DON'T LAUGH.......Considering a vacation to Iowa! (Des Moines, Davenport: houses, college)

[tijlover]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

Sometimes the best vacation you can have, is the one that is far away from major tourist areas. I think Iowa would be a wonderful place for a vacation. The USA is made up of more than Disney Land, beaches and mountains.

That's the ticket for me, as far away from tourists as I can get, and, yes, they can be the best vacations you'll ever take, and I include the entire world, as even on my foreign travels, I'm off to a destination where I'm the only traveler walking the streets. P-a-r-a-d-i-s-e!!!

Things to do? Not everybody is seeking a vacation with things to do, some are seeking a vacation with little or nothing to do.

Before I travel, my books (reading is another form of travel) go into my bag(s) first, and if there's no room for clothes, so be it, I'll wear the same clothes everyday then! But books come first and a deck of cards to play solitude. No TV in the room? Motels that provide no TV in the rooms should actually charge more! More quiet! You don't have to worry about someone next door with the volume up high all hours of the night. I'm just waiting for a motel chain to come along with no TV available. I'll pay $20 extra a night for that luxury!

The big surprises to Iowa was traveling to the southern areas of Iowa. I had no idea the landscape changed so much in the south of the state with lovely rolling hills.

And what more do you need? A good, comfortable bed, one decent restaurant in town and a decent grocery store. All bigger cities offer more choice, but there's an old saying in the Far East: Choice is agony, choicelessness is freedom. Staying in a small town in Iowa somewhere with very limited choices can be very, very refreshing!

[nickolaseposter]

I really like the old charm of Iowa City.

[spaniard]

Odessa I am with you... i am sick and tired of beach sun and all that stuff and people dont seem to understand. Id love to see all 50 but Iowa will only mean my third :S (not bad considering I have been in the US for about a month now) My wife and I have long weekend in two weeks and she is sooooooo excited in seeing the bridges that we are going there for sure.
I was also wondering if its possible to drive into any neighbour state in 3 days or should we concentrate in just Iowa. I will study all posts tomorrow for places to see and visit. Thanks a lot guys.

[odessa3]

I haven't read my own post in awhile, and found more useful information. As cooler weather and winter blues arrive, I'll be busy planning my trip there! It'll help me maintain my sanity! (What little I have left!)

[Bigg Mann]

Originally Posted by PeachyMJ

Hah! My husband and I are also on a quest to visit all 50 states. Last week we flew to IL, basically to pick up our grandson, but a couple of days earlier than whe we actually picked him up. We rented a car and drove all the way across Iowa and the next morning went into Omaha, Nebraska. Got two states out of the way. We were both expecting Iowa to be flat, but it was really pretty. Rolling hills, lots of green stuff (could it have been corn or soy beans) - lots of small and large rivers, etc. We stayed at Council Bluffs one night and ate at a restuarant some friends we had met in Nashville, TN had recommended. Great food! It was called Tish's by the way. The people we had met in Nashville was the owner's nephew.

So, now we have six more states to go. Wish we could have spend more time in Nebraska though.

From 1985 till 1995 I lived in Orlando, FL and I grew up in southwest Nebraska. A few yrs when I went on vacation I went back to Nebraska and was always given funny looks when I said I was on vacation in NE and I lived in Orlando,FL.

[Mercruiserdr]

I guess if you have a fascination with flatlands and miles of straight boring roads , cookie cutter towns catholic churches and cities with small lakes , yep, northern Iowa will be right up your alley.

Try moving south of I80 if your interested in seeing whats over the next hill or around the next corner.

Despite what the flatlanders claim there is life down here , and we do not all sit on our porches pickin banjo's getting high on meth and polishing shotguns.

[czote]

Yes, Decorah, IA. is definitely worth the drive. From there over to Lansing, IA. the raptor watching is spectacular. There are numerous artists and galleries to discover along bluff country highways, not to mention the fall colors. The eastern part of the state is unglaciated so the topography varies greatly from the flat expanses in the mid to western area of the state. Come visit.

[tessamax]

I would suggest going the last full weekend of July and going to the Backbone bluegrass festival in Stawberry point Iowa. Awesome music outdoors, great people, in a beautiful area. Backbone State park is very pretty. It is near enough many other areas of interest, such as the Mississippi River, Effigy Mounds Indian burial ground, Cedar Rapids and the Amana Colonies, Cedar Falls/ Waterloo where there is a great shop called the Calico Hen, and many other places of interest.
The bluegrass fest is one of a kind. www.backbonebluegrass.com

If time permits go through Mt. Horeb Wisconsin to the Mustard Museum. You may never see another one.
HAVE FUN

[CantWait2Leave]

My husband's family lives in northern Iowa and I just love this state. It's very pretty and the town they live in (Clear Lake) is really lovely. I think it's a much under appreciated state. We are flying to IA in 3 weeks for his grandmother's wedding!

[IowaCowgirl]

You would love the old Schoolhouse: Country School Retreat - Home