Weekend Road Trip in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

A weekend road trip traveling from Chicago to Cedar Rapids, Iowa ended up being a lot smoother than anticipated. The drive was only about four hours and driving by myself was easy peasy as a first time in Cedar Rapids. I found out that there was a lot more to do in the city than I expected. Cedar Rapids has a ton of small businesses and establishments that I enjoyed patronizing for the weekend. If you’re looking to visit Cedar Rapids, here are some itinerary starters from the recent trip my friend Cierra and I took.

Check into The Hotel at Kirkwood Center.  Driving up on the hotel looks a bit isolated because there isn’t much surrounding it. The hotel itself is very elegant inside. It’s a beautiful boutique hotel that has everything from dining options to a lovely bar, fitness center, and don’t get me started on the rooms. The standard room that we were in was extremely elevated and I loved the decor. The bedding was extremely comfortable and the blue color palette of the room was very nice. If you end up booking a room at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center I can almost guarantee that you will not be able to stay at any other hotel the next time you visit Cedar Rapids. 

Mount Trashmore was an unexpected great start to exploring the city. The name is a mouthful as you may notice from the word trash.  Mount Trashmore is a former landfill that once had millions of tons of garbage that is now a recreational site. Mount Trashmore is the highest point in Linn County and a beautiful sight to see when you get to the top. The hike is not too strenuous.  It only took me about 15 minutes to walk up to the top leisurely.  There were a lot of runners, people walking their dogs, and bikers in the area.  Mount Trashmore is a wonderful place to see the views of Cedar Rapids and get your steps in for the day.

NewBo City Market is a nonprofit business incubator with several local establishments. The market has been around since 2012 developing business owners and helping them scale up their establishments throughout the Eastern Iowa area. There are a lot of diverse restaurants you can choose from. One of the businesses that I loved to see in NewBo City Market was the Black owned Soul Book Nook. There are books for all to read, especially for the young readers. During the summertime NewBo City Market hosts Rock The Block, where you can catch live music on Friday nights.

Lucky’s on 16th is an extremely popular bar and grill especially during breakfast time. It’s a family friendly spot that has some really cool decor inside with lots of colorful lights and plenty of TVs for you to watch the game. I got a standard American breakfast with pancakes, eggs, and bacon. The pancakes were outstanding!  This is a cool place to grab brunch on the weekend.  Make sure you get there early as it can get packed fast and they don’t accept reservations.  

The African American Museum of Iowa is a great tribute to the black community throughout the state. The state's history of African-Americans is powerfully displayed through highlighting the black community's contributions, achievements, and livelihoods in the state of Iowa. This is a really great museum to visit if you’re interested in history, especially learning more about African American history.

Willie Ray’s Q Shack is a Black owned barbecue spot that you’ll never forget. Willie Ray’s is unique because they don’t have indoor seating. It’s a drive up shack where you place your order through the drive-through and they only have but one or two tables outside. It's more of a to go restaurant.  Although the establishment is very small in size, they have made a huge impact on the community. The food is excellent and they do a great job slow smoking their flavorful meat and cooking up their homemade sides. One thing about Willie Ray’s that is commendable is the way they show up for their community in times of crisis. Willie Ray’s has prepared and delivered meals to the communities affected by natural disasters. They’ve provided relief efforts to people not only in Cedar Rapids but across state lines. If you like barbecue Willie Ray’s Q Shack is a place you need to put on your list.

If you’re not a golfer, Mini Pines Mini Golf, may be just your speed. Mini Pines is an 18- hole mini golf course that is fun for the entire family. There is a 9 foot waterfall, holes that have fun challenges, and ways to fully immerse yourself on the course.

The Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio is the perfect way to get your creative juices flowing. The class that my friend Cierra and I ended up taking was a clay throwing class. This was a first time for the both of us and we really got our hands dirty in this interactive workshop. Our instructor Roger was extremely helpful in the process and we were able to create two works of art through our clay class. This was such a highlight to the weekend where we got to use our hands and learn a new skill. Although at a novice level activities like these can really peak your interest into finding out a new passion you may have.

Pickle Palace is a newer attraction in Cedar Rapids. This restaurant definitely has pickles on the menu, but on top of that there are pickleball courts, duck pin bowling lanes and a gorgeous rooftop bar. The fried cheese is a fan favorite that I can agree is worth trying if you like cheese. The rooftop weather permitting is an area to look at with your own two eyes as the views are outstanding.

The day of checkout, we opted to try breakfast at our hotel, The Hotel at Kirkwood Center. Even though we had stayed in the hotel the entire weekend I really hadn’t taken notice to the restaurant.  When I tell you the restaurant is an upscale dining experience!  I was a bit taken  aback at how nice the restaurant was.  The menu is great but until you try the food you will be in for a treat. My shakshouka order was fantastic.  

Our last stop of the trip was Indian Creek Nature Center. This was a really peaceful activity.  The Bird Room was my favorite area where you can sit on a comfy couch and observe the birds flying around, eating, and chirping with each other.  Indian Creek Nature Center has 4 miles of trails if you’re looking to get your steps in. 

If you’re looking to explore a city that you may not be familiar with in a state you may not have ever visited, Cedar Rapids is the place to go. Especially if you’re within driving distance, Cedar Rapids is an excellent destination to discover for yourself and maybe you can bring a couple companions along with you on your adventure.

This blog post is in partnership with and sponsored by Hello Cedar Rapids.