How pleasantly surprising. I don't think either of us expected too much from a trip to Iowa on a nearly non-existent budget. The location was chosen simply because it was someplace we had not yet been and it met our requirements for distance and availability to use gifted free night points at a Radisson. Truth be told, we just wanted to have a weekend get-way to celebrate our anniversary and didn't really care much where. But, Davenport ended up offering quite a lovely experience!
My favorite part was the riverfront. I am a sucker for the water's edge. I just find shores so compelling. So, I was more than happy to be able to stroll along the riverfront, especially at sunset. And, it didn't cost a thing.
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| Mississippi Riverfront at Davenport |
We found another place for a lovely (and free) stroll at Vander Veer Botanical Park. There were both outdoor and indoor areas to meander through.
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| Vander Veer Botanical Park |
As for our favorite meal of the trip, keep in mind here that we travel on a tight budget and that, more often than not, I just want some simple, good, familiar food, even when we don't have the kids with us. I am no foodie. With that said, I enjoyed The Machine Shed. This is apparently a chain restaurant but I had never been to one before. I really enjoyed the kitschy atmosphere and comfort food.
But the hidden gem of the trip was Chocolate Manor. It started out as a snafu. John had spotted the shop across the street from our hotel and called to order some chocolate covered strawberries as an anniversary treat but when we went to pick them up at the designated time, they had none. Very apologetic, Bob (the owner) then gave us a sampling tour which was informative, fun, and really quite delicious! After filling up on free samples, we purchased some chocolates to take home to the kids. It actually ended up being one of the highlights of the trip!
We went into this trip caring more about the getting-away than the destination. I believe that was the right mindset for us this time. However, I ended up feeling glad to have visited Iowa. Even on a very tight budget and with a short amount of time, Davenport was able to offer us many lovely experiences.