Most folks know that state fairs are usually big events. But did you know there is a fair in Northwest Iowa that rivals many state fairs? It’s called The Clay County Fair and is held each year in Spencer, Iowa. I had a fun time attending this past Saturday, September 7, with two friends I’ve known since age 3. We had a blast! The fair continues until September 15, so there’s still time to go yourself!

I just returned from yet another fun day at the Iowa State Fair! You might think a fair in 2024 is an old fashioned place that only a few folks attend. Not so in Iowa and several other places in the U.S! In fact, in 2023 more than 1.1 million folks attended the Iowa State Fair and this year at least one daily attendance record was broken, so the Fair just keeps getting more and more popular.

I spent the Fourth of July this year in the Okoboji area in Iowa, as I sometimes do. This year, due to flooding in Northwest Iowa (heartbreaking), I had to take a different route than normal to get there. On the way home I was looking for fun stops on Google Maps and I spotted Lost Island Lake Nature Center a ways south of Spencer, Iowa. So I paid it a visit on the Sunday afternoon after the 4th.

Ok, fellow Iowans - did you know that the beautiful Iowa Capitol building in Des Moines was not the original Iowa Capitol? Despite learning Iowa history in elementary school, I had forgotten that the original capitol building was in Iowa City and served as its first seat of government for approximately ten years, from 1846 to 1857. The building would then become the University of Iowa’s first building.

Whether you grew up on a farm or have never stepped foot on a farm, you will LOVE your stay at Lucky Star Farm near Iowa City, Iowa. So much to do on the farm and so much to see within an hour’s drive in any direction. Come explore one of my “happy places!”

While I love road trips, sometimes driving for several hours makes this body ache a bit. My usual solution is to find a highly rated city, county, or state park to get in a quick walk.

Do you enjoy reading and browsing fun, unique stores? Are you looking for a summer getaway that’s something a little different? Maybe even a QUEST? 😲

Des Moines is a beautiful city with enough population to bring in major concerts, events, and restaurants, but small enough to feel like a large small town. I always enjoy going to Des Moines. One of the things I enjoy there is trying new (to me) restaurants.

It’s hard to believe that around 13 or 14 years ago a co-worker had to explain to me what an AirBnb was. I had never heard of the concept and found it a bit odd. The thought of staying in someone else’s home seemed odd to me. Fast forward to 2024 and I have now stayed in 35 of them.