*A short trip into a Northwest Iowa collection of communities can still give you a lot of enjoyment and great food! Our visit to Humboldt County was funded and sponsored by the Western Iowa Tourism Region. Some of the services, goods and meals were complimentary. The views expressed in this blog post are of our own. Now, let’s Gallivant!
Traditions are traditions. One routine I stick to, when I’m in the City of Humboldt is getting a big cup of joe at the Caribbean Coffeehouse! Welcome back to The Iowa Gallivant to fantastic group of baristas!
I wanted a meal right when we got to Humboldt County. That didn’t necessarily mean when we happened to make our first stop in said county wherever that might be. I meant that I wanted a juicy double bacon cheeseburger right when we crossed over the county line which is exactly what we accomplished when we arrived to Gilmore City and the 1883 Café!
Lunchtime
We can see Pocahontas County from here! Seriously you can too because it’s literally across the street. That’s eatin’ on the county line in NW-Iowa, my friends!This is the Big Bacon Cheeseburger! Two 1/2 pound beef patties with four slices of smoky bacon and all that melted cheese just glowing in this meaty picture. Crispy waffle fries to keep this Gilmore City party going, and you can watch the video below to see how big this Humboldt County burger is?
You need to roll into Gilmore City and try to finish this big burger yourself!Double up your day with this juicy burger when you get to the 1883 Cafe!
Local History
In the county seat of Dakota City is a wealth of local history on one beautiful piece of property. Be sure to stop by the Humboldt County Historical Museum and learn about these communities with every step you take!
This old NW-Iowa mansion and every square inch of these grounds is being preserved by a hardworking and a talented group of locals who take great pride in Humboldt County history.Multiple buildings make up the historic attraction to this piece of land in Dakota City. The Humboldt County Historical Museum brings in many visitors and local students to learn about important Iowa history.Need a large space for a gathering? Think about this barn on these historic grounds!As you can see, the museum exhibits are just as entertaining when you’re outside.Be sure to locate the old Roller Mill location when you’re here. These relics are all that remain of what was a busy and incredibly important piece of history in Dakota City. Before it burned down, this mill produced large amounts of much needed flour for the surrounding area everyday. Inside the one room schoolhouse and it looks like class could start in an instant.Inside the large brick home is the magnificent array of Humboldt County history. Each room is beautifully decorated and it feels like you’re walking into the Victorian era of small town Iowa.You could say that this is a “Gotch-ya” moment. One of the most famous wrestlers in Iowa’s rich history of this sport is Frank A. Gotch. He was from nearby Humboldt, and his name and likeness is all over town including inside the Humboldt County Historical Museum.The style of old world Iowa on full display in Dakota City. It was impressive to see how well taken care of everything is. There’s an amazing amount of detail everywhere you look, and the staff of the Humboldt County Historical Museum are incredible professionals. The world needs more of these folks preserving local history.
There’s roadside attractions, welcome signs and oddities that will forever get me to make a sudden stop during a road trip anywhere. Especially when it’s historical and fits into the ghost town realm. That brings us to Unique, Iowa. Yup….Unique is what they call this patch of Humboldt County so click on the video below and get the tour!
It’s always going to be Unique over here…
Let’s Eat Pizza
It’s not everyday that we feature something that you can enjoy all over the state. However, Humboldt County is home to one of the most iconic pizza joints in Iowa and their frozen varieties can be found in countless grocery and convenience stores. We’re talking about Pasquale’s Pizza and one of my favorite ways to enjoy it is at local dive bars! I went to Rutland, Iowa to get a piping hot pizza, that was created just miles away, at Nuts Landing with a few the regulars!
Hold on! Am I in Cedar Rapids all of a sudden? Nope, it’s Rutland! Rose Mill Park is close by if you’re looking for a camping spot that’s not too far from a bar to unwind a little!A beer and a pizza with the locals in a small town hole in the wall. Just where I want to be! A long and fun conversation with the bartender and I also helped to develop a plan to solve every world problem I can think of with some of the regulars at the bar. We’ll get to all of that at a later date. Let’s just have a cold one or two for right now…Someday I may find out what the meaning of life might be. I think it’s different for everyone, too. I live for the discovery of small towns and any of the locals who show up. Relaxing during a late afternoon road trip in an off the beaten path NW-Iowa bar with a host of characters is a concept I don’t ever see myself growing tired of.
Let’s Eat Steak
Mighty Thor, Iowa and one of the area’s most popular restaurants would be where I’d be taking on another steak supper on the Western Iowa T-Bone Trail! That’s me waiting for the hammer of Thor….I’ll try harder next time….I was in search of an entertaining time in Humboldt County and I found a great meal to go with it at Unkie’s Entertainer Restaurant & Lounge!I was told for miles around how delicious the Prime Rib was at Unkie’s so there was no way as was going to pass up a juicy slab of it in Thor!
Bring on the au jus! Those pieces of Texas toast need to go dippin’!
Check-In
Even when the road trip is packed with gallivanting good times, I still need a great place to crash for the night. For the second year in a row we checked into the AmericInn of Humboldt!
Those blue NW-Iowa skies look good on you, AmericInn. Just a few minutes to Humboldt’s main business district with some entertaining ways to keep a family active just steps from the front door! 307 13th Street North 515-604-5000I clicked on the flat screen and a captivating Western was appeared. You’re off to great start, AmericInn-Humboldt!The beds and conditions of the room were once again in top notch shape here in Humboldt.I saw this pool and I knew what had to be done. I needed to practice some sweet aquatic moves that I really wanted to catch up on…Where’s the next host city for the Olympics? I’m ready to win the gold and bring honor to my hometown! Needless to say, we get a little goofy when we gallivant.I like a hot complimentary breakfast and AmericInn hotels are whipping these up all over the map. This was how I needed to get a Humboldt morning going!
I’ve put out the following reminder in blog posts before and I’ll continue to do so for years to come. These hotels are great all yearlong, but absolute godsends when the winter comes around, and I’m not taking about when you might get stranded. Your family is most likely going to need a day or two of splish-splashing in the colder months ahead, and sometimes all you need is an affordable hotel with a pool and a complimentary breakfast ready to be devoured in the morning. One or two days of someone else doing the cleaning, cooking and managing the surroundings could be all you need for a quick and much needed getaway. You can head to Humboldt and get the family cannonball tournament started in the AmericInn pool! Guess what’s just a short walk away from this hotel….
Let’s Go Bowling
Sundance Lanes! Let’s do this!Neon was the style for this Humboldt night.Call me kingpin of the Gallivant Nation! Just meet me in Humboldt and challenge me to this title!Be sure to like the T-Bone Trail-Western Iowa on Facebook!
Try still smokin in mt ayr
Great place! We actually wrote about it in July. Thanks for gallivanting!