Exploring Rockford’s Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois July 31, 2015November 22, 2015Nicholas Conservation & Gardens, Nicholas Conservatory, Nicholas Conservatory Rockford, Rockford attractions 13 Comments

Living in the Midwest, we don’t often get to tropical destinations. However, when I visit a conservatory filled with palm trees, tropical flora and rushing waterfalls, I feel relaxed, like I’m on a tropical vacation, if only for a little while. At 11,000 square feet, Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens in Rockford is Illinois’ third-largest conservatory. A stroll through the gardens beyond the conservatory, filled with blossoming flowers, a lagoon with fountains and more waterfalls extend the serene mood.

Let us take you on a video tour of the conservatory and gardens: Read more

Browsing Downtown Hayward, Wisconsin, Shops

Connie Shopping, Wisconsin July 28, 2015Hayward, Hayward WI, Hayward Wisconsin 6 Comments

Browsing downtown shopping areas has become one of my favorite things to do when visiting a resort town. Along with souvenir and t-shirt shops, I’ll often find unique gift shops, wine tasting rooms, specialty food stores and boutiques. Inevitably I pick up a treat or two. Hayward, a resort town in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, is one of those towns. We spent an entire afternoon shopping and sampling our way through Hayward on our trip there last summer. Read more

Old-Fashioned Western Fun: Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Cowboy Music Show

Connie Attractions & Events, South Dakota July 23, 2015fort hays chuckwagin supper & music show, fort hays chuckwagon, fort hays chuckwagon supper & show, rapid city attractions 19 Comments

When I’m in a tourist area, I tend to stay away from souvenir shops, buffets and most things that cater strictly to tourists. But once in a while a little lighthearted entertainment geared to tourists is a fun way to spend an evening. That was the case with the Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Cowboy Music Show near Rapid City in South Dakota’s Black Hills. Read more

Shiojiri Niwa: The Story of Mishawaka’s Japanese Garden

Connie Attractions & Events, Indiana July 20, 2015July 29, 2015Japanese garden Mishawaka, Japanese garden Mishawaka Indiana, Shiojiri Niwa, Shiojiri Niwa Japanese garden 2 Comments

Shiojiri Niwa, the Japanese garden in Mishawaka, Indiana, covers only one and a third acres of land, but the symbolism is much larger than that. The serene strolling garden is a symbol of a special bond between sister cities Mishawaka and Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan that began with a chance meeting in Indonesia in 1937. Read more

Lady of the Lake: Cruising Clear Lake

Connie Iowa July 16, 2015January 4, 2017Clear Lake, clear lake iowa, Lady of the Lake 0 Comment

When a city bears the same name of the lake it’s located on, you can bet the lake is a big part of the city’s culture. Clear Lake, Iowa, is one of those cities. The Clear Lake population is 7,777 (based on the 2010 census), but in the summer months it isn’t unusual to have more than double that in the city, especially on the weekends, as visitors throng to Clear Lake to enjoy recreational activities and attractions. One of those attractions is the Lady of the Lake cruise ship, which offers narrated public cruises all season long. Read more

Snake Alley: The Crookedest Street in the World

Connie Attractions & Events, Iowa, Roadside Attraction July 13, 2015April 24, 2022Burlington Iowa, burlington is, crooked street in the world, crookedest road in the world, crookedest street in the world, crookedest street in world, Snake Alley, snake alley burlington, snake alley burlington ia, snake alley burlington iowa, snake alley in burlington iowa, snake alley iowa, the crookedest street, the crookedest street in the world, what is the crookedest street in teh world, where is the crookedest street in the world 8 Comments

If you’re thinking I’m talking about Lombard Street in San Francisco, you’re wrong. The crookedest street in the world is Snake Alley in Burlington, Iowa. Read more

Midwest Wanderer explores history, nature, and culture through road trips along scenic and historic U.S. highways, byways and trails

Author: Connie