Category: Travel Talk

New Travel books for 2024!

- Michelle Leave a comment

This fall brings an abundance of new and updated travel guides for nearly anywhere you would like to venture.  If you are planning your first trip abroad, thinking about a road trip to a few national parks or you are a seasoned traveler ready for a new adventure, there is something for everyone.  Even if you are not planning a trip in the near future, consider one of these guidebooks for armchair traveling!

DK National Parks of the USA – A comprehensive account of our 63 parks, DK National Parks of the USA covers the best sites and itineraries for each park.  With some of the most gorgeous photography in any travel guide, this guide outlines the best choices whether you are visiting a park for one hour or one week.  This guide also has detailed and easy to read maps for a hassle-free experience.  Also, included are the best places to eat, sleep and dine in close proximity to each park.

Rick Steves Best of Europe – One of the best travel guides for new or seasoned travelers to Europe, this nearly 1,000 page book covers the top European destinations for any experience or budget.  Steves includes detailed information on taking trains, trams and buses with ease and ideas for walking tours to capture the top sights.  Destinations include England, France, Spain and Italy.

Rick Steves France – Similar to the previous title and other Rick Steves travel guides, his series highlight the life changing aspects of travel, including meeting locals and visiting top sites along with itineraries that includes stops less well known.  This guide to France is the 21st edition with near yearly updates on hotels and other accommodations for all budgets.   Also included are walking tours and ample coverage of museums, local restaurants and cultural and historic information.  Not only is Paris included, Steves devotes ample pages to Normandy, Burgundy, Provence, the French Riviera and the Brittany region.

DK Top 10 New England – DK Top 10 guides are perfect for a short break and DK Top 10 New England is no exception.  Covering the top local cuisine, outdoor activities, quaint towns and historic gems, the authors of this guide have streamlined the best of the best in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.  Sample itineraries are included for a weekend or a few days accompanied by a laminated pull out map.

Fodor’s Essential Japan – Written by Fodor’s local experts who have an intimate knowledge of Japan, Fodor’s Essential Japan, is an updated volume that has been redesigned in an easier to read format, newly updated photos and multiple itineraries for each destination.  Included are Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Mt. Fuji and more.  Along with the historical and cultural background of Japan, this guide has practical transportation information and language tips with essential phrases.

Lonely Planet Offbeat North America – For travelers looking for more remote or off the beaten track travels, try Lonely Planet Offbeat North America.  With over 100 lesser known destinations in The United States, Canada and Mexico, this guide also includes 25 extra hidden gems along with expertly curated advice on how to beat the crowds and the best times to travel to these locales.  Unique to this title are alternatives to popular sites that are equally as memorable but not so touristy.

 

 

In addition to the titles listed above check out these other brand new travel guides!

Rick Steves Spain

Rick Steves Scandinavia

DK Top 10 Brussels (includes Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp)

DK Top 10 Seattle

DK Top 10 Las Vegas 

Rick Steves Barcelona

Rick Steves Paris

Fodor’s Tokyo

 

TRAVEL WITH A GOOD BOOK

- Jill Leave a comment

What is travel fiction? It’s a book in which a place is as important to the narrative as a main character. The characters themselves may be traveling, but it can also be a book in which the reader is taken on a journey to the real (or fantastical) place described vividly on each page. It’s a book that shapes the way we see a certain place or whose events and characters could be in no other setting. Or, when written by an author about their own homeland, and so informed by the writer’s culture, that it’s impossible to read it without uncovering the author’s life.

Travel fiction has the ability to transport you to places you’ve never been and may never go. Through the power of storytelling, you can wander ancient streets in bustling cities, traverse untouched rugged landscapes, and immerse yourself in cultures rich with history and tradition. From the comfort of your armchair, you can discover that the world is vast and boundless, and that the greatest journeys are often those undertaken within the pages of a beloved book. If you don’t have grand travel plans this summer, let a book be your passport to adventure. I’ve selected three fictional books for you to consider for your reading travels.

The first book, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, is set in a very poor and isolated part of Naples, Italy in the mid-20th century. While the plot follows a lifelong friendship and unravels divergent fates due to economic and cultural circumstances, there are many vivid depictions of place and culture that will draw you in, including: immersion in shopping districts, dazzling views of the Mediterranean Sea and the Amalfi Coast, and revealing the heart of cities like Florence and Milan.

 

In Hula : a novel by Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes, you’ll meet three generations of native Hawaiian women whose lives are closely tied to the art and culture of Hula, including a famous hula teacher, her daughter, Laka, a Miss Aloha Hula contest winner, and Laka’s daughter. This novel explores the tight-knit Hula community within Hilo, Hawaii. It also delves into the history of Hawaii (a now forgotten kingdom that still lives in the heart of her people) and the complicated relationships between family and between the Hawaiian people and Hawaii itself.

To stretch your imagination a bit further, I’ve included Tokyo Ueno Station by Miri Yū about a homeless ghost, Kazu, who haunts one of Tokyo’s busiest train stations and its nearby park. Kazu’s life in the city began in the park when he arrived as a laborer in the preparation for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His life also sadly ended there in the homeless village in the park, a place erected after the 2011 tsunami devastation. We see daily life in Tokyo through Kazu’s eyes as we learn details of his own story that have been shaped at every turn by modern Japanese history.

It is said that a library card is the best passport you could ever have. Hopefully one of these fictional stories will inspire you to “travel” somewhere interesting this summer. But, I didn’t forget about those of you who prefer non-fiction… Check out this book: Around the world in 50 years : my adventure to every country on earth by Albert Podell. In his book, Podell describes unusual and exotic places – not just the well-known tourist destinations around the world.  Perhaps it will inspire your next travel fiction book selection – or to an actual travel adventure of your own.

 

The Best Train Journeys in the World by Franco Tanel

- Michelle Leave a comment

The Best Train Journeys in the World by Franco Tanel is a lush travel guide highlighting the unique experience of train travel accompanied with full color itineraries and logistics for those readers who are inspired to plan their next journey.  The book is organized by geographic location and offers the most historic and stunning train trips for each area of the world.  Author and photographer Tanel showcases 40 train adventures over 6 continents.  The trips represented are a variety of lengths, accommodations and terrain for those on a budget or those planning a once in a lifetime experience.

For each journey, Tanel provides historic information as to how each route was established and its historic significance.  Also included are little known facts about the train, route and economics that made the routes needed and enjoyable today.  Practical tips include maps of each route, the best scenery along the way, websites for reservations and more information, unique elements of the train and journey and the nuts and bolts of pricing and options.

Some highlighted trains and routes include :

Rocky Mountaineer  (Canada) – With a choice of four different itineraries, passengers travel for a total of 2-3 days per route in the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer.  At the end of each day, passengers spend the night in luxury hotels along the way so the beauty of the terrain is not missed overnight.  The most popular route cuts through Banff National Park and Lake Louise on the way to Vancouver, where the journey completes.

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (Colorado) – The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad route was opened in 1882 to haul silver and gold ore and makes the 45 mile trek between Durango and Silverton (Colorado) roundtrip in 9 hours.  Never traveling faster than 18 miles per hour, the steam train tracks are at a high altitude and built along sheer cliffs above the river in which a slower pace is needed.

Madaraka Express (Kenya) – Making the trek between Nairobi and Mombasa, the Madaraka Express in Kenya completes the journey in approximately 5 hours.  Much of the scenic railway, which was developed in 2017, is built on viaducts above cities in order to allow the natural landscape to remain below.  Along the way travelers pass through both the Nairobi National Park followed by the famous Tsavo National Park so all the stunning wildlife can be seen from the train’s oversized picture windows.

The Jacobite (Scotland) – As part of the journey was made famous in the Harry Potter movies, The Jacobite steam train is a tourist service that begins in Glasgow passes through Fort William and finishes up in Mallaig and returns in 4-6 hours depending on the time of day.  Much of the terrain can only be viewed on this train line, especially  the long stretches between the small stations of Rannoch Moor and Corrour, making The Jacobite the best way to take in the breathtaking views of the Scottish Highlands.

The Orient Express (Italy and France) – Reimagined from its heyday in the 1920s, this new rendition of The Orient Express travels from Paris and makes it way to Venice over the course of two days.  The original Orient Express began in 1883 and continued running (with some breaks during wartime) until May of 1977.  The original route stretched from Paris to Istanbul.  The new Orient Express train has all the majesty of the 1920s – glass panels, intricate woodcarvings and rich fabrics.  Passengers have the option of three dining cars per meal and travelers follow a strict dress code while being served by international chefs.  The Orient Express is a luxurious step back in time!

If you are a adventurous armchair traveler or are planning the trip of a lifetime, The Best Train Journeys in the World will open up a world of train traveling possibilities!

ALL KINDS OF ADVENTURE!

- Jill Leave a comment

When was the last time you went on an adventure? I don’t mean an extreme experience. Although, for those of you who enjoy the adrenaline rush of skydiving, that definitely qualifies! Adventures come in all shapes and sizes. Trying something new could lead to a new hobby, favorite activity, and new friends. For many of us, August marks the last chance to get away before the end of the rush of back to school and autumn routine set-in. And, as it happens, August is American Adventures Month. Whether you’re looking for excitement, a quiet day in nature, or learning something new, your adventure awaits…go for it!  Here are two books to get you started: The bucket list adventures : 1000 adventures big & small, and Lonely planet’s 1000 ultimate adventures.

 

We’d love to help you find your next adventure and some of our programs and events are a great way to start. If you are epicurious, try a new type of cuisine. The Quad Cities has a good diversity of restaurant fare to choose from. Or, register for one of Spice Up Your Life programs to learn how to cook with a spice you’ve never tried before. How about registering for our Beekeeping program to learn about apiculture from a local beekeeper or joining a group of history enthusiasts for a hop back in time by registering for the Q-C History Hop: Bix Beiderbecke Museum and Archive tour? Starting with a mini-adventure right in your hometown is a great way to begin. Check out 100 things to do in the Quad Cities before you die. Been there, done that you say?  Then take road trip!  Start with short trips around the state with 100 things to do in Iowa before you die.

 

Travel opens your perspective and expands your borders while also leading to a better appreciation for home. Spend quality time with friends or family while exploring new places. Check out a Garmin Nuvi 2595LMT GPS so you won’t get lost. Grab a Solar power bank 10000mAh battery pack or a IOGear Wireless 4-port USB sharing station so your smart phone battery stays charged allowing you to take amazing outdoor photos.  If your phone’s camera isn’t stellar, borrow a digital camera from the library: Canon PowerShot ELPH 340 HS digital camera or a GoPro Hero 7 Action Camera or GoPro Hero session with accessories for some live action. If you’ll need Wifi on your trip, don’t forget to reserve a Hotspot a few weeks in advance.

Perhaps you’ll celebrate Global Sleep Under the Stars night on August 8 by learning about the moon & stars and spending an evening stargazing. After all, August has the brightest moon of the year and the Perseid Meteor Showers peak during August (this year the 12th-13th). What a great time to get outside and enjoy viewing the night sky using one of the telescopes you can check out from the library. Just ask customer service at Eastern for TECHKNOW #75, a Celestron FirstScope telescope, or at Fairmount ask for TECHKNOW #81, a Gskyer telescope. Learn more about what you’ll see in the night sky with these books and magazines – more are on the Moon and Stars displays this month at the Fairmount and Eastern branches. Grab one and check-it out! The Beginner’s Guide to Stargazing, The stargazer’s handbook : the definitive field guide to the night sky, and The total skywatcher’s manual : 275+ skills and tricks for exploring stars, planets & beyond. While you’re waiting to catch a glimpse of a falling star, you can try out our Solomark night vision monocular for fun. Other gadgets to sample on your outdoor adventures are the Motorola MR350R two-way radio set or a pair of binoculars.

Dream big! Is there somewhere you’ve always wanted to go? Some sights you’d love to actually see with your own eyes? Beyond having an American adventure, think about traveling to other places around the world to experience unique cultures and amazing festivals, like the August Moon Festival in Greece. There you can see a bright, low-hanging moon over the Temple of Poseidon or the white marble of the Acropolis glowing in the brilliant moonlight. Both are sights to behold and certainly an adventure you won’t forget. Learn about a celebration somewhere in the world by reading one of these books and then go experience it! Check-out: The best place to be today : 365 things to do & the perfect day to do them, Lonely Planet’s where to go when : the ultimate trip planner for every month of the year, or Wanderlust : a traveler’s guide to the globe.

It doesn’t have to be a grand adventure of a lifetime… but it could be.  Just get out, enjoy the world, and celebrate!

Start French by Michel Thomas

- Brenda Leave a comment

If you find languages interesting, have I got a treat for you!  There is an excellent language learning series by Michel Thomas that is great listening!

I began with Start French. I always wanted to learn a little French, but it was offered during music class at my high school, so I could only choose one. I chose music and took an afternoon Spanish class for my foreign language. I’ve always found French to be a challenging accent to get, and reading the words on a page just didn’t work for me.

Enter Michel Thomas and his method.

When I popped his CD into my car, suddenly my commutes and errands turned into listening in on fun little conversations. He introduces basic words and phrases in a way that builds successively on one another, feels natural, and is a little easier to remember than trying to memorize nouns and conjugate verbs. He also relates the French word to the root of the English word, helping form connections in your brain to both words and their shared meaning.

After some time, I began talking with the recorded Thomas and enjoying being able to speak un peu de francais. I couldn’t help but share my discovery with family members and friends. My Dad wanted to try Start German. He has been listening to it before bed each night and greets the day with a guten Morgen!

This series is also currently available to check out in Irish, Italian, and Spanish. Also coming soon…Norwegian!

Travel Talk – Armchair Traveler

- Ann Leave a comment

This month in Travel Talk we’re going to explore travel books. I’m not talking about those giant coffee table books that are filled with artsy, professional photography (although those can be fun too). I’m talking about the books that you can settle down with and read, follow someone into a different culture or country and vicariously experience their adventures. These are the kind of books that will give you travel fever, all from the comfort of your armchair. Here are a few of my favorites.

Miles from Nowhere by Barbara Savage. This is the book that really hit me with the travel bug, not only to see new places, but that you didn’t have to be rich and fancy to go places. Barbara and her husband go on an around-the-world bicycle trip that is full of highs, lows and some scary moments. The writing style is fun and engaging and you’ll find it nearly impossible to put down. A great eye-opener into many different cultures and attitudes. Highly recommended. (Just don’t read the back of the book until after you finish)

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Is there anyone that hasn’t read this book yet? Come on – it’s easily one of the funniest books I’ve ever read! Although the chapter on bears might scare you into never camping (or walking in the woods)! Bryson and his friend Katz undertake hiking the Appalachian Trail, underestimating it’s difficulty and the commitment required. Katz is extremely casual in his approach; Bryson is his usual keenly observant, riotously irreverent self and comes away from his experience with a new appreciation of the land and nature. Highly recommended.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed. After making several poor life decisions, Strayed gets the crazy idea to walk the Pacific Crest Trail which runs from Mexico to Canada. It’s a long, rigorous hike and Cheryl is not prepared, but she sticks with it and along the way she finds herself. The long days of isolation and forced self-reliance help her find a reserve of strength within herself that she had never known, cleared her mind, settled her emotions and helped set her priorities. An inspiring story of growth and renewal.

These are all memoirs, but a great armchair travel books doesn’t have to be non-fiction. Any novel that sets you in a different place can give you wanderlust; for me that’s just about anything set in Paris or London or on the prairies and mountains of America.

What about you – what have you read that makes you want to dust off your suitcase? Let us know in the comments!

Travel Talk – Worst Travel Experience

- Ann Leave a comment

If you’ve done any amount of traveling, it’s happened to you – a missed flight, lost luggage, a cancelled tour (anyone book a Thomas Cook tour recently?!) The key, of course, is to not let it ruin your trip; consider it a challenge to develop your coping skills! Sometimes the alternative turns out better than you planned!

Fortunately (so far) my travel experiences have been fairly straightforward – lost luggage (found and returned to me the next day), food poisoning (spent a day sick in bed – in Paris! – willing my insides to stop revolting against me), getting lost (I do this All. The. Time. You’d think I’d learn.) Maybe the worst was when my plane caught on fire which sounds terribly dramatic, but the plane was still at the gate and I think it was a fire in the galley, not the airplane itself. It did mean we had to disembark and wait four hours for another plane which meant I missed my connection in Detroit where I had to stay overnight (the airline paid) and got home a day late. Fortunately, everything was fine in the end and it didn’t ruin the trip and look, it makes a great story!

Here’s Michelle’s epic travel nightmare!

Travel delays are par for the course, but in May of 2011, my husband and I had an epic tale of a return flight.  The trip that should have been hours, but turned into days – all because of the eruption of an Icelandic volcano named Grimsvotn.

Our plane departed a little late from Copenhagen, Denmark, which delayed us when we reached Manchester, England.  We made it in time for the flight but since we arrived less than an hour from takeoff to Chicago, we were told we could not board (even though the plane was about 50 feet away from us).  We had to go through customs, get our luggage and hope we could find a flight quickly.  This would not be ideal, since many airports were starting to cancel flights because of the volcano’s ash that was approached the UK, we knew we had to get out or risk being stuck in Manchester, which could likely be days, not hours.

After a couple of hours, we were booked on a flight to Chicago via London.  We quickly realized that making this flight would land us in Chicago at nearly 8:30 in the evening and we did not have a flight or hotel booked for that night.  Once we made it to Chicago, my sister-in-law picked us up and we went back to her house in the Chicago suburbs.  It would be a short visit before we headed back to O’Hare in the morning. In the morning, we rode the Metra train to O’Hare only to find out that our flight to Moline was canceled.  We made a spit decision to rent a car one-way (not the cheapest option) and finally made it home that night!  As Ann mentioned in her post, it does make for a great story!

Now it’s your turn – what has been your worst Travel Experience? Let us know in the comments! And please, only stories that end well!

Travel Talk – Preserving the Memory

- Ann Leave a comment

So, you’ve gone on a fabulous trip, or have one coming up. Now the question is, how do you hang onto those happy memories?

Photo book. There are dozens of companies that help you put together a photo album of your trip at a variety of price points and features. These can be lots of fun to make and you don’t need a lot of technological skills. Just upload your photos to the company’s program, choose your templates and go! I love photography and always make a photo album when I get home from a trip – it’s a great way to relive and remember a special time.

Scrapbook. Take all those brochures and ticket stubs and business cards and put together a scrapbook. I also like to include things like candy bar wrappers and small paper shop bags, anything that is unique and different from home. You can add handwritten notes about the different objects or decorate the pages however you want. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to make a scrapbook – it is for your enjoyment. (The same is true of photo books)

Postcards. You’ll find post cards everywhere of course, even if snail mail is on the decline. They’re a great alternative if you’re not interested in photography, or want a perfect shot of a famous landmark or one you wouldn’t be able to get (like a bird’s-eye view of the Grand Canyon) I pass on the kitschy, jokey postcards, but if that’s your jam, go for it. I love museums and like to grab a few postcards of favorite paintings – they are much better quality than anything I can photograph (and sans tourists!) and look lovely in a frame in my house.

Souvenirs. Every major (and many not-so-major) tourist destination will have souvenirs for sale. A lot of times these are, shall we say, not terribly sophisticated or subtle. Again, if that’s your jam, go for it – not judging. But if you’re looking for something more authentic, I suggest that you shop for souvenirs at the local grocery store. Candy bars (both fancy and regular), coffee, tea and mustard made in the country you’re visiting are excellent choices and easy to fit into a carry on (if you don’t go overboard which I tend to do!). If you have checked baggage, you can take home local wines and olive oils; I’ve even heard of people bringing French butter home in their suitcase!

The ultimate goal, of course, is to have something that reminds you of a trip – the different atmosphere, the culture, the inspirational things you saw, the happy memories.

Now it’s your turn – what do you bring home from your travels?

 

 

Travel Talk – Iowa, Part 3

- Ann 1 Comment

Hello again! Here we are with our third installment of exploring Iowa for Travel Talk. This month Michelle and I are talking about some great museums. I love museums – art, history, science I love it all. In my experience, museums are beautiful places filled with endlessly interesting and inspiring displays. Guess what – the museums in Iowa are no different. Bonus – these are all within in an easy day trip of Davenport!

Here are Michelle’s picks:

The University of Iowa Natural History Museum in downtown Iowa City is a free and fascinating look at Iowa’s history.  The museum offers an up-close look at hundreds animals from around Iowa and the world.  The Hall of Birds and the Hall of Mammals are especially worth a visit. When visiting the Hall of Birds, visitors can view over 1,000 birds, many who make their permanent or seasonal residence in Iowa.  These specimens were collected throughout the years by University of Iowa professors. Make sure you find the Laysan Island Cyclorama which replicates a 1914 bird sanctuary in Laysan, an outpost of the Hawaiian atoll.  In 1914, the sanctuary was the home to over 8 million birds of 22 different species.  Across the museum is the Hall of Mammals which displays animals from around the world.  Among the highlights is the skeleton of a 47 foot Atlantic Right Whale.  A final stop should be Iowa Hall, which allows visitors to travel through Iowa’s 500 million year geological, cultural and ecological history.

The Des Moines Art Center is a gem both inside and outside, with noteworthy art on its walls along with the architects who designed the structure in three parts.  The building is designed by world famous architects Eliel Saarinen (portion built in 1948), I.M. Pei (structure completed in 1968), and Richard Meier finishing the museum in 1985.  Inside, the Art Center has a stellar permanent collection which includes works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper and Alexander Calder along with rotating special exhibitions.  A second part of the Art Center is the Pappajohn Sculpture Park located in downtown Des Moines.  Admission is free for both!

And here are my recommendations.

National Czech and Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids. Completely rebuilt after the devastating 1993 flood, the Czech Museum is a gorgeous tribute to the craftsmanship and beauty (don’t miss the crystal chandelier in the lobby) of Czech art. There are also extensive displays of the history of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. These include full size reproductions of a Communist watch tower and steerage rooms that immigrants would have stayed in on their voyage to America. There are also stunning examples of crystal, porcelain and needlework on display.

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch. His Presidency might not have been a success, but Herbert Hoover was a great statesman. He was instrumental in providing food relief to Europe and Russia during and after World War I and later after World War II, saving millions of lives. He and his wife Lou traveled extensively and many of the things they collected on these travels are on display. There is also a lot of information about Lou who was brilliant in her own right (to this day, she is the only First Lady to speak an Asian language – in this case Mandarin Chinese)

This is just the tip of the iceberg – there are loads of great museums throughout the state – and in Davenport itself! (the Figge, the German American Heritage Center and the Putnam, to get you started) Here’s a tip for you – keep an eye on the website of any museum you might be interested in – most of them have exhibits that run for a short period of time as well as their permanent displays. These can be a great opportunity to see art and artifacts from far-flung museums, right in your own backyard!

Now what about you – what museums in Iowa would you recommend?

Travel Talk – Iowa, Part 2

- Ann Leave a comment

Hello Travel Fans!

It’s time for our next installment of travel in Iowa! This month Michelle is describing some of the beautiful, natural places to explore in Iowa – it’s not all corn fields here! Over to you Michelle.

Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University in Ames – Part of Iowa State University in Ames, Reiman Gardens is a serene space that offers 17 acres of outdoor gardens, an indoor butterfly garden, tropical plant conservatory and endless learning opportunities.  Did I forget to mention it is also the home of Elwood, the world’s largest concrete gnome?  The gardens also feature periodic exhibitions and this summer’s exhibition is “Toys & Games,” in which toys inspired by nature are sprinkled throughout the gardens.  The gardens are open daily and offer something for everyone!

Effigy Mounds near Harpers Ferry – Effigy Mounds National Monument is a perfect day trip in the far northeastern part of the state.  The free trails allows visitors to hike near the animal shaped mounds constructed during the Late Woodland Period (between 800 and 1600 years ago).  According to the National Park Service, these mounds were a regional cultural phenomenon.  Mounds of earth in the shapes of birds, deer, bison lynx and turtle abound.  Some archeologists believe the mounds were built to mark celestial events or seasonal occurrences.  Others speculate the as boundaries between or markers between groups, but it is unclear exactly what was the purpose of the Mounds.  Hiking up to the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River gives a beautiful view of the surrounding area.  Also, near Harpers Ferry are the picturesque towns of Marquette, McGregor and Pikes Pike State Park, which is also a great place to see views of the river.

Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge – The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is just south of Des Moines near the Colfax and Mingo exit in Prairie City.  Visit the extensive learning center and walk the number of trails that offer a variety of easy hikes.  To see the bison and elk you will drive through their habitat and be prepared to see them up close – or not, depending on the day.  Even if you do not see as many bison or elk as you would like from your car, the learning center has binoculars in order to spot the herds up close.

 

 

Makes you want to jump in your car and explore these beautiful places, doesn’t it? I especially love the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. You can almost imagine what the Great Plains must have been like before cars and wagon trains.

What about you – what’s your favorite outdoor area to visit in Iowa?