Exploring Iowa: 100 Places in 100 Days

When my partner took a travel nursing job in Cedar Rapids, we packed up our life, our three dogs, and hit the road. I work remotely in digital marketing, so I can tag along wherever he goes and while Iowa wasn’t exactly on my bucket list, I decided to turn it into something fun.

100 places in 100 days.

Mostly local. Definitely random. All new to me.

Some stops are bigger , like state parks, roller coasters, or cool day trips. Others are tiny, a roadside fruit stand, a new trail, or a cozy coffee shop downtown. The goal is simple: go somewhere new every single day for 100 days.

I’ll be sharing all the stops, the pretty, the weird, the underrated, all on here and on TikTok @shealynnlouu. So far, I’ve learned that Iowa is way more charming than I expected. The views are green and peaceful, the people are kind, and there’s always something going on if you actually look for it.

We might only be here for a few months, but I don’t want to spend this season waiting for the next one. I want to leave feeling like I actually lived here, even if it was temporary.

If you’re from the area or have recs for hidden gems, send them my way. Breweries, bookshops, trails, diners, ghost tours… I’m into it all!

Let’s see what Iowa’s got.