Iowa

You know that moment on a road trip when the scenery suddenly gets much better than you expected?…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 26

One tube of glue. That was supposed to be the whole trip. Then I started looking around. A…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 25

A bald eagle passed just above my bike helmet on a quiet morning in northeast Iowa. That was…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 25

By the third early-morning breakfast in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I had started judging hash browns before I even…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 25

The first properly chilly lunch break of fall changes the rules a little. Suddenly, a cold sandwich on…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 25

I knew this Iowa lunch stop was different before I had even finished my first taco. The corn…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 24

I did not expect one of my more convincing seafood meals to happen in Iowa. Then a bowl…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 24

I usually know an Iowa bakery stop was worth the drive when the passenger seat ends up holding…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 24

I have learned that antique shopping in Iowa is rarely just about the shops. Half the fun is…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 24

I knew my dinner plans had changed the moment that first hit of Sichuan peppercorn made my lips…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 23

I had driven past this plain little Davenport restaurant more times than I care to admit. Then one…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 23

I did not expect one of my better seafood meals in Iowa to come after a drive past…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 23

I have learned that some Iowa views make much more sense once you stop worrying about the fastest…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 23

I had barely driven into this tiny Iowa town before I started wondering where everyone could possibly be…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 22

I had been driving through central Iowa for a while when this little roadside cluster caught my eye.…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 22

I knew I was in trouble when I reached into a flea-market bin for one thing and came…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 22

I have learned that fabric shopping gets dangerous the moment I spot a good sale rack. Suddenly, the…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 22

The road kept getting quieter, which made me wonder if I had taken the whole fried-chicken recommendation a…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 21

I have learned that Iowa road trips become much more interesting once lunch starts deciding the route. A…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 21

Honestly, I never walk into an Iowa bakery planning to buy much. Then I see a tray of…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 21

I know fall has really arrived in Iowa when a sandwich suddenly feels incomplete without soup beside it.…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 21

I figured this would be one of those quick roadside stops. Walk in, look around for half an…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 20

Warm sugar and fresh coffee do a pretty convincing job of ruining sensible breakfast plans. Add a donut…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 20

I have learned one thing about exploring Iowa’s Dutch food shops: showing up with an empty trunk is…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 20

Once Iowa mornings turn cool, I start thinking less about getting somewhere quickly and more about where breakfast…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 20

The first genuinely chilly evening of fall always changes my dinner plans. Suddenly, the light meal I was…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 19

I thought I had reached the back of the shop twice. Both times, another doorway proved me wrong.…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 19

The best catfish stop I found in Iowa did not announce itself with much more than a parking…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 19

You know those restaurants that seem completely happy doing things the same way they always have? I have…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 19

The road had already turned to gravel when I reached the part that made me wonder whether my…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 18

My first mistake was grabbing a plate too quickly. I had barely made it past the first station…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 18

I knew I was in the right kind of Iowa diner when the plate landed in front of…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 18

I have learned that Iowa covered bridge trips rarely stay as simple as they look on the map.…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 18

Sunday morning in this little Iowa town looks surprisingly busy for a place you could drive through in…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 17

I knew this Iowa lake town was small. I did not expect to find a wooden roller coaster…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 17

I have learned one thing about antique malls in Iowa: the building usually looks much smaller from the…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 17

I have learned that some of the best fall meals in Iowa require a little commitment from the…

By Hugh Calloway · Sep 17

I have learned not to judge an Iowa bakery by its storefront. Some of the best apple fritters…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 16

There is something wonderfully unreasonable about planning an Iowa road trip around a sandwich that barely fits on…

By Nadia Corwell · Sep 16