’s Forest – Located north of Fort Dodge a few miles is a beautiful park dedicated to honoring the Veterans and giving kids a place to explore!
Clear Lake, Iowa is known for being a quintessential Iowa lake town during the summer months! But, it’s not the only time to visit Clear Lake and Lakeside Inn, which is located on the south shore of Clear Lake. It is the perfect place to stay while you explore this community regardless of what time of year you visit!
Thank you to Lakeside Inn for hosting us during our stay. All thoughts and opinions are 100% authentic and our own. For more details, please see the Disclosure Tab.
Lakeside Inn – A Clear Lake Staple
The Lakeside Inn was built several decades ago and instantly became known as a staple to the Clear Lake community! For the next several decades, it saw many friends & families use this great lakeside location to make memories. But, lets be real…after more that many years and visitors, it was tired. Thankfully, the newest owners of the Lakeside Inn saw the potential and decided to give it new life!
Through all of our travels around the Midwest, we have fall in love with staying at historic hotels. There are lots of great spots around the country, but you’ll find the best Historic Hotels in Iowa. While we are still working our way around the Midwest checking out all the great stays, we feel like we’ve found quite a few that meet our standards for historic.
Black Hawk Hotel – Cedar Falls, Iowa
The Black Hawk Hotel located on main street in Cedar Falls and has been there for over almost 160 years. It began back in 1853 as a stagecoach hotel and tavern. The hotel, important to Cedar Falls as it was a growing town as it is located just a half block from the Cedar River, which was crucial to industry at the time. It has gone through several changes, but the history is maintained. The rooms are done to keep the history and character, but provide modern amenities like TV, whirlpool baths, and more!
Who wants a weekend getaway with a big-city feel, but not the big city crowds or traffic?! Well, we think a weekend in Mason City, Iowa, is just what you are wanting then. We have 6 stops that will make for a great weekend with your special someone. Check them out.
** Special thanks to Visit Mason City, Iowa for hosting us during our visit. All thoughts & opinions are 100% authentic and our own. Please see the Disclosure Tab for full details.
Looking for a romantic getaway with that special someone in your life?! We have several great places to stay in Iowa that are perfect for everyone, but especially couples. You’ll find historic hotels, cool Air BnB’s, and more here in Iowa. Pick one of these great stops and I’m sure you’ll have a great weekend.
Great food, beautiful landscape, and sleeping in a grain bin….sounds like a great place to visit, right?! You’ll find a weekend of fun and great things to do in O’Brien County, Iowa with all of this and more! Located in Northwest Iowa this county is about 14,000 people. And those people are some of the friendlies you’ll meet. They are also offering you a weekend full of fun and great things to do! Check out all these great options to fill your weekend with.
**Thank you to Tour O’Brien County and their partners for hosting us during our visit. All thoughts and opinions are 100% authentic and true. For more information, please read the Disclosure Tab.
We are always looking for new and fun things to try and thankfully, the Midwest is FULL of these types of things! One of the most recent and best additions to Midwest fun is Rail Explorers in Boone, Iowa! Check out why!
Boone, Iowa – Rich in Railroad History
Boone, Iowa, is a community that has a rich history in the railroad dating back to 1893. Since then there has always been a railroad in the community. There is still an active cargo rail through town but also the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. The Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad and Museum was originally constructed in 1984 using a lot of interior materials from a historic depot in Rockwell City. The first dinner train ran along the rail in 1999. Its been offering entertaining train rides ever since!
I have a saying….”Ice Cream never lets me down!”. And when I say that ice cream shops in Iowa never let me down, it’s a fact! As someone who has a gluten allergy, I have to forgo cookies, muffins, donuts, and other baked goods on regular basis. But…when we are out exploring, I can always eat ice cream! 😉 Thankfully, Iowa is full of numerous amazing ice cream shops to enjoy! We’ve spent the last several years visiting a lot of them, so of course we had to put together the #1 Guide to Ice Cream Shops in Iowa!
For the purpose of this guide to ice cream shops in Iowa, we’ve organized it alphabetically!
Belmond Drive-In – Belmond
The Belmond Drive-In may be known for it’s award winning breaded tenderloins, but their ice cream is delicious too with soft serve treats including soft serve ice cream, Blitz’s (think similar to a Blizzard from DQ), shakes, malts, floats, and sundaes!
One of the most anticipated and exciting events in Iowa is the Iowa State Fair. T and I have been visiting the fair our entire marriage as we both enjoy fairs (both county & state). We have been to several, but as the theme of the Iowa State Fair suggests this year, “Nothing Compares”! Since we consider ourselves somewhat experts, we thought we’d share our “Tips for Visiting the Iowa State Fair” with you!
Parking at the Iowa State Fair
There are several options for parking at the Iowa State Fair. Of course you can park on the grounds them selves, which usually runs around $10. You can also choose to park in the yard of the surrounding homes. This usually varies from $10-$20 per car, but sometimes you can find a spot just a block or two from the fair and it’s a quick walk to one of the gates.
The third option is to use the Dart system and park for MUCH cheaper. DART is Des Moines public transit system and they run shuttles from three different large parking areas right to the gate of the fair. We use the Southeast Polk High School parking lot for a couple reasons, including that is easy to get to without a lot of traffic and I knew exactly where we were going. With this shuttle system, you park hop on the bus for a total of $2 per person! If you purchase your fair gate tickets in advance, you will only pay $1 per person! And yes, those prices are round trip!
What to See: The Highlights
If you only have one day at the fair, you definitely can’t possibly see it all. There is so much to see and it is spread out, so we decided to share our Highlights of the Iowa State Fair (or the “don’t miss” items!)
The “Big” Animals
It is Iowa, which means we know our farm animals and one of the highlights is the “BIG” animal contests. They are all in the same building, so definitely make sure to stop by and see the Big Bull, Big Boar, and the other oversized animals! It’s quite entertaining for everyone…including someone who was raised on a farm!
Covered bridges and the John Wayne Birthplace might be what Madison County, Iowa, is known best for, but the hidden secret?! They have an abundance of great wineries & breweries to enjoy! After spending a weekend in their beautiful countryside recently, we can safely say that you and your special someone need to plan a winery & brewer tour of Madison County, Iowa.
*Special thanks to the Madison County Chamber of Commerce for arranging samples, food, and accommodations for our visit. All thoughts and opinions are 100% authentic and our own. For more details, please check out the Disclosure Tab.
Madison County, Iowa
Madison County is located in southwest Iowa, about 30 minutes from West Des Moines and offers beautiful rolling landscape. It is a booming community, but not overpopulated, so we’re sure you’ll enjoy the opportunity to slow down, relax, and enjoy your visit. Winterset is the county seat and the hub of all activities (and very centrally located), so it’s a great place to book a room and make it your home base for your trip.
