Funks Grove: Pure Maple Sirup on Route 66

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois, Road Trips April 20, 2015June 28, 2016Funks Grove, funks grove il, funks grove illinois, funks grove maple syrup, Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirip, illinois route 66, Illiois Route 66, maple grove farms maple syrup, maple grove farms pure maple syrup, maple grove syrup, maple sirup. funks grove sirup, Rotue 66 attractions, Route 66, Route 66 Illinois, route 66 in illinois, sirup 5 Comments

Drop by drop sticky sweet sap falls into the metal bucket hanging on the spout inserted into the maple tree. On a good day a bucket fills in 10 to 12 hours. It takes 30 to 50 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of maple sirup, something the Funk family has been doing since the 1820s. They began selling it commercially in 1891, 35 years before Route 66 was commissioned. Located near the midpoint of Illinois’ portion of Route 66, you can visit the Funks Grove farm and pick up some sirup for yourself if your timing is right. Read more

6 Reasons to Visit Rapid City’s Kitschy Dinosaur Park

Connie Attractions & Events, South Dakota April 18, 2015April 3, 2018Black Hills, dino parks, dinosaur attractions, dinosaur exhibit, Dinosaur Park, dinosaur place, dinosaurs, kids dinosaurs, rapid city attractions, Rapid City SD, roadside attractions, South Dakota attractions, the dinosaur park 2 Comments

Dinosaur Park. The name says it all. It’s a park with dinosaurs—seven dinosaurs, to be exact. Seven life-size cement dinosaurs. Is it worth stopping at this kitschy Rapid City, South Dakota, roadside attraction? Absolutely. Here are six reasons why: Read more

Looking for Ghosts in Pythian Castle

Connie Attractions & Events, Missouri April 16, 2015October 10, 2016branson haunted house, ghost castle, Ghost Tour, haunted castle, haunted houses in Branson MO, haunted houses in Missouri, haunted houses in springfield mo, haunted places in Missouri, most haunted places in missouri, pythian, Pythian Castle, pythian castle ghost, pythian castle history, pythian castle orphanage history, pythian castle springfield, pythian castle springfield mo, springfield castle, springfield missouri attractions, Springfield MO attractions, the pythian castle 13 Comments

We spent the early evening at a murder-mystery dinner in Pythian Castle’s ballroom. Now the mood changed, from light-hearted to eerie, on a 10 p.m. tour of the Pythian Castle. We were going to look for the ghosts that haunt the building. Read more

Midway Village Museum: Sock Monkeys, Women’s Baseball and a Victorian Village

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois April 14, 2015June 29, 2016Midway Village Museum, monkey sock doll, original sock monkey, original sock monkey doll, Rockford, Rockford attractions, Rockford IL, sock monkey history, sock monkey museum, sock monkey original, the original sock monkey, the sock monkey, things to do in Rockford, Victorian Village in Rockford 0 Comment

Sock monkeys got their start here. It was home to one of the best teams in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Its original name was Midway. These are some of the fascinating facts I learned about Rockford, Illinois, when I visited the Midway Village Museum. Read more

Where to Eat in South Bend-Mishawaka, Indiana

Connie Food & Drink, Indiana April 9, 2015January 8, 2018Cafe Navarre, Evin Czech Brewery, Fiddler's Hearth Public House, Jeannie's House Diner, Restaurants in South Bend, South Bend Chocolate Cafe, South Bend restaurants, Tippecanoe Place 5 Comments

A salad of crisp mixed lettuces tossed with golden and red beets, all locally grown. A diner so small it has room only for a counter and a few tables. A Celtic public house where fish and chips are served wrapped in newspaper. Sunday brunch in a mansion. South Bend and neighboring Mishawaka don’t lack for dining options. With more than 400 restaurants in the area, you have plenty to choose from whether you’re looking a simple, casual diner or a more upscale fine dining establishment. Here are several South Bend restaurants that we tried during our three-day visit to the area. Read more

Murder Mystery Dinner in Pythian Castle: Springfield, Missouri

Connie Attractions & Events, Missouri April 7, 2015November 22, 2015Murder Mystern Dinner, Pythian Castle, pythian castle missouri, pythian castle springfield, Springfield MO, Springfield MO attractions 2 Comments

What better place to hold a murder mystery dinner than a haunted castle, especially as a prelude to a ghost tour? A murder mystery would certainly set the mood for the haunted tour that we would attend later that night. We approached the daunting limestone Pythian Castle just before dusk, walking up the stairs toward the massive wooden entrance doors. Read more

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

Author: Connie