Exira and Brayton, Iowa: Audubon County

You need to get out and explore and you know you’ve been thinking about it. There’s a lot to do in those two metro areas I mentioned and both supply a lot of entertainment and fun you’re familiar with. Let’s get out a little and possibly often. There’s so much to experience in the rural areas and small towns of Iowa and Audubon County is just the place for history buffs, camping life, water sports, great food and a lot more!

Love to kayak and or paddle board? Then get’em over to Littlefield Rec Area! Don’t have any of those but still want to get out on the water? No prob! The Audubon County Conservation Board supplies kayaks and paddle boards FREE of charge on Saturdays during the summer. Your furry friend wants to get out too so make it happen already!

*Our stay at the Lauritsen Lodge was complimentary. The opinions expressed are of our own. Let’s get back to gallivanting!

After an afternoon on Littlefield and chasing the local Corgi, you might want to chill-lax as you ponder the next Audubon adventure. We recommend the beautiful Lauristen Lodge which sits right between Exira and Brayton. Scott and Cindy (bottom left corner) hosted us during our visit and made sure we felt right at home here in West-Central Iowa. The lodge has the feel of a cabin with all the modern day needs you could want. Flat screen TVs the living room and bedrooms. Two bathrooms with wonderful showers and water pressure. Washer and dryer to get those swimsuits and road trip laundry clean, full modern kitchen and plenty of comfortable chairs and sofas. You’ll also have a premium view of another Audubon County roadside treasure from the patio.

Audubon is home to Iowa’s most famous oak tree and it has attracted thousands of travelers since its discovery many years ago. During the Civil War, Union soldiers misplaced and left a plow next a young oak while encamped in the area. The oak absorbed the plow and is never giving it up. On that note….Let’s eat cuz we’ve gone like 4 or five paragraphs without food pics. That’s a lot for The Iowa Gallivant.

Click here to see our tasty video on some the Barn Burner’s delicious food. You can “crunch” this into your day….You’ll see what I mean.

It was chicken night for us and we couldn’t have been happier with what we ordered at The Barn Burner Tavern in the town of Brayton. The local watering hole is something to be cherished in any town, especially the smaller ones we encounter during our gallivants. The Barn Burner has great service with tasty food all over the menu. Hand breaded chicken breast sandwich with a perfectly crispy batter served with a side of pasta with legendary spaghetti sauce. And what do you think of when you hear someone say “classic Iowa food.” Breaded pork tenderloin? Pulled pork dripping with BBQ sauce? Sweet Corn? One that flies under the radar at times is breaded chicken livers and the Barn Burner has some of the best I’ve ever had. Light breading surrounding the rich meat and served so hot you can roast a marshmallow over the basket when it hits your table.