Hungry for Adventurez

Do you need a new travel podcast to keep you occupied in the car or at work? Need new travel inspo? Do you want to travel, but don't have enough information on how to make it happen for you? I have recommendations! Here are some of my favorite travel-themed YouTube channels and Podcasts.  Best Podcast for Travel Motivation and Inspiration Zero to Travel This podcast set the stage for for me to start saving money for travel and taking travel seriously as a goal. People tend to prioritize career goals and health goals. We take professional development classes and head to the gym with the mantra, "No pain, go gain!" But, for some people, travel might be important enough as a goal that it deserves the same attention, sacrifice, and training. Zero to Travel is a great podcast for learning different ways that people prioritize traveling, sometimes in extreme ways, but also in easy and casual ways.  Best Podcasts for Exploring Van Set-ups and Equipment Van Life Lab Have you ever...

I love supporting local small businesses as much as possible, but sometimes during a trip, your wallet just needs a break. This is doubly true if you have a whole family to entertain! Here are 10 free activities you can do in the Des Moines metro area, sorted by type.  If you want more information on free or low-budget activities in Iowa, check out my article about Waterloo-Cedar Falls and Dubuque .  Free Markets in Des Moines Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market The Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market is truly a gem! Experience city blocks of food and art vendors, live music, and good old Saturday morning fun! The best part, is you don't have to buy anything to enjoy the vibes.  Learn more here .  Live Music and Farmers Market in Valley Junction Not in town on a Saturday? No problem! The Neighborhood of Valley Junction, west of downtown Des Moines, has a bustling Thursday market on summer evenings, featuring a rotating selection of live music of all genres.  ...

IOverlander is a free, crowd-sourced app designed for roadtrippers, RVers and Car campers. I have recently started to use it to plan out my weekend adventures in Iowa, and find free places to stay overnight. Lately I have been camping solo almost every weekend. While campgrounds are much cheaper than hotels, I have been starting to wonder if I can illuminate the cost and hassle of staying at the more popular campgrounds. (If you want to learn more about ultra low budget travel, read this !) Plus, in the busy summer season, sometimes the popular campgrounds, like Makokita cave and Backbone State Parks are completely booked. iOverlander helps provide some great options to explore a little differently.  How the iOverlander app works  iOverlander is a crowd-sourced app. That means that anybody can log a pin in the app and leave notes on the quality and type of location. People who visit a place later can also add check-ins with pictures and notes to help future travelers. If you a...

My boyfriend and I have wanted to travel from Iowa to Colorado on the California Zephyr for a while. However, we discovered that we could only afford Amtrak coach seats, and not a roomette. We decided to take the rail trip anyway and see how it went. We came back about a week ago, and I have plenty of info to share about sleeping in Amtrak coach seats! Our Amtrak route and itinerary Since we live in Iowa, the California Zephyr is the most accessible rail route. This Amtrak route goes from Chicago to San Francisco, California. It stops along the way at large and small stations alike, including Omaha, Lincoln, Denver, and Salt Lake City. For our trip, we boarded at a small station in Osceola, Iowa, and deboarded in Denver’s Union Station. We took Amtrak home using the same stations, also in coach seats. Both trains that we took had sleeper cars at the front of the train, then the dining car, then next the observation deck/café car, and the coach cars at the end.  What is the differe...

  When I moved to Iowa from Minnesota for college, I heard a lot of people tell me that Iowa would be the most boring place I would ever visit - a true flyover state. I heard the stereotype that driving is nothing but fields of corn, and the only thing you can do for fun is drink. Now that I have been living here full time for several years, do I agree? How does this affect my views on local travel? Let’s dive in. Living In Iowa is more likely to be boring than traveling in Iowa I think before we start I need to clarify that when measuring how fun or boring a place is, you need to differentiate between living in one location full time, and traveling. Iowan towns tend to be more spread out and smaller than the part of Minnesota where I grew up, which has specific cons for people who permanently live here. For example, you have to travel further for specialized healthcare, specialty shopping, and some kinds of urban entertainment like theater or pop concerts. And since Iowa has very ...

  I just came back from my second annual trip to see the tulips in Pella, Iowa. If you have never been to this adorable Dutch inspired city, it is definitely worth the road trip; here’s why! Why Should I Visit Pella For Tulip Time?  Pella is a unique community that was founded by a group of Dutch immigrants in the mid 1800s. The city of Pella has retained so much of that authentic Dutch culture and “flavor”. In fact, I would say it's about as close as you can get to the feeling of being in Europe while still being in Iowa. From the dutch themed shops, to local heritage groups, to the dutch inspired architecture, it’s everywhere! Pella also carries on the Dutch tradition of Tulip Time, a springtime festival marked by hundreds and hundreds of colorful tulips!  Tulip Time in Pella is a really great weekend trip because it offers something for everyone. It can be as active or relaxed as you want the trip to be. Furthermore, It really is one of the most unique and quintessent...

  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, ...

  Ever watched influencers like Nikki Delventha l and started imagining yourself traveling the country in your car, no hotel or RV necessary? Turns out, for those of us more interested in weekend outings than long term travel, it's quite easy. I have enjoyed using my Prius as a sort of minimalist RV for about a year. That being said, I can say from experience that there are some supplies you should not leave home without, for your comfort and sanity. Here are the 7 main areas you need to plan for.  One of the many shade socks you can find on Amazon Privacy While Car Camping in a Prius Window covers should be the first thing you buy. Window shades are essential for a few reasons. First, you need a private place to change your cloths, and sleep without feeling like anyone could see you. Second, shades help insulate the windows and regulate the temperature of the vehicle while you sleep. Thirdly, they help darken the vehicle if you sleep past sunrise, which is especially importan...