Getaway to Cedar Rapids

Looking for a relaxing road trip? In partnership with Travel Iowa, we are thrilled to share Anna Petrow’s visit from Kansas City to discover our unique and vibrant city with plenty of delicious food, outdoor beauty and lots of local shopping.

Where To Eat & Drink

Rawlicious: Healthy, quick, and the perfect thing to cool you off on a summer day– Rawlicious has a wide variety of smoothies, juices and acai bowls, perfect for enjoying in the park across the street. Or if you’re craving some AC, enjoy the colorful murals inside!

Lion Bridge Brewing: Sip on a tasting flight of locally crafted brews to find your favorite, or treat yourself to an ice cold beer slushie in frequently-rotating flavors. Ours tasted like a pack of Starburst and was the perfect treat at the end of a day of exploring!

Sykora Bakery: Heavenly smells await you inside this mainstay bakery in Czech Village. Try a classic Czech treat like the paczki or a kolach for a taste of . We also loved the apricot jam cookies!

Rodina: I have Iowa friends that promised Rodina was worth the trip alone– and wow, did this restaurant deliver. The decor seems more like something you’d find in Brooklyn– hip, bright and just a bit quirky, with a glamorously blue and white tiled bar, big windows, and even a fireplace. The menu makes for a memorable night out: we enjoyed delicious and creative cocktails, oysters on the half shell, fresh summer salads and a veal schnitzel in a creamy red wine sauce.

Where to Shop & What To Do

Czech Village: From vintage and antique shops to local artisans and bakeries, you’ll want to spend some time strolling around the area and shopping. Don’t miss the many murals paying homage to this historic area.

Moss Plant Shop: Everything you could ever need for creating a plant-filled paradise at home, plus plenty of great gifts– many crafted by Iowan locals, like candles and hand-painted journals.

Next Page Books: A wonderful selection of books awaits you inside this locally owned book shop, along with puzzles for those who found their new favorite hobby this year. The owner gives great recommendations, so be sure to chat him up!

Mount Trashmore: Hike up to the top of this filled and capped landfill, now a beautiful park with trails, for beautiful views of Cedar Rapids. The trails are dog friendly and bike friendly, as well!

RAYGUN: Quippy t-shirts and stickers with creative designs fill this shop, which is an Iowan mainstay as well as a KC favorite.

About Anna Petro: Anna Petrow is a culinary, travel and lifestyle photographer based in the Midwest, following her lens coast to coast and beyond. Anna’s wide-ranging clientele includes James Beard award winning restaurants, multinational corporations and international newspapers and magazines. Her work has been published in the New York Times, Food & Wine, Fathom, Jetsetter and beyond– including her newly launched travel guides. annapetrow.com

Original Source: http://www.annapetrow.com/cedar-rapids

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