Eats: Frostee’s

One of my favorite parts about the mini road trips we take are the tiny towns that we visit along the way. In this particular case, we found ourselves in West Bend, Iowa to visit the Grotto of the Redemption. But as lunchtime neared and our stomachs began to grumble, we knew we needed to do a little exploring…

Other than Kirsten the American Girl Doll or my love for Pippi Longstocking, I have no real ties to Sweden. And while I do love Swedish meatballs, I don’t have any real Swedish heritage.

So it might seem a little strange that I drove a bit out of my way to visit the Swedish Heritage Museum in Swedesburg, Iowa. But Swedish or not, the trip was definitely worth it…

As the snow melts and the trees begin to bloom, there’s a certain energy that returns to the air, especially in a place with harsh winters like Iowa. But no more so than in the early days of summer. As a kid, that meant never wearing shoes, devouring endless books for summer reading, picking raspberries in the backyard, and escaping to the lake for a long weekend.

Even though I no longer have summers off, I try to approach summer with the same sense of excitement. And while I’m not a big fan of the oppressive humidity or buzzing mosquitos that accompany the season, there are a lot of things I absolutely adore about Des Moines in the summer.

One of the best parts of exploring the Amana Colonies during the holiday season was our visit to the Tannenbaum Forest. Located inside the Festhalle Barn across from the Amana Visitors’ Bureau, it’s pretty hard not to feel jolly when you step inside the forest lit with hundreds of warmly growing Christmas lights…

Dubuque has always been a place I’ve wanted to explore. Nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River, the northwest Iowa town is just a stones throw from the Illinois and Wisconsin borders. After some amateur spelunking at Crystal Lake Cave, we spent the better part of Saturday morning exploring Dubuque, including taking a ride on the Fenelon Place Elevator…

During my semester in Spain, a good friend and I stumbled upon Demasié, an adorable café not far from where we were both attending school. The tiny restaurant quickly became one of our favorites and we spent countless hours there chatting over café con leches. Since then, its become one of the Spanish routines I miss most…

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…

As a general rule, I wouldn’t say I’m the type of person who typically enjoys small, dark spaces, but a few weeks ago when we were in the area, a friend and I decided to make a trip to Crystal Lake Cave in Dubuque, Iowa…

Disclosure: I attended Harvestville Farm‘s farm-to-table dinner on a freelance assignment for Travel Iowa‘s Made in Iowa series. Travel Iowa covered my expenses and I was compensated for my writing. However, all opinions are my own. Earlier this…

A few weeks ago, after heading south in search of pie, a rainy afternoon miraculously turned into a sunny one just as we found ourselves nearing Lake Red Rock. Wanting to get out of the car to enjoy the now significantly sunnier day, we happened upon the Cordova Park Observation Tower…

Though I was born and raised in the Midwest, both of my parents hail from the East Coast. Meaning that though I love a good slice of deep dish pizza, there’s times when I absolutely crave seafood. So a few weeks ago when my family visited Connecticut, one of my only requests was a hot, buttered lobster roll…

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…

Northeast Iowa is full of hidden gems, but Decorah’s Seed Savers Exchange is an easy favorite. If you have even half an interest in horticulture, this heritage farm is a necessary stop if you happen to be in the area.

Ever since I can remember, all of my classmates and I desperately looked forward to spring break. Not only did it mean a week off school, but spring break always seemed to signify the impending,…

Des Moines Day Trips is a series of unexpected itineraries for one- or two-day adventures across the state of Iowa. Find ways to explore unique roadside attractions and discover local history without leaving the state! Start your…