Hungry for Adventurez

I went to Debuque this weekend, and it was lovely! Despite it being February! If you need to get out of the house due to some winter cabin fever, use a sunny day to drive to Dubuque and enjoy Iowa's favorite port city. As a fan of budget travel, I have made sure to note what everything costs as of February 2023. Most entries are also family friendly. Free things to do: Sculpture on the Dubuque River Walk  Walk the River Walk This is pretty well known, but it’s known for a reason. The Marina area has beautiful views of bridges and bluffs over the Mississippi, as well as public art displays. It’s also very close to many other paid activities, and there is access to free parking. (note: Dubuque charges for parking in most downtown areas. Bring quarters, unless you research free parking ahead of time.)  Mines of Spain Recreation Area Another free favorite in Dubuque, Iowa. This park offers great hiking and lookout points over the river. Keep in mind that when we visited, the road to J

  Photo by Xia Guangjian from Pexels.com  I get cabin fever easily. However, my partner does not. He is an introvert, runs out of energy faster than I do, and doesn’t like bugs. Or maybe bugs like him too much? Whichever way that goes, we have different preferences when it comes to how much adventure is enough. Sometimes this is a problem. However, this doesn’t mean we don’t get to go on great adventures together. Since we have been living together, I think we have learned a lot about how to adventure, when to adventure, and when to make compromises to keep everyone happy and comfortable. Homebodies love to be comfortable; Come prepared to manage the elements This one is possibly the most obvious, but it’s pretty foundational. If you forget the bug spray on a hike, you will not have a good time. If you don’t bring sunscreen to the beach, you will not have a good time. My boyfriend often prefers to be indoors because it's more comfortable. Thus, as I plan a new outdoor outing, I try

  Photo from Lost Island's website The answer is - it depends! How often do you plan on going? How long can a fixed number of attractions keep you entertained? Do you also plan on going to the Lost Island Waterpark? Let's break down who should be using a day pass versus who would benefit from a season pass. This is the first year that season passes will be available, and a season pass might be worth serious consideration for some adventurers.   What does a Lost Island Themepark day pass cost? According to the Lost Island Theme Park's website , day passes will be $43.00 - $48.00 for the 2023 season. Exact prices will depend on the date you choose. Passes must be purchased for a specific day online, or day off at the front gate. Don’t forget that the Theme Park charges for parking, unlike the Waterpark.  How much does a Lost Island Themepark season pass cost?  Multiple season passes are available depending on what perks you want. The most basic pass costs $200 plus taxes and

  I’m not going to lie, this year winter hit me like a truck. For the time being, I live in Iowa, which experiences all four seasons. I drive a Prius, which doesn’t handle snow well due to its size and front wheel drive. I’m not historically a winter sports enthusiast, and I don’t like being cold. I also work full time, which means that during November through January when days are shorter, I spend almost all of daylight hours working in an office. I chose all of those aspects of my life, because right now, there are a lot of benefits. However, this year I really learned that for my mental health, I need to make sure I get out and adventure during the winter the best I can. Here are 5 strategies I use to hold over my hunger for adventure during the cold, dark, winter.  1. Use lunch breaks wisely during the winter If the best sunshine and warmest hours happen while you are at work, take advantage of your lunch break to get some vitamin D. I like to eat my lunch while working, so I can

I wouldn’t call myself a travel expert; I’m too young, and don’t have a lot of experience with long distance travel as an adult. That being said, I am pretty good at getting a good time out of almost no money. I get my cheap thrills as a weekend warrior, getting all my cabin fever out with short trips while still saving the same amount of money and PTO for the occasional big trip. Here are my biggest tips for getting more adventure without increasing your travel budget.  Travel Regionally Travel doesn’t have to mean coast to coast flights. In fact it doesn’t have to include flights at all! Take a look at areas that you can drive to in a few hours. Chances are, there is a city, national park, or state park you haven’t explored yet. Every time you get that wanderlust, look up activities in these new places. When I do this, I limit my transportation expenses to a tank of gas or two. With my Prius that’s just $30 per tank, the equivalent of two movie tickets and a snack at the theater.  If

A photo I took of one of the roller coasters at Lost Island in 2022 Let's Talk About What to Expect at Lost Island Theme Park in 2023! I love theme parks. Even though I only have a handful within driving distance, I really enjoy learning about the art and engineering of themed amusement parks. That makes having a Lost Island within spitting distance of my home really something special. I got to enjoy Lost Island last season, and I have a lot of hope for what it will develop into. That being said, I think there is a lot to talk about in terms of what ways the park is still developing.  The Bigger Picture of Lost Island Theme Park Lost Island Theme Park is the most recent addition to the larger Lost Island ecosystem. It’s older “siblings” include a nationally ranked water park, a campground, and minigolf. The waterpark was opened in 2001. Not only has it succeeded commercially, it’s also pretty darn impressive, especially when compared against other Iowan waterparks. For me, Lost Isl

Have you ever had hiker trash pad thai? It's not actually pad thai in any traditional sense of the word, but rather a sort of peanut and noodle concoction designed for ultra-easy preparation while camping and backpacking. It usually consists of noodles that can be quickly cooked with a jet-boil or pocket rocket, plus soy sauce, peanut butter powder, and also optionally seasonings, dried vegetables, peanuts, and fish or meat from a pouch. It is probably the most common recipe I see for backpacking and minimalist camping , probably because it packs a good amount of carbs and protein without a lot of weight. The term “ hiker trash ” refers to backpacking, especially to those trekking over a long enough time that they temporarily lose touch with which mannerisms are appropriate for normal life, and which are appropriate only for the trail. I decided to test the best ways to make hiker trash pad thai. I experimented with cooking methods, noodle type, and pouched fish to see how each com