TOURISM TALK: Let summer begin

So, where would you rather spend your vacation – camped out in an uncomfortable airport chair waiting on a delayed flight while your luggage travels to some exotic location without you?

Or exploring Adair County?

Nature. Food. Entertainment. History. It’s all here. Along with friendly people, peace and quiet, and little road traffic.

You can fly in if you want – to the Greenfield Municipal Airport – but you won’t have to stand in line at the ticket counter.

We are officially Iowa’s Garden County, as designated by the Iowa Department of Tourism – filled to the brim with flowers, produce, ag crops, lush green pastures and lots of outdoor fun.

Our lakes and parks offer some of the best fishing, camping, picnicking and canoeing in the region. You can take a sunset walk around the lake or through prairie and outdoor art exhibits, play traditional or disc golf.

You can pick up local goodness to eat at Farmers Markets or local shops.

You can also eat Mexican or Greek cuisine or award-winning burgers and pizza. The Wallace Farm’s Pizza on the Prairie serves up fresh pizza with ingredients grown just a few yards away cooked in an outdoor oven.

Looking for entertainment? Look no further. Entertainment venues ranging from the Warren Cultural Center’s main stage to local bars to outdoor events offer a wide variety of live music and theater.

If you like to shop, Adair County is the place to be. Unique shops and merchandise abound. You’ll find Iowa artists featured among creative gift ideas, antiques, and traditional quality merchandise.

And, of course, you’ll want to spend the night in one of our unique lodging options.

All this is against the backdrop of Adair County’s rich history. Jesse James held up his first train here. Bonnie & Clyde robbed a bank. There are vintage aircraft, classic cars, antique farm equipment and historic architecture to be seen. Our museums and libraries are filled with stories waiting to be heard and artifacts to be explored.

You can venture back to pre-Interstate days and drive the While Pole Road, or follow the Mormon’s trek across the southern part of the county.

If you haven’t seen this year’s version of the Original Freedom Rock®, an homage to our country’s veterans past and present, you will want to fit that into your itinerary. Or you can tour around the county and see several lesser-known Sorensen murals.

With all that and more to do and see here in Adair County, why go somewhere else? Here, you’ll end your adventure happy, rested, relaxed and inspired, and ready to do it all over again.

We welcome that. And we hope you do, too.

You can find more detailed information on Adair County’s events and attractions at VisitAdairCounty.org. Be sure to check out the Events, and Arts & Entertainment sections, as well as dining and lodging options, along with details about attractions. And be sure to follow Adair County Iowa Tourism on Facebook for the latest news.

Oh, and one more thing – do you geocache? Go to geocaching.com to find out how to use GPS to find hidden treasures around the county. It’s great fun for the whole family.

Enjoy your visit. See you soon.