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How to Spend a Perfect Day in Clear Lake, Iowa
Entrance to Central Gardens North Iowa 9:30 a.m. Central Gardens of North Iowa We started our morning off at Central Gardens of North Iowa, where we found a lot going on during a midweek morning. Line dancing was in progress, so we got energized for the day and...
How to Spend One Day in Mason City, Iowa
8:15 a.m. Breakfast at Cabin Coffee For our day trip to Mason City, Iowa, we wanted to explore some of the best things to do there. And we needed some sustenance for the day ahead, so we decided to stop at Cabin Coffee Company before catching up with our guide for the...
The Historic Park Inn: A Look Inside
Historic Park Inn Hotel The Historic Park Inn showcases the trademark details of the only remaining Frank Lloyd Wright-designed hotel, one of six designed and five built. As a result, the halls ooze with history. These are the same halls where big band stars like...
7 Must-Try Fort Wayne, Indiana Restaurants
Fort Wayne's Famous Coney Dogs at Coney Island Weiner Stand Fort Wayne’s Famous Coney Island Weiner Stand “Next table’s open,” a server shouted from the back. “Still need my four cheese dogs,” another called. That’s the typical banter at Fort Wayne’s Famous Coney...
10 Things to Do in Lansing, Michigan
Food and Drink Saddleback BBQ Saddleback BBQ (#17) is a hand-crafted, Southern BBQ shop specializing in four types of meat—back ribs, brisket, pulled pork shoulder, and chicken quarters. With this BBQ you could add a fourth C, culinary to the list of things to do in...
The Women Behind The Livermore Valley Wineries
Tuesday, March 8, 2022, is International Women’s Day, and as with most celebrations, I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a glass of wine. So that led me to talk to five women who own wineries in Livermore Valley, California. In honor of...
Hendricks County, Indiana: 8 Must-Try Restaurants
Oasis Diner Indiana’s Hendricks County is a collection of 11 charming small towns. While the destinations feature Midwest small-town charm, the flavors are big. Indiana’s Midwest roots make it an area rich in agriculture, so you’ll find local pork, corn, soybeans, and...
Lucas, Kansas: The Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas
Grassroots Art in Lucas, Kansas As I enter Main Street, small-town America greets me with the world’s largest souvenir travel plate, made from what was once a satellite dish. Blue turtles climb up a telephone pole, while a tiger-headed larger-than-life animal uses...
How to Plan for Vacation: 7 Ways to Pack More Relaxing Travel into Your Over-Scheduled Life
According to the U.S. Travel Association, in 2019, Americans left 768 million vacation days unused. Wasted. That amounts to $65.6 billion in lost benefits or an individual average of $571 in donated work time. Workers earned nine percent more vacation time in 2019...
Lindsborg, Kansas: A Touch of Sweden in the Middle of America
You’ll find Lindsborg, Kansas, known as Little Sweden, USA, at the intersection of Sweden and the United States. If you’re taking the all-American road trip along the Prairie Trail Scenic Byway, which spans 80 miles of north-central Kansas, Lindsborg sits about...
The Kansas City Taco Trail: 7 Must-Try Taquerias
Al Pastor Tacos from Camino Real on the Kansas City Kansas Taco Trail Tacos usually aren’t the first food that comes to mind when you think of Kansas City. But instead, barbeque is synonymous with the Kansas City brand. However, tacos are also a special treat where...
Ludington, Michigan: How to Take a Fall Color Tour
Flaming fall foliage— crimson, tangerine, and amber ignite the clear sapphire skies along the Lake Michigan shores. Typically my color tours involve driving country roads with no particular destination in mind. Still, I found a new way to approach enjoying the autumn...
Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen in Clarkston, Michigan
Like the Christmas star guiding the three wise men, the steeple peeked above the surrounding buildings leading us through the crisp fall air and drizzle to a comforting meal. At the Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen, located in Clarkston, Michigan, we found a feast...
Lansing Michigan: 12 Fun Facts
Most people know Lansing is Michigan's capital city and has an automotive heritage. But here are some fun details about Lansing that are sure to make you want to visit. In the meantime, these fun facts will come in handy at your next cocktail party, Trivial Pursuit...
The 12 Days of Kansas
It all started as sort of a joke. I mentioned to a group of travel writers that I was going to Kansas for 12 days. Someone quipped, “Oh, the 12 Days of Kansas. I wonder what you’ll get?” Then someone else joined in singing a parody of “The 12 Days of Christmas.”...
Abilene, Kansas: Wild West to White House
Abilene, Kansas, offers history buffs a timeline of experiences that begins in 1857 when Timothy and Elizabeth Hersey first settled on the banks of Mud Creek. Elizabeth named Abilene after references to Galilea, a region in the bible verse Luke 3:1. In 1867, Abilene...