*One of the all-time greatest places in Iowa for anyone who hunts for iconic roadside attractions. And there’s a lot more to see in the city and the area that the locals call Poky. It’s time for another NW-Iowa wonder on the T-Bone Trail! Our visit here was sponsored by Pocahontas County Economic Development. Some of the goods, services, and meals were complimentary. The views expressed in this blog post are of our own. Now, let’s Gallivant!
Our first time writing about Pocahontas was a few years ago when we were traveling to Spencer. We stopped at the Udder Cow and had an awesome lunch with their breaded pork tenderloin making it to our Best Between Bread series. That was a great introduction to the City of Pocahontas! We made it back to Poky earlier this summer, and there was a lot more to see with our friends at Discover PoCo whipping up a great schedule for the whole day. Emily and the crew got things moving with a breakfast break right when we got to town!
Aspen Leaf Café & Coffeehouse has some very creative and delicious choices when it comes to your breakfast craving. And I get those cravings 24 hours a day because I’m easily distracted by all things breakfast. Aspen Leaf has incredible crepes that are stuffed with tasty ingredients that will make it delightfully difficult to choose which ones you want. You can also take a trip down a Colorado highway when you order a biscuit sandwich. I headed down the I-25 and devoured a fried egg, sausage patty, and spinach on a fresh biscuit with peach-habanero jelly! The food, coffee, and ambiance were great and they didn’t even make it to the top of my list of what I loved the most here. Aspen Leaf prides themselves when it comes to hiring folks with disabilities and that always makes me incredibly grateful to have businesses like this in operation. A great crew making a great experience like this happen in small-town Western Iowa! I think we should get a history lesson now that are bellies are fill of crepes and biscuits….
History & Roadside Attractions
Andrew Carnegie’s foundation helped build a lot of libraries with many of them constructed in Iowa. We’ve seen a lot of them in our travels, but the one that now houses the Pocahontas County Historical Society Museum has a special touch when it comes to its own history. Laurens, Iowa was the smallest town in America to be granted with a Carnegie library! And they are still welcoming in visitors after all these years….
There are multiple levels of this old library turned museum and it holds a lot of the history of Pocahontas County. From enjoyable factoids to inevitable hardships and heartbreaks that’s in every community’s history. This includes the oldest jar of cherries I’ve ever seen in my life. How old? You’ll need to stop in and see for yourself. Mmmmmmmm! What was the most fascinating part of the museum for me?
One of the area’s biggest celebrities called Laurens home. Although he didn’t mean to become so famous. His name was Alvin Straight and his story inspired an Oscar nominated performance. His lawnmower would become an iconic part of Laurens, through eastern Iowa and into Wisconsin. Watch the video below and see what we mean when it comes to the movie called The Straight Story…
There’s been a theme during our travels when it comes to Western Iowa’s history and attractions. The words “private collection” have been coming up on a regular basis and it happened again when we arrived in the town of Rolfe. The Allen brothers have many ways to welcome visitors to town and it’s not hard to find these grounds at all. A big pink Clydesdale to catch your eyes will always help bring in a carload.
The Princesses City of Pocahontas knows how to pay tribute to the woman this town and county is named after. travelers have been making stops here for generations and you know Team Goodvin would be one of the countless visitors to get a picture with a famous piece of roadside Americana.
Stay Active
We always eat well when we Gallivant and that was the understatement of the century. That’s also why we need to stay active when we’re cruising the T-Bone trail and beyond. Even if I have those sweet overalls on!
Let’s Eat Steak!
Back to Main Street Poky for a steak supper that kept on going! One beefy course after another at Jonny B’s Pub & Grub!
That was a very memorable meal cooked up by the crew of Jonny B’s Pub & Grub! Steak de Burgo is an Iowa original in the world of gourmet steaks. Originating in Des Moines and then spreading to restaurants all over the state. Jonny B’s has a great one and it was the first Filet Mignon we had on the T-Bone Trail! Rich and creamy sauce with every beefy bite of the 8oz Filet and its smoky bacon. Jonny B’s is also very well known for their sides they prepare with your meals. Just look above at that huge baked potato with tons of bacon and shredded cheddar! And those loaded hash browns are worth the trip to Pocahontas and Jonny B’s on their own. I’m now closing my eyes and imagining the tender and juicy mouthfuls of that unbelievable steak sandwich. Great work, Jonny B’s! Can you build a zipline that runs all of those meals I mentioned to my house in Iowa City? Thanks much! Click here and see our video from Jonny B’s Pub & Grub!
Check-In
Here it is, folks. Pocahontas Inn & Suites is a basic hotel for what we needed. It’s very clean, comfortable beds, flat screen TV, a friendly staff welcoming us, and something else that I absolutely cherish when we Gallivant. I love it when everything is in walking distance from my room! Pocahontas Inn & Suites is a short jaunt from all of Main Street with its shopping, restaurants, movie theatre, and more. There is nothing better when I can park our car and take an easy going pace around Main Street-America!
Bonus Beef
Poky turned out to be one of the most beef filled Gallivants we’ve ever had and I got to sit on a famous lawnmower in Laurens! (I’m a sucker for anything movie related) We covered many miles of this rural county and met a host of locals that were eager to feature their communities. One small town after the other and all with unique highlights that kept us interested with every stop. I’ve been saying for years that the Western Iowa region is one of the best ways to explore roadside America with Poky being one of the most iconic. Take your pics with the princess, get your cheeseburger fix handled, wander a few laps around Rolfe’s artistic grounds, and be sure to beef-up your road trip anyway you can while you’re here. There’s plenty of de Burgo days for all of us in this northwest Iowa community that’s fit for a princess!
Call Pocahontas Inn & Suites at 712-335-4665 to make your reservations and spend a day discovering Main Street-Pocahontas!
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See everything we’ve covered on The Iowa Gallivant in the Northwest Region of Iowa!
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