*One of the best reasons to explore Northwest Iowa is all the towns you’re going to discover along the way. That’s always our specialty on The Iowa Gallivant! Our visit to Pocahontas County was sponsored and funded by the Western Iowa Tourism Region. Some of the meals, services and goods were complimentary. The views expressed in this blog post are of our own. Now, let’s gallivant!
Fonda, Iowa and all the locals here know how to make us feel welcomed every time we show up. Just like the Main Street marquee says!
Meet me where highways 3, 4, and 7 find themselves in one county full of Iowa’s classic roadside attractions and big-beautiful meals. The rural highways of this region will always bring you to memorable area’s with Pocahontas County being one of those delicious and unforgettable road trips you can take. This is where some wonderful small town cookin’ meets a variety of small town shoppin’!
Coffee-Up
If you’re going to weave your way through Main Street-Iowa then I recommend getting energized by a local coffeeshop anywhere you go. Aspen Leaf Coffee House is where you can fuel up in the City of Pocahontas! AKA Poky…
Shop-Poky
Main Street-Pocahontas has ample opportunities to get some much needed shopping done in a fun way. And you know what season is coming, too! But don’t forget that you can partake in your Poky shopping spree anytime of year. Especially for a visit to one of Iowa’s most unique shops that you’ll find anywhere!
Here comes The Kaleidoscope Factory! A stroll up and down Main Street-Poky will bring you to the masterful work of some talented folks who keep everyone who enters intrigued.It didn’t take us long to start doing this. Give the handmade kaleidoscopes a test drive when you stop in!Other handmade treasures and toys join the unforgettable Kaleidoscopes. The talent of these woodworkers is incredibly impressive.Vintage collectables of this classic toy bring out the nostalgic feelings at The Kaleidoscope Factory. We all remember the first one we received, but we can all get a brand new one to keep the colorful good times going.Beautiful designs filled with all sorts of different fillings to give each of these Kaleidoscopes it’s own unique patterns when you peer inside and start twisting. Click on the video below and meet one of the Poky locals who knows the whole story of The Kaleidoscope Factory!
You won’t find another store like this one in Iowa!Need to get your nails or hair done? Well, even if you don’t you can still pop into New Impressions for more shopping on Main Street!Hey, there good lookin’! I’m no expert when it comes to these, but I also know there’s a lot of special someones out there that think you can never have too many of these. Better pick one or two up in Poky!I have a little more knowledge on these pieces of apparel. You can NEVER have too many hats!The artistic nature of Poky comes through again with Paintings in Oil by Jerry Reiter. You name the object and Jerry can paint a beautiful scene on it!It’s not all canvas creations at Paintings In Oil. That Rusty old saw you have hanging around could use the magic touch from Jerry.Don’t throw that antique ironing board away! This gallery in Poky can bring it back to life and put it to good use all over again.As you can see, Jerry can add a perfect design to just about anything. Like those fine looking steer heads!We all miss someone who’s no longer with us. Jerry has some paintings of these cardinals that help anyone remember a loved one that will always be with them in spirit.Creator’s has a lot of thoughtful gift ideas along with some humor thrown into their inventory!Creator’s stocks up on books, crafts and a shirt for anyone who loves condiments mixed with a light hearted shoutout to our guy, JC!There’s a lot of jewelry to go through at Creator’s. I love shiny stuff!!!!Items that are inspirational, thoughtful, theological, and ready to brighten up your day along with others who appreciate these gifts. The folks at Creator’s will help you find the perfect selection.I believe Pocahontas has a little boutique that can help to keep you fashionable. It’s Believe Boutique!I didn’t know the Nordic could be so warm and snuggly. Shop small in Poky and cuddle up with one of these!More jewelry! Keepsakes galore on Main Street-Poky! Believe Boutique knows how to keep customers happy with purdy gifts like these. Or buy some for yourself because you could use a treat!
Flower shops can produce some items for anyone and I’m not talking about everything being floral. Denise’s Flowers & Gifts is where you go for a bouquet and a present to go along with it!
What a meaty card! It put a smile on this dad’s face at Denise’s!Add to your at home wine list while you’re at it! Poky is showing us that there’s no shortage of ways to checkoff you shopping list while adding to it!Milkhouse Candles with a wide variety of aromas are here at Denises’s Flowers & Gifts. I love a good whiff of a quality gift from Pocahontas!
Heads up, sports fans! Main Street-Poky has a shop that can make any fan wide eyed while getting them to pump their fists with enjoyment. Get ready for memorabilia, autographs, cards and more from 90Ten Hobby!
90Ten Hobby and one of the proud collectors and salesmen. This place specializes in turning new customers into big fans of Pocahontas!Jam packed shelves of legends at 90Ten Hobby!Wrestling fans have a friendly place to swap stories and maybe some autographs in Poky. It’s safe to say that this shop naturally has a huge fan base!
Beefy Lunchtime
We had beef on our minds and we would find it here in Poky at the Udder Cow in Poky. Was it a burger, loose meat sandwich, Philly or Reuben? Nope! But it was beefy! 206 NW 7th StreetThe biggest hot dog I’ve had in years! The Udder Cow’s Footlong Chili Dog loaded with onions, jalapeños and shredded cheese!Trust me…there’s a bun under all of that somewhere. This all beef hot dog and all its sidekicks made for big time lunch at the Udder Cow. It was juicy, cheesy and with plenty of beefy chili in every bite. Click on the video below and meet this NW-Iowa footlong!
Pass the napkins because I have a busy lunch ahead…I love a restaurant with a roadside attraction! Look for the purple cow and you’ll find the Udder Cow and some quality ice cream like Gigi did!
Stay Active
Let’s work off our lunch a little bit and go lakeside under the Western Iowa skies. It’s another opportunity to utilize another one of Iowa’s important county parks!
There’s more than one Clear Lake in Iowa! Pocahontas County is home to Little Clear Lake!Take a hike or just relax with a rural Iowa view by the lakefront. We did both!Get the camper over to Little Clear Lake and host a gathering! A lot of lawn space, playground, shelter houses and modern bathroom/shower facilities.
Roadside America
Pocahontas County is a year round hotspot for roadside attraction hunters. You’ll find this mural at Elbert Park and it’s always looking for a someone else to add a little live action drama to the scene. I can’t be the only one who does this! It’s called the Princess City for a very good reason. Named after the great Pocahontas and it’s right here at Princess Park where folks have been stopping for a picture for generations!In the town of Fonda is a mural that’s inviting selfies for anyone who shows up to Main Street! Near the town of Palmer is a precious piece of NW-Iowa history. Wiegert Prairie Farmstead highlights a proud family farm and it’s classic rural Americana architecture.A beautiful Pocahontas County time capsule that popped up from the landscape during our random twists and turns down the local blacktops and gravel roads.Still standing strong and absorbing the countryside sunset at Wiegert Prairie Farmstead everyday.
Let’s Eat Steak
From one Main Street to another in Pocahontas County! Tavern 119 is where the Ribeye road took us on the T-Bone Trail. It’s gonna be a big one!Let the Italian dressing flow! You gotta kickoff a big steak supper with a fresh salad!Let’s get to what got us to Fonda! It was this thick-cut and perfectly charbroiled ribeye! The chef is a wizard on the grill because this was one of the best steaks we had on the trail. The delicious knockout punch to the meal was the loaded hash browns that have accompanied many of our wonderful Western Iowa meals throughout the years!Gigi went for the fried shrimp dinner at Tavern 119 with potato wedges that could double as canoes. Click on the video below and get a taste of Fonda, Iowa!
She’s always a great ambassador for Fonda when we arrive!It’s always nice to meet the locals and the folks who create awesome restaurant experiences. Get to NW-Iowa and make time for a meal at Tavern 119 on Main Street in Fonda!
Did you see that Ribeye??? Oh, baby! Tavern 119 is showing everyone how amazing it can be for dinnertime in Fonda, Iowa. They were excellent hosts and the kitchen crew was obviously packed with talent. Load hash browns are a staple in Western Iowa, and they’re perfect with juicy and perfectly cooked Ribeyes from Tavern 119. This restaurant needs to be on your radar if you’re a true steak lover!
Night Out
Every night out needs to either start or end with ice cream. Apparently these are the rules that Gigi has illustrated to me. No worries because Fonda has an iconic establishment known as the HWY 7 Café that can abide to this tasty request…I mean law! Wait…Is that the second helping of ice cream she’s had today in Pocahontas County?Back to Main Street-Poky and into The ZONE! Put on some socks, stretch those shoulders and prepare for a night of heavy objects traveling at high speeds!The ZONE is great for bowling, but it’s not all they have. A great bar with some Iowa beer selections, restaurant, games and fun atmosphere anyone will enjoy!It’s mandatory that I get a picture in this pose every time I head to the bowling alley. Yes, I would like the gutter pads, please.Ewwwww! That slime looks so gross! I want it!Just a few doors down from the bowling alley is the historic Rialto Theatre. A Pocahontas icon that countless locals have a story about, and it’s an excellent way to close out a huge day on this phenomenal Main Street in NW-Iowa.And you won’t be breaking the bank with your tickets and concessions at the Rialto in Pocahontas!
Pocahontas County showed us that you can have an entire day of shopping and entertainment just on Main Street-Poky, and we didn’t even mention all the restaurants you can dine at. Plus, this area also showed us that you can have an amazing steak supper and memorable dessert in one of the smallest communities on HWY 7. Rural towns in Western Iowa have impressed us over and over with their incredible cooking and variety of ways to keep us happily well fed, entertained, intrigued, eager for discovering more while continuously sparking our imagination. Pocahontas County did all of that for us once again and we’re ready for another gallivant!
Be sure to like the T-Bone Trail-Western Iowa on Facebook!We’ll see you all again, Pocahontas County!
I grew up in Fonda. Hade dinner at The Tavern 119 when I was home in January. So good to see family and friends and also meet new people.
So happy to hear about the new stores in Pocky.