Disclosure: In exchange for traveling with the Clear Lake Chamber to Chicago, I have agreed to write about the trip. All of the opinions expressed in any post regarding this trip are honest and solely my own thoughts about the services that I receive.

I have alluded to the fact that I had something fabulous coming up and today is finally the day I am going to share with my fabulous readers what that news is.  I’m going with the North Iowa Bloggers to Chicago!  That’s right.  On May 7-8 a group of 8 ladies will be taking Chicago by storm and we will all be sharing our adventures on our blogs during May.  Today is just a quick preview of the excitement that is yet to come.

The trip is being sponsored by Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce (thanks to Libbey Patton – Clear Lake Tourism Director) and Air Choice One and we hope it will be a great way to highlight all of the great places in Clear Lake, Iowa as well as demonstrate how easy it is for folks to travel to and from our area to Chicago.

When we knew we were going to be moving to North Iowa we looked for houses in Clear Lake and our first choice of where we wanted to live was actually a house in Clear Lake.  That did not work out for us but I have always wondered how my North Iowa experience would have differed had we settled there instead of Mason City.  I find myself drawn to Clear Lake time and time again and there are so many things that I love there that one post could not possible do it justice.

A few of my favorite places in Clear Lake include the following:

Central Gardens of North Iowa  Chris and I have visited the gardens many times over the years and we are never disappointed when we stroll through the grounds.  Fall brings scarecrows and fall foliage, spring brings the bounty of spring blossoms and anytime of year it is a relaxing place to just sit for a spell and take in the sights and sounds. The Surf Ballroom No one who visits the area needs to miss the Surf Ballroom. There is so much history within the walls and if you are able to experience a concert here you will be amazed at how intimate the venue is.  We have been able to see several performances including BB King and Chicago (how appropriate for this post) and have loved being a part of the history of this place.

Cabin Coffee  One of the best coffee places around the area and beyond is Cabin Coffee. The western theme complete with saddles to sit on makes it simply a fun place. Couple that with great coffee and treats and it is definitely a place that I love to visit frequently.  They have multiple locations but our first experience with them was at this location.

Lady of the Lake Cruise  This is on my bucket list before I move from Iowa.  I am hoping I can convince some of my North Iowa Blogger friends to come along with me on a short cruise of Clear Lake.  How much fun would it be to take a cruise on this boat?Clear Lake Arts Center  I LOVE this place.  I have been here for a couple of special events but even if there is not something special going on the center itself is amazing with a lot of wonderful permanent exhibits. The folks here are very gracious and helpful and will help make your visit memorable.

There are so many places that I absolutely love in Clear Lake but I had to limit the length of this post or else you would be here all day.

I hope you liked the quick tour of this wonderful spot  in North Iowa.  We are blessed that it is so close by and that we can visit it anytime we want a mini vacation.  There are so many things to do, wonderful places to eat and things to see that it is a good thing there are several of us blogging about it.  I picked up the print magazine of their wonderful Clear Lake Activities guide but you can view it online by clicking here.  If you are in town your first stop should be at the Chamber of Commerce located at 205 Main Avenue where you can get the magazine and any other information you could possibly need for a fun visit.  I think you will agree there is a lot to do in Clear Lake.

We are all very excited about our Chicago trip in May so stay tuned in May to read all about our adventures. It is going to be…dare I say it….epic.

It’s Just Life receives free products for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.