Tornadoes, Trampoline Parks, and Texas Roadhouse Rolls: A Lesson in Road Trips

This week, my boss (hi, Sara!) asked a few of us to hit the road to Iowa and check out some trampoline parks and arcades. We’re always trying to stay up to date for our guests, keeping the fun fresh, finding new inspiration, and of course, looking for excuses to stop at Kwik Trip.

Our crew packed up the company car and hit the road from Eau Claire to Dubuque, Iowa. First stop: snacks. (Because no road trip starts without a good Kwik Trip haul — I'm a cookie dough and chocolate milk girlie, myself.) We made it to Dubuque in time for lunch, then visited The Fun Station, a smaller trampoline park inside a mall. It was definitely geared toward littler kids, but we did see a few attractions that sparked some ideas.

From there, we headed to Malibu Jack’s in Bettendorf. This is a newer location recommended by our owners (they’re from Iowa, so we trusted the tip). We got a few more ideas there too, including one or two things we’re hoping to adapt for our own space someday.

Now, this is where things started to get interesting.

That night, we stopped at a bowling alley for some “friendly” competition (the trash talk was light, but the stakes felt high). Personally, my favorite part? The giant screens above the lanes were playing the Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun game. I’d like to think the universe putting Caitlin Clark in the same place I was holding a bowling ball is what helped me achieve my new personal best score.

Dinner was at Texas Roadhouse (hello, rolls), and then we called it a night. Important note about Bettendorf: they seem deeply passionate about car washes. Like, we counted...a lot. Still not sure why.

The next morning, we had breakfast at Flip’s Pancake House (SO good!), got some gas, and made a very logical road trip decision:
“Let’s stop at the Kalahari on our way home...it only adds, like, a half hour!”

Spoiler: it did not only add a half hour.

We were somewhere near Dodgeville/Barneveld (yes, those are real places) when we made...you guessed it, another Kwik Trip stop. It was pouring rain as we ran back to the car, but we didn’t think too much of it. We couldn’t get CarPlay to work in the company vehicle, so we were stuck listening to the radio. Probably fine, right?

Until we heard...tornado warning #1. Then #2. Then #3.

Thankfully, they were all “behind us.” So naturally, we kept driving. (Big thanks to Hunter for the weather updates and general level-headedness.)

When we finally rolled up to Kalahari, the rain had stopped and we were taking our time. I was putting on socks and tennis shoes and Adisa was casually eating a to-go Texas Roadhouse roll in the parking lot.

Then we stepped inside and...ghost town. A manager quickly ushered us to the basement. Turns out they were under an active tornado warning. (Plot twist: the basement is also the laser tag arena. Because why not.)

We hung out down there for about 45 minutes, and only then learned that we had unknowingly escaped two tornadoes on the way there. Another was spotted about a mile away. Casual.

Eventually, we got the all-clear and went upstairs to grab food at the Wisconsin Brew Pub. We debriefed over chicken sandwiches, fancy milkshakes, and salads (balance). By the time we finished eating, it was raining again...hard. Like, flooding hard.

But if you’re gonna get stuck somewhere, a giant arcade is a pretty decent option.

We wandered around, checked out more attractions, and waited for a break in the radar. When one finally came, we hit the road and heard two more tornado warnings on our way back to Eau Claire.

Around Tomah, we officially escaped the storm. The final hour of the drive was in silence. (I’ll be nice and spare you the photos of my coworkers passed out in the backseat.)

So...what did we learn?

1. Good road trips need great car-mates.
   The drive is half the fun. Especially when everyone’s down for snacks, road trip games, and a little go-with-the-flow.

2. Spontaneity keeps things interesting.
   A quick detour might lead you to a laser tag bunker during a tornado. Or the best pancakes you’ve ever had. Either way, worth it.

3. Always listen to your weather alerts.
   …Eventually.

4. And never underestimate the power of a Kwik Trip run.
   (Bonus points if someone grabs extra glazers for later.)

Ready to plan your road trip?

Whether you're coming from two hours away or across the state line, Metropolis Resort is the perfect next stop.
Water park? Check. Trampoline park? Check. Arcade, go-karts, laser tag, pizza, comfy hotel rooms? Yep.
We’ve got everything you need to make some memories...minus the tornadoes. (Hopefully.)

Ready to plan your next road trip? Check out our current deals and offers here!