Category: Travel Adventures

Girl's Trips

A Stay at The Black Hawk Hotel – an Escape in Cedar Falls, Iowa

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A Stay at The Black Hawk Hotel – an Escape in Cedar Falls, Iowa

Historic hotels have become our favorite stays and a night at the Black Hawk Hotel in Cedar Falls, Iowa, recently was no exception.

We were given a gift certificate for Christmas to the Black Hawk Hotel and I couldn’t wait to use it as this has been on my “must-visit” list for awhile now! We decided to use it on a Friday night for a quick getaway before T started spring fieldwork. The gift certificate we were given was part of a holiday promotion in which we were able to get the best available room, 2 free drinks from the bar, and an early check-in and early check-out time! (Watch their social media channels for different promotions!) Lucky for us, the best available room was a queen spa suite. WIN!

This post contains affiliate links for your ease! More details can be found on the Disclosure page.

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Girl's Trips

The Best Weekend Getaways in the Midwest

— Katy Flint2 Comments
The Best Weekend Getaways in the Midwest

Ready to travel? We’ve gathered up this list of the very best in Midwest Weekend Getaways to help make your planning easier! You’ll find them grouped by state, but I’ve also noted which ones are the best for families, couples, girlfriends getaway, and more! I hope you’re excited to get exploring!

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Day Trips

The “Must Have” Guide to Coffee Shops in Iowa

— Katy Flint2 Comments
The “Must Have” Guide to Coffee Shops in Iowa

I love coffee and love visiting new coffee shops and they automatically get bonus points if they are locally owned joints! I’ll pass Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts any day of the week for a mom & pop coffee shop! Thankfully, Iowa is loaded with lots of great coffee shops! I’ve collected them all here for your convenience and even categorized them by region! So, schedule a road trip to enjoy them all (not necessarily all at once) and enjoy a hot (or cold) cup of joe!

Coffee Shops in Northeast Iowa

Rustic Brew – 117 1st St NW, Hampton

Not only is this a locally owned coffee shop that serves delicious lattes, mochas, frappes, and a large variety of flavored chai tea, but it’s also a microbrewery. Start with coffee and a scone, stay for lunch with a great sandwich or their homemade special, and finish your day with a Sloberknocker (yes, that’s a beer).

Grab a Brew at Rustic Brew in Hampton, Iowa

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Day Trips

The Ultimate Guide to a Weekend in Cedar Rapids, IA

— Katy Flint4 Comments
The Ultimate Guide to a Weekend in Cedar Rapids, IA

You know we love finding those places made for a great weekend getaway! So, of course, after our recent trip, I knew I needed to provide you with the Guide to a Weekend in Cedar Rapids, IA!

weekend in Cedar Rapids

It’s no secret that I’ve lived in Iowa my entire life. One place that I never thought about exploring, let alone spending a weekend was Cedar Rapids. We drove through it regularly, but rarely stopped. To be honest, I had never even considered googling things to do there. So, when I had the chance, I jumped at the opportunity to spend a Weekend in Cedar Rapids and I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am that I did! And I’ll tell you over and over that you need to plan a weekend too!

Thank you to Cedar Rapids Tourism for hosting us during our stay! Regardless of that, all thoughts & opinions are 100% authentic and my own. For more details, please see the Disclosure Tab.

6 Great Winter Weekend Getaways in Iowa & Missouri
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Day Trips

26 Things to Do in the Midwest: A-Z

— Katy Flint10 Comments
26 Things to Do in the Midwest: A-Z

Some people call the Midwest the flyover states, but these 26 Great Adventures are here to prove you wrong! We have the complete list of things to do in the Midwest from A-Z!

This post contains affiliate links for your ease. More details may be found on the Disclosure page.

The Midwest is a great place to socially distance and enjoy time away! Check out this variety of things to do in the Midwest!

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Day Trips

A Perfect Girls Day: 4 Reasons to Visit Estherville, IA

— Katy Flint8 Comments
A Perfect Girls Day: 4 Reasons to Visit Estherville, IA

Women today are busier than ever and are in need for a getaway! Shopping, architecture, good food, and nature are the perfect reasons to plan a visit to Estherville, IA! No girls day is complete without each of these things, so you’re bound to have a perfect day!

Thank you to the Estherville Chamber of Commerce for hosting our visit. All thoughts & opinions are 100% truthful, authentic, and my own. Please see the Disclosure Tab for more information!

Estherville, Iowa

Estherville, Iowa, is located in northwestern Iowa with a population of a little over 6,000 people. This means it has several amenities to offer not only it’s residents, but also it’s visitors! Lucky for you, it means you can have a great visit there!

visit to Estherville
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Travel Adventures

The Ultimate Guide to Clearwater, Florida

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The Ultimate Guide to Clearwater, Florida

You don’t have to leave the United States to find white sand beaches, beautiful ocean waters, and lots of things to do! Clearwater, Florida offers all of these things and my friends at hotels.com have asked me to put together the Ultimate Guide to Clearwater for you.

Clearwater Beach sign and palm trees along a path in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
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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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Iowa

25 Things to do Outdoors in Iowa

— Katy Flint4 Comments
25 Things to do Outdoors in Iowa

Everyone wants to be outdoors as much as possible, I get that! So, I’ve put together a list of 25 things to do outdoors in Iowa! We think you’ll find one or two or five to spark your interest!

outdoors in Iowa

Get Outdoors in Iowa

This list is in no particular order and none of these great ways to get outdoors in Iowa is better than the next! Do them all! 😉

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