Bed and Breakfasts: 10 Etiquette Questions Answered

Connie Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Pennsylvania January 2, 2018April 2, 2018B&B etiquette, B&Bs, bed and breakfast, bed and breakfast etiquette, bed and breakfasts, goldmoor inn, Kingsley Inn, Kintner House Inn, market street inn, marmalade sky bed and breakfast, questions about bed and breakfasts, Red Umbrella Bed and Breakfast, Seldom Scene Meadow B&B, Summers Riverview Mansion 7 Comments

I used to avoid staying in bed and breakfasts. The pictures I saw of them were lovely, but I wasn’t sure of the etiquette. Do I knock when I get there? How about every time we come and go? Will coming in late at night be a problem? Will we have to share a bathroom with other guests? (Please—no!)

Then I went on a press trip, and they assigned us to a bed and breakfast. Oh no! What to do? Everything worked out just fine that weekend. The beautifully decorated Victorian mansion included a Jacuzzi tub in every room, and we were the only guests staying there that night. Since then, bed and breakfasts have become one of our favorite types of accommodation, and we stay in them often.

If you have yet to stay at a B&B for any of the fears I had, fear no more. Here are answers to 10 questions you may have about staying in a bed and breakfast.

Nina and Pinta Replicas Sail the Mississippi, Dock for Tours

Connie Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin September 30, 2017April 30, 2019Columbus ships, Nina and Pinta, Nina and Pinta replicas 1 Comment

We first wrote about the Nina and Pinta replicas in 2013, when we stumbled across the ships in Clinton, Iowa. The Nina and Pinta, replicas of two Columbus’ ships, offer tours to the public. A couple of weeks ago we visited Peoria, Illinois. As we walked down to the Illinois River to board the Spirit of Peoria for a moonlight cruise, we noticed the Nina and Pinta replicas docked there. Checking the schedule, we found the ships were in Peoria through September 24, 2017. Their next stop was Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where they’ll be from September 29 through October 8. Read further for our original experience and descriptions of the Nina and Pinta replicas.

Apple Time at Peake Orchards

Connie Agritourism, Food & Drink, Iowa September 14, 2017September 11, 2017apple orchard in waukon IA, apple orchard near Decorah, apple orchards in Iowa, Northeast Iowa, Peake Orchards, things to do in Winneshiek County Iowa, Winneshiek County 2 Comments

As I toured Peake Orchards in Waukon, Iowa, I bit into a Honeycrisp apple. As fruit goes, apples have never been one of my favorites. But that Honeycrisp was true to its name—a crisp crunch followed by sweet flavor. I’d find out later why the apple tasted so good, but at the moment I was learning about all the work that goes into raising apples.

National Czech and Slovak Museum: Stories of Real People

Vernon Attractions & Events, Iowa August 31, 2017attractions in cedar rapids, attractions in cedar rapids iowa, attractions in Iowa, cedar rapids museum, Czech and Slovak Museum, Iowa things to do, museums in cedar rapids, National Czech & Slovak Museum, National Czech and Slovak Museum, National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library 4 Comments

When visiting someplace I haven’t been before, I often tour a historical museum to learn the history and culture of the area. While the general history of an area is interesting, what I find most intriguing are stories of individuals. Hearing stories of real people, especially everyday people, makes the history of a place come alive for me. I was fascinated by several of those stories when I visited the National Czech and Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

11 Midwest Popcorn Shops You Must Try

Connie Food & Drink, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Shopping, Wisconsin January 19, 2017September 2, 2019blarney stone popcorn, chicagoland popcorn, Corn Fusion, FlutterBy Gourmet Popcorn, gourmet popcorn, Great American Popcorn Company, Midwest popcorn shops, Pease's Candy, Pop-Kie's, popcorn cafe, popcorn shop kokomo, popcorn shop utica, popcorn shops, popcorn shops in illinois, popcorn shops in indiana, popcorn shops in NW Indiana, popcorn Traverse City, Sweet Street, Traverse City popcorn shop 2 Comments

I’ve mentioned here before that if I could have only one snack food for the rest of my life, it would be cheese popcorn. But not just any cheese popcorn. The supermarket stuff won’t do. It must be super cheesy, the kind you can only find in a gourmet popcorn shop. So every time I stumble upon a popcorn shop in my travels, I must go in and buy some. Here are 11 Midwest popcorn shops I’ve come across in the past few years that offer rich gourmet cheese popcorn—and caramel corn in lots of flavors if you prefer your popcorn sweet.

Midwest Wanderer 2016 Top 10 Posts

Connie Attractions & Events, Food & Drink, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma December 29, 2016March 15, 20242016 Top Ten, american banjo museum, Bowers Harbor Inn Travers City, Carlsbad caverns, DeSoto House Hotel, Eagle Watching Illinois, Hurts Donut, Illinois State Capitol, Palms Grill Cafe, Pierogi Fest, robert wadlow 0 Comment

At Midwest Wanderer we write about a variety of article topics. We like to include a mix of restaurants, attractions, festivals, and accommodations. So I was pleasantly surprised when I ran the list of the Midwest Wanderer 2016 Top 10 (most viewed) posts and the top four were a bakery, an attraction, a hotel, and a festival. Apparently you, our readers, like a variety of topics, too. Here is the list of Midwest Wanderer 2016 Top 10 posts: