Hiking the roughly 42 mile Greenstone Ridge Trail in Isle Royale National Park was both the most exhausting and the most exhilarating thing our family has ever done. Sure, we’d been backpacking before and spent time on the Superior Hiking Trail and other backcountry locations. However, Isle Royale was our lengthiest adventure in backpacks (yet)….
Indiana Dunes and Cuyahoga Valley National Parks
They are not parks you’ll spend days exploring but Indiana Dunes and Cuyahoga Valley National Parks each have much to offer visitors. Our visit to these parks was part of our summer Heartland of America Road Trip. The journey took us through Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. Paving the way for pit stops at these…
Cedar Point
I’m a boy mom. My world is loud, fast, fearless and often times very dirty. That said, it was only fitting our Heartland of America Road Trip included a stop at an amusement park. Enter Cedar Point. Planning a trip to an amusement park can feel overwhelming; what passes to get, where to stay, what…
Hocking Hills, Ohio
Road trips. They are a summer tradition. Our recent road trip adventure through the heartland of the country had us crossing the state of Ohio. We were planning on just passing through when we stumbled upon the Hocking Hills, Ohio area. The images we saw online prompted us to do some research and schedule an…
Mammoth Cave National Park
Missing are your typical cave formations like stalactites and stalagmites. Instead, Mammoth Cave National Park is a 400-mile labyrinth of subterranean passageways. Carved by underground rivers more than 10 million years ago, Mammoth Cave has a storied history. The cave’s past and its uses are the high points of the park’s Historic Modified Tour. Here…
Gateway Arch National Park
Constructed in a little over two years and designed by Eero Saarinen, Gateway Arch National Park has loured visitors for more than forty years. It’s the world’s tallest arch and its features are fascinating. Our family’s Heartland of America Road Trip made its second stop in St. Louis, MO. The Gateway Arch is a must-see…
Springfield, Illinois
The capital of Illinois and the family home of Abraham Lincoln. These two facts are what likely comes to mind when you think of Springfield, IL. In addition to the home of Lincoln, Springfield is where the 16th President is buried and it’s where you can find his Presidential Museum and Library. We took a…
Olympic Games
I love the Olympics; summer, winter, para, special all of it. I’ll stay up into the wee hours of the night to watch a curling match live from Sochi or a springboard diving competition from Sydney. The Olympic Games are mesmerizing. To share my love of competition and the spirit of the games with my…
Immersive Van Gogh Experience
Vincent Van Gogh is one of the world’s finest impressionist painters. His works, his short life and his impact on Western art take shape in a new exhibit; the Immersive Van Gogh Experience. The experience is often sold out weeks in advance and for good reason. The mix of projected images set to music is…
Banning State Park
To start the summer adventure season we made a last-minute decision to reserve a camper cabin for one night at Banning State Park. We are on a mission to visit all of Minnesota’s state parks and Banning was a park we knew we wanted to spend more than just an afternoon visiting. An added bonus…