2015 Midwest Wanderer Year in Review

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Road Trips, Wisconsin December 30, 2015March 15, 2024Beloit International Film Festival, channel islands national park, Colon Michigan, Du Quoin, Fantastic Caverns, Hurts Donuts, IFLY Chicago, Illinois State Fair, John Dillinger Museum, JT Shrimp, Lincoln funeral reenactment, mammoth lakes, Midwest Wanderer, milwaukee art museum, Pabst Brewery, relics antique mall, Snake Alley, Wigwam Motel 2 Comments

2015 has been another great year of firsts for us. We’ve visited new destinations, enjoyed new experiences, and had several “who knew?” moments.

Here are some of our favorite 2015 experiences: Read more

Landscape Across America

Connie Arizona, California, Iowa, Road Trips, Texas December 19, 2015amboy crater, channel islands national park, elephane seals in san simeon, elephant seals in california, Great Salt Lake, Iowa, Iowa loess hills, Loess Hills, mammoth lakes, Monterey, Monterey CA, Monterey California, oatman arizona, oatman az, road trip, salinas valley, Salinas Valley Ca, Salinas Valley California, san simeon, san simeon ca, san simeon california, santa monica, santa monica ca, santa monica california, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Sonora Pass, texas, utah, wyoming 1 Comment

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain

–Katharine Lee Bates

During our twenty-day road trip from Chicago to Monterey, California, down to Santa Monica and back across Route 66, my favorite patriotic song, America the Beautiful, came to mind. The topography constantly changed. From mountains, some still with snow, to lush valleys, to the hot, dry desert and ocean views, the landscape painted a beautiful backdrop for our trip. We’re sharing some of the scenic areas that we drove through in this video.

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

Downtown Hampton: Unique Shops in a Rural Iowa Setting

Connie Attractions & Events, Food & Drink, Iowa, Shopping December 15, 2015August 22, 2016Christensen Jewelry, christensen jewelry hampton ia, christensen jewelry hampton iowa, Cornerstone Cottage, cornerstone cottage hampton ia, cornerstone cottage hampton iowa, downtown Hampton, downtown Hampton Iowa, FranklinCoHarvest, Hampton Iowa, Rustic Brew, Rustic Brew Hampton, rustic brew hampton ia, rustic brew hampton iowa 4 Comments

Exploring downtown areas is one of my favorite things to do in a small town. This past fall, while we were on the Franklin County, Iowa, Harvest Tour, we had an opportunity to check out downtown Hampton, the Franklin County seat. Hampton’s town square, anchored by a stately old courthouse, is surrounded by small, independent shops and cafes, where you are often greeted by the shop owners themselves. Read more

Exploring the Bentonsport Historic District

Connie Attractions & Events, Food & Drink, Iowa, Shopping November 28, 2015November 28, 2015Bentnsport Bridge, Bentonsport, Bentonsport Artisan Co-op, bentonsport ia, Bentonsport Iowa, Forever Sweet Creations, Greef General Store, Iron & lace, Mason House Inn, villages folk school, Villages of Van Buren 1 Comment

The last stop on our tour of the Villages of Van Buren was the Bentonsport historic district, first developed by Mormon craftsmen as they migrated west along the Mormon trail in the mid-1800s. Steamboats no longer ply the nearby Des Moines River, but the historic district is still bustling. Refurbished buildings are now home to galleries, a candy shop, and a haunted bed and breakfast. Read more

Villages Folk School: Art Class Getaways

Connie Attractions & Events, Iowa November 25, 2015November 28, 2015Southeast Iowa, the folk school, travel iowa, villages folk school, Villages of Van Buren, villages of van buren county 3 Comments

Continuing our tour of southeast Iowa’s Villages of Van Buren, our next stop was an 1800s restored stone building. This is where we would learn about the Villages Folk School and try our hands at a printing press. Read more

Bonaparte Retreat: Dining in an Old Grist Mill

Connie Food & Drink, Iowa November 23, 2015November 23, 2015Bonaparte Retreat, Bonapartes Retreat, Iowa tourism, restaurants in southeast iowa, Villages of Van Buren, villages of van buren restaruants 2 Comments

I knew we were in for a great lunch at the Bonaparte Retreat based on our morning visits to the Milton Creamery and Dutchman’s Store. I couldn’t have been more right. Read more