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Issue date: 11/25/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Contributed Photo Lauren R. Rice, writing professor, published her first book, an Iowa travel guide, in the summer of 2009.

Lauren R. Rice, a 27 year-old writing professor at DMACC, has released a new Iowa travel guide. The guide, which is also Rice's first book, is titled "Iowa: An Explorer's Guide," and was released through W.W. Norton Publishing this past summer.

Although Iowa is not always recognized as a tourist destination, the book and the adventurous Rice strived to prove the skeptics wrong as well as showing Midwesterners great places to travel to for a cheap price within the state of Iowa. "All you need for adventure is the willingness to create it," said Rice. "You can find fascinating and interesting things in your own backyard."

The willingness to travel becomes even more fulfilling within a state that is abundant in beautiful state and national parks and full of generous locals, said Rice.

There are over 100 national and state parks within the borders of Iowa. The beauty of the state is not just the rolling hills of cornfields. "Northeast Iowa is my favorite area. I loved Dubuque and the small city Lansing," said Rice, "Dubuque has really nice restaurants, a cute bed and breakfast, and the beautiful river. It's the oldest settlement in Iowa. The bed and breakfast was built as a hotel before the Civil War. It's cool to stay in a place that has been there so long."

Rice's favorite state park was the Upper Mississippi State Park. "I love the views in that park," she said, "For anyone that thinks the Mississippi is flat, go to Northeast Iowa. The Mississippi River Valley there is just huge." Northeast Iowa has an extreme amount of bio-diversity, which has much to do with the Iowa's Department of National Resources' attempt to create abundant eco-tourism opportunities.

Rice thoroughly enjoyed the Bridges of Madison County. The area originally boasted 19 beautiful covered bridges. Six remain today, all of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. "When you find a bridge off of the beaten path (in Madison County), it is just really beautiful," said Rice.

However, during her three month and 6,000 mile adventure during the summer of 2008, Rice did have her problems gathering information. Her lack of time associated with the generous nature of Iowans was one of her major problems.

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