It’s Christmas Year-Round in Santa Claus, Indiana

400,000 pieces of mail are postmarked in the tiny town of Santa Claus, Indiana’s, post office each Christmas season. In addition, around 13,000 letters addressed to Santa Claus from children all over the United States are delivered here each year. It isn’t only during the holiday season that Santa Claus celebrates, though. The town embraces and capitalizes on its name, attracting tourists who come to celebrate Christmas year-round.

History
Originally called Santa Fee, the town was forced to change its name when it applied for a post office because the name too closely resembled the existing Indiana town of Santa Fe. There are several stories of how the name Santa Claus came to be, but the most popular is that during a meeting on Christmas Eve about renaming the town, a gust of wind blew the door open and the sound of sleigh bells was heard. A little girl yelled, “It’s Santa Claus!” and all agreed that’s what they would name the town.

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The Post Office Department started forwarding letters addressed to Santa to the Santa Claus post office in 1914, and the newly named postmaster, James Martin, began answering them. In 1931 the postmaster general tried to change the name of the town to alleviate the post office of the influx of letters to Santa, but the townspeople wouldn’t hear of it, and the name remained Santa Claus.

Today you’ll find many businesses in Santa Claus that focus on Christmas, like the Santa Claus Christmas Store; associate their names with Christmas, like the Holiday Foods grocery store; or simply display a holiday icon, like the Santa Claus statue outside the local Subway shop.

Attractions
You’ll find plenty to do in Santa Claus to keep you busy, particularly in the summer months.

Santa Claus Christmas Store
Start your holiday shopping early in this 9,000 square foot store that’s everything Christmas. There seems to be no end to Christmas ornament displays, Santa statues line shelves high above, and the lights of Christmas village displays twinkle festively. Christmas ornaments designed exclusively for the Santa Claus Christmas Store make great souvenirs. Kids may even be able to visit with the jolly old elf himself when he’s not away at the North Pole. Purchase a Santa Claus postcard, address it and walk it down to the post office to have it mailed with the Santa Claus postmark.

Santa Claus Post Office
It looks like any other post office, but come November the Santa Claus post office will be flooded with Christmas cards sent to them to have the Santa Claus postmark applied. Postmaster Marian says 400,000 pieces of mail come through the post office during the holiday season when a specially designed giant red postmark is stamped on envelopes. If you take the mail to the post office in person, you may even be able to apply the postmark yourself. Outside of the holiday season, you won’t get the big, special postmark, but rather the regular round black one that shows your correspondence was mailed in Santa Claus, Indiana.

Approximately 10,000 letters to Santa are delivered to the post office each year. Postmaster Marian says if letters are addressed specifically to P.O. Box 1, Santa Claus, IN 47579, they will go to the elves to be answered. However, Emily Thompson, director of the Santa Claus Museum, says the elves get many letters other than those addressed to P.O. Box 1. It must be Christmas magic.

Santa Claus Museum and Village
Located in the area that was originally the heart of town before Santa Claus grew, the Santa Claus Museum takes you through the town’s history. See a diorama of Jim Yellig as Santa Claus. Yellig began assisting with replying to Santa letters in 1930 and was also the town Santa for over 40 years. Yellig sought the help of the American Legion to answer Santa letters and is credited with keeping the tradition alive. His daughter, Pat Koch, says her father didn’t play Santa, he was Santa.

The museum’s display of antique toys takes you back to a nostalgic yesteryear, and one room is devoted to the history of Santa Claus Land, the forerunner to today’s Holiday World Theme Park and Spashin’ Safari Water Park.

The original Santa Claus post office, used only until 1881, had previously been restored and used as the House of Dolls at Holiday World. In 2012 the building was moved to the Santa Claus Museum property and refurbished to resemble an old-fashioned post office.The building is equipped with a handful of old school desks where children may sit and write letters to Santa.

Children drop the letters into the elves’ mailbox and jingle the bells as a signal to the elves to pick them up. All letters that include a valid address will receive a return letter the following Christmas season.

Also on the museum property is a 22-foot tall, 40 ton concrete statue of Santa, constructed in 1935, as well as the Deutsch Evangelische St. Paul’s Kirche, also called Santa Claus Church. The church belonged to several denominations before being moved in 2012 from its original site about a half mile away to the museum property. The church is used for events like Christmas concerts and the Halloween Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari
Pay one price for admission to both Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari. The Holiday World Theme Park is divided into four holidays: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and the Fourth of July and offers thrilling rides and entertaining shows. Bring your swimsuit and cool off in the Splashin’ Safari’s Water Park.

Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort
Although I would technically consider it an accommodation, there is so much to do at Lake Rudolph that I’ve included it in this list of attractions. Ride paddle boats, play a round a mini golf, fish, or swim. Lake Rudolph even has its own small water park.

Santa Claus’ peak season is the summer when the holidays are furthest from most people’s minds. However, a visit to Santa Claus will put you in the holiday mood, no matter if it’s 90 degrees outside.

Santa Claus is located in southern Indiana. For information on more Santa Claus attractions, visit the Spencer County Visitors Bureau web site.

Disclosure: My visit to Santa Claus was hosted by the Spencer County Visitors Bureau. However, any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

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All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club, Charles City: The Court of Dreams

Connie Attractions & Events, Iowa July 14, 2014July 22, 2014All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club, Charles City, Charles City IA, Charles City Iowa, Iowa, lawn tennis club 2 Comments

The van we were riding in traveled down the country road past corn and soybean fields, the crunch of gravel beneath us, a trail of dust left behind. I thought we were headed to a park-like setting to visit the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club in Charles City, so when the van carrying several travel writers turned into a rural farm, I was more than a little surprised. Here in front of us next to the farmhouse was a beautifully manicured Wimbledon court look-alike.

Mark Kuhn didn’t intend for people to come from all over to play when he turned the cattle feedlot on his Iowa farm into a grass tennis court. He built it for himself, his family and friends, following a dream he had for decades.

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As a young child, Kuhn listened to the Wimbledon tournament on the BBC over his grandfather’s shortwave radio and became enthralled with it. He took up tennis, his first racquet bought for him with S&H Green Stamps, and for 40 years he talked about building a grass court on the family farm. That first racquet is still in Kuhn’s collection, along with a racquet that was used at Wimbledon over a hundred years ago.

After discussion with his wife Denise and other family members and with their blessing, Kuhn researched turfgrass management at Iowa State University and got underway with the project with much help from the family. In September 2003, 100 people attended the grand opening of the All Iowa Lawn Tennis club with an exhibition match featuring Coe College players and alumni.

Word spread about the grass court after media coverage, including a 2007 article in Tennis magazine, and people have been coming to play on it ever since. Folks from 35 different states, as well as from overseas, have played on the court, which is easier on the knees and cooler than playing on a hard surface court. The ball bounces lower and slower on a grass court, and even lower on a wet court, as we found out. Our visit followed a day of heavy rainfall.

Kuhn, a full-time farmer, spends about an hour a day on the court’s maintenance. The grass, the same type used on golf course greens, is on a base of sand and requires occasional rolling to keep it smooth, and of course, lines need to be reapplied regularly. Kuhn has attended Wimbledon twice, and is on a first-name basis with the Wimbledon groundskeeper, Eddie Seaward, who has shared maintenance secrets.

Features continue to be added to the court to make it even more Wimbledon-like from the gate to wooden net posts. The latest addition is an umpire chair.

Our group was invited onto the court to try it out. Not being a tennis player, I was thrilled that I even served the ball over the net, though I wasn’t so good when it came to hitting the ball that was served to me back over the net.

One can’t help but be reminded of the movie The Field of Dreams when visiting the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club, especially both being built on Iowa farms. It’s no surprise that it’s been dubbed “The Court of Dreams.”

The Kuhns allow tennis players to use the court free of charge, but require reservations. Visit the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club web site to request a reservation and for further details.

Disclosure: My visit to the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club was hosted by the Iowa Tourism Office, but any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Indiana’s Greatest Pizza is sold from a Food Truck

Connie Food & Drink, Indiana July 10, 2014Indiana food trucks, Indiana Restaurants, Resaurants in Indiana, Rolling Stonebaker 0 Comment

We were traveling through Indiana Dunes Country along the southern shore of Lake Michigan looking for a place to eat when we spotted a shiny red vintage Studebaker food truck parked along U.S. Highway 12 in Beverly Shores. They had plenty of customers, which could only mean they had good food, so we stopped to check it out.

The truck was one of two owned by the Rolling Stonebaker, maker of wood-fired pizzas. The Rolling Stonebaker offers the standard pepperoni and sausage pizzas, but they also make unusual combinations with unique names like the Choke-n-Shroom and Potatohead .

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Wanting to try something other than the ordinary, my husband and I chose the Purple Pig, a pizza with smoked pork shoulder, barbecue sauce, and mozzarella and provolone cheeses. When the pizza came out of the oven, a generous portion of tangy purple coleslaw was sprinkled on top. The super-thin, crispy, smoky-flavored crust was perfect with the smoked pork and barbecue sauce, and the crunch of the rough-cut coleslaw added another element to the texture.

It turns out we really did pick a winner. The Purple Pig was name in Food Network Magazine as the must-try pizza in Indiana in its “50 States 50 Pizzas” feature.

In its fourth season in 2014, the Rolling Stonebaker food truck is parked most weekends by the Camp Stop General Store at the corner of Broadway and U.S. Highway 12 in Beverly Shores, Indiana. Other regular parking places for the truck are the Valparaiso Farm Market, Griffith Central Market and Chesterton’s European Market. The Rolling Stonebaker also caters. Check the web site to see where you can find them when you’re out and about in Indiana Dunes Country.

A Weekend of Leisure Indulgence at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

Connie Food & Drink, Michigan July 8, 2014April 2, 2018Grand Traverse Hotel, Grand Traverse Spa, Traverse City, Traverse City Hotels, Traverse City MI, traverse city michigan, Traverse City resort 0 Comment

As I sat by the window of the restaurant sipping my key lime pie martini, I watched from a bird’s-eye view as the sunset turned the sky a brilliant orange, as though it set the clouds ablaze. I thought, “Wow, this is the life.” My husband and I were staying at Michigan’s Grand Traverse Resort and Spa and dining at Aerie, the 16^th floor fine dining restaurant, just one of the resort’s many impressive elements. With several accommodation types, dining options, golf courses, pools, tennis courts, shops and a spa, there is enough to do at the Acme, Michigan, resort to treat yourself to a weekend—or a week—of leisure indulgence.

Accommodations
Our spacious, nicely decorated tower room overlooked one of the resort’s three golf courses and included a wet bar, a fridge and a Jacuzzi tub. A hotel, condos and resort homes are other accommodation options to consider.

Restaurants
My favorite restaurant on the resort was Aerie, where we dined on elegant food, all beautifully plated. We started with sweet potato beignets, and continued with salads, filet mignon with asparagus and Broccolini, and shared chocolate bananas foster for dessert.

We had breakfast at the Sweetwater American Bistro, where besides typical egg dishes, pancakes and waffles, they serve specialty dishes, including three types of Benedicts and bananas foster french toast. Depending on the house count, they sometimes also offer a buffet.

Other dining options are pub food at Jack’s Sports Bar; soups, salads, sandwiches and an assortment of entrees at The Grille in the clubhouse; deli sandwiches, salads and baked goods at The Marketplace; and of course, in-room dining.

Shops
You’ll find several boutiques and gift shops in The Tower Gallery of Shops. At American Spoon, taste jams, fruit butters and salsas before buying.

Dylan’s Candy Bar and Candy Café, created by Dylan Lauren, fashion designer Ralph Lauren’s daughter, are two separate shops, but both sweet and colorful. Between the two, you can indulge in your favorite nostalgic candies like candy buttons and Pop Rocks, or enjoy local treats like Mackinaw Island fudge and Moomer’s ice cream. Dylan’s also sells candy themed home décor items, clothing and accessories.

Activities
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa boasts three golf courses, each at a different challenge level, including The Bear, designed by Jack Nicklaus. The resort has been the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions over the years, the Silver Medal by Golf Magazine and the Best Midwest Golf Resort for a Family Trip by Travel + Leisure Golf among them.

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I didn’t get a chance to visit the spa on my trip, but it sounds luxurious and pampering, offering services from nail care and hair styling (they refer to it as hair artistry) to massages that range from the classic Swedish relaxation massage to the more exotic bamboo massage.

With pools, hot tubs and tennis courts both indoors and outdoors, you can swim or play rain or shine, warm weather or cold. At the Private Beach Club, rent watercraft to use in East Grand Traverse Bay, part of Lake Michigan. In the winter, take a dog sled ride, ice skate, snowshoe or cross-country ski.

During your stay, you’ll probably want to explore wineries, restaurants, shops and casinos in and around nearby Traverse City. However, if you choose, you really can spend your entire vacation, whether a weekend or a week, at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa and not run out of things to do.

The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is located at 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd., Acme, Michigan. Visit the web site to make reservations or for further information.

Disclosure: My stay at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa was hosted by Traverse City Tourism and the resort, but any opinions expressed in this post are my own. The photos with the resort logo were provided by the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.

De Boer Bakkerij, a Holland, Mich. Icon

Connie Food & Drink, Michigan July 3, 2014July 8, 2014Bakery in Holland MI, Bakery in Holland Michigan, de Boer Bakery, de Boer's, de Boer's Bakery, Holland MI, Holland MI restaurants, Restaurants 0 Comment

It’s mid-morning on a weekday, and the parking lot is full. This is the place to come in Holland, Michigan, for breakfast or to pick up fresh baked goods. De Boer Bakkerij has been around since 1956 when the family immigrated from Kollum, Nederland. Now in the fourth generation, the family still bakes traditional Dutch pastries, breads and cookies, like melt-in-your-mouth kraklingen.

In 2008 de Boer’s added a restaurant, open for breakfast and lunch. Restaurant favorites are marked on the extensive menu with a windmill. I chose the Blue Raspberry Bliss Cakes, mascarpone cheese filling sandwiched between two pancakes (called klompen cakes here), with blueberries, raspberries and house-made granola. The dish, which seemed more like a dessert, was so plentiful I took half to go and enjoyed it again for breakfast the next day.

Several versions of Eggs Benedict head the savory side of the breakfast menu, like Crab Cakes Benedict, Lox Benedict, and Rembrandt’s Way, a healthier version of the dish with spinach, tomato and less hollandaise sauce.

I haven’t been to de Boer’s for lunch, but a peek at the menu shows they offer a nice selection of soups, salads and sandwiches with added touches that elevate them from ordinary. For instance, a grilled cheese sandwich made with four cheeses and served on challah bread becomes the Ultimate Grilled Cheese. Chicken salad is perked up with mango chutney and toasted almonds.

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Don’t plan on ordering a lunch dish on the weekend, though. Lunch items are available Monday through Friday. Only breakfast dishes are served on Saturday and Sunday. Although under the same roof, the bakery is closed on Sunday. However, you can purchase any items left from Saturday. No matter which day of the week you dine at de Boer’s, you’ll be tempted to pick up item or two from the iconic bakery on your way out to savor later.

De Boer Bakkerij and Restaurant is located at 360 Douglas Ave., Holland, Michigan. Check the web site for hours or to browse the menu.

Cheese Days 100th Anniversary Preview: Monroe, Wisc.

Connie Attractions & Events, Food & Drink, Wisconsin July 1, 2014November 22, 2015Cheese Days 2014, Cheese Days Wisconsin, Monroe Cheese Days, Monroe WI, Monroe Wisconsin 0 Comment

Mark your calendar. Make your hotel reservation now in or near Monroe, Wisconsin. If the preview I attended in June for the Green County Cheese Days 100^th anniversary is any indication, you’ll be in for a real treat the weekend of September 19-21, 2014. Green County promises tremendous fun in the true Green County Swiss way: sausage, beer, polka, yodeling, and of course, cheese, lots of cheese.

The history
Inspired by Sauerkraut Day in Forreston, Illinois, Cheese Days was started in 1914 to attract visitors. Attract it did. 4,000 people attended that first festival where 13,000 cheese sandwiches were served and folks were entertained by vaudeville acts. The festival was held sporadically at first, skipping five and ten years at times, until in 1970 it was decided to hold the festival every two years. Today more than 100,000 people attend the biennial event.

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The food
At the preview I sampled the Monroe Optimist Club’s deep-fried cheese curds, touted as the best cheese curds you’ll ever taste. I have to agree. And the only places you can get them are at the Cheese Days Festival and the Green County Fair, so it’s no surprise to hear there’s always a line for them.

I also tasted a creamy, gooey gourmet grilled cheese sandwich (with secret sauce), cheese and chocolate pairings, locally made Greek yogurt, bacon bratwurst and Bratzeli cookies made with a batter in an iron the same as many similar European cookies, but wafer thin and crispy. I sipped local beer and locally made root beer. These goodies are just the start of what will be offered around the square and in the Hospitality Tent at the September fair.

Demonstrations and roylty
A few Swiss craft examples were on hand, including paper snipped into intricate patterns in a method called Scherenschnitte and a demonstration of chip carving.

We were introduced to both Cheese Days royalty and the Green County Dairy Queen and Princess.

The entertainment
John Waelti and Bobbie Edler entertained with accordion music at the preview and accompanied teen yodeler Cammi Ganshert. Tony Zgraggen also entertained with a solo yodel and then later joined the rest of the New Glarus Yodel Club for another performance. Watch the video below for snippets of the preview entertainment.

Much more at Cheese Days
At the September 19-21 festival, you’ll also see old time copper kettle cheese making demonstrations, cheese carving, a cow milking contest and a big parade sponsored by The Swiss Colony. Get your photo taken sporting a milk mustache at the Family Farm Adventure tent, tour a dairy farm, or take polka lessons.

For the full schedule and list of vendors for the September 19-21 event, see the Green County Cheese Days web site.

Disclosure: My visit to the Cheese Days Media Preview was hosted by the Green County Tourism, but any opinions expressed in this post are my own.