🗺️ Iowa and Wisconsin Road Trip: On the Journey to Visit All 50 States
🗺️ Iowa and Wisconsin Road Trip: On the Journey to Visit All 50 States
When I tell people that we are planning a trip to Iowa and Wisconsin, most get a puzzled look on their faces. Then come the questions: "Do you have family there?" "Are there specific things you are planning to do?" Or more simply, "Why?"
The simple answer is that I plan to travel to all 50 states before I turn 50, and Iowa and Wisconsin are among the eight states I have left to visit. The USA is a beautiful, diverse country, so why not explore every corner of it? 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.
The Road Trip Route: Chicago to the Great Lakes
Our itinerary for this trip has us flying in and out of Chicago and renting a car for a 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 Islands National Lakeshore in northern Wisconsin. After a few days exploring the Apostle Islands, we would make our way to Green Bay and Door County on Lake Michigan before heading to Madison and Milwaukee and then back to Chicago.
However, due to flight cancellations, our trip was delayed two days. 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! In this case, it was for the best, as we are enjoying great weather in the Apostle Islands now that the smoke from the Canadian wildfires has dissipated.
Wisconsin Sites: Islands, Lambeau Field, and Lake Life
This is a road trip, so we will likely make some detours along the way, but our planned sites for Wisconsin include the following:
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore: Located on Lake Superior, this beautiful area 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 to get a lay of the land for our next few days of exploring.
Lambeau Field (Green Bay): While I am adamantly not a Packers fan, no trip to Green Bay would be complete without a visit to the home of the Green Bay Packers.
Door County: Known for its long shoreline, islands, and many parks, this is where we will spend our anniversary and a few days relaxing lake-style on Lake Michigan.
Madison and Milwaukee: We are still working on the plans for the major cities besides eating cheese, sausages, and drinking beer, so stay tuned!
Iowa Sites: Truck Stops, History, and Baseball
Our itinerary for Iowa is now scheduled for the end of our trip and includes these unique stops:
Iowa 80: This “world's largest truckstop”, established in 1964 in Walcott, Iowa, is a destination in itself. Here, we will explore the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum with antique trucks and trucking memorabilia.
Field of Dreams Movie Site: Located in Dyersville, Iowa, this is known as the "most magical place on dirt." We look forward to visiting the classic movie site about America's favorite pastime, baseball.
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: A unit of the National Park System in West Branch, Iowa, commemorating the life of Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States.
Maquoketa Caves State Park: Located in Jackson County, Iowa, this park was discovered in the 1830s and has been a destination for adventurers, 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 (Dubuque): This funicular railway was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and claims to be both the shortest and steepest railroad in the world.
Best Laid Plans
We know that with any travel, there will be detours along the way, unexpected stops that will turn out amazing, and plans that go astray (like the flight cancellation!). See what actually happened on our road trip to Wisconsin and Iowa.
💬 Is Iowa or Wisconsin on your travel list? Would you visit the Apostle Islands or the Field of Dreams? Share your thoughts below.
