Exploring Iowa: Dexter

Growing up, we spent most summers on the banks of Lake Michigan, sun kissed and sand covered as we wandered our small summer town. Stepping out of the car in Clear Lake, Iowa, I was immediately transported back to those sprawling summer days, and a visit to the Surf Ballroom and Museum seemed like the ultimate necessity.

When it comes to planning a road trip, I fully understand that the process can seem a bit daunting. Unlike a destination vacation or an all-inclusive getaway, there are a lot of variables to consider when heading out on the open road. So in order to help make your planning process a little easier, I’ve decided to share what I do when I’m prepping for a road trip…

I’m a sucker for scenic drives and vintage highways. So I’m surprised it took me this long to discover the White Pole Road. Part of historic U.S. Route 6, today the White Pole Road is a 26-mile roadway across west-central Iowa that passes through five small towns…

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…

To celebrate the first official day of autumn—though the temperatures in Iowa have still been in the mid-70s and 80s—I hopped in the car with a friend and headed to Wilson’s Orchard near Iowa City. We arrived just after the orchard opening and snagged a few fresh apple cider donuts for our rumbling stomachs…

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…

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.

A few weekends ago—on our trip to pick apples and visit the future birthplace of Captain Kirk—a friend and I found ourselves in Cedar Rapids at lunchtime. While I’d admired it from afar, I’d never visited the newly built NewBo City Market in the New Bohemia neighborhood of Cedar Rapids. So naturally it seemed the perfect place for a quick bite to eat…

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…

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…

Summer festivals are staples of many small Iowa towns. Earlier this summer my mom and I traveled through the rolling hills of northeast Iowa to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nordic Fest. While Decorah is a beautiful…

Today I’ve got another #throwbackThursday post to share from the San Francisco road trip I took a few years back. On our first day in the car (where we decided it was a good idea to drive all the way across Nebraska—not something I’d recommend), we stopped in North Platte for dinner…

It’s no secret that I love road trips. And now thanks to Travel Iowa’s Iowa Scenic Byway Passport it’s easier than ever to plan an adventure along the state’s backroads.

As I quickly learned, there aren’t a lot of interesting stops heading west along I-80 from Chicago to Connecticut, but one sunny afternoon of our road trip we stopped in Toledo, Ohio for a bite to eat and were charmed by Tony Packo’s…

With a population of roughly 12,400, Ottawa is still (surprisingly) considered a part of the Kansas City metro but, even so, probably doesn’t seem like your typical road trip destination…