Iowa officially wins the award for THE best rest stop we have ever visited.  When we spilled out of the Suburban, sticky and sea-legged, the midday heat hit us with full force. Yuck, yuck, yuck. We had parked at the edge of the lot so we started trudging across the length of the grounds towards the building for our obligatory 2-3 hour interval stop.  

The closer we got the more evident it was that this was no ordinary, utilitarian rest area.  Each little pavilion housed a picnic table and was framed with a cut-out quote. All of them? I quickly scanned the park area.  Yes! Once I figured that out you know we would have to check out every.single.one.  And we did, because I am a quote freak.

The restroom building was every bit as thoughtfully designed from the graphic signage to the Pulitzer plaques to the quotes on continuous feed trailing around the top of the atrium area.  It was a feast of words and letters, history and ideas.  

Well done, Iowa, well done.