County Line Orchard

Grab some fall family fun with a day of apple picking at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana. Apple picking is a Midwest fall tradition, with orchards offering sweet delights in Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana. For Chicago families like mine, County Line Orchard in charming Hobart, Indiana, supplies the closest orchard, at about a 40 minute drive from the city. What I love most about County Line is that it’s located in a small farming community that draws families from both Indiana and Illinois. Pick up trucks, corn fields and livestock surround the area for a quick country escape for city slickers.

Read More »

Are you looking for ideas for your next vacation?  Want to go somewhere, but can’t decide exactly where?

Perhaps you should check out one of the Top 10 US Cities to Visit.  Of course, whether or not a city is the best is a subjective opinion – but Conde Nast Traveler has taken a poll of its readers collective subjective opinions and come up with 10 American Cities that you’re most likely to enjoy visiting.  With cities from across the country highlighted, there should be a great vacation destination for everyone.

Top 10 Best Places To Visit In The Us

San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge - Best US City to Visit

1.  San Francisco, California

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of San Francisco, California is The Golden Gate Bridge.  Residents rave about the culture and the year round mild weather that’s never too hot or too cold.  Visitors to San Francisco can stay in some of the country’s most eco-friendly hotels and enjoy organic dining.  UpTake’s own Cat Lincoln shares insider information on San Francisco via podcast.

Read More »

Chicago's Navy Pier

Do you have a family?  Is Chicago your kind of town?  Well, you’re in luck.

The Navy Pier, pictured here, is free to the public.  That’s FREE.  It’s Chicago’s most visited tourist attraction and has all kinds of activities and events for travelers of all ages.

The Ferris wheel, a carousel and swing ride bring the boardwalk to life.  The miniature golf course, the Amazing Chicago Funhouse Maze and Chicago Children’s Museum give the area a taste that is strictly Chicago.  Also, stuff to eat.

Visit Chicago.  Take the kids.

UPDATE: Sorry about the Olympics, Chicago.  We still dig you.

Photo courtesy of the City of Chicago

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

American Gothic Statue - Chicago, IL

Technically, this is a Wordless Wednesday post.  Pretend you don’t see these words.  Also, pretend you don’t see all of the information below.  Thank you. Read More »

The Bean at Millennium Park in Chicago

Free art on display at Millenium Park in Chicago, Illinois.

The scoreboard at Wrigley Field

Personally, I’m not an avid baseball fan. I like the game pretty well, but not well enough to follow any particular team, even my local Diamondbacks (though I sure was proud when they won the World Series several years back). I like going to the games and watching them live – I like to crowd-watch and nosh on ballpark hot dogs and eight dollar cups of beer. Watching games on TV is just, well, kind of boring to me. The beer’s cheaper, though.

I wrote in my last blog post that I recently visited my friend Heather in Northwestern Indiana. Now, Heather is verging on OBSESSED, she’s such a Cubs fan. She watches any game she doesn’t go to on TV, while simultaneously listening to the game on the radio to get every angle. She goes to as many of their games as she can; even – GASP – driving all the way to Milwaukee to watch the Brewers at home against the visiting Cubs. She risked life and limb on that little jaunt – there’s quite a rivalry going on between the teams. I don’t pretend to understand all the why’s and wherefore’s and history behind said rivalry. There’s something about a curse and a goat and… I got lost after that.

Read More »

Just because money is tight does not mean that you have to sit at home and stare at the walls. There are plenty of free activities to keep you and your family busy. Why not challenge yourself to find the most interesting free activity? Here are some suggestions to get you started on your path of Free and Exciting Things to Do in the Midwest.

In Kansas, try the Fashion Museum, a museum that covers 100 years of style, from 1870-1970. Or visit one of the many free activities in Amelia Earhart’s birthplace of Atchison. Click on the Other Attractions option on Amelia’s Birthplace Museum for a listing of free and/or inexpensive activities.

In Omaha, visit a replica garden of Mt. Vernon Gardens, that half-size replica of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. The estate sits on top a bluff overlooking the Missouri River and is said to be reminiscent of the view from the original Mount Vernon of the Potomac. Or visit the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters, a museum and visitor’s center that showcases the Mormon Trail from Illinois to Salt Lake City, with a Mormon temple and cemetery adjacent to the Center.

In Illinois, you can see a cube made from 1 million dollars and learn how to properly identify fake bills at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Money Museum. Of course, there are plenty of opportunities for history buffs in Illinois, as it is the birthplace of Abe Lincoln. For a list of free Abraham Lincoln sites, visit the Springfield Visitors Center web site. If a more rural take on Midwestern history interests you, then check out the Deere and Company World Headquarters.

In Michigan, honor those who fought, lived, and died during the Holocaust by visiting the Holocaust Memorial Center. For more history specific to the state, try the Michigan Historical Museum, where you can get a sample of arts and culture, research your family’s history, and discover much about Michigan’s past.

In North Dakota, the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site features exhibits, trails and a film that explore the culture and history of the villages where Sacagawea once lived. Or stop by the North Dakota Heritage Center, where a giant marine lizard greets visitors at this kid-friendly history museum.

Clearly there are plenty of options for those of us who are trying to tighten the belt and watch our budget. If you want to continue entertaining yourself and your family, you can pinch pennies at the same time by enjoying so much of what the beautiful Midwest has to offer. So load up the kids and head on out!

Chicago is a terrific place to visit-especially in the summer while it’s warm and the lakefront is full of activities. But, it can also be an expensive destination. Inevitably, there will be cab rides to pay for and meals to buy. One way to enjoy Chicago without the sting of a high credit card bill, is to find low cost accomodation. Save your money for that game at Wrigley Field or to attend a taping of Oprah, and book a cheap hotel.

Here are some budget hotels to choose from:

1. Arlington House: This is a great option for its cheap rooms and terrific location. It has clean rooms  and is located in a convenient neighborhood, right next to Lincoln Park. This could save you a lot on cab fare!

2. Sheffield House: Again, nothing fancy. But, the rooms are clean and you are two blocks from Wrigley Field. You can actually hear that “swing, batta batta, swing”!

3. Heart of Chicago Motel: This is an old staple for cheap and dependable lodging. It has free wireless and free breakfast (can you really ask for more) and is located in one of Chicago’s old stately neighborhoods. You can walk about at night and pretend you live in one of the million dollar homes.

Chicago has plenaty of cheap accomodation options if you are willing to forgo some luxuries. Saving money on your hotel will free up some cash for all the great sights and scenes that Chicago has to offer. So, what are you waiting for?

Thanks to Dan Taylor for hotel bed picture!