Ames is the best. I think we can all agree on that. We’ve got the Cyclones, the famous "Superdog', Fred Hoiberg … it's hard not to fall in love with everything ISU has to offer.

As much as we all love Ames, sometimes it’s nice to get out and explore a little. Yes, I’m talking a good old- fashioned road trip.

I will be the first to admit that Iowa isn’t exactly the tourism capital of the world. To be completely honest, “The World’s Largest Truck Stop” was a common suggestion when I was asking around for more ideas for this article.

So maybe Iowa isn’t known for attracting tourists from all over the globe, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Whether you’re planning on taking a day trip or maybe a leaving for the weekend, here are a few suggestions to help you quench that desire for a little adventure:

Day Trips:

1. Ledges State Park

Ledges is a great way to get away and outdoors for a couple hours. It's a beautiful state park with lots of hiking trails, camping grounds, fishing, and canoeing.

2. High Trestle Trail

High Trestle Trail is a 25-mile long trail that runs from Ankeny to Woodward. Go at nighttime to see the High Trestle Trail Bridge completely lit up with blue LED lights.

3. Des Moines, Iowa

Before coming to school in Iowa, I definitely thought that Des Moines was one big building and the Jordan Creek Mall. I was totally wrong. Des Moines is a cool, up-and-coming, urban environment that is rapidly growing. There's plenty of shopping, a wide variety of restaurants, and, of course, a great bar scene for the 21 and over crowd.

Weekend Trips:

4. Minneapolis, Minnesota 

With such a large population of our student body from Minnesota, it's hard not to hear about all the unique things Minneapolis has to offer. Minneapolis is a large metropolitan area, yet Minnesota offers a very outdoor-oriented lifestyle so you really get the best of both worlds here.

5. Kansas City, Missouri

I love Kansas City. Maybe I'm just a teensy bit biased because it is my hometown, but still, Kansas City is great. You'll find so many unique neighborhoods, fountains, parks, and eats.

I've barely scratched the surface here. There are so many amazing places within a close distance of Ames. Enjoy your adventure at Iowa State, but make sure you have an adventure outside of it too.