Siouxland Families

Sioux City's stunning Peirce Mansion on 29th and Jackson is an iconic local landmark, easily recognizable by its distinct style. But do you know the story behind this quartzite behemoth, and how to visit it?  Here's my full guide to Sioux City's beautiful and historical Peirce Mansion:  Where is the Peirce Mansion? Photo used with permission from the Sioux City Public Museum and Historical Society The Peirce Mansion is located at 2901 Jackson Street in Sioux City, Iowa. There is a small driveway, so if you're there for a small, private event you *may* be able to use that, but for most purposes, assume you will need to park on the street. Street parking on both Jackson Street and 29th Street is FREE and not metered. John Peirce and the construction of the Peirce Mansion So who built the Peirce mansion? John Peirce was one of the most notable members of Gilde...

I love Scooter's Coffee and people seemed to enjoy the full review of the full Scooter's Coffee kids' menu that  we posted earlier this year . So, when I heard they were doing a cute "Candyland" inspired holiday menu for Christmas 2024, I thought it might be fun to try them out and share our thoughts on that too! In case you're new here, I'm a mom of four kids from toddler to teen, and my kids and I love reviewing food and drinks together. We especially love a good kids' menu, so the Scooter's Coffee Kids' Combos and other kid-friendly treats are totally in our wheelhouse. So, without further ado, here's my review of the Scooter's Coffee 2024 holiday menu: What's on the 2024 Candyland Holiday Menu at Scooter's Coffee? Starting in November 2024, Scooter's Coffee is offering a limited menu of holiday treats inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Candyland. These drinks and desserts will be available through the app or for ...

The Sioux City area is full of great local stores, brands, and makers who have items for sale that would make amazing presents for Christmas, Hannukah, or your favorite winter holiday. I love that spending some of our holiday dollars with them makes it possible to get unique gifts for friends and family while also supporting our neighbors. There are too many Sioux City and Siouxland local gifts to list all of them, so I definitely encourage you to shop your favorite local places even if they aren't on my list of personal faves yet. Best locally owned stores in Siouxland for toys and gifts: Thinker Toys 4400 Singing Hills Blvd The iconic castle toy store just south of the Southern Hills Mall features a wide variety of toys and games, from well-known brands like Lego, Corolle, Brio, Playmobil, Schleich and Melissa & Doug, to quirky independent brands you won't find elsewhere in Siouxland. They also have frisbee golf equipment, which is perfect for Sioux City's various cou...

When I heard that Taco John's was testing out a new menu item in just three cities and that one of them is Sioux City, I immediately wanted to try it out! So, we headed to Taco John's to try their brand new "walking taco" style dish, which they are calling the Fritos Taco Mixers. Based on that trip and trying them with my tween, here's my full review: What is the Taco John's Frito Taco Mixer? The Taco John's Fritos Taco Mixer is a brand-new dish available only in three test markets (Sioux City, Iowa; Paducah, Kentucky; and Evansville, Indiana) as of Mid-November 2024. The Taco Mixers come in two varieties: regular and double beef. Both options are walking-taco style entrees consisting of Fritos corn chips, ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and some of Taco John's iconic Potato Oles.  Our thoughts on the Taco John's Frito Taco Mixers I ordered one of each variety of the Taco John's Fritos Taco Mixers from a Sioux City Taco John...

President-elect Donald Trump made an announcement with huge implications for Iowa! In 2026, the United States of America will be celebrating its 250th birthday, and President-elect Trump plans to make it an epic party.  A video of President-elect Trump from Memorial Day 2023 shares a specific part of his plan: the "Great American State Fair" which President-elect Trump suggested could consist of pavilions representing each state in the nation, in coordination with the 50 governors. He also mentioned sporting events for high schoolers from around the nation as part of this event, which he called "Patriot Games." And the part that may excite Iowans most is the intended location:  The Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa! I've posted before about how much I love  visiting the Iowa State Fair  with my family and so I can definitely see why President-elect Trump proposed the fairgrounds as a venue. Plus, the event itself sounds really fun, so I'm excited t...

La Juanita is one of the most iconic restaurants in Siouxland. The taqueria was opened in 1998 after owner Christina Bautista moved to Sioux City from LA at the recommendation of her brother. Now, the cash-only restaurant, named after Bautista's older sister Juanita, is so popular that the line to order is often literally out the door. But how does the taqueria stack up as an eatery for families with kids? Here's what parents should know: * this post was originally published in 2016 and was updated in November of 2024* Where is La Juanita? La Juanita is at 1316 Pierce Street near downtown Sioux City. There is a small lot with free parking behind La Juanita, and free street parking on Pierce Street in front of the restaurant. A second Siouxland location is under construction, and I'll be sure to post about that location too once it opens. There is also a La Juanita restaurant in Storm Lake, which is owned by Bautista's daughter, Jennifer Calderon. Atmosphere at La Juan...