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Make My Drive Fun: Davenport to Sioux City

NoleATL

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Jul 11, 2007
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Came across this website and figured I'd use it to see what fun there was in Iowa. Looks like the recommended fun stops are:

1. Atomic Cannon
2. Iowa 80 Truck Stop (is the fun in the showers?)
3. The Black Angel of Oakland Cemetery
4. University of Iowa Natural History Museum
5. Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
6. Huston Cemetery (I guess cemeteries are considered fun in Iowa?)
7. Bonnie and Clyde Dexter Shootout Marker
8. Lastly, the Site of the first train robbery in the west (I suppose there is a marker there as well?)

No Casey's?

 
when will this drive be? we could get DSMBoyz Inc back together for a lunch.

El bait shop/high life lounge is a fun stop for lunch in Des Moines. Drive by Kinnick is Iowa City.

I grew up in sioux city. it's largely forgettable. One of the best places in town is a hole in the wall dive bar called Miles Inn. Get a charlie boy and a schooner of banquet beer.
 
There are no views to be had along I-80 IMO that you won't find elsewhere in Iowa. Stopping in Des Moines for lunch is probably the highlight if you take 80 from Davenport all the way to western IA before turning north for SC. My suggestion would be to stop for lunch in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids after getting off 80 and then taking I-380 north up to Waterloo, IA and then taking US Hwy 20 west all the way to Sioux City. You miss out on the famed Des Moines skyline, but you also contend with far fewer semis and out-of-state folks trying their best to GTFO of Iowa.

That said, it's been at least 4 or 5 years since I last took US 20 west of where it intersects with I-35, so maybe it's gone to complete hell since then. Please other HORTers correct me if this is a bad idea.
 
Also yes, 20% of Iowans lose their virginity in a graveyard. Even though it's a wide open sparsely populated state, news still travels very fast here. If you bang in a graveyard and someone finds out and tries to tell everyone, then it sounds like a story they made up to slander you. It works perfectly.
 
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Also, I know you said fun. But this is Iowa. Unless you're confident in your ability to source drugs in a foreign land, I would suggest focusing on how lovely it will be to see your family. That will be your fun, I'm afraid to say.
 
 
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There are no views to be had along I-80 IMO that you won't find elsewhere in Iowa. Stopping in Des Moines for lunch is probably the highlight if you take 80 from Davenport all the way to western IA before turning north for SC. My suggestion would be to stop for lunch in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids after getting off 80 and then taking I-380 north up to Waterloo, IA and then taking US Hwy 20 west all the way to Sioux City. You miss out on the famed Des Moines skyline, but you also contend with far fewer semis and out-of-state folks trying their best to GTFO of Iowa.

That said, it's been at least 4 or 5 years since I last took US 20 west of where it intersects with I-35, so maybe it's gone to complete hell since then. Please other HORTers correct me if this is a bad idea.
It's four lane all the way to Sioux City, so I would say it has gotten better, not worse. One little town where it goes down to two lanes with a turning lane. And I would add the Holstein Travel Center as a place to stop on 20, we usually stop there on the way to NW Iowa.
 
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It's four lane all the way to Sioux City, so I would say it has gotten better, not worse. One little town where it goes down to two lanes with a turning lane. And I would add the Holstein Travel Center as a place to stop on 20, we usually stop there on the way to NW Iowa.
All the merrier. I knew it was 4 lanes to Fort Dirty but that's as far west as I've gone on that road since I was probably 12. Had heard they were planning on making it all 4 lanes. Now there's no reason to take 80 from Davenport to SC IMO unless you want to detour for the Bridges of Madison County.
 
don't want to miss the best stop!

Lion's Den in Newton

images
 
If they increased the speed minimum on I-80 to 60 mph and summarily executed anyone doing over 85 mph for any reason other than passing, it would be a Sunday drive most days.
 
Yep, my recommendation would be to take 80 to Iowa City, 380 to Waterloo and 20 across to Sioux City. Then you get the worlds Largest Frying Pan in Brandon and the Popcorn ball mentioned above. And 1/3 of the insane traffic on 80.
Close - take the Tipton intersection north to Hwy 30, then connect with 380 in CR. Same distance and you can avoid the absurd traffic on 380 between IC and CR.

You can marvel at the Cedar County Freedom rock in Tipton. It's right across the street from the incredible pastries at the world famous Tipton bakery, where you can gorge yourself on the awesome crescent rolls. Enjoy some soft serve at the historic Dairy Queen where I courted my future wife (no pics) when she worked there over 50 years ago. On your way out of town you can stop at the amazing Cedar County Historical Society.

😁 :cool:
 
Close - take the Tipton intersection north to Hwy 30, then connect with 380 in CR. Same distance and you can avoid the absurd traffic on 380 between IC and CR.

You can marvel at the Cedar County Freedom rock in Tipton. It's right across the street from the incredible pastries at the world famous Tipton bakery, where you can gorge yourself on the awesome crescent rolls. Enjoy some soft serve at the historic Dairy Queen where I courted my future wife (no pics) when she worked there over 50 years ago. On your way out of town you can stop at the amazing Cedar County Historical Society.

😁 :cool:
We did take that exit a couple of years ago on the way back from Illinois for some reason, It was around Halloween and Tipton had themed hay bales decorated in front of businesses in town. We probably spent 45 minutes downtown taking pictures with the kids and the bales. Pretty cool idea.
 
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Close - take the Tipton intersection north to Hwy 30, then connect with 380 in CR. Same distance and you can avoid the absurd traffic on 380 between IC and CR.

You can marvel at the Cedar County Freedom rock in Tipton. It's right across the street from the incredible pastries at the world famous Tipton bakery, where you can gorge yourself on the awesome crescent rolls. Enjoy some soft serve at the historic Dairy Queen where I courted my future wife (no pics) when she worked there over 50 years ago. On your way out of town you can stop at the amazing Cedar County Historical Society.

😁 :cool:
Or they could just drive straight through Tipton without stopping.😉
 
Worked on Arsenal Island for 30+ years. Had to google atomic cannon.
 
We did take that exit a couple of years ago on the way back from Illinois for some reason, It was around Halloween and Tipton had themed hay bales decorated in front of businesses in town. We probably spent 45 minutes downtown taking pictures with the kids and the bales. Pretty cool idea.
If you haven't been to Tipton lately, you have been to Tipton at all.

;)
 
Came across this website and figured I'd use it to see what fun there was in Iowa. Looks like the recommended fun stops are:

1. Atomic Cannon
2. Iowa 80 Truck Stop (is the fun in the showers?)
3. The Black Angel of Oakland Cemetery
4. University of Iowa Natural History Museum
5. Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
6. Huston Cemetery (I guess cemeteries are considered fun in Iowa?)
7. Bonnie and Clyde Dexter Shootout Marker
8. Lastly, the Site of the first train robbery in the west (I suppose there is a marker there as well?)

No Casey's?

The Black Angel must be viewed at night. It's a rule.
 
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Re: Your number 8: yes, a marker on white pole road, south side, after getting off 80.

Albert the Bull near Audubon.
 
No suggestions, ATL, but your post sent me down the Bonnie and Clyde rabbit hole on Wikipedia. I knew the story but not all the detail. Very interesting!
 
Came across this website and figured I'd use it to see what fun there was in Iowa. Looks like the recommended fun stops are:

1. Atomic Cannon
2. Iowa 80 Truck Stop (is the fun in the showers?)
3. The Black Angel of Oakland Cemetery
4. University of Iowa Natural History Museum
5. Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
6. Huston Cemetery (I guess cemeteries are considered fun in Iowa?)
7. Bonnie and Clyde Dexter Shootout Marker
8. Lastly, the Site of the first train robbery in the west (I suppose there is a marker there as well?)

No Casey's?


One thing you will discover, the southern half of Iowa isn't flat. If 300 miles of nonstop rolling hills is your thing, congrats.

If you want to break up that monotony with a different kind of monotony, take 80 to I35, then up to US20 and across. You'll then see that northern Iowa is flat.
 
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IIRC, that's where Buck was killed and Blanche was blinded.
Close!
She was wounded in the eye by flying glass at a shootout in Missouri a couple days before. Buck was also shot in the head and his brains were exposed but he was able to get around ok somehow.

In Iowa they had another shootout and she was captured and Buck shot multiple times. He was taken to the hospital and was lucid for another few days and interrogated by police, then died.


MlrcxSgOtckOpijJD9UBdel4fzQAcYs9vEsCRrttpUM.jpg
 
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Came across this website and figured I'd use it to see what fun there was in Iowa. Looks like the recommended fun stops are:

1. Atomic Cannon
2. Iowa 80 Truck Stop (is the fun in the showers?)
3. The Black Angel of Oakland Cemetery
4. University of Iowa Natural History Museum
5. Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
6. Huston Cemetery (I guess cemeteries are considered fun in Iowa?)
7. Bonnie and Clyde Dexter Shootout Marker
8. Lastly, the Site of the first train robbery in the west (I suppose there is a marker there as well?)

No Casey's?

I would suggest lots of road head if it's available.
 
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The speed limit west of Des Moines on 80, and anywhere northwest of Waterloo should be about 90. Let people move on through, there is not much out there to stop for.
 
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