Category: Midwest Travel

Iowa

2 Day Itinerary for The Great River Road: Explore the North Mississippi River

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2 Day Itinerary for The Great River Road: Explore the North Mississippi River

The fall is a great time for a road-trip. Changing leaves and cooler temps are just around the corner, here in the Midwest. This itinerary for the Great River Road is a great way to celebrate! One of the very best places to roadtrip to see beautiful views, colorful leaves, and more is along the Mississippi River by driving The Great River Road.

The Great River Road is a National Scenic Byway that travels along the Mississippi River from Itasca State Park near Park Rapids, Minnesota all the way south beyond New Orleans in Louisiana! Now, there is no way to drive this beautiful road in a weekend, so we recently spent 2 days driving through parts in Minnesota & Iowa. We found some great stops and have put them together into a leisurely 2-day itinerary for you!

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Midwest Travel

7 Don’t Miss Stops In & Around Duluth for Couples

— Katy Flint6 Comments
7 Don’t Miss Stops In & Around Duluth for Couples

If you’ve never spent time in Northern Minnesota along the shores of Lake Superior, you really don’t know what your missing! T and I recently spent a couple days exploring this area and came up with 7 things that we think are perfect in Duluth for couples!

If you’re looking to take the entire family, there is plenty to do that you could spend several days, but since we avoided most of the kid friendly places they are not being included here! Don’t worry, family or a couple, you’ll have a great time!

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Iowa

Get Outdoors in Charles City, Iowa

— Katy Flint2 Comments

Summers in Iowa are a great time to get outdoors. Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway with your special someone or with the family, there are endless options of things to do outdoors in Charles City. Golfing, bike trails, kayaking, and more are at your fingertips here! We’ve gathered up some great options for you plus great places to eat and stay so you can enjoy your time in this community! Check out these great ways to get outdoors in Charles City!

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Iowa

Great Bike Trails in Iowa: Explore the State on 2 Wheels

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Great Bike Trails in Iowa: Explore the State on 2 Wheels

While most people think of corn, pigs, and wide open spaces when they think of Iowa, there really is much more to our state! These great bike trails in Iowa are just the beginning of lots of outdoor things to do here!

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned bike rider or enjoy it a little at a time, Iowa has one for you! You can use these trails to explore the communities they connect or just to burn some energy and get a workout in! Bike trails are a great way to explore with the family at very little to no cost. Iowa has a large system of bike tails all over! Here are the great ones we have found!

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Iowa

North Central Iowa Freedom Rock Tour (And Other Great Stops)

— Katy Flint5 Comments

Iowa is full of so many great places to explore. One of the great ways to see the state is to conduct your own Freedom Rock Tour. The Freedom Rocks are something truly unique to Iowa and are great for kids and adults of all ages and backgrounds. We have created this North Central Iowa Freedom Rock Tour (and Other Great Stops) to have a great time this summer seeing a great part of the state!

The Freedom Rock Development

Back in 1999, Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II painted the first Freedom Rock in Adair County near Menlo, IA. He was moved to do so after watching “Saving Private Ryan” and wanted to honor veterans and soldiers in some way. Not long after that, the Freedom Rock Tour was formed and he began painting rocks in all of Iowa’s 99 counties. Originally, Sorensen painted the Freedom Rock as a thank you and was not paid to do so. Once the Tour was formed, he began this as his full-time job (as well as serving as a representative in the Iowa House). Now, communities raise funds to have the murals commissioned.

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Midwest Travel

Branson for Families: 6 Reasons it’s Perfect

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Branson for families

It’s no secret that we’ve been to Branson MANY times! When you love visiting somewhere, you return right?! I still find myself fighting the stigma that Branson is where the retired folks go, so I thought I’d share 6 reasons that Branson is for families!

*Please note that due to COVID-19 not all places may be open or operating at full capacity. It is best to call ahead when making plans. Please also keep in mind all recommendations of local and federal governments while traveling and exploring. Please only travel when you feel it is comfortable for you and your family.

Go-Karts & Mini Golf

Go-Karts

If your kiddos are anything like ours were when they were younger, any vacation that included go-karting and mini golf was a hit! Branson does not have shortage of either of these features! Branson is home to the Track Family Fun Parks. We’ve visited several of these during our visits and while the lines may be long at certain times, they are definitely worth it! 2 and 3 story go-kart tracks like the Heavy Metal High Rise, The Wild Woody, or even the Rookie Go-Karts, your family of all ages are bound to have a great time!

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Iowa

North Iowa Restaurants – Grab Delicious Take-Out

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north iowa restaurants

North Iowa restaurants are alive and trying to thrive right now. This area is blessed with lots of great places to grab takeout food year-round, but right now, it’s more important than ever to support them, if you’re able! So, where can you go? What places are recommended? I’ve collected this list for you based on not only my personal experiences, but also by asking my readers and friends! One note…these are all locally owned joints, which is my jam! I love supporting small businesses!

Butler County

Sleep with the Cows at New Day Dairy Guest Barn: A True Iowa Experience

Splitz Bar & Grill at Freeze Frame Bowl

Not your typical bowling alley, Splitz Bar & Grill offers a full service restaurant for carry-out right now. Grab a pizza, baskets filled with french fries and sandwiches, or even a steak dinner!

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Iowa

Support Iowa Dairy Farmers: Buy Locally

— Katy Flint4 Comments

We’re in the middle of a pandemic, but our need for good milk and dairy products hasn’t ended. We’ve all seen the videos, articles, and pictures floating around the interwebs of dairy farmers having to dump out milk due to a variety of reasons. Thankfully, here in Iowa, we can support our local dairy farmers and buy quality products directly from the source! This is especially good news if you’re having problems finding milk in your grocery stores!

Benefits of Milk

Right now, the best thing you can do for yourself and for dairy farmers is to buy milk and other dairy products like yogurt, cheese, & ice cream. Yes, I am ordering you to eat more ice cream! You’re welcome! 😉 There is a large variety of reasons that milk is good for you, but some of the top ones are that milk is packed full of nutrients, its great source of quality protein, it benefits the health of your bones (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and K2), helps prevent weight gain, and it is very versatile in cooking and baking.

There are many benefits of buying locally produced milk as well! It stimulates jobs, supports local families, and stimulates the economy by putting $ back into local economy.

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Iowa

Sleep with the Cows at New Day Dairy Guest Barn: A True Iowa Experience

— Katy Flint5 Comments
New Day Dairy

I’m a true Iowa girl and I still loved sleeping with the cows at the New Day Dairy Guest Barn outside Clarksville, Iowa. 

There isn’t anything much more “Iowa” than staying on a farm and the Bolin’s, who have opened their Guest Barn (adjacent to their milking barn), have done an amazing job of letting you experience life as a dairy farmer while also providing modern and updated amenities for a fantastic stay!  

New Day Dairy Guest Barn

The Bolin’s have made it super easy to make a reservation to sleep with the cows! Their website make booking a room super easy and they also accept bookings via Airbnb. Both spots easily share all their amenities too! On their website, you can check out their several deals, specials, and add on’s to make your trip just that much better!

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