Hungry for Adventurez

Devil's Lake in Wisconsin has great winter hiking  Do you miss camping and getting outside during the winter? This may be the year you need to try winter camping! There are a few extra things you will have to prepare for, like how to stay warm and deal with early darkness. However, winter camping can come with many rewards, such as reducing cabin fever and cheaper camping sites. Plus, you wouldn't want to miss out on great winter vistas like the one above, taken at Devils Lake in Wisconsin.  Finding Campgrounds for Winter Camping If you don't want to camp at a dispersed camping site, you will need to research which campgrounds you can stay at in the winter. In my state of Iowa, state-run campgrounds are ideal for winter camping, because they stay open all year and have a reduced winter cost. (Some Iowa state parks have winter prices as low as $6!)  Also, research what amenities are available in the winter. If you live in an area that freezes in the winter, your campground

Do you need a new travel podcast to keep you occupied in the car or at work? Need new travel inspo? Do you want to travel, but don't have enough information on how to make it happen for you? I have recommendations! Here are some of my favorite travel-themed YouTube channels and Podcasts.  Best Podcast for Travel Motivation and Inspiration Zero to Travel This podcast set the stage for for me to start saving money for travel and taking travel seriously as a goal. People tend to prioritize career goals and health goals. We take professional development classes and head to the gym with the mantra, "No pain, go gain!" But, for some people, travel might be important enough as a goal that it deserves the same attention, sacrifice, and training. Zero to Travel is a great podcast for learning different ways that people prioritize traveling, sometimes in extreme ways, but also in easy and casual ways.  Best Podcasts for Exploring Van Set-ups and Equipment Van Life Lab Have you ever

I love supporting local small businesses as much as possible, but sometimes during a trip, your wallet just needs a break. This is doubly true if you have a whole family to entertain! Here are 10 free activities you can do in the Des Moines metro area, sorted by type.  If you want more information on free or low-budget activities in Iowa, check out my article about Waterloo-Cedar Falls and Dubuque .  Free Markets in Des Moines Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market The Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market is truly a gem! Experience city blocks of food and art vendors, live music, and good old Saturday morning fun! The best part, is you don't have to buy anything to enjoy the vibes.  Learn more here .  Live Music and Farmers Market in Valley Junction Not in town on a Saturday? No problem! The Neighborhood of Valley Junction, west of downtown Des Moines, has a bustling Thursday market on summer evenings, featuring a rotating selection of live music of all genres.    Free Fine Arts in Des

One of the first things I recommend getting if you want to camp out of your SUV, hatchback, or Minivan is some window covers, and I thought I would share how easy it is to make your own Reflectix window covers.  I have been using "window socks" for my last few years of car camping, even back when I was camping in my Prius . They work great when you want some air flow, and they can be used on different makes of vehicles. However, they are not insulative and are transparent; sometimes you want a little extra privacy. Furthermore, you have to get out of the car to put window socks up, which isn't ideal when you are stealth camping. After a few failed experiments with fabric curtains, I decided it was time to upgrade.  Benefits of Reflectix  -Materials for homemade Reflectix are easy to get. I got mine in the home insulation department of Menards.  -Reflectix helps insulate your car in the winter, keeping your body heat inside the vehicle and extending the range of temperatu

When I first started solo car camping, I was determined to use only shelf-stable, store-bought foods. It made sense at the time - cheap and easy to supply. My thoughts about how I prepare food while camping have changed a bit over time, especially now that I am preparing for my first multi-week trip. My sister, who started car camping around the same time that I did, and my dad, both have an interest in dehydrated foods, so I thought I would give it a go.  Reasons for adding dehydrated foods to my camping pantry Cook and prep time at camp I push myself very hard while traveling. I want to get the maximum fun out of my precious weekends and PTO. unfortunately, sometimes this means that I'm just an exhausted, sweaty mess when I get to camp. Nothing is left in the tank for cooking.  Dehydrating foods means a quicker cooking time, depending on the food. Some foods, like rice, won't need to be cooked at all and become a viable addition to cold-soaked  recipes.   (for non-dehydrated

This spring I built a foldable sleeping platform for my Hybrid 2018 Rav4. I had outgrown my Prius set up , plus my boyfriend wasn't a fan of the tight quarters. I used just some basic pieces of hardware (which cost less than $20) and some wood that my dad had leftover from his own campaign project. (about a sheet of 1 inch Baltic birch that costs less than $80, and 100 inches of 2x4s which cost about $5.) In addition to raw materials, you will also need tools for cutting wood, measuring, and some sand paper. Here is a breakdown of how it works and the measurements, so you can recreate it.  Why I Designed a Foldable Sleeping Platform for my RAV4 I am a weekend only camper. As much as I would love to do the full time van life thing, It won't be in the cards for a while. I wanted something that would allow me to make use of all space, without requiring the back seats to be taken out. Seats in 2028 hybrid RAV4s do not fold flat, so not using a platform was never an option. I’m also

The Thirsty Voyager in Awa at Lost Island, home of cocktails and noodles bowls I love Lost Island, and I also love food. Every time I have visited Lost Island this season (2023) , I have made sure to try new unique food item. We have found the food to be better than at other small themeparks. I made sure to focus on menu items that were invented for the park, or are made scratch in the park. Thus, anything pre-packaged, like pickle bites, Thelma's ice cream sandwiches, and Uncrustables won’t be discussed here. (You can get these, and many other kid favorites, at most dining locations in Lost Island.) It is important to note that I haven’t eaten everything yet. If I try something new before the end of the season that is so good (or bad) that it warrants adding to this post, I will be sure to add a note.  Lost Island Dining Locations and Menus  Eating in Mura Kotaki Treats Let's do dessert first! Mura has only one dining location, in a very convenient location on the way towards

  The Cathedral at Meow Wolf - Convergence Station Back in May I had the opportunity to visit Meow Wolf Denver - Convergence Station. This turned out to be a highlight of our trip, and I can not recommend it enough. That being said, the experience itself is a little hard to explain, and I thought it would be worth going into detail about what to expect at this artsy, kaleidoscopic experience. What Is Meow Wolf?  As an organization, Meow Wolf is very similar to an art museum or artists collective. It operates several locations around the US, including Convergence Station in Denver.  Each location is filled to the brim with installation art that can be described as trippy, nostalgic and whimsical. Each Meow wolf location has a separate theme or storyline which connects each room or art piece.  However, most guests moving through a Meow Wolf exhibit won’t feel like they are in a modern art museum at all. I think it feels more like an escape room, minus the time limit and clear end goal. P

IOverlander is a free, crowd-sourced app designed for roadtrippers, RVers and Car campers. I have recently started to use it to plan out my weekend adventures in Iowa, and find free places to stay overnight. Lately I have been camping solo almost every weekend. While campgrounds are much cheaper than hotels, I have been starting to wonder if I can illuminate the cost and hassle of staying at the more popular campgrounds. (If you want to learn more about ultra low budget travel, read this !) Plus, in the busy summer season, sometimes the popular campgrounds, like Makokita cave and Backbone State Parks are completely booked. iOverlander helps provide some great options to explore a little differently.  How the iOverlander app works  iOverlander is a crowd-sourced app. That means that anybody can log a pin in the app and leave notes on the quality and type of location. People who visit a place later can also add check-ins with pictures and notes to help future travelers. If you are follow