Beat the Winter Blues With a Snowy Getaway to Rural Iowa

When it comes to shockingly peaceful and beautiful places, Iowa is near the top of the list for me. This little slice of paradise in the Midwest is tragically underrated, if you ask me, and there's never a bad time to come visit should you not already call it home.

Even winter in Iowa is breathtaking. One of my favorite things to do in Iowa in winter is to simply drive around the rural parts of the state and take in the sublime sights and sounds of Iowa's countryside.

Several awe-inspiring scenic drives in Iowa are particularly delightful in the winter when everything is covered in fresh snow and ice. Honestly, any drive will do, but I prefer the most rural routes. You'll want to bring a good camera along for these; Iowa in the winter looks and feels like something straight out of a painting rather than a state in the American Midwest.

The first rural drive that comes to mind (of course, these are in no particular order) is the legendary Glacial Trail Scenic Byway, which is 36 miles of magnificence and can easily be done in less than a day. This drive leads you through the nothing-short-of-stellar Linn Grove Dam Park, which looks awesome when all wintered out.

Hoping to find something a little longer than that? No worries - the nearly 200-mile-long Loess Hills National Scenic Byway is a tour de force of incredible landscapes, all made better by layers of wintery goodness as far as the eye can see. Another incredible adventure is the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway, which is truly painterly and offers an incredible photography experience.

Not feeling a long drive this time around? No worries -- the possibilities are still only as limited as your imagination. Some of Iowa's state parks come alive in the best ways in the winter, like the Palisades-Kepler State Park, which is easily one of the best places in the Midwest for stargazing, even when it's a bit chilly. Dress nice and warm, of course, and you can have hours of fun.

Craving the small-town life? Same, and luckily for us, numerous small towns in Iowa are somehow better in the winter. Mount Vernon is an absolutely adorable town with plenty to do and see, and I also love the Villages of Van Buren, which is an Amish delight that's awfully picturesque.

What is it about the tranquil silence of winter that's so soothing to the soul? I'm not sure, but my goodness, Iowa is incredible. Even when the temperatures dip below zero, Iowa remains a hotbed of wonderful, scenic places that seem to be made for winter adventures.

For more amazing ideas about things to do, check out this list of my favorite day trips in Iowa to take in the winter. If you need a great place to stay while exploring this incredible little state, check out all the incredible options from our friends at VRBO. You'll be amazed at the sheer number of unique stays in Iowa alone!

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