Weekend getaway recommendations

[besserheimerphat]

My wife and I are looking to get away for a long weekend in the middle of October and are trying to come up with ideas. I’m looking for any recommendations on places for a 3-4 day weekend trip (within the US) that you’ve been on and enjoyed.

I've seen that you can use Google Flights to find smoking deals on last minute flights when the destination and dates are flexible. For example I just entered "1 week trip in October, leaving from Des Moines." I'm seeing options for Orlando, Phoenix, Vegas, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Portland, Austin, Nashville and NYC for less than $130 per adult. You can go to Denver for $55 if you're willing to fly Frontier. You can go to San Diego for $177 from 9/28 - 10/2. And most of the time these are prices directly from the airline, and it links you to the airline's booking site to purchase. That’s handy when you want to upgrade, flights get canceled, etc.

 

[CyPhallus]

Surprised that Gary Indiana has not been mentioned.

That makes two of us

 

[2122]

My wife and I are looking to get away for a long weekend in the middle of October and are trying to come up with ideas. I’m looking for any recommendations on places for a 3-4 day weekend trip (within the US) that you’ve been on and enjoyed.

Trendy - Spend a few nights at the Hewing Hotel and explore the warehouse district in Minneapolis.

Old School - Back in the day Iowans used to flock to the Waterville,MN area for bullhead fishing.

 

[loyalsons4evertrue]

There’s always Paris, Iowa or even double down with the one in Linn County and the one near Moravia.

the disrespect to Jamaica, Iowa is absurd!

 

[ClonerJams]

Any places in Iowa to recommend that are good in the fall?

 

[BACyclone]

We’re fairly active. Hiking, sports, like to go out to eat. Would rather not sit in a hotel room around the clock but would be ok on a beach. Not huge drinkers but will have a drink or two if we go out. We live in Ankeny, think we’re looking at flying.

If you are into hiking, my wife and I had a blast at Zion National Park. We flew into LV and drove out to a VRBO house ~30min from the park entrance.

A few challenging to easy trails. Enjoyed walking "the narrows" -- you have to rent waders, which is inexpensive but worth it. Just have to watch the water forecast.

From there it's not too far to drive to a couple other spots, including Bryce Canyon, which is quite an experience.

 

[Lafester]

Cincinnati-
For the Iowa State football game Oct 14. The Iowa State club has an event the night before the game and the day of the game.

 

[BACyclone]

Any places in Iowa to recommend that are good in the fall?

Decorah. If you'd like to walk a little there are some nice trails out around Seed Savers.

And so much more.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

I've been there a number of times. My Grandparents lived there, and my Dad was born there.

My dad graduated from Jamaica. That’s way before it was YJB, and then some other name. Jamaica Union Church is where my grandparents went and we did when visiting them.

 

[CycloneNorth]

Trendy - Spend a few nights at the Hewing Hotel and explore the warehouse district in Minneapolis.

Old School - Back in the day Iowans used to flock to the Waterville,MN area for bullhead fishing.

I did not know people voluntarily caught bullheads.

 

[NWICY]

Surprised that Gary Indiana has not been mentioned.

LOL only place I ever checked out of a hotel after checking in. I'm not super picky but that one was too sketch for me. The night desk person didn't even argue just canceled my card and let me leave.

 

[NWICY]

Any places in Iowa to recommend that are good in the fall?

NE Iowa, yellow river state forest(?) Most of NE Iowa really around Decorah. Ledges state park near Boone. Dolliver and Brushy Creek state parks in Webster Co. (Ft. Dodge)

 

[NWICY]

I did not know people voluntarily caught bullheads.

Had a aunt and uncle up in Mn when we would visit them, we would go fish off a dam on the upper Mississippi catch a 5 gallon bucket full of bullheads, take them back skin them my aunt would cook some that night then the rest in the morning for breakfast.
She had a wood burning stove and a cast iron skillet, fried them in lard that was so hot it was smoking, it was awesome. Oh well thanks for the trip down memory lane.

 

[isufbcurt]

I did not know people voluntarily caught bullheads.

My grandpa and I used to go fishing for bullhead all the time when I was a kid. When the Wapsi would flood by Follets, IA (between Davenport and Clinton) we'd fish the flooded ditches and catch so many it was crazy.

 

[cowgirl836]

NE Iowa, yellow river state forest(?) Most of NE Iowa really around Decorah. Ledges state park near Boone. Dolliver and Brushy Creek state parks in Webster Co. (Ft. Dodge)

I bet the MacGregor area is gorgeous in the fall. Check out Pike's Peak and look over to Wyalusing

 

[madguy30]

I did not know people voluntarily caught bullheads.

Growing up, the creek through my land some summers would have bullheads and green sunfish which was I guess a step up from creek chubs.

Sometimes a white sucker would pop up which was REALLY wild.

 

[CyPhallus]

Growing up, the creek through my land some summers would have bullheads and green sunfish which was I guess a step up from creek chubs.

Sometimes a white sucker would pop up which was REALLY wild.

Pretty healthy population of white suckers in the evenings across from the Firestone plant on 2nd St.

 

[Al_4_State]

Any places in Iowa to recommend that are good in the fall?

Yellow River Forest is spectacular this time of year.

If someone's really looking for a wilderness-esque experience in Iowa, I would strongly recommend a fall visit to White Pine Hollow. It's right outside of Luxemburg (between Dubuque and Guttenberg). It's a massive chunk of publicly owned land with very few actual trails. You're basically bushwacking, but once the leaves turn and start to fall, it's easily to keep your bearings. A beautiful stream with it's cliffy canyon flows through it.

You could base a great Driftless Area weekend out of Decorah, McGregor, Dubuque, or Elkader. Just depending on what places you want to check out.

One thing I'd recommend as well for someone looking for uncrowded scenery, is to hike along a designated trout stream. There will be public access, some level of trail, and you'll get into some beautiful spots.

 

[isufbcurt]

First day in Maine. 2 meals so far both Lobster!!! Got to get to bed now, have an early hike to see one of the first spots the sun rises in America.

 

[cyclone13]

First day in Maine. 2 meals so far both Lobster!!! Got to get to bed now, have an early hike to see one of the first spots the sun rises in America.

Don’t forget to have Popovers at Jordan Pond Restaurant.

Hope you have a good weather tomorrow! We went for sunset and it rained but we were able to see a bit of sunset. The next day we went for sunrise and it was cloudy - there was 2 seconds when the sky parted and people started screaming “yes” followed by collective groans when the clouds covered the area.