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FRESH LOCAL FARE AND SLEEK COFFEE SHOPS RUB SHOULDERS WITH STYLISH BOUTIQUES AND VINTAGE MARKETS IN MOUNT VERNON, IOWA.

- CEIL MILLER BOUCHET

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.

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