Let's Hit the Road - Sioux City, Iowa

Sometimes you just need a change of scenery.

Planning a last minute trip has never been a problem for our family. We love the, "let's pack our bags and hit the road lifestyle." We packed our bags on Monday evening and hit the road Tuesday morning to tag along to Sioux City, Iowa with Brian.

The four hour drive from Lee's Summit to Sioux City was a breeze. The kids had their snacks and electronics in tow so they were content in back, while Brian and I had conversation and music to pass the time.

Sioux City is an adorable small town in Iowa with a lot of charm. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the people there had the midwest hospitality down. Every person we encountered was extremely nice and helpful.

When we arrived Tuesday afternoon, we checked into our hotel, the Courtyard Marriot on 4th Street. We ended up with a handicap room on the main floor near the meeting rooms and convention center. The room was spacious and we had plenty of room for our kids to spread out.

After we took a quick walk through the hotel, the kids decided to spend some time in the pool before dinner. While they got ready, I headed to Marto Brewing Company across the street to grab some beer while Brian took them to the pool.

Marto Brewing Company had some great beers and helpfulness. The bartender pointed me in the right direction for the to-go beer and helped me decide which would be most fitting for our preferences. We ended up with their Midnight Special Chech Dark Lager, Mackey's Irish Red (it is the week of St. Patrick's Day) and the Coco Blast Barrel Aged Imperial Porter. All three were delicious! If you are looking for a local brewery in Sioux City, I highly recommend Marto Brewing Company. They had many different choices and great bartenders!

Beer in hand, I joined the kids and Brian at the pool. The kids and Brian spent an hour or so swimming and then got cleaned up for dinner.

The kids requested pizza for dinner and Buffalo Alice was a short walk down 4th Street. We were not disappointed here, either! The service was great, the pizzas were delicious and the atmosphere was fun and eclectic.

After a good night's sleep, we got ready for the day and repacked our bags and car.

On our way to the Art Museum, we grabbed a coffee at Hardline Coffee Company, a cute local coffee shop down the street. They have a great little art gallery in the back of the coffee shop that was the perfect space to peruse as I waited for our coffees to be prepared.

We finished our coffees while strolling the sculpture garden outside the Sioux City Art Museum. The architecture of the Sioux City Art Museum is beautiful, and a great addition to the small, but interesting gallery rooms. We spent an hour walking through the galleries and enjoying the many different types of art, including a room of middle school art, which the kids loved.

When we had finished our walk through the gallery we spent some time letting the kids play in the interactive kid space. It was a weekday (thank you, homeschooling) so there were no other kids in the area when we arrived. They had fun building with the oversize fort blocks, playing with color, and being creative.

After fun at the art museum, we headed to the Sioux City Public Museum for some more free fun. The Public Museum, is full of history and fun. You could spend hours learning about the history of Sioux City. The kids enjoyed the interactive areas and had a great time learning more about the area.

For lunch, we headed to the famous Milwaukee Wiener House. This cute little shop is a local favorite since 1918. The people working here were wonderful. The concept is simple but memorable. My kids loved it! If you are craving a stadium hot dog, this is the place to go!

Our last major stop was the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Another free option in Sioux City. The museum was very well done. There was an interactive stamp pack for the kids to follow along with in the museum and the moving wax figures were a great way to give more information without having to read everything.

On the way home, we stopped at the monument for Sergeant Charles Floyd, part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Floyd was the only member on the Lewis and Clark Expedition to have died and the first soldier to die west of the Mississippi River.

Sioux City, Iowa was a great change of scenery for our family. A fun quick trip. I don't know that we could have filled another day with activities given the windy, cold, wet weather. There are a few hikes in the area, but if you are planning a trip to Sioux City, a few days would be plenty in the area. It would also make a great place to stop and explore, or stay a night on a longer road trip.