Weathering this Midwest Winter

Connie Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin February 7, 2014March 20, 2014Illinois tourism, Indiana tourism, Iowa tourism, Kansas tourism, Kentucky tourism, Michigan tourism, Midwest Travel, Minnesota Tourism, Missouri tourism, Nebraska tourism, North Dakota tourism, Ohio tourism, South Dakota tourism, Wisconsin tourism 1 Comment

“I’m tired of this winter.” I’ve heard it over and over again for the past month. And I agree. It seems that every day, at least here in the Chicago area, we’ve been getting either more snow, making roads dangerous to navigate, or single-digit to sub-zero temperatures, so we can’t go out and enjoy snow activities. Of course, the obvious remedy is to go somewhere warm, and if you can do that, great. But for many, a vacation to a warm climate is impractical or even impossible. Besides, a week later, you’ll be back home in the snow and cold again. So aside from hibernating and counting the days until spring, here are a couple of ways to counter the cabin fever that has hit the Midwest hard:

Go to indoor events and attractions. On the days that are cold but the roads okay to drive on, go to a local museum that you haven’t been to in a long time. (Call first to make sure they haven’t closed due to the cold.) Or go to one of the many travel, RV, boat, auto, or home shows going on in cities all over the Midwest. You’ll find links to information on lots of them on the Midwest Festivals & Fairs page.

Plan your summer travel. Now is the time to plan your summer getaways. Get them on the calendar before your calendar fills up with other obligations. If you’re planning to go to a popular seasonal destination, you should make your accommodation reservations as soon as possible, too, for the best selection. Need help in deciding where to go? Turn to the convention and visitors bureaus of the states you are thinking about. On the Internet, search “[state name] tourism” to find the state’s official tourism site, which will have listings of attractions, accommodations, dining options, and events. You can order free hard copy travel guides for the states or regions you are considering for your getaways, too. I personally like to peruse the hard copy guides from the cozy comfort of a sofa and then use the Internet to get further details on places that interest me. To get you started, I’ve included links below to order tourism guides for the Midwest states.

Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin

Just thinking about and planning your summer getaways will do wonders to counter the winter doldrums. Do you have other suggestions for cabin fever remedies? Answer in the Comments box below.

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Other attractions you may enjoy this winter:

Peoria Riverfront Museum: Interactive Exhibits, Planetarium and Giant Screen Theater

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, Springfield IL: Museum Meets Disney

Frank Lloyd Wright Dana-Thomas House: 12,000 Square Feet of Phenomenal

Visit Jelly Belly, Pleasant Prairie WI: Take the Tour, Taste the Candy

Tour Stone Hill Winery, Hermann, MO: Most Historic and Awarded Winery in the State

New Year’s Eve in the Midwest: Dropping the Carp or the Bridge or the Watermelon

Connie Attractions & Events, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin December 27, 2013November 22, 2015Bridge Drop, Cherry T Drop, Droppin' of the Carp, New Years Eve, Puck Drop, Walleye Madness, Watermelon Drop 0 Comment

Most everyone is familiar with the ball dropping at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve in New York’s Times Square. I’ll bet you didn’t know that here in the Midwest, several cities have their own traditions of dropping quirky objects. I didn’t either until I started researching New Year’s Eve events for the Midwest Festivals and Fairs page. Here are some that I found:

In Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, the grand finale of the Carp Fest that runs for several days at the end of the year includes a pyrotechnic show, music, a bonfire and the Droppin’ of the Carp. Kiss Lucky the Carp for a year of good fortune.

Another fish, a 20 foot, 600 pound walleye, drops in Port Clinton, Ohio, during Walleye Madness at Midnight following an evening of festivities with street vendors, raffles, and live entertainment. An early, 6 p.m. edition of the fish drop entertains kids whose bedtime is well before midnight.

Traverse City, Michigan, known for tart cherries, drops an illuminated cherry, called a Cherry T Ball at midnight, with live music beginning at 9:30 p.m. If weather permits, you’ll see fireworks, too. The Cherry T Ball is a charity fundraising event. Suggested admission is $3 or three non-perishable food items.

In Charlevoix, Michigan, the Memorial Draw Bridge will be raised at 11:45 p.m. and then lowered with the countdown to midnight, followed by fireworks and the lighting of the lighthouse. Bridge Drop festivities begin in early afternoon and include a snowman building contest, food trucks and s’mores and hot cocoa.

Watermelon is the thing to drop in Vincennes, Indiana, fourteen of them! Live music, food and spirits begin at 9 p.m.

There are more, too, like The Puck Drops Here celebration in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and like in Times Square, Ludington, Michigan drops a ball.

Do you know of a Midwest town that drops something on New Year’s Eve? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Happy wandering in the New Year.

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Piggott’s Farm Market for fresh produce, Benton Harbor, Michigan

Connie Agritourism, Food & Drink, Michigan, Shopping June 2, 2013May 20, 2018Benton Harbor farm markets, Benton Harbor Michigan, Farm markets in Benton Harbor, markets, PIggotts Farm Market, Southwest Michigan 1 Comment

Last weekend I discovered Piggott’s Farm Market in the country near Benton Harbor, Michigan. They advertise fresh local in-season produce, so I had to check it out. My hopes weren’t high. May in the Midwest is too early for most produce, and markets usually sell only annuals this time of year. Yes, Piggott’s was selling annuals, and I picked up some petunias and alyssum lavender. But they also were featuring asparagus and rhubarb, both at reasonable prices, and if you spent ten dollars or more, you got a free sage plant. Read more

Silver Beach Carousel for kids and kids-at heart

Connie Attractions & Events, Michigan May 28, 2013May 30, 2017carousel, Curious Kids Discovery Zone, Michican, Silver Beach Carousel, Silver Beach County Park, Silver Beach Park, Southwest Michigan, St. Joseph Michigan, things to do in St. Joseph Michigan, What to do in St. Joseph Michigan 3 Comments

A ring of horses colorfully trimmed and bejeweled, chase a flamingo, giraffe, tiger cub and a menagerie of other animals round and round but never catching them. On the backs of the animals kids and kids-at-heart wear looks of delight as they whir to the tune of bellowing calliope music. This is the Silver Beach Carousel in St. Joseph, Michigan. Read more