Exploring Iowa: Dexter

It’s been a little too long since my last big road trip, so next week I’m piling in the car with my family and heading east to visit relatives in Connecticut. Sure, it might be more practical to fly, but for quite few reasons, a road trip made the most sense…

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.

Driving through Dubuque’s Historic Millwork District, it’s not difficult to imagine the hustle and bustle of the area’s industrial past. Located on the banks on the Mississippi River, one of the most intriguing parts of that history is Dubuque’s historic shot tower.

One of my favorite ways to experience a new community is through its food. And that’s just as true when I’m at home.

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…

I have a thing for old cemeteries. Not in a creepy, morbid way, but I love the intricate carvings and trying to find the oldest headstone…

After what seemed like an endless trek through Nebraska and an early bedtime in Cheyenne, we started off our second day on the road at the Wyoming State Capitol…

When we first started planning our road trip to Austin, one of the things I was most excited to see was the city’s thriving street art scene. Growing up in Chicago, I’ve always had a certain fascination with graffiti and various types of unexpected public art. So, along with a few World’s Largest things, we made stopping at some local street art favorites a priority during our May trip south…

Since I’m not an Iowa native, I didn’t grow up visiting the State of Iowa Historical Building or the Iowa Capitol on countless school trips, and for one reason or another, I’d never gotten around to going. That is, until recently.

Before the haze of hectic holiday plans hit, I took the afternoon to explore the Historical Building and visit its temporary Hollywood in the Heartland exhibit…

While it’s no secret that I love “world’s largest” things, I also can’t say no to an adorably small attraction. Recently while roadtripping through northeast Iowa, I took a detour to visit the St. Anthony of Pauda Chapel, which claims to be the world’s smallest church.

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…

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I found an entry about L.J. Maasdam’s wheel art on Roadside America. Most of the photos were small and showed very little of what the sculpture actually looks like, but on a whim, we got off the highway. And I’m here to let you know: it’s better than you could imagine in person…

It’s no secret that there’s lots to see and do in northern Iowa. But you may be surprised to learn just how many delicious places there are to eat in Mason City, Iowa.

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 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…