Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

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OMYx3
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Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by OMYx3 »

Yes, you all! We asked for ideas and advice for our trip to the UP (Michigan) last fall and you all delivered big time! We asked for advice again for the PNW and had an amazing trip! So, thank you!

We are hoping to keep the winning streak going with a "last-minute" trip coming up the week of October 21st. We are going to see family in Iowa City, and then will have one week to go wherever we want before we need to be back in Iowa City on 10/26. We love hiking, biking, spending time outdoors, as well as good local food, farmers' markets, flavorful craft beer and wine. And we are hoping to see some amazing fall colors.

We are leaning towards driving to Duluth, MN, and then checking on the north shore of MN for a few days. We are wondering if we would be too late for the best fall colors in that area.

Since we aren't familiar with Minnesota and Wisconsin and the areas that we could drive to from Iowa City, we thought we would try to tap into all the knowledge and experience in this forum. THANK YOU in advance for your ideas and suggestions - we really appreciate it! :sharebeer
bobn60014
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Re: Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by bobn60014 »

Rather than Duluth (somewhat boring imho) , perhaps take a look a Door County Wisconsin or Bayfield/Apostle Islands. That time of year both are great, but Door County might have better change of colors.
Moose1972
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Re: Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by Moose1972 »

Duluth and Door are nice but drive less and enjoy the River road along the Mississippi. Go to Galena, Il or Stillwater, MN and points in between.
BigRedHusker
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Re: Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by BigRedHusker »

Galena would save you a lot of driving and is a very nice city.
bobn60014
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Re: Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by bobn60014 »

I believe the OP is looking for something more. Galena is a simple day trip from Iowa City.
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lthenderson
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Re: Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by lthenderson »

OMYx3 wrote: Sun Oct 06, 2024 6:45 pm We are going to see family in Iowa City, and then will have one week to go wherever we want before we need to be back in Iowa City on 10/26. We love hiking, biking, spending time outdoors, as well as good local food, farmers' markets, flavorful craft beer and wine. And we are hoping to see some amazing fall colors.
Why not just say in the area? There are a number of spectacular parks in the area. Maquoketa State park, Mines of Spain, Pikes Peak, Crystal Lake Cave, Effigy Mounds (is having a special celebration on 10/26 celebrating 75th anniversary) and others come to mind that can satisfy the outdoors part of what you are seeking. Leaves are already starting to turn colors in this area too and will probably be in their prime by the end of October. Further north will be past prime leaf color. There are great farmers markets in Iowa City as well as Des Moines. Iowa City is within 40 miles of a dozen wineries and hundreds of places that serve or make craft beers including many in Iowa City.

I've done the North Shore and it is a beautiful area but during that time, it will be extremely congested and all the campground will have long since sold out as well as many of the nearby motels. They often are sold out six months in advance.

Not clear how familiar you are with the Iowa city area but some places to check out if you haven't been to them would be the Amana Colonies, Field of Dreams, Dyersville Toy Museum, Buffalo Bill Museum, National Mississippi River Aquarium, American Gothic House, Herbert Hoover Historic Site and Snake Alley. There are dozens of others that are quick stops if one does a google search for them.
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Kagord
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Re: Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by Kagord »

lthenderson wrote: Sun Oct 06, 2024 11:35 pm
OMYx3 wrote: Sun Oct 06, 2024 6:45 pm We are going to see family in Iowa City, and then will have one week to go wherever we want before we need to be back in Iowa City on 10/26. We love hiking, biking, spending time outdoors, as well as good local food, farmers' markets, flavorful craft beer and wine. And we are hoping to see some amazing fall colors.
Why not just say in the area? There are a number of spectacular parks in the area. Maquoketa State park, Mines of Spain, Pikes Peak, Crystal Lake Cave, Effigy Mounds (is having a special celebration on 10/26 celebrating 75th anniversary) and others come to mind that can satisfy the outdoors part of what you are seeking. Leaves are already starting to turn colors in this area too and will probably be in their prime by the end of October. Further north will be past prime leaf color. There are great farmers markets in Iowa City as well as Des Moines. Iowa City is within 40 miles of a dozen wineries and hundreds of places that serve or make craft beers including many in Iowa City.

I've done the North Shore and it is a beautiful area but during that time, it will be extremely congested and all the campground will have long since sold out as well as many of the nearby motels. They often are sold out six months in advance.

Not clear how familiar you are with the Iowa city area but some places to check out if you haven't been to them would be the Amana Colonies, Field of Dreams, Dyersville Toy Museum, Buffalo Bill Museum, National Mississippi River Aquarium, American Gothic House, Herbert Hoover Historic Site and Snake Alley. There are dozens of others that are quick stops if one does a google search for them.
Agree, that's a lot of driving to get to Duluth, and I think the fall tree color experience is going to be well over at that time that far north (based on the OPs trip timing), statistical fall color map is here with a slider to project forward https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fall_colors/index.html. Also, though fall has an unseasonable warm patten this fall in the upper Midwest, you run the risk of a biting "October" cold snap the more north you go.

Post above has some great ideas with less driving.
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OMYx3
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Re: Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by OMYx3 »

Thanks for all the recommendations! We will look into the parks you mentioned, as we are not familiar with that area. We don't mind driving a decent distance if we can see some spectacular sights but sounds like there are some great sights and hikes even closer.
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OMYx3
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Re: Seeking Help from the Best Travel Resource on the Internet

Post by OMYx3 »

Just wanted to thank you all for your recommendations. We ended up driving from Iowa City to Stillwater, and then worked our way down along the river back to NE Iowa. We saw some spectacular colors and found some great hikes and bike rides. And drank some really good beer. The colors at Effigy Mounds and Pikes Peak State Park were especially vibrant. And we bought some catfish from a local fish shop in Prairie du Chein - usually "melt in your mouth" and "catfish" aren't in the same sentence - it did not disappoint. We even stayed one night in Dyersville, IA, which was a pleasant surprise. The basilica in Dyersville is amazing and of course we had to visit the Field of Dreams.

Thanks again - we will be back to seek advice for your next trip!
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