Lake Panarama, Iowa Family Reunion

On Saturday, June 12, Mandy's mom's side of the family had a family reunion at Lake Panarama, Iowa where my mom's sister and her husband live in a gorgeous log cabin!

We've always been a close-knit family but my mom and her 4 other siblings lost their last parent 1 year before COVID hit. Since then we try to get together here and there, but it's been tough, especially with the lock down! So getting together once again was a soul-filling afternoon!

My mom, Dayne and my 2nd cousin Hannah

The backyard of my aunt and uncle's house with most of the family hanging out.

The back yard of my aunt and uncle's house.

Wakefield and my 2nd cousin Derek playing ladder golf!

Not only did we get to spend some much needed time with family, we also had some rest and relaxation at The Port on Lake Panarama, the hotel we stayed at. Lake Panarama has got to be one of the most stunning lakes in Iowa! It's the only private, man-made lake in Iowa. All of The Port's rooms have balconies that face the lake. So it's just a jaw-dropping experience to walk out on your balcony each morning to watch the sun rise over this and realize you are in Iowa!

Lake Panarama features a wonderful restaurant and tiki bar that had live music both nights we were there! It also has a pool that overlooks the lake!

Lake Panarama is in Panora, IA, so Mandy and Dayne let the boys rest Saturday morning while we ventured into town. We had to hit up the local coffee shop, Crafty's Coffee. It was a busy Saturday morning there with families, retiree coffee groups and lake-goers getting their caffeine fix. They had glass cases full of delicious pastries, including gluten free options! Dayne picked out a Fruity Pebble cereal donut and we got a couple for the boys. Mom had a quiche and coconut milk latte and all was delicious! Dayne loved the kids corner full of toys also! Really cute place with friendly and competent help!

Our family is big proponents of the "wandering method" of traveling! That is, we don't like to make a strict plan when going to a location. Sure, we choose 1 or 2 big things to do, but leave time for "wandering around!" And that's exactly what Dayne and I did that Saturday morning. Across the street was a nice green area with the library, a large gazebo and event center. Dayne found the outdoor musical instruments and had lots of fun making "music!"

Where is the coolest place you've had a family reunion? What fun things have you found in a new area "wandering around?"