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August 6, 2019

Nothing Compares: The Ultimate Guide to the Iowa State Fair

Colorful skyglider cars with people in them at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa

Before I moved to Des Moines, I had never been to a state fair before. Sure, I grew up just one state east in Illinois, but we lived close enough to the city that agricultural contests and friends in 4-H were never part of my reality. Then I relocated to Iowa and was introduced to the Iowa State Fair.Continue Reading…

Posted by Megan Bannister 2 Comments
Filed Under: Des Moines Essentials, Iowa Tagged: craft beer, Des Moines, Iowa, Iowa State Fair, Iowa State Fairgrounds

August 18, 2014

Giant American Gothic

All Rights Reserved Megan Bannister

Of all the things to see at this year’s Iowa State Fair, a 25-foot-tall replica of Grant Wood’s famed “American Gothic” was among my favorites. The sculpture, titled”God Bless America” and built by New Jersey artist J. Seward Johnson Jr., has been in Iowa for years, but somehow I’m just getting around to seeing it now.Continue Reading…

Posted by Megan Bannister Leave a Comment
Filed Under: On the Road Tagged: American Gothic, God Bless America, Grant Wood, Icons Revisited, Iowa State Fair, Iowa State Fairgrounds, J. Seward Johnson Jr.

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about-me Hi there! My name is Megan and I'm a travel writer based in Des Moines, Iowa. I'm always up for a road trip and adore "world's largest" things. Get to know me better!
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Instagram post 2178141328653811768_1545888032 ✨ It’s been an exciting week! ✨ On Monday I turned in the manuscript of my book to my editor and, just like that, Iowa Supper Clubs is one step closer to being a real, live book. The time I took me research and write this book feels like both a blink and an eternity. But I’m so thankful for all of the people who took the time to share their stories and help me along the way. Naturally, I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate than with a Grasshopper and Emberburger (unfortunately not covered in cheese, because that’s apparently a lunch thing) at Jesse’s Embers in Des Moines. 📷: From earlier this fall when I was equally excited to enjoy a Grasshopper at the Moracco Supper Club in Dubuque. #IowaSupperClubs #ThisIsIowa
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #iowa #traveliowa #supperclub #foodie #authorsofinstagram #whereiowastarted #dubuque
Instagram post 2161402989372396448_1545888032 All smiles because it’s finally sweater weather 🍂 Thankfully @fusionfashion has tons of cute options (including this striped mock neck) perfect for cooler weather. I had so much fun shopping with the @dsmhummingbirds charm and can’t wait to stop by Fusion Boutique again soon! 📷: @ivoryhousephotography 
#promotion #dsmhummingbird #personalstyleforlife #iowafashion
Instagram post 2160715303535870569_1545888032 👻 Exciting news for everyone who loves the spookiest of seasons! 👻 Tomorrow I’ll be on @iowapublicradio’s Talk of Iowa at 10 a.m. sharing some of my favorite haunted destinations around @traveliowa! Curious which places I’ll include? The Villisca Ax Murder House is an essential, but you can swipe for a sneak peek at some of the others we might discuss. ☠️ Do you have a favorite haunted place or Iowa ghost story? #ThisIsIowa #TalkOfIowa •
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #iowa #traveliowa #haunted #halloween #hauntedplaces #hauntedhistory #iowapublicradio #murderino #ssdgm #truecrime
Instagram post 2159270903853191052_1545888032 I’ve had some incredible meals over the last few months in the name of book research 🍽 But more than anything, I’ve been humbled and inspired by the people I’ve met along this journey. •
Earlier this week I turned in the images that will be a part of Vintage Supper Clubs of Iowa. And I have to say, that truly would have been impossible had it not been for the amazing restaurant owners, local historians and friends who helped me find ways to make these stories come alive. From working with @xolp on custom illustrations to hauling a desktop scanner into a restaurant during dinner time, it’s truly been a process. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. And I can’t wait to share all of it with you early next year! #VintageSupperClubsOfIowa #ThisIsIowa
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #foodie #iowa #exploreiowa #lemars #supperclub #archieswaeside #writersofinstagram
Instagram post 2144045706632038365_1545888032 Since my weekend in northern Iowa I've had a quite few people tell me they were surprised by how cool I made @visitmasoncityiowa look. The secret? I truly can't take any credit—Mason City (like so many other small Iowa communities) is just cool! That is, if you're willing to give it a chance. •
I first started blogging because I wanted to showcase the places and attractions that are often overlooked. I have an eternal soft spot for small towns and offbeat destinations and absolutely love sharing them with you. It truly means so much to hear that I've inspired you to visit places like Mason City and pull over for offbeat attractions like Rancho Deluxe. For the bottom of my road trip loving heart, thank you for following along 💕 #hosted #MasonCityIA #ThisIsIowa
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #fromwhereistand #shewhowanders #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #supportthelocals #visittheusa #iowa #roadsideattraction #folkart #publicart #ranchodeluxe
Instagram post 2141880811723476775_1545888032 When the weather is this perfect it would be a crime not to spend the night outside! Thankfully I spent the evening at one of my favorite plant-filled spaces, @dmbotanicalgarden 🌻 Their Thursday night Social Irrigation series has been one of our favorite parts of the summer, and I’m already looking forward to next year. 🌺 Where are you enjoying the early fall weather from tonight? #gdmbgblooms #dsmbotanicalgardens  #dsmhummingbird #promotion •
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #thisisiowa #catchdsm #dsmusa #flowers #plantlover #autumn #botanicalgardens
Instagram post 2140336617250922803_1545888032 I may be researching a book about supper clubs, but when I’m at home I actually don’t eat a ton of meat. 🌱 So when I heard @dsmhummingbirds would be partnering with @happylittleplantsbrand I was excited to learn more! Not only is this new plant-based protein made by the people behind one of my favorite quirky attractions (@spammuseum) but it’s also unseasoned and preservative-free so it’s super versatile. We’ll be testing it out at home later this week and I can’t wait to share what we make with you. Stay tuned! #happylittleplants #plantpoweredprotein #dsmhummingbird #promotion
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#foodie #midwest #desmoines #dsmusa #catchdsm #thisisiowa #foodie #veglife #vegetarian #hormel
Instagram post 2137524579378166510_1545888032 There’s something magical about the glow of vintage neon ✨ Lately my nights, weekends and every time in between have been filled with supper clubs. Researching, visiting and writing about them. It’s truly special to get to visit so many of these places that feel like home for people in their small town, that hold that special, neon magic. Do you have a place that feels that way for you? #VintageSupperClubsOfIowa #ThisIsIowa •
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #foodie #iowa #exploreiowa #vintage #vintageneon #neonsigns #supperclub #finefood
Instagram post 2119410404273720943_1545888032 Have you ever stepped into a place that just felt like magic? ✨ That's how I felt the first time I visited @thistlessummit, an inclusive bed and breakfast and "homostead" in Mount Vernon, Iowa. I'm so blown away by the incredible community my talented friends have created there and so thrilled that they’re finally ready to welcome guests into their home. ⠀
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➡️Swipe to see more of the beautifully relaxing spaces, delicious locally sourced food and Thistle, the sweet black lab mix who is ready to be your new best friend. Read more about why you need to book your stay at this incredible historic home ASAP by clicking the link in my bio. Plus, we're currently running a fun giveaway that includes a discounted stay and some of Thistle's Summit's signature smoked sea salt chocolate chip cookies. Trust me, you're going to want to enter. 🍪 #ThisIsIowa #ThistlesSummit #StayQueer⠀
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #fromwhereistand #shewhowanders #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #visittheusa #iowa #queerownedbusiness #bedandbreakfast #nationaldogday #airbnblove
Instagram post 2117942657644582390_1545888032 If you know me well, you probably know that I'm not usually interested in sharing dessert. But I'm glad Josh and I decided to split the towering Cookie Dough Creation sundae when we visited @wellsvisitorcenter last weekend. 🍦 This monster of a sundae starts with a chocolate cookie skillet topped with Blue Bunny cookie dough ice cream and stacked with a Chips Galore cookie ice cream sandwich. Between the two of us we barely made a dent, but the slight sugar high was more than worth it. 😍#ThisIsIowa #IceCreamCapitalOfTheWorld⠀⠀
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #fromwhereistand #shewhowanders #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #visittheusa #iowa #traveliowa #publicart #bluebunny #wellsvisitorscenter
Instagram post 2117202371781227883_1545888032 My @northdakotalegendary road trip was udderly amazing for lots of reasons, including my visit to Salem Sue 🐄 Not only is Sue a fun stop as you travel through North Dakota, but she's also the World's Largest Holstein Cow. Weighing in at a whopping six tons and standing at 38 feet tall, Sue can be seen from miles away. Located in the small town of New Salem, Sue was constructed in 1974 to pay homage to the area's longstanding history of dairy production. 🥛 I'm spending the weekend writing blog posts about my trip & I can't wait to share even more about Sue with you soon! #BeNDLegendary⠀
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #visittheusa #northdakota #ndlegendary #sculpture #publicart #capturenorthdakota #nodak #worldslargest #salemsue #wanderingworldslargest
Instagram post 2115048444365192884_1545888032 If you’ve heard of @madisoncountyiowa, chances are it’s because of its covered bridges or the blockbuster film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Sure, maybe you’re a big fan of John Wayne and know that this part of Iowa is also his birthplace and boyhood home.⠀
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But there’s so much more to do in Madison County than experience the iconic covered bridges—and that includes eating the most delicious slice of pie of your life at @northside_cafe! 🥧 Seriously, I stopped eating my entree well before I was full to save room for this slice of blackberry peach heaven (with @picketfencecreamery ice cream a la mode, of course). ⠀
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Discover even more things to do in Madison County by clicking the link in my bio! #ThisIsIowa #hosted ⠀
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #fromwhereistand #shewhowanders #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #visittheusa #iowa #traveliowa #madisoncountyiowa #foodie #homemadepie #madeiniowa
Instagram post 2113609282628075059_1545888032 Weekends like this one are a great reminder of just how sweet life is 🍦 We hit the road for Le Mars, Iowa yesterday to visit a James Beard Award winning supper club—Archie's Waeside. The steak was incredible and the family who owns this gem was beyond helpful in my research. But I couldn't resist a side trip to the @wellsvisitorcenter, home of Blue Bunny. After all, Le Mars is the officially declared Ice Cream Capital of the World. 🍧 What made your weekend a little bit sweeter? #ThisIsIowa #IceCreamCapitalOfTheWorld⠀
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #fromwhereistand #shewhowanders #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #visittheusa #iowa #traveliowa #publicart #bluebunny #wellsvisitorscenter
Instagram post 2087217244047338643_1545888032 I’ve always been a bit of a journalism nerd 🤓 In fourth grade I tried to start my own classroom newspaper, The Fourth Grade Times. Spoiler alert: No one else was interested in joining me. 🤷🏻‍♀️
So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that I’ve always been a fan of Newsies. Which is why I was so excited to hear the Broadway production was coming to the @dmplayhouse_! 📰 
We had a great time experiencing the opening night of this incredible show with the @dsmhummingbirds and celebrating the Des Moines Playhouse’s 100th birthday with cake afterwards. If you’re in the Des Moines area, you won’t want to miss Newsies! Even if you’re not a journalism fan girl like me, the incredible dancing alone is worth seeing. Visit the playhouse’s website or call the box office to get your tickets before the run of Newsies ends on August 4. #DSMHummingbird #DMPlayhouse #dmp100 #promotion •
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#travel #explore #adventure #travelblogger #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #communitytheatre #newsies #catchdsm #dsmusa #thisisiowa #exploreiowa #journalism
Instagram post 2076626295550361736_1545888032 It feels like I'm living in a (fisherman's) dream editing all of the photos from my @northdakotalegendary road trip! 🐟 The Enchanted Highway between Gladstone and Regent has been on my bucket list for awhile now and its quirky roadside attractions did not disappoint. •
If you've been following me for awhile, you know that I have a special place in my heart for "world's largest" things. So it should come as no surprise that the Enchanted Highway held even more allure when I learned that one of its sculptures holds the Guinness Book of World Records title of the World's Largest Scrap Metal Sculpture. •
Of the seven stops along the highway, the Fisherman's Dream was my favorite. The attention to detail and sheer scale of these towering fish truly blew me away, and I couldn't wipe the giddy smile off my face even long after the sculpture disappeared in my rearview mirror. Stay tuned for more on the Enchanted Highway coming to the blog very soon! #BeNDLegendary #MWTravelCon19
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #visittheusa #northdakota #ndlegendary #enchantedhighway #sculpture #publicart #capturenorthdakota #nodak
Instagram post 2070117440502715688_1545888032 ✨ “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” – Theodore Roosevelt ✨
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My time in North Dakota last week was the true embodiment of working hard at work worth doing. Not only was I surrounded by dozens of travel professionals who are equally passionate about the Midwest, but I also had the opportunity to experience some of the things that make North Dakota legendary—the wildlife, the roadside attractions and the people. •
When I first told people I would be driving from Des Moines to Medora, North Dakota for a week-long conference, I received more than a few skeptical looks. People expressed concern about my decision to drive so far alone and worry that I might be lonely for so many hours undisturbed. But the truth is, I was more in my element than I’ve been in a long time. •
I love the quiet that comes with a long drive alone. I find so much joy in the spontaneity that comes from not having to ask anyone else, “Does this sound good to you?” I crave the alone time that comes when I can sit in a restaurant and reflect after a long day. •
And in between that solitary sense of adventure, I got to connect with some of the most wonderful people I know. My tribe of travelers who understand the path less traveled is often much richer. Who believe that we go much farther when we bring everyone along. And who aren’t afraid to strike up a conversation with strangers for no other reason than curiosity and the love of a good story. If you ask me, this truly is the work that’s worth doing. #BeNDLegendary #FindYourPark #MWTravelCon19
Instagram post 2052483869487369607_1545888032 I've been sitting on a bit of a secret the past few weeks, but I'm thrilled to finally be able to share... I'm writing a book! 📚 I can't wait to combine two of my favorite things—good food and Midwest travel—into a book that will be released next year. I'm still pinching myself a bit that Vintage Supper Clubs of Iowa is actually happening, and while I know there's lots of work ahead, I'm so excited. 📝 I would love to hear from you! What's your favorite memory of an Iowa supper club? I'll be featuring some favorites that are no longer in operation as well as supper clubs you can still visit today as part of this project. #ThisIsIowa #VintageSupperClubsOfIowa
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #iowa #supperclub #vintage #authorsofinstagram #exploreiowa #traveliowa #foodie
Instagram post 2045472509625476579_1545888032 It’s morel hunting season in Iowa! 🍄 I had never participated in this mushroom madness until a few weekends ago when I visited my friends at @thistlessummit in Mount Vernon, Iowa. We had a blast scouring the forest floor for these popular fungi, and I was able to successfully cook them (with minimal Googling) when I got back to Des Moines. 🌲 Have you ever gone hunting for morel mushrooms? What are you tried & true tips? #ThisIsIowa •
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #iowa #exploreiowa #traveliowa #morels #urbanforaging #optoutside #mountvernonia #thistlessummit
Instagram post 2030227687917975539_1545888032 Spring has finally sprung and I couldn’t be more excited! 🌷 Tonight I had the chance to spend some time at the @dmbotanicalgarden combining two of my favorite things—plants and craft beer! 🍻 As part of the Botanical Garden’s Botanical Brews class I got to learn about the botanicals used in brewing from @iowabrewersguild Minister of Beer (yes, that’s his real title) J. Wilson and sample some fantastic Iowa beers. 🌱 The Botanical Garden has all sorts of great classes with awesome discounts for its members. Interested in joining? Now when you use the code HUMMINGBIRD10 you can receive $10 off a new membership at any level. 
#gdmbgblooms #dsmbotanicalgardens #dsmhummingbird #sponsored
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#travel #explore #adventure #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelblog #travelblogger #olioontheroad #midwesttravelbloggers #mwtblogs #discovermidwest #midwestmoment #midwest #igersmidwest #thisisiowa #spring #tulips #desmoines #iowa #catchdsm #dsmusa #botanicalgardens
Instagram post 2021986928613895894_1545888032 Playing tourist in my own town is one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend! Yesterday I had the privilege of celebrating the launch of @iowatourcompany with a truly delicious Ingersoll Food Tour. We ate and drank at three different restaurants—including @harbingerdsm—along Ingersoll and had the best time learning about the neighborhood’s culinary history. •
Pop over to my stories to see even more of delicious food we enjoyed! Sound like a fun way to spend an evening? You can book a tour of your own over on @iowatourcompany’s page. #CatchDSM #DSMUSA
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