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.

Human on a Stick: Minneapolis Segway Tour

Connie Attractions & Events, Minnesota September 6, 2016September 6, 2016attractions in minneapolis, attractions in minnesota, city segway tours, history tour, human on a stick, local attractions, local tour, magical history tour, minneapolis attractions, minneapolis minnesota attractions, minneapolis segway, minneapolis segway tour, minneapolis sightseeing tours, minneapolis things to do, minneapolis tourism, minneapolis tourist attractions, minneapolis tours, minnesota attractions, rentals minneapolis, seg way, segway, segway hire, segway in minneapolis, segway magical history tour minneapolis, segway magical history tour minneapolis mn, segway minneapolis, segway rental, segway rentals minneapolis, segway ride, segway tour, segway tour minneapolis, segway tours in minneapolis, segway tours minneapolis mn, sightseeing in minneapolis, tourist attractions in minneapolis, tours for fun, tours of minneapolis, visit minneapolis 10 Comments

I always find a walking history tour of a city fascinating, but I discovered that taking a Segway history tour is a blast! We did exactly that in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the Minneapolis Segway Tour – Human on a Stick Magical History Tour. Gliding through the Minneapolis Riverfront area, we stopped at several key sites, where our knowledgeable guides filled us in on the historical significance of them.

Crayola Experience: Mall of America Family Attraction

Connie Attractions & Events, Minnesota July 19, 2016April 3, 2018attractions in minnesota, crayola experience, crayola experience mall of america, crayola experience moa, crayola experience mpls, family attractions in minneapolis, mall of america attractions, minneapolis family attractions, things to do with kids in minneapolis 0 Comment

Become the star of your own coloring page. Watch your drawing become part of a scrolling mural. Turn a crayon into a race car. Spin melted wax into a work of art. These are just a few of the activities kids—and adults—can have fun with at Crayola Experience, new to Mall of America in 2016.

Roadtrip: Meet Minnesota’s Great River Road

Connie Attractions & Events, Food & Drink, Minnesota June 27, 2016April 2, 2018Barb Bluff Hiking Trails, Great River Road, great river road minnesota, LARK Toys, minnesota great river road, national eagle center, National Eagle Center Wabasha MN, Red Wing, St. James Hotel, St. James Hotel Red Wing MN, the great river road, Worlds largest boot 2 Comments

The Mississippi River, the third-largest watershed in the world, flows over 2,300 miles through the United States, from Lake Itasca in Minnesota south into the Gulf of Mexico. Traveling the Great River Road Scenic Byway, which follows the course of the river, is on my bucket list. However, lacking the time to do it “right,” seeing everything there is to see along the byway in one trip, I am doing it piecemeal. During a recent travel bloggers conference, TBEX, which was held in Minnesota at the Mall of America, we had an opportunity to explore part of Minnesota’s portion of the Great River Road, from Kellogg to Red Wing.

12 Fun Facts You May Not Know about the Midwest

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin January 4, 2016March 15, 2024crookedest street in the world, Lincoln's Boyhood Home Indiana, magic capital of the world, Mall of America, mammoth site of hot springs, Midwest trivia, world's largest ball of twine, world's tallest man 40 Comments

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.

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