When I spy Mount Vernon emerging from a patchwork of farmland along Iowa’s Cedar River, my mind shifts to pleasure mode—just like on childhood road trips to visit my grandparents in Cedar Rapids.
Back then, I anticipated a frosty root beer float from the (long gone) A&W drive-in. Now, on weekend trips to this small town 30 minutes north of Iowa City—and just off the Lincoln Highway—it’s the thrill of a locally sourced meal with a nice bottle of wine. The hunt for a set of vintage water glasses. A conversation with the barista about her ceramics practice while she pulls an espresso. Or simply wandering around Cornell College’s stately hilltop campus.
From the outside, Mount Vernon’s 19th-century Main Street District throws nostalgic vibes. But peek beneath the facade and you’ll find one of the coolest little day trips in Iowa.
10 a.m. Fuel Up
First stop: White Tree Bakery, selling delights like blueberry-studded almond Bundt coffee cake and goat cheese scones. Then savor a steaming cup of Howdy, IA!—one of five single-origin roasts available at Little Scratch Coffee Roasters. Or pop into homey Fuel Art and Espresso, the town’s unofficial living room.
11 a.m. Shop Around
Design-forward Iron Leaf Press, a letterpress and stationery store in the old Standard Oil service station, faces Polly Ann’s Vintage Market, a trove of well-curated midcentury kitchenware and other treasures. Find specialty yarns and books by local authors at Wren and Purl, in a larger space since a move to First Street in 2025. At Bauman and Company, community members still meet for coffee in the basement every morning. The family-owned department store has been a town fixture since 1909 and preserves the original store’s oak cabinetry.
1 p.m. Lunch Break
Find slow-cooked barbecue, house-made root beer, and Iowa-made craft beer at Big’s BBQ and Brewpub, a local favorite for smoked meats and sides since 2017. For a take-home treat, preorder a loaf of bread from James Beard-recognized The Local Crumb. A sip with a side of shopping? Head to The Local, a cozy gift emporium in an 1881 building, with Iowa wines and craft beers plus gourmet snacks.
2 p.m. Take a Walk
Hit the trails at Palisades-Kepler State Park, one of our favorite Midwest hidden-gem state parks, for a highlight reel of dramatic Cedar River valley foliage. Or opt for pumpkin patches, a corn maze, and kids’ activities at Kroul Farms, a third-generation working family farm. Back in town, explore the solar system tour—a sign-posted walk through a scale model of the solar system that begins with a 5-foot-wide sun in front of First Street Community Center and continues through two of the town’s three National Historic Districts. The Cornell College campus is also a lovely place to stroll.
6 p.m. Pizza Party
Visitors from Cedar Rapids and Iowa City often make the drive for wood-fired pizza at Lincoln Winebar, where the atmosphere is as warm as the imported Italian oven. The Greens (pistachio pesto, lemon-dressed arugula, shaved Parmesan) is a perennial fave, but in the fall opt for the butternut squash pie with roasted garlic cream sauce and fontina. Owner Jesse Sauerbrei is a wine pro who will gladly pair the perfect sip with your pizza.
Mark Your Calendar
Following in regional artist Grant Wood’s strokes, musicians, dancers, and visual artists fill the Main Street District every September for the Lincoln Highway Arts Festival, named for the iconic transcontinental highway…