Okoboji, Iowa – 9th Anniversary
We got married nine years ago in Okoboji, Iowa and we keep coming back to celebrate. We’ve written about our annual getaway to the Iowa Great Lakes a few times before, so I’ll spare you the history lesson again.
Anniversary Photo
Professional Photo … 
… Selfie
Every year we take a photo on the dock in Okoboji where we first tied the knot. Every year we botch it! I can’t stop laughing at my stupid duck face in this photo.
New RV Friends
Before we left for anniversary vacation this year, I stumbled on a full-time RV couple on Instagram looking for recommendations on their own NoPlanRoadTrip, so I reached out to them and told them to meet us in Okoboji. And they did!
Hopalong RV met up with us at Emerson Bay for one day. So we had to give them the quintessential Okoboji tour (and lessons on saying Oak-oh-bow-gee, they nailed it eventually). We darted over to the Barefoot Bar for a tiki-drinki. Then we grabbed dinner to-go at the Taco House and ate it with delicious beer at West O Brewing.
We had such a great time getting to know them, it felt more like we had known them forever. They loved the boys and the boys loved them.
Feeling Beachy
After Hop Along left, we packed a picnic lunch and relaxed at the beach for a couple hours. Of course I took a zillion photos of the dogs, a couple selfies and this adorable photo of Jamey lounging with the boys. Once I used it for my Facebook cover, it turned racy!
Of course he’s actually wearing pants, but it reminded me of the Olympic divers running around in their teeny Speedo’s with the sports ticker placed just right to make them look like they’re censored!
Anniversary Dinner, Okoboji Lake Views
We enjoyed a lovely dinner and sunset at the High Point in Central Emporium. We’ve had anniversary meals at several of the high end restaurants in town, but High Point is our new favorite, the views were beautiful and the food was delicious. A bit spendy, but well worth the price.
After dinner we headed back home to the dogs and the camper. We’re not as young as we used to be when we skipped down the road, drunk, singing, at midnight!
Breweries in Okoboji
Our love of West O Brewing is no secret. So of course we made multiple visits. We took Hop Along there, we biked there and I went two days in a row to pick up six packs of their pack-out series.
The patio is dog-friendly, the whole place is family friendly, and their beers are among the best. For a small, tourist town in the middle of nowhere, Iowa, West O Brewing is always worth a visit.
The other brewery in town is Okoboji Brewing Company. This brewery has both their own brews as well as guest taps.
We showed up at this brewery just once and just in time for Hymns & Hops. A sing-a-long of Christian hymns and popular songs. We were skeptical at first that church music and beer belong together, but it was surprisingly fun.
We had time to talk with the lead singer of the band, who is the local pastor at the boat-in church. All in all, we really enjoyed our time there, and wished we had time to visit again. They are also dog-friendly and they have a food truck if you get hungry.
Boozin’ and Cruisin’
Parks Marina runs a handful of cruise options and we took advantage of them. We did the Siesta Cruise twice, the Sunset and Fireworks Cruise and the Dock Hop Cruise.
The Siesta Cruise is a nice, laid back, toodle around the lake.
The Sunset & Fireworks (my favorite) combines the relaxation of the Siesta Cruise with the fun of live music and fireworks at Preservation Plaza, from the lake.
And the Dock Hop, which leaves from the Barefoot Bar is more of a party, was a beebopping fun time of visiting three different boat up bars.
Doggone Good Times
Obviously the boys had a fun time in Okoboji too, with plenty of dog-friendly places for them to visit.
There were lots of walks around Preservation Plaza.
And patio posing.
Bracco 
The Ritz 
The Gardens
Barefoot Bar 
West O brewing
And plenty of walking with required photo ops, some more successful than others.
Buddy does “place” on the water feature 
Until he drinks all the water
Of course we spoiled them and took them to visit Arnold’s Bark-ery and bought them fancy treats.
Moving Day
Jamey had to go home and work a few days, and I got to hang out in Okoboji the rest of the time. We couldn’t extend our stay at the heavenly Emerson Bay, but we did luck into a walk-in site at Elinor Bedel State Park. All the sites here are pull through, full hook-up and only $17/night. The sites aren’t very level and they are right next to a loud, busy road. But a bad night in ‘Boji is better than a good day at the office!
So, we moved to the new site and spent the rest of the day spending time doing Jamey’s favorite things before he went home.
I spent the next few days working remotely from the table in the RV, from a picnic shelter, and from a restaurant with good WiFi. It was pretty heavenly, and it definitely made me want to strive towards a digital nomad lifestyle.
The boys stayed with me and we continued our daily routine of many, many walks.
Winery outside of Okoboji
While Jamey was gone, I took advantage of the alone time to visit Little Swan Lake Winery. The winery was interesting, it was a part winery, part bison farm. They had a band playing and were serving bison burgers (I visited the surviving bision). I rarely feel uncomfortable being on my own, but everyone else at the winery seemed to be on a romantic date, so I was pretty out of place. I enjoyed my wine, pet the resident cat and went home. They sold West-O beer in cans, so maybe next year, I can drag Jamey along.
Reunited!
Jamey came back Friday afternoon and Buddy was much happier to have his pack back together. The ‘boji fun continued with more visits to the breweries, another boat cruise, and plenty more walks for the boys.
Another great trip to Okoboji. Already looking forward to doing it again next year!
