When I added a visit to the Civil War Museum, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, I knew that Crystal wouldn’t be as excited as I was. This changed when we met Peggy Gregorski, who would provide us with an amazing tour. While I spent the majority of my time taking photos, Crystal took in the interesting narrative […]
Civil War Museum in Kenosha – The Upper Midwest’s Contribution Read More »
Traveling to the shores of Lake Michigan, in late Spring, can bring an assortment of weather conditions. Being from the Midwest, we are familiar with the saying “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.” Our first day of exploring Kenosha had been filled with a cool breeze and occasional drizzle. While we had
Warming Up To Ashling on the Lough Read More »
One of the benefits of visiting state capital cities is the opportunity to tour the state museums. Most every city and town will have a historical stop that showcases the local history. It is the state museum that will fill out the details on the entire region. In Springfield, we discovered the Illinois State Museum
Illinois State Museum – Piecing Together The Past Read More »
We have had the opportunity to visit a lot of science museums. While some exhibits are commonplace at almost every museum, each one we visit seems to have a few unique displays that intrigue us. Our visit to the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI), in Chicago, blew us away with their sheer volume of
Science Search At Museum of Science and Industry Read More »
A visit to Springfield, Illinois holds something for just about everyone in your travel crew. If you are a fan of road trips, then retracing the Mother Road (Route 66) will lead you straight through the heart of this Midwest city. Along the route, there are a variety of unique stops, like Cozy Dog Drive
The Origin of Corn Dogs – Cozy Dog Drive In Read More »
Wherever we travel, Crystal and I will usually be on the lookout for ice cream. We are fortunate that both of us can agree on this creamy treat as a preferred dessert option. When we planned our latest Chicago visit, it was agreed to make our base camp on the outskirts of the metro. While
Tasty Treats From Oberweis Dairy Read More »
We hear a lot of people say that you can judge a restaurant by the length of time it has been in business. While this may not always be the case, there is certainly something to be said for longevity. During the planning of our visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin, we noticed a landmark eatery that
Massive Plates At Franks’ Diner Read More »
A visit to Springfield, Illinois puts travelers in the heart of the Land of Lincoln. During your visit, you will find that all throughout the city there are reminders of our 16th President of the United States. One of the premier stops is the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. There is no entrance fee for
Explore The Lincoln Home – A Springfield Treasure Read More »
Growing up neither of us had much opportunity to travel by train. The heyday of this mode of transportation had passed and most families navigated the countryside by automobile. Recently, we had the chance to take a lunch train ride that piqued our interest in experiencing more of this form of travel. When we laid
All Aboard The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad Read More »
A visit to a botanical garden is always a new experience, since the plants change so much with each season. The spring is popular for the bright blooms, while fall brings the vivid foliage as it prepares to go dormant. Summer is the transition period, but we enjoy the textures and shades of green that
Relaxed Beauty at Des Moines Botanical Gardens Read More »
We firmly believe that travel is an excellent way to continue our education in our adult years. With schooling behind us, we can still learn lots of interesting things about this big, blue marble we all call home. One of our favorite subjects is history, and Council Grove gave us plenty of it. When we
History Overload In Council Grove, Kansas Read More »
Every once in a while we will spot a location that we know is based on a novelty idea. Some we pass up, but then there are the ones that just hook our attention and yell out for us to visit. This is exactly what happened when we spotted Zombie Burger during our preview of
Flavors To Wake The Dead At Zombie Burger Read More »
When visiting a historic city, it only makes sense to stay in a historic lodging location. In Council Grove, it ended up being The Cottage House for us. While it would be reasonable to make the visit to Council Grove a day trip, why not extend your visit to include an overnight? It certainly helps
Step Back In Time At The Cottage House Read More »
For five years we ran a local restaurant blog, before moving into the travel arena. Through that time, we came to realize that every dining establishment has its redeeming values. Some may have more flavorful dishes, but they all have at least one that they excel with. The key to successful dining when traveling is
Sample The Flavors Of St. Louis Dining Read More »
Sometimes even travel writers can be surprised when they stumble upon an unexpected treat. Such is the case when we visited the Wells Fargo Museum in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. This free museum is located in their bank lobby, and is the newest in a string of museums that Wells Fargo hosts. When we discovered
Relive The Past At The Wells Fargo Museum Read More »
Council Grove, Kansas opened up a wealth of historic sites for us. What we learned during our visit was that it wasn’t just limited to museums. Even the restaurants have stories to tell. Our stay in town was only long enough to sample three of their dining establishments, but it still gave us a historic
Historic Eats in the Heartland – Council Grove Read More »
It’s not unusual to hear people talk about dinner and a movie, but how come the idea of dinner and a live show is less commonplace? We can’t speak for others, but we like the idea of having entertaining activities taking place while we dine. In Des Moines, we were able to get just that
Four Fabulous Reasons To Try Olympic Flame In Des Moines Read More »
Council Grove, Kansas is a town that we have heard mentioned many times over the years, but had never visited. Like many small to mid-sized towns, it is filled with the history and stories of the people who persevered in the harsh environment of life on the prairie. In 1541, Coronado crossed the Neosho River
Getting Our Bearings At Post Office Oak Museum Read More »
As we have said on numerous occasions, we are zoo people. We rarely pass up an opportunity to visit a new location, and enjoy returning to ones we have already seen. The ever changing exhibits usually offer a new view on something or at least a different perspective. When we planned our St. Louis trip,
Five Zones Of Free Fun At The St. Louis Zoo Read More »
Visits to science centers are becoming a standard practice for us when we travel to new cities. Many times we are met with surprise, since visits to these locations usually include children in tow. Little do they realize, but we are two of the biggest kids around. This was the case when I discussed our
Big Kid Fun At Science Center of Iowa Read More »
Being visitors from outside of St. Louis, we found the Forest Park area to be an amazing place to spend time. The lush landscape and numerous attractions beckon visitors to explore. The four crown jewels of the park include their zoo, art museum, science center, and the Missouri History Museum, which is the focus of
Evolution Of A City – Missouri History Museum Read More »
During the periods we spend researching new destinations, many sites will be added to our list. From these, we can glean a finished itinerary that will allow us to showcase a variety of options for our readers to add to their own travel schedule. We are always excited when we uncover one of those places
Secret Treats At Black Cat Ice Cream Read More »
Being from Kansas City, we always attempt to test out the local barbecue at least once. Now we are far from being BBQ experts, but we do know what we like. Since we were staying on the Delmar Loop, a visit to Salt + Smoke seemed to be the perfect spot to do some research.
Kansas City Diners Test St. Louis BBQ At Salt and Smoke Read More »
A visit to Des Moines, Iowa wouldn’t be complete without checking out the State Historical Museum of Iowa in the East Village. This place is dedicated to telling the story of the people who have inhabited the territory for as long as the history is known. It was a short walk from our hotel to
Iowa Through The Ages – State Historical Museum of Iowa Read More »
With all of the cities that we visit, we will obviously need lodging. Most of these are nice chain locations that we try to mention during our overview articles. Once in a while we will happen upon a location that stands out as a special stay. This was the case in St. Louis, when we
Space Age Stay At Moonrise Hotel In St. Louis Read More »
Those of you who have been following our escapades for a while know that we love pizza. Whatever city we visit, we always try to add at least one good pie to our list of meals. Des Moines, Iowa was no exception, but it did deliver our treat with a twist. During the planning stage
Dining Around The World in Downtown Des Moines Read More »
Kansas Citians are blessed to have so many things to do in the metro area. Of course, sometimes it is nice to get away from the city for the day and strike out to one of the nearby communities. With just a little planning, it’s easy to fill a day with new sights and some
On The History Trail in Miami County – A Kansas City Road Trip Read More »
No matter how well we research, it always seems that we find at least one nugget that we had not foreseen. In St. Louis, Missouri that hidden gem was Blueprint Coffee. During a morning stroll down the DelMar Loop, we stumbled upon this diminutive coffee house. We popped in to get a fresh cup of
Why We Were Surprised By Blueprint Coffee Read More »
Like many people, we are learning that there are lots of things to do in some of the medium sized cities. Our visit to Joplin, Missouri lasted just over 24 hours, but could have easily been extended to a full weekend. (We packed a lot into our timeline.) Joplin is a name that many have
The City That Jack Built – Joplin, Missouri Read More »
St. Louis offers so many great educational opportunities for visitors of all ages. Our visit to the St. Louis Science Center sparked our imaginations and opened our minds to new ideas and possibilities. Located in the Forest Park neighborhood, this center is designed to engage all ages in a series of fun, interactive displays and offers
How The St. Louis Science Center Brings Science To The Masses Read More »
During the planning portion of our St. Louis trip, it was decided that we would make the Moonrise Hotel, on the DelMar Loop, our home base. With this in mind, we went to work looking for unique dining destinations within walking distance. When we happened upon the Peacock Loop Diner, it was obvious that a
What Makes Peacock Loop Diner So Special Read More »
Most Kansans have heard the name of John Brown. This iconic legend was a hero to some and a villain to others. Although he was not born in the state, many of his most notable actions occurred there. During our Miami County Road Trip, we stopped at the John Brown Museum to learn more about
A Man Touched By Fire – John Brown Read More »
During the planning stage of our St. Louis trip, we had assembled our preliminary itinerary. A phone conversation with Anthony Paraino from Explore St. Louis shed light on a couple of great attractions we had overlooked. The St. Louis Art Museum was preparing for the launch of a new traveling exhibit. Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds
We Spotted Sunken Treasures At St. Louis Art Museum Read More »
A friend from work was the first to mention that we should visit Fitz’s Restaurant on the Delmar Loop. We don’t drink a lot of sodas, but the chance to taste some at the source was something we couldn’t pass up. Our lodging was set up at Moonrise Hotel, which is just down the street.
Fizzy Freshness From Fitz’s Restaurant Read More »
A day trip to Osawatomie, Kansas was less than an hour drive from Kansas City, but landed us in a different era. This itinerary was designed to showcase a variety of historic sites in Miami County. The Osawatomie Museum Complex, located in the downtown, was one of our stops. This locally oriented twin museum tells
What We Learned At The Osawatomie Museum Complex Read More »
Our request for suggestions of places to visit in St. Louis was met with an amazing number of responses. One location that we kept seeing mentioned was City Museum. We took a look at their website, and were intrigued by what appeared to be the world’s largest jungle gym. Now we may not be as
10 Things To Know Before You Visit City Museum Read More »
Like many of you, we associated the name George Washington Carver with peanuts, but couldn’t really tell you why. The knowledge that he was a botanist seemed familiar, but that was about the extent of what we remembered from school. A visit to the George Washington Carver National Monument would forever change this. The site
Have You Heard Of The Peanut Man? Read More »
St. Louis, Missouri has tons of places to explore, but all of that action means working up an appetite. After our visit to the Civil War Museum and Jefferson Barracks Cemetery, we needed to find a nearby restaurant. (You can read about the museum here.) Just a couple blocks away we discovered Cafe Telegraph, a locally
Why The Locals Love Cafe Telegraph Read More »
When the name of Joplin, Missouri is mentioned, many will think immediately of the 2011 EF5 tornado that devastated portions of the city. Joplin is so much more than that. It has a rich history reaching back before the Civil War. We stopped in the Joplin Museum Complex to learn more about this southwestern Missouri
What To Expect At The Joplin History Museum Read More »
When planning our visit to St, Louis, we wanted to make sure we included some stops that would help us better understand the history of the area. Jefferson Barracks happens to be the oldest operating U.S. military installation west of the Mississippi River. On these grounds, the Missouri Civil War Museum has operated since 2013.
Missouri Civil War Museum – Remembering The Fallen Read More »
During our visit to Joplin, Missouri we took some time to visit the downtown area. This section of the city falls on the path of Route 66, so it draws a wide variety of travelers every year. After taking in some of the sights, we had worked up a big lunchtime appetite, so we made
Getting Stuffed At Red Onion Cafe Read More »
Our visit to Baxter Springs, Kansas occurred during the Route 66 Instameet sponsored by Travel Kansas. This was the last stop of the day, so we decided to wander off to explore away from the beaten path. Just a couple blocks from our meeting point, we found the Baxter Springs Historical Museum. We have visited
Baxter Springs, Ks – History In The Heartland Read More »
Let’s just face the facts. We like chocolate! There, it has been said, and there is no taking it back. This may be the reason why so many of our trips include a visit to a chocolate shop. We like to think it is just a service we provide for our readers who are looking
Candy House Gourmet – A Sweet Story Read More »
The Midwest portion of the United States is filled with a wide range of destination types. We find that college towns usually offer some interesting things to see, since they have a consistent flow of visitors. Manhattan is home to Kansas State University, and less than a two hour drive from our home in Kansas
Seeing Manhattan, Kansas – Exploring The Flint Hills Read More »
Our Travel Kansas Route 66 Instameet began in Galena, and would end in Baxter Springs. Of course, the space in between was not filled with empty miles. Even though the Mother Road only passes for 13 miles in the state of Kansas, it is filled with some unique sights. With Galena under our belt, it
Route 66 Instameet – The Road Between Read More »
When we received our invitation to join Travel Kansas for a Route 66 Instameet, it was an offer we couldn’t pass up. Our first Instameet was last year, when we toured various places in Kansas City, Kansas. (Read more about that event here>) This time we were visiting two towns in Southeast Kansas. We wanted
Route 66 Instameet – Galena, Kansas Read More »
Many people are unaware of the integral role that mining played in the settlement and growth of communities in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas. The discovery of lead in the mid-1800s drew miners to the area. Our visit to the Joplin History & Mineral Museum allowed us a chance to learn more about the history
Digging The Joplin Mining Museum Read More »
People who journey along the old “Mother Road”, known as Route 66, will periodically encounter some interesting sights. These bites of Americana hearken back to the golden age of automobile travel, and inspire feelings of nostalgia in many travelers. Galena, Kansas sits at the eastern edge of the Kansas portion of the route, which is
Escape The Interstate – Cars on the Route Read More »
Joplin, Missouri has an interesting Route 66 history. The city actually has multiple paths, since the route was realigned a couple of times. While we were making our itinerary for a visit to Joplin, we worked with Carrie Puffinbarger at Visit Joplin. She pointed us toward testing the eats at The Bruncheonette, a local hotspot that rests
Focus On The Food At The Bruncheonette Read More »
Our day trip to Manhattan, Kansas lasted a little longer than some visits, so we needed to make plans for a dinner meal. After reviewing our options, it was decided to sample the small plates at Bourbon & Baker located on the popular Poyntz Avenue. Scoping the Neighborhood Poyntz Avenue is bordered on one end
Bourbon & Baker – A Small Bites Story Read More »
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