Eats: NewBo City Market

During a Saturday stop in Winterset, Iowa, we visited the birthplace of actor John Wayne. Born May 26, 1907 to Clyde and Mary Morrison, Wayne’s boyhood home is located just off the city’s main square. The tiny white home—restored to appear as it did in 1907—is surrounded by a statue of the western star, a small gift shop and, if fundraising goes well, a John Wayne Museum…

So far this autumn we’ve been lucky enough to have some amazingly mild weather. And so you can take advantage of the changing leaves and warmer temperatures, too, I decided to share a recent day trip I took to Ames and its surrounding area to enjoy some of my fall favorites…

If you would have told me a few months ago that one of the world’s most incredible handmade clock collections is located in a small northeast Iowa town, I’m not sure I would have believed you. But after stumbling upon Spillville’s Bily Clock Museum I was blown away.

I know what you’re thinking, but unfortunately this is not a historic jail for squirrels. Though how hilarious would that be?

I’m a bit of a compulsive planner, so in anticipation of our road trip to southeast Iowa, I started searching for someplace we could grab a bite to eat on Saturday night. Since both my mom and I don’t do exceptionally well driving in the dark, I knew we’d have to find someplace relatively close by.

A quick Google search is all you need to see there aren’t copious dining options in the immediate vicinity of Bentonsport or Bonaparte, Iowa. But let me make things even easier for you—Bonaparte’s Retreat Restaurant is all you need…

In the past few years, I’ve noticed there are a surprising number of places to enjoy a craft beer in Des Moines (and even more across Iowa). In fact, the newly opened Iowa Taproom showcases 120 taps from more than 20 Iowa breweries.

In honor of Des Moines Beer Week, I decided to compile some of my favorite local spots into an ultimate guide to breweries in Des Moines and the surrounding area.

One of the best things about Bentonsport, Iowa—aside from the Village B&B—is it’s size. The unincorporated community has a population of about 40 and even if you’re moving pretty leisurely, you can make a lap around the whole village in less than half an hour.

While there’s a pretty small chance of you missing something on your exploration of Bentonsport, I wanted to put together a small walking tour of some of my favorite places…

Driving the back roads out of Dyersville, the field is almost entirely obscured by cornstalks until you round a corner and it suddenly flies into view. Stepping out of my car on a hot summer afternoon with the corn towering high overhead, it’s easy to see how people have been inspired by the magic of these fields for more than 25 years…

It’s really no secret that I love donuts (I’ve blogged about them before too). So it’s not surprising that a number of friends passed along articles about and gave their hearty recommendations of one of Chicago’s newest donut eateries—the Doughnut Vault…

As we studied our handy Madison County map—complete with all the standing Bridges of Madison County and John Wayne’s birthplace—we happened to spot Clark Tower, a three-story limestone structure hidden in Winterset City Park…

In my opinion, there’s no better way to embrace the spirit of the season than to support an Iowa-based maker. When I travel, I make a point to eat a local restaurants and support small…

Lately I’ve gotten way behind on blogging some of my roadside adventures, but in honor of Memorial Day, it seemed fitting to share this one.

In my travels west of Des Moines, I’ve often breezed by I-80 exit 86 without even knowing about the Freedom Rock…

Earlier this year, my friends at Travel Iowa reached out to ask if I would be interested in searching the state for Iowa’s hidden shopping gems. Of course I said yes immediately, and started planning my…

Even though I’ve traveled through the eastern part of Iowa on my journeys to Chicago to visit family, somehow I’d never made it south to Burlington, Iowa. So when my mom and I spent the weekend in the Villages of Van Buren we made a slight detour to tick something off my 2015 travel bucket list…

If you’re not from Iowa, you might not know about the different pockets of European immigrants who have settled all across the state. There are the Danes in Elk Horn and the Swedes in Swedesburg, but did you know that Cedar Rapids is home to a large number of Czech and Slovak immigrants?

Earlier this summer we embarked on an adventure to explore the eclectic Czech Village starting with the neighborhood’s National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.