About Jeff & Crystal

We are Jeff and Crystal, a Baby Boomer couple who love exploring this big blue marble we all call home. After spending the first portion of our lives together raising a family, the empty-nest syndrome finally caught up with us. This has given us the opportunity to spend more time traveling, and seeking out new destinations. We developed this travel blog with the goal of showing how we “Visit Like A Local”. Our itineraries are designed to get us off the interstates, and into the heart of the places we visit. We believe this will allow our readers to choose a cultural experience, and eventually head home with a real flavor of the places they visit. We hope you are enjoying our website and will consider sharing it with your friends. Please come back often, as we post new articles three times per week.
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24 Hours In Mason City

Whenever we visit a new destination, we keep our eyes open for a theme. Some cities are all about history, while others can focus on family fun. As we made our way through Mason City, we quickly realized this Iowa city is overflowing with artistic subjects. While it has plenty of history to discover, it was the promise of art that caught our attention. With just about 24 hours in Mason City, we were going to have to make the most of every minute. After a quick stop at the local tourism bureau, we dove into our artful explorations.  We want to thank [...]

By |2022-01-25T18:33:23-06:00January 25th, 2022|Guides, Iowa, Mason City, Midwest|0 Comments
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Walking On Beale Street

It goes without saying that a visit to Memphis has to include some time walking on Beale Street. Starting at the Mississippi River, the route travels almost 2 miles into the city. The iconic portion that many people picture is actually only about 5 blocks long. Packed with entertainment, shopping, and dining establishments, Beale Street is the place to find legendary music. Of course, it is so much more than that and this historic district has a past that is as colorful as the neon signs that illuminate the night. Schwab's Iconic Museum Beale Avenue traces its origin back to 1841 when it [...]

By |2022-01-21T16:20:49-06:00January 21st, 2022|Memphis, Southeast, Tennessee|0 Comments
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Ice Age Creation – Sioux Falls Park

As I sit here writing this article, the winter snow is falling in Kansas City. Our Epic Road Trip is still fresh in our minds, even though it has been a dozen weeks since it wrapped up. Looking out at the cold, it is easy to imagine the times that ice sheets once spread across North America. While glaciers have grown and receded many times over the eons, the last happened about 20,000 years ago. When the last of the glaciers receded, it left behind an Ice Age creation that has to be explored firsthand. Traveling north along the western edge of Iowa, [...]

By |2022-01-18T05:07:22-06:00January 18th, 2022|Epic Road Trip, Midwest, Sioux Falls, South Dakota|2 Comments
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4 Reasons to Visit The Buttered Biscuit

Southern cooking is all about comfort, so you know we love it. While some would consider Bentonville, Arkansas to be the northern edge of the south, we found it gives them a unique position in the culinary world. This vibrant city has a ton of interesting dining options that capture the flavors of the region. We were enjoying sampling all of the flavors that flow around the city. It seemed like each meal brought a new twist on southern cuisine. For our final meal, we made a stop at The Buttered Biscuit. Let's check out the 4 reasons to visit this homestyle eatery. [...]

By |2022-01-12T04:58:10-06:00January 14th, 2022|Arkansas, Bentonville, Southeast|0 Comments
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MacNider Art Museum – All About Art

It seems that more and more cities we visit are learning to embrace art. Some have distinct districts that focus on showcasing artists. Others are finding a flourish of new art forms, such as murals, being introduced to their urban areas. When we arrived in Mason City, it didn't take us long to find that this Iowa city is all about art. The apex of this city's art can be found in and around the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum. Since the mid-60s, this art center has become a mecca for locals and visitors alike to explore this FREE museum that showcases some [...]

By |2022-01-11T07:21:20-06:00January 11th, 2022|Iowa, Mason City, Midwest|0 Comments
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Biscuits And Blues – Natchez Hospitality

Getting the feel for a new destination requires sampling a little of the local cuisine. Since this trip was all about seeing the south, we wanted to embrace the foods that have become legendary. We had already received a good background on the history of Natchez, Mississippi at the local tourism bureau. It had been quite a while since our meager breakfast and we were feeling the urge to fill up. A short drive to downtown landed us at Biscuits and Blues, which held lots of promise for a heaping helping of southern hospitality. Biscuits and Blues The city of Natchez sits on [...]

By |2022-01-07T07:13:36-06:00January 7th, 2022|Mississippi, Natchez, Southeast|0 Comments
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Beach Party Vibe – Clear Lake

Each new city and town we visit has its own particular feel. Some are historic sites with ages of artifacts. Others are artistic centers that entertain the eyes with rich and unique visions. It only took a few minutes for us to realize that Clear Lake, Iowa has a beach party vibe. Our arrival was timed for the morning of July 3rd, so there was a little extra electricity in the air. With a lakeside carnival in full swing, it was promising to be an entertaining visit. We want to thank Clear Lake, Iowa, and the local businesses for hosting our visit. Rest [...]

By |2022-01-04T07:30:54-06:00January 4th, 2022|Clear Lake, Guides, Iowa, Midwest|0 Comments
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Fierce Gales – Split Rock Lighthouse

Standing on the North Shores of Minnesota, one finds themselves admiring the beauty of Lake Superior. The choppy waters hint at the hidden dangers that lie below the surface. Resting in the depths of those cold waters are roughly 350 ships. Many of these were victims of the fierce gales that sweep in during the late fall and winter months. The earliest recorded occurred in 1891, but it would be a late November 1905 storm that would show just how perilous the waters can be. With these tragedies impacting the movement of important materials, it would only be a matter of time before [...]

By |2021-12-25T16:44:40-06:00December 28th, 2021|Midwest, Minnesota, North Shores|4 Comments
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Embracing Nature – Crystal Bridges Museum Of American Art

When you travel to the home base of Walmart, you can expect big things. The Walton family has been diligent in giving back to the community and Bentonville has certainly prospered from this relationship. A prime example of this is the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Creating a world-class art museum is an expensive endeavor. Making it free to the public moves it to an epic level. Looking out at the campus, it's obvious the architect was embracing nature with their design. We placed a visit high on our priority list during our planning stage. We want to thank Visit Bentonville and [...]

By |2021-12-17T04:30:02-06:00December 21st, 2021|Arkansas, Bentonville, Southeast|2 Comments
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Epic Road Trip – Lewis And Clark Interpretive Center

Traveling can be extremely exciting, but being too long on the road can become uncomfortable. Even having all of the luxuries, won't remove the desire for the comforts of home. Can you imagine embarking on a perilous two-year-long trip across unchartered lands? That is precisely what Meriwether Lewis and William Clark faced during their famous expedition. On a smaller level, all of us can feel the same explorer spirit when we set out on our own adventures. We were at the start of an epic road trip and we pulled off in Sioux City, Iowa for our first stop. Presidential Directive America was [...]

By |2021-12-17T04:30:55-06:00December 17th, 2021|Iowa, Midwest, Sioux City|0 Comments
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