Your favorite Iowa Road Trips
I asked our followers if Iowa Road Trip has ever influenced their travel plans – and if so, they could share photos and stories. After reading through the responses, I’ve selected some of the stories so I could publish a list of your favorite Iowa Road Trips.
Linda Jager
We visited the Welcome Home Soldier Monument because of your post. Many other places too but this one was memorable because my husband is a veteran who served in Vietnam.
Clarice Kies
Clarice took her pup on some road trips to visit places including: (L) welcome sign in Mallard, Iowa (M) Frying pan in Brandon, Iowa and (R) Strawberry Point, Iowa
Anna Shaffer
We have been to several places you mention over the years. Sometimes we choose a different highway to drive through some of the small towns you mention and get off the interstate, never a disappointment. This year we drove across the southwest part of the state over to the Lamoni, Iowa area then went north and circled back to visit the Bridges of Madison County festival. On each trip there we go to a couple of bridges that way it gives us reasons to make the trip again a couple of years later. We saw some pretty courthouses, a few of those freedom rocks, an Amish Country Store, a couple of old vintage gas stations, and that post office mural with the giant corn on the cob you mentioned to name a few.
Cryssie Gardner
We took an Iowa Road Trip for our 37th Anniversary this year, checking out places from your page! Super Fun! From left: Bridges of Madison County. Statue of Liberty in Leon, Iowa. Pyramids in Avery, Iowa. Clark Castle in Winterset, Iowa. On the right, High Trestle Trail Bridge near Madrid, Iowa.
Darrin Doerres
Found a lot of great destinations. So many in fact we made a HOG chapter challenge for them. Here are a few of the places we visited: Left: American Gothic Barn in Mt Vernon, Iowa. VW Spider in Avoca, Iowa, and Buddy Holly crash site north of Clear Lake, Iowa.
Kris Manteufel
We did! I check out a lot of the locations and realized several of them might make a fun road trip so we took a road trip this summer and crossed off several places! Started off in Marquette and McGregor, visiting Pike’s Peak, Effigy Mounds and Spook Cave. Then along the Mississippi River, stopping at Brietbach Country Dining in Balltown to Dubuque to the Fenelon Place Elevator. On to Dyersville to the Field of Dreams which we go to when we’re in the area. It was a great trip and we made a lot of memories as a family!
Leslie Ann Miller
A few photos submitted by Leslie Ann Miller include Northside Diner in Winterset, Iowa, Dubuque County Courthouse, and chainsaw sculptures at Winterset City Park in Winterset, Iowa.
Mary Lynn
Her travels included (from left): Effigy Mounds National Monument, Lovers Leap Swinging Bridge, Wildcat Den State Park near Muscatine, and Yellow River State Forest in Allamakee County, Iowa.
Vicki Burns
Definitely! The summer of 2020 we did a tour of Iowa based on many of your features. (66 counties & 16 state parks)This summer we went to SD and on our way there we checked off some more counties in the northwest corner and several cool stops- swing bridge in Iowa Falls, largest popcorn ball, highest point in Iowa. On our way home, Albert the bull , tree in the middle of the road and a bunch more counties!
Sarah Acuff
I found your page during Covid lockdown and utilized your posts so much. Since then we’ve continued with several of our favorites from 2020 and 2021. In this last year my highlights were doing the glass blowing experience from JJ Gaffers and Christmas World at Exile! We also really loved Snake Alley in Burlington, Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluffs, the light installation in DSM Waterworks Park, and our absolute favorite—Big Springs waterfall in Guttenberg. Every year we add new things we find from your page and revisit a couple of favorites from when we first started following you. All our favorite memories are those from the places on this page. At least once a week I refer someone to this page when they ask me how I find all the cool things we do—Iowa Road Trip!
Teresa Vreeman
I absolutely love seeing your posts, videos & pictures!! Because of your page, I thought I would explore Iowa as well. Was born & raised here, lived in MN a little while as well, but this is home. Have family in Marquette, McGregor & over the river in Prairie du Chien so NE Iowa is one of my favorites & you have captured some beautiful pictures there! We have been to The Grotto & Field Of Dreams as well. Thank you for the beauty you share of our state!
Louise Beard Erbes
So many things to discover in Iowa: The Little Mermaid Statue Garden (Hans Christian Andersen) and Danish Windmill in Elk Horn. The museum and railway station in Panora where my mother was a teacher about 1940. She took the train to her parents’ home in West Des Moines, and I was encouraged by the museum guide to touch the newel post salvaged from the old elementary school. It was like walking in my mother’s footsteps.
Laurie Fay Keller
We take an Iowa fall trip every year and all my ideas come from Iowa Road Trip. I’m also obsessed with your calendars!! Ledges State Park, Maquoketa, Dubuque, McGregor, Decorah….all amazing places!
Kim Heinbuch Fuhrman
Fall Road Trip #1: Hiked Waubonsie State Park (Loess Hills), drove down 2 of the “backroads” of the Loess Hills, had a fabulous Mexican lunch in nearby Glenwood, & visited the Tree in the Middle of Road on the way home.
Fall Road Trip #2: Hiked Lake Macbride, Sutliff Bridge, lunch at 30Hop in Coralville followed by visiting the Black Angel monument.
Fall Road Trip #3: Hiked Lacey Keosauqua State Park, lunch at Riverbend, visited Bentonsport.
Ron Kinkor
You mentioned Pella the other day. We spent Monday evening there.
