Attractions & Events Archives

Carlsbad Caverns: Hiking 750 Feet into the Earth

Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico contains the largest single cave chamber by volume in North America. The 8.2 acre Big Room is filled with huge calcite formations, as well as more stalactites, stalagmites, columns, draperies and other smaller formations than you can imagine. Read more

Milwaukee Public Market: Exploring Lunch Options

Seafood…paninis…salads…soup…sushi. So many choices. How to decide what to eat? Of the 18 vendors in the Milwaukee Public Market, nine of them offer lunch. Others sell baked goods, candies, coffee or wine. Read more

Discovery World: Fun Learning for Kids of All Ages

Continuous learning is a concept that I embrace. To keep my mind healthy and to keep up with the world, I like to constantly learn new things. One way to make learning fun for people of all ages is by visiting museums, especially those loaded with hands-on activities, like Discovery World in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Read more

3 Great Places in Illinois for Eagle Watching

Once on the Endangered Species List, the American Bald Eagle has rebounded and is once again flourishing in the United States. In Illinois the peak season to catch glimpses of eagles is late December through early March. Since eagles eat primarily fish, they migrate south as rivers freeze, searching for free-flowing water. Dams along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers are common areas to spot them. Here are some of the best places in Illinois for eagle watching: Read more

12 Fun Facts You May Not Know about the Midwest

One fun part of travel is learning interesting facts about the places you visit. Following are bits of trivia I’ve picked up about each of the Midwest states. Read more

For years I worked just down the street from the Gemini Giant that stands on the edge of the Launching Pad parking lot. I frequently ate lunch at the Launching Pad, a now-closed fast-food diner on Route 66 in Wilmington, Illinois, but I never thought about the history of the oversize figure. It turns out he’s one of many Muffler Men, 14- to 25-foot tall fiberglass advertising icons produced by International Fiberglass in Venice, California, from 1962 to 1972. The Gemini Giant was repainted to fit the Launching Pad space theme, the space helmet was added and a rocket placed in his hands.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in U.S. Long Cuts. We are merging U.S. Long Cuts with Midwest Wanderer, adding a “Beyond the Midwest” menu option. Read more

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

Attractions & Events

Carlsbad Caverns: Hiking 750 Feet into the Earth

Milwaukee Public Market: Exploring Lunch Options

Discovery World: Fun Learning for Kids of All Ages

3 Great Places in Illinois for Eagle Watching

12 Fun Facts You May Not Know about the Midwest

Muffler Men: Still Standing Tall on Route 66