Evolution of the Heartland

09/04/2026

🇺🇸 A three-day weekend + an Iowa road trip? Sounds like a pretty good combination to us. This Labor Day weekend, take the backroads and discover a little more of Iowa’s story.

From Freedom Rocks and The Wall That Heals to the Field of Dreams, American Gothic House and the Bridges of Madison County, there are plenty of iconic Americana stops worth adding to your next road trip.

And this is just one of the road trip ideas you’ll find in the Evolution of the Heartland Rural Iowa Road Trip Guide!

Want a copy? Travel Iowa will send one right to your mailbox.
📬 Order yours here: https://www.traveliowa.com/order/orderform/?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demo06u639y3&fbclid=IwY2xjawT5VV1wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMTdia3JlSXdaUk5MQTdtV1pzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEexHdmuvYytMpSe4-YfFL5yhSXncK5NldA0jI3uMpGQMcD4OsLUspPD93hOUA_aem_kcgS6N59P4EEY981SSviNA

09/03/2026

🏈 Hawkeye football is BACK!

If you’re headed to Kinnick this weekend, here’s our challenge: don’t make the game your whole trip.

Come a little early. Stay a little longer. Grab a cider donut, visit an orchard, sip something local, explore a working farm or take the scenic route home.

There’s a whole other side of Johnson County waiting just beyond Iowa City, and football weekend is the perfect excuse to explore it. We put together some of our favorite ways to turn game day into a full weekend adventure.

🔗 Read Beyond Kinnick: Make the Most of Your Hawkeye Football Weekend in Johnson County at the link in the comments.

Sponsored in part by Travel Iowa, Iowa Food & Family Project, and Agri-CULTURE Iowa.

08/31/2026

EOH EXPLORER SERIES | Shelly
📍Iowa Kayaking Spots

Apparently, we’re in our kayaking era at Evolution of the Heartland. 🛶😂

Earlier this month, Explorer Annie shared what happened when she traded the gravel roads she knows so well for a view from the North Raccoon River.
Now Explorer Shelly is here to say…welcome to the club.

Shelly has been kayaking Iowa for nearly 20 years, and she has plenty of stories, favorite stretches of river and lessons learned along the way. Including one involving her father-in-law’s favorite John Deere hat. 😬

Her latest Explorer story takes us to waterways across Iowa and makes a pretty convincing case that sometimes the best way to explore the Heartland is from the water.

Read Shelly’s story by clicking the link in the comments!
And if Annie and Shelly have you convinced to give it a try…where should the EOH Explorers paddle next?

08/28/2026

We LOVE seeing public art bring new life and personality to rural Iowa communities! 🎨

If a mural has been on your community’s wish list, this could be a great opportunity to make it happen.

Check out the details and start dreaming about what could be possible in your town!

08/27/2026

A pretty special milestone for the team behind Evolution of the Heartland.

EOH is one of the many ideas that has emerged (see what we did there? 😉) from Emerge Marketing Solutions over the past 10 years, and this week our team got to surprise Shelly and celebrate the decade behind it all.

From a few clients and a leap of faith to a team working with businesses, organizations and rural communities across Iowa and beyond…there’s a lot to celebrate.

Congratulations on 10 years, Shelly! We can’t wait to see what emerges next. 🎉

08/26/2026

What do a giant troll, a historic farmhouse, barn quilts, silo murals and an Iowa farm turned creative retreat have in common?

They’re all part of Iowa’s agriculture + art story. 🎨🌾

Across rural Iowa, agriculture has inspired some pretty incredible art, from murals and public installations to historic places and unexpected roadside finds.

We’ve started gathering some of our favorites in the Agriculture + Art section of the EOH website, and this list is only the beginning.

See one we’re missing? Tell us so we can add to our list! We’re always looking for another reason to wander and discover rural Iowa.
🔗 Explore the list at the link in the comments.

08/26/2026

Had a great time visiting and learning about the Mahanay Bell Tower with Pat today! We will post more pictures soon!

Many thanks to Shelly Greving and her creative team from Emerge Marketing Solutions for meeting in Jefferson and stopping by the Mahanay Bell Tower. What a great group!

08/25/2026

EOH EXPLORER SERIES | Annie
📍North Raccoon River | Carroll County

There’s still plenty of summer left…but we’re getting dangerously close to “maybe I should’ve checked the water level first” season. 😂

Late summer and early fall can be a great time to explore Iowa’s rivers. Cooler temps, beautiful scenery…and depending on the water level, maybe a little more walking your kayak than kayaking.

And with Iowa’s new Office of Outdoor Recreation beginning work on a statewide vision and strategy for outdoor recreation, it feels like a pretty good time to get outside and explore what we already have right here in Iowa.

EOH Explorer Annie learned a few things on the North Raccoon River: check the water levels, rethink the sandals, and don’t underestimate the adventures hiding close to home. 🛶

If River Access, Wildlife Area, Minimum Maintenance Road, or Level B Road signs make you want to turn and see what’s down there, this one’s for you.
🔗 Read the full adventure at the link in the comments!

Carroll County Conservation

08/24/2026

Some souvenirs end up on a shelf.

The best ones become stories.

Our Explore Iowa and Explore the USA Travel Journals were designed to help you remember every road trip, every hidden gem, every favorite meal, and every unexpected adventure along the way.

Collect badges, record your travels, complete challenges, and create a keepsake you'll enjoy looking back on for years to come.

Because the journey is just as important as the destination. ❤️🚗
🔗 Shop the journals through the link in our comments.