WEEKEND TRAVELS AROUND IOWA

Welcome back everyone! Happy last blog of January! Next week we'll be kicking off February with a little party planning so stay tuned for that. However, we've still got this week to wrap up and I have a great send-off to January planned. On this not-so-nice Friday, we're going to explore the best places to visit in Iowa!

#1: East Village, Des Moines
The East Village is one of my favorite areas of Des Moines. There's awesome shops, bakeries, restaurants, and more! In the wintertime there's an ice skating rink that I didn't even know existed until last December. Aside from all the awesome places, the landscape and architecture is really cool. Just picture this. You're walking down the sidewalk in early September. The weather's still nice but there's a little chill in the air. The breeze is coming off the water and you smell the aroma of fresh coffee and and newly made breakfast pastries that you can't help but enter that corner bakery you've always been curious about. You spend the day shopping and gazing at all the artwork sprinkled through different areas. It's a perfect day. If only every day could be like that.

#2: Decorah, Iowa
Located in Northwest Iowa, Decorah is a great place to find adventure and unique features only a small town can offer. There's plenty of forests and natural landscapes to go biking, hiking, camping, and more. However, there's plenty to do for culture lovers. There's art museums, small town boutiques with plenty of trendy fashion, and of course restaurants that aren't your typical big city chains. For sure a perfect example of a diamond in the rough.

#3: Okoboji, Iowa
Okoboji is a summer destination situated on the shores of West Lake Okoboji. Its glacier-carved river is one that makes up the Iowa Great Lakes. Due to its location, Okoboji is full of water sports for the athlete in all of us. This lakeside town hosts unique features only found here. The Higgins Museum houses national bank notes and the Okaboji Summer Theatre produces shows specially for the summer season. Okaboji is a great mid-point to explore other resort towns full of shopping, dining, and more cultural activities.

#4: Eldora, Iowa
Eldora is close to home for me. It's located roughly 17 miles from Iowa Falls and is close to the Iowa River and Pine Lake State Park. I did a little extra research and Eldora has a sad orgin. Founded in 1853, Eldora was named by a woman who lost her daughter Eldora. The name is Spanish and means "the gilded". A large percentage of the downtown is located on the National Historic Register. Time has been suspended here. The Ahoy Fountain is still present so you can enjoy a malt that has been made the same for decades.

#5: Pella, Iowa
​Pella has strong Dutch heritage and is known as "America's Dutch Treasure". Founded by immigrants from the Netherlands, Pella is about 40 miles southeast of Des Moines. Every spring, there's a display of thousands of tulips in bloom. Special to Pella is the Vermeer Mill which is the largest working grain mill in the country. The recently restored Pella Opera House is also another must-see and the Tulip Time Festival is a unique cultural celebration.

i hope you enjoyed this impromptu travel guide to close out January! I'll see you next week in February!
-Caroline
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