When I tell people that we are going to Iowa and Wisconsin on our next trip, most get a puzzled look on their faces. And then the questions, “Do you have family there?” “Are there specific things you are planning to do?” Or more simply, “Why?”
I plan to travel to all 50 states before I turn 50. I have eight states left and Iowa and Wisconsin are among them. The USA is a beautiful, diverse country, so why not explore every corner of it? Also, every trip is an experience and a learning opportunity, so I’m ready for what these states and their residents have to offer from unique landscapes to local culture.
Route
Our itinerary for this trip has us flying in/out of Chicago and renting a car to road trip through Iowa and Wisconsin. Our original plan was to drive to Davenport, Iowa then north along the Mississippi River to Washburn, Wisconsin, and then north to the Apostle Island National Lakeshore in northern Wisconsin. After a few days exploring the Apostle Islands, we will make our way to Green Bay and Door County on Lake Michigan before we head to Madison and Milwaukee and then back to Chicago.
However, due to the flight cancellations, our trip was delayed two days. So we headed straight to the Apostle Island National Lakeshore and will visit Iowa at the end of the trip instead. When traveling, some flexibility is required as it will not always work out as planned. And in this case, it was for the best, as we are having some great weather in the Apostle Islands after the smoke from the Canadian wildfires had dissipated.
Wisconsin Sites
This is a road trip so we will likely make some detours along the way, but our plans for Wisconsin include the following:
- Apostle Islands located on Lake Superior consists of a stretch of shoreline and 22 islands at the northern tip of Wisconsin. We have a boat tour arranged for our first day there to give us a lay of the land for our next few days of exploring the area.
- Lambeau Field is the home of the Green Bay Packers. And while I am adamantly not a Packers fan, no trip to Green Back would be complete without a visit to Lambeau Field.
- Door County, known for its long shoreline, islands, and many parks, is where we will spend our Anniversary and a few days relaxing lake-style.
We are still working on the plans for Madison and Milwaukee besides eating cheese, sausages, and drinking beer so stay tuned.
Iowa Sites
Our plans for Iowa include the following:
- Iowa 80, now the World’s Largest Truckstop, made its home in Walcott, Iowa in 1964. Here we will also explore the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum with antique trucks and trucking memorabilia.
- Herbert Hoover National Historic Site is a unit of the National Park System in West Branch, Iowa, United States. This site commemorates the life of Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States
- Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, Iowa is the “most magical place on dirt.” A classic movie from 1989 about America’s favorite pastime, baseball.
- Maquoketa Caves State Park in Jackson County, Iowa was discovered in the 1830s and has been a destination for adventures, hikers, and picnickers ever since. With a 6-mile trail system, we’ll take advantage of the opportunity to stretch our legs after hours in the car.
- Fenelon Place Elevator is a funicular railway that was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It claims to be both the shortest and steepest railroad in the world.
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