Great lakes guide touring

THE ESSENTIAL TOURING GUIDE TO ILLINOIS ★ INDIANA ★ MICHIGAN MINNESOTA ★ OHIO PENNSYLVANIA ★ WISCONSIN

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Wisconsin, the heart of the heartland.

Captivating attractions, delicious local cuisine, and the stunning scenery that is signature Wisconsin. Take in some of The Great Lakes’ distinctive beauty, take time to experience the unique arts and culture, or just pile in, hop on, and feel the excitement of the open road. To plan your getaway, visit www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk or call 08456 020 574

WISCONSIN

Where you can be free to be yourself.

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CONTENTS

A GREAT LAKES t’s time to start your engines for the drive of your life – and discover the Great Lakes region of North America. This is a vast realm of spectacular scenery, magnificent cities, surprising history, fabulous food – and friendly, welcoming people.

But you need to travel widely to enjoy the best of the Great Lakes, and that means touring by car, coach or train; getting

I

ERS: Great OUR WRIT America th or Lakes N llaborative 2009 is a co of Britain’s ur fo of work rts on the pe ex foremost particular, USA and, in es of this at st n the seve tive na o region. Ohi ld now o rn A y th Ka n; Paul lives in Britai d in the US ie Wade stud , Paul and (and in 2008 noured ho e er Kathy w ding an st for their Out ion by ut ib tr on C Media el av tr p to s America’ Visit USA); n, tio sa ni ga or ness is also Simon Ve but now K from the U ica; and er m A in lives ess is a n e V Susan higan with ic native of M opean ur E e iv ns exte credit. r he travels to

Welcome!

out into the scenic byways, small towns and huge expanses of wide-open countryside that offer plains and mountains; FIND A TOU rivers and waterfalls; forests OPERATOR R and wildlife; and, of course, YOUR GRE FOR A the immense Great Lakes ADVENTUR T LAKES E themselves. ● Look up www.grea So, we have devised the tlakes northameric a.co.uk and ideal way to see all seven click on the Book Your Trip lin k of the Great Lakes states, ● Conta cts for UK an providing either one or two d Ireland: The Great Lake s of North Am driving tours that feature the erica Tourist Office , c/o Cellet Trav el Services Ltd, Br ook House, 47 High Street , Henley-in-Ard en, Warwickshire, B95 5AA. Tel: 01564 794999; Emai l: info@cellet.c o.uk or visit www.gr eatlakesnortham ; erica. co.uk. From Ir eland, call 44 1564 7949 99.

very best that each one has to offer, highlighting the essential attractions, natural wonders and offbeat moments of this unique stretch of America.

Journey with us and we promise an unforgettable adventure into a region that boasts the geological history of the great Ice Ages; thousands of years of native peoples and American Indian activity; a Colonial past full of strife and struggle yet also of bravery and triumph; 20th century monuments of awesome achievement; and a modern face of fun and excitement.

Simon, Susan, Kathy and Paul

CONTENTS Published on behalf of the Great Lakes of North America by Phoenix International Publishing Ltd, PO Box 615, Horsham, Sussex RH13 5WF. Email: angelaspencer@phoenixip.com. Editor: Simon Veness, email venesstravelmedia@yahoo.com. ©Phoenix International Publishing 2008.

Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. The publication may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission of the publishers.

Photographs courtesy of Great Lakes of North America, Illinois Bureau of Tourism, Visit Indiana Tourism, Travel Michigan, Explore Minnesota Tourism, Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism, Pennsylvania Tourism Office, Travel Wisconsin and Amtrak. Cover photos: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island; Indy 500, Indianapolis; Minneapolis Trolly Tour; Minnesota snow-mobiling.

Illuminating ILLINOIS

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Historic INDIANA

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The AMTRAK Way

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Mighty MICHIGAN

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Majestic MINNESOTA

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OHIO Splendours

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Patriotic PENNSYLVANIA 24 WISCONSIN Grandeur

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

Take the ‘Mother Road’ in

ILLINOIS

www.gochicago.com

Start in Chicago, one of the USA’s greatest cities; get your kicks on Route 66, perhaps the world’s most famous road; then follow the mighty Mississippi. And, as you go, learn about President Abraham Lincoln, go on a river cruise and visit a sacred Native American site.

DON’T MISS ‌

Whether you take our Tour of Ill inois or choose to go your own way, there ar e various attractions yo u shouldn’t m iss.

These includ e: � ABRA HAM LINCO LN’S HOME, SPR INGFIELD: th e only house ever ow ned by the Pr esident.

Between 1844 tart in Chicago,, a city and 1860, the modest family that has got it all, from cottage was en larged to two storeys.

Hear Nationa soaring skyscrapers l Park Service ranger s talk about Li to 26 miles of beaches, parks ncoln as a father, hu sband and po litician.

Plus, visit the and trails overlooking Lake Presidential M useum and Library (w Michigan, from glitzy shopping ww.alplm.org ) for the full Bicentenni al story. on the Magnificent Mile to � LINCO LN’S NEW SA award-winning restaurants LEM STATE HISTO RIC SITE near and theatre productions.

PETERSBURG : this is If you like paintings and a reconstruct ion of the village where sculpture, you’ll love the Abraham Lincoln spent Art Institute of Chicago his early adulthood. Its Theatre in and Millennium Park; if the Park host s summer you just want to have fun, productions.

S

Downtown Chicago

head down to Navy Pier; if you like jazz and blues, then Chicago is the heartbeat of America’s very own music.

Travel cheaply and safely on the El, the public transport system; appreciate the dramatic skyline from the water on a narrated architecture boat tour; reach for the stars on a space shuttle simulator at the Museum of Science and

Industry.

Whatever you want on holiday, the ‘Windy City’ is your kinda town!

Then hit the road.

Ulysses Grant statue at Galena

4HERE´S ONLY ONE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SEE BOTH 2/54% AND THE ROAD THAT TOOK ,).#/,. TO THE 7HITE (OUSE 7HERE WILL THE JOURNEY TAKE YOU 3TART HERE !ND ½ND OUT 'O TO WWW VISIT SPRING½ELDILLINOIS COM VISIT SPRING½ELDILLINOIS COM FOR MORE INFORMATION 4867_09_International_EssentiallyAmerica.indd 1

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W Jackson Blvd, Chicago), before heading south-west for Joliet (where Sir Paul McCartney was a recent visitor to the Route 66 welcome centre and historical museum) and Wilmington, with its famous Launching Pad Drive-in and statue of the Gemini Giant.

In Braidwood, have your photo taken with life-size mannequins of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean at the 1950s Polka-Dot Drive-in.

In Towanda, enterprising townsfolk have preserved a segment of Route 66 as a 1.6-mile walking trail dedicated to ‘America’s Main Street’.

Some towns are true oddities, like Atlanta – with its murals and 19ft tall Bunyon’s Statue of a man holding a giant hotdog! – and the strangely named Normal. In Williamsville, everyone enjoys a chat with Phil and Pat Hawley Chicago’s Art Institute

When the highway stretching from Chicago to Los Angeles was designated as Route 66 back in 1926, its journey into legend began. Although Interstate 55 has taken its traffic, you can still track the original on www. illinoisroute66.org. Soak up the nostalgia along the ‘Mother Road’.

Start with breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s 1923 coffee shop (565

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Chicago

Fulton Moline

Lake Michigan

East Moline Rock Island

CCTB

Galena

Volo

Your Great Lakes journey begins here.

Joliet Wilmington

Braidwood 55

Nauvoo

Normal

Towanda

Plan an exciting holiday

Atlanta

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Williamsville

Quincy 72

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to Chicago and beyond.

Springfield

For great itineraries and

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must-see attractions, visit:

Litchfield Elsah Granite City

Collinsville Belleville

ROUTE: Round trip from Chicago DISTANCE: 850 miles ALLOW: 7-10 days

gochicago.com Credits: center inset: G. Kunz, bottom right, City of Chicago/C. McGuire

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

● McDonald’s first franchised restaurant opened in DES PLAINES in 1955. No longer a functioning restaurant, the building is now McDonald’s #1 Store Museum, with memorabilia recreating that 1950s feel.

STAT SECRETE S

● METROPOLIS, the official ‘Home of Superman’, is a real place on the Ohio River. See the giant Superman statue, the Superman museum, or have a flutter at Harrah’s Casino. ● Popeye the Sailor Man turns 80 this year. In CHESTER, a six-foot bronze statue commemorates the spinacheater, or rather his creator, Elzie Segar.

The annual picnic (early September) is an excuse for concerts and fireworks.

at their Route 66 Dream Car Museum, with 30 motors to ooh and aah over.

Illinois capital Springfield is synonymous with President Abraham Lincoln and, in 2009, the city celebrates the bicentennial of Honest Abe’s birth. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential

Library and Museum brings the 16th president to life, using the latest technology. But Springfield is also home to Bill Shea, the No 1 Route 66 fan. At Shea’s Gas Station Museum, he has collected everything from a 1952 Airstream caravan to fuel pumps and oil cans.

Drive on and the sense of yesteryear persists with one of the oldest diners on Route 66, the 1924 Ariston Café in Litchfield and the 170ft-tall water tower shaped like a ketchup bottle in Collinsville!

More surprising here is an archaeological site dating back at least 1,000 years. The Cahokia Mounds are a World Heritage Site where you can learn about flint-knapping and discover why the 68 mounds were created by the most sophisticated prehistoric Indian civilisation north of Mexico.

Then, swing north on the Great River Road (www. greatriverroad-illinois.org), through Granite City. To the west is the 5,353ft-long Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Cars and trucks thundering along Route 66 used to cross the Mississippi River here; now it is one of the world’s longest bike and foot bridges.

Continue north along the Mississippi (and the Great River Road) with historic towns, such as Elsah, Quincy and Nauvoo, the latter with its beautifullypreserved homes, 1840 print shop and Illinois’ oldest vineyard.

The bustling Quad Cities consist of Moline, Rock Island (of Rock Island Line fame) and (across the river in Iowa) Davenport and Bettendorf.

For the ‘best Hot Fudge in the Solar System’, head for Lagomarcino’s, a century-old family business in Moline.

For a tropical paradise of towering plants and flowers, head for Rock Island’s Quad City Botanical Center. In East Moline, climb aboard a massive modern-day combine harvester on a tour of the John Deere Pavilion, one of the world’s largest agricultural equipment manufacturers.

Further upriver is historic Fulton, then, continuing to the

The best way to see Chicago is through our windows.

Located on Michigan Avenue, the Essex Inn makes it easy to experience Chicago with unique museum, shopping and entertainment packages.* We have annual favorites like our Shop Chicago Package that combines an overnight stay with $50 in Water Tower Place gift cards, a Water Tower Place Premier Perks booklet and a tote bag to carry it all in.

Our year-round Room With A View Package includes two general admission tickets for the Sears Tower Skydeck—another great way to take in the city.

Want something more down to earth? Take our Chicago Field Trip and see Sue—the largest, most complete and best preserved T-Rex fossil yet discovered. This package provides two general admission tickets to The Field Museum of Natural History with one night’s accommodations at the Essex.

New packages that revolve around special events are constantly being added!

800 S. Michigan Ave.

*Packages subject to availability, applicable taxes and require advance reservations. ©2008 Essex Inn

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ILLINOIS

Bill Shea’s Museum

chicagos

north shore convention visitors bureau &

DON’T MIS S…

● CHIC

state’s north-west corner, you come to the hidden gem of Galena. With a Main Street lined with handsome 19th-century homes and shops, plus the home of General (and later President) Ulysses S Grant, you can sample a real flavour of Mid-West life 150 years ago through walking tours, narrated trolley rides and guided ghost walks.

GAR

AGO BOTAN IC

DEN, GLEN COE: Heading back the USA’s se cond most towards Chicago, stop visited public garden boasts outsta at Rockford, where nding English, Japa the serene Anderson nese and Aquatic disp lays.

Japanese Garden is ● SUPE R SHOPPIN known for its 12thG: Chicago Prem ium century-style garden, Outlets - 12 0 designer pools, pagodas and and name br and outlets, conveniently waterfalls. By contrast, located west of Chica the Burpee Museum go in Aurora (prem iumoutlets. stars ‘Jane’ and com/chicago ).

‘Homer’, the T-rex and Triceratops skeletons that rank among the 10 most important dinosaur discoveries of the past 100 years.

GETTING THERE You could even take Direct flights from the UK to a side trip to Volo where Chicago include – the TV & Movie Car From London Heathrow: direct Collection includes the flights with Air India, American Airlines, British Airways, original Batmobile United, Virgin Atlantic; from the Batman TV From Manchester: show, Ecto 1 from American Airlines, Ghostbusters and the BMI; From Dublin: Aer Lingus, American 1989 Cadillac hearse Airlines, US Airways; driven by Arnold From Manchester: Schwarzenegger in American Airlines, BMI, Terminator 3: Rise of Pakistan International Airlines; From the Machines.

Shannon: Aer Lingus.

Return to Chicago.

Bordering Chicago along Lake Michigan, Chicago’s Nor th Shore is the perfect location for your Chicago area visit.

The Nor th Shore is home to Chicago Botanic Garden, Northwestern University, and Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center which features Macy's, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor and hundreds of other famous retailers.

World-class hotels at very affordable prices are located 20 minutes from downtown Chicago.

Most North Shore hotels offer free parking and hot breakfast and visitors to can take a city train directly to downtown Chicago.

For more information on planning your visit to Chicago’s North Shore call 847-763-0011 or visit

www.visitchicagonorthshore.com

Chicago Botanic Garden at Glencoe

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INDIANA DON’T MISS

INDIANA

● GOLF

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum

Two for the road in

INDIANA www.visitindiana.com

on any of more than 200 courses in Indiana: top designer Pete Dye hails fro m the state and had a hand in a nu mber of fine course s, including th e superb new ch ampionship layout at WES T BADEN SPRINGS RE SORT openin g in 2009 alon gside the historic Donal d Ross links. ● INDIA NAPOLIS CULTURAL TR AIL: this 7.5-mile urba n trail, which will be compl eted in 2009 , connects all five of the city ’s cultural neighb ou and entertainm rhoods ent districts, providing an ideal overview of the state ca pital. ● SUPER SHOPPING: at Edinburgh Pr emium Outle ts - 85 designer outlet stores, south of Indi anapolis - an d Lighthouse Pl ace Premium Outlets - 120 designer outle t stores in Mic higan City (www.premiu moutlets.com ).

Get double the value in the Hoosier state; explore the fabulous city of Indianapolis, then head NORTH for Amish territory, the famous college town of Notre Dame, fabulous beaches, the heart of farm country and small-town crafts and antiques.

Go SOUTH and discover the outdoorsy world of Brown County State Park, the family fun of Santa Claus (the town, not the person!), and much, much more...

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ny visit to Indiana should start with the city of Indianapolis, the state’s principal and capital city, which is home to a wealth of attractions, both modern and historic. Just don’t count on seeing it all in one or two days!

Set almost literally at the crossroads of America, its 19thcentury origins are well displayed and you can enjoy an epic journey through time at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art and the Indiana State Museum, both of which are set in beautiful downtown White River State Park.

Don’t forget to check out the 1888 Indiana Statehouse – and then come up to date by visiting America’s biggest sporting arena, the amazing 250,000-seat Indianapolis Motor Speedway,

Lake Michigan

home to the annual Indy 500, Allstate 400 and new Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP races. The Hall of Fame Museum is a must even for non-race fans, as is the bus tour of the 2.5-mile oval track where you can positively smell the tyre-stained history of the fabled ‘Brickyard’.

For family-friendly attractions, seek out the Indianapolis Zoo, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (with its Tutankhamun exhibition opening in June 2009) and the unique Conner Prairie in nearby Fishers with its genuine hands-on living history attractions.

Head north on main motorway I-65 and you reach Fairmount, home town of legendary actor James Dean, where you can visit the cemetery where he is buried and memorabilia at the Fairmount Historical Museum. Step further

Michigan City

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Elkhart

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South Bend

Middlebury

Shipshewana 27

Nappanee 80

Fair Oaks

Fort Wayne

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Fairmount 65

Zionsville

Indianapolis

back in time at Fort Wayne where the West End historic district is suitably atmospheric and the Children’s Zoo is rated one of America’s Top 10.

The journey becomes even more tranquil and slow-paced when you

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NORTH TOUR ROUTE: Round-trip from Indianapolis DISTANCE: 410 miles ALLOW: 7 days

reach Elkhart, where the quiet traditions of the Amish community abound in sister towns like Shipshewana (where you should definitely stop at the Menno-Hof Museum), Middlebury and Nappanee, the latter boasting

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

The Eiteljorg Museum

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options (notably Farm Bloomington and Restaurant Tallent), then head south on Highway 37 and be sure to call in at French Lick and West Baden, where sister hotels the French Lick Springs Resort and West Baden Springs Resort are attractions in their own right.

For family fun, Santa Claus has sack-fulls of it (ho ho!), notably with the Holiday World amusement park (check out their wicked wooden coaster, The Voyage, at 67.4mph!) and Splashin’ Safari water park, with the twisting, twirling raft ride Bakuli. Nearby in Lincoln City, check out the boyhood home of America’s most revered statesman, with the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Lincoln State Park and Pioneer Village.

From Santa Claus, turn east and visit New Albany, which was a major stop on the ‘Underground

Amish Acres, a restored 80-acre art two of the Great Old Order farmstead. The new Indiana Tour steers you American Countryside Farmers south from Indianapolis, Market in Elkhart itself is also well with first stop at Brown County worth seeing.

State Park for a taste of the many Continue west and you find outdoor activities the state can South Bend, home of the mighty offer, from horse-riding to fishing, University of Notre Dame, one of swimming and hiking. The Story America’s most illustrious colleges.

Inn is another little gem when you The motor industry is also well need to stop for dinner. represented here at Studebaker Continue over to Bloomington, National Auto Museum and the pausing for a look around the Northern Indiana Center for beautiful Indiana University History. campus and a sample of some of Next up is Michigan distinctive DON’T MISS City and the locally-owned ● INDIA restaurant wonderfully wide-open NA BEACH, Monticello: le ss than two expanses of Indiana hours north of Indianapolis Dunes National Indianapolis and in a beau tiful setting on Lake Shaf Lakeshore, with er, this family 74 amusement pa 25 miles of blissful rk offers an excellent rang e of rides, beaches. The rural plus a water park and Brown County feel continues as genuine sand State Park y beach. you turn south for Bloomington ● SQUIR E BOONE Fair Oaks, where CAVERNS, ne ar Corydon: one of the mos the Fair Oaks Farm t extensive 37 underground offers kids a sample systems in Commiskey the US, with waterfalls an of daily life among d well-lit walkw 3 ays, this is a 30,000 cows. fascinating lo ok back into geological hi Finally, before story and is op en 7 days a w returning to French Lick eek. You can also expl ore Grist Mill Indianapolis, stop 37 and various cr aft activities off in Zionsville, in the artisan Village. where the small64 New Albany town charm is Lincoln City Louisville also full of some fabulous arts, Santa Claus crafts and antique shops. ● Indiana University in Bloomington is home to the unique Little 500 in spring each year, a celebrity bicycle race that mirrors the Indy 500 and which has steadily expanded to become a major social event, including a whole week of festivities.

STAT SECRETE S

Greensburg

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Vevay

Madison 56

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SOUTH TOUR ROUTE: Round-trip from Indianapolis DISTANCE: 420 miles ALLOW: 7 days

GETTING THERE Flights from the UK to Indianapolis include – From London Heathrow: British Airways/American Airlines provide flights via Chicago; United fly via Chicago and Washington. From London Gatwick: US Airways provide flights via Charlotte and Philadelphia. From Dublin: fly Aer Lingus and United or American Airlines via Chicago.

Railroad’ (the network of secret routes that allowed many slaves to escape the South during the Civil War) and then head up into Wine Country, where a string of charming towns boast some award-winning wineries that are well worth taking time to sample among the rolling hills of south-east Indiana.

Make sure you see Madison, with its extensive National Register of Historic Places (all 133 blocks of it!), including the Lanier Mansion, just one of many fine preserved examples of 19thcentury architecture in the Federal and Greek Revival styles. The neighbouring Commiskey and Vevay also boast two of the artisan wineries, and you can look up more on www.indianawinetrail. com.

Finally, head north once more and, with a side-stop at Greensburg (the ‘Tower Tree City’ with its amazing trees growing at the top of the Courthouse building), arrive back in Indianapolis with the state of Indiana well and truly ‘toured’!

The Menno-Hof Museum

● The first ‘interstate’ highway in America was built in the early 1800s and is called the National Road (from Maryland to Illinois). It is now an All-American National Scenic Byway and travels right through Indiana. Highway 40 follows much of the original road. Look up www.route40.net. ● Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is home to the unusual phenomenon of the ‘singing sands,’ areas of the dunes that emit a strange, low-frequency sound under pressure. Just walk on them to hear them ‘sing’!

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EXPERIENCE THE PERFECT SHOPPING DAY AT ONE OF THE MANY CHELSEA PREMIUM OUTLET速 CENTERS LOCATED ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. Chelsea Premium Outlets feature an unparalleled collection of designer and name brand outlet stores, including Adidas, Banana Republic Factory Store, Coach, Gap Outlet, MaxMara, Nike, Off 5th Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store and more

all at savings of 25% to 65% every day.

(List of stores varies per center. )

Albertville Premium Outlets Minneapolis Area

Aurora Farms Premium Outlets Cleveland Area

Cincinnati Premium Outlets Cincinnati Area (Summer 2009)

Chicago Premium Outlets Chicago Area

The Crossings Premium Outlets The Poconos

Edinburgh Premium Outlets Indianapolis Area

Johnson Creek Premium Outlets Milwaukee Area

Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets Chicago Area

Philadelphia Premium Outlets Philadelphia Area

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

See the sights

www.amtrak.com

THE AMTRAK WAY LAKE SHORE LIMITED This journey travels much the same route today as it did when it was known as the Twentieth Century Limited (1902-67) and features some of the prettiest shorelines in America. Starting in Chicago, the train crosses Northern Indiana and along Lake Soak up the scenery Michigan, the Mohawk River and from the Amtrak train southern shore of Lake Erie.

As the train departs Chicago, look left for a dramatic view of the towering city skyline, including ATIONS D O M M O C the Sears Tower, AC ER N LI EW Daley Center and VI ● Amtrak’s ate provide priv rs ca ng John Hancock pi slee enities for rooms with am e. From Building. Shortly t us day and nigh s om after, the railway ro Bed Roomettes to vatory la e at iv pr crosses the a featuring sleeping car , er ow sh South Branch d an any ions can suit accommodat an lit of the Chicago ’s Metropo need. Amtrak lable ai av is la River, where ce A Lounge/Club rk and Yo ew N , ships travel go in Chica rst Class between the Boston for Fi ing COACH seat passengers. at se g in Great Lakes ide reclin provides a w w llo pi ee Fr ports and the . st with a leg re ailable. av so al is Illinois and e servic rs fe of e ic rv Michigan se R ● DINING CA mplete co of e ng Canals. ra a wide ed on board First stop is ymeals prepar and Alban

Touring the Great Lakes can be done in many ways, and one of the best is to head for the rails – the Great Rails, of course. And, in the USA, that means the Amtrak rail system, one of America’s great arterial routeways. o enjoy the passing countryside and the magnificent vistas of Lakes Michigan and Erie, plus a quick trip from Chicago to Milwaukee, there is no better option than the comfort and ease of travelling on Amtrak USA Passenger Rail.

This is one of the most relaxing ways to explore and you will find the miles rolling gently by as you contemplate the landscapes of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and even into New York State, finishing in great cities like Boston and New York if you wish. You can even break the journey into overnight stays along the way as the USA Rail Pass fully allows for stopovers

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(look out for some special offers and cago between Chi e promotions New York. Th Rensselear to eward will St along the way).

R DINING CA ents r announcem Choose make regula urs. The ho e ic rv se regarding from two main rs FE CAR offe LOUNGE/CA routes, the Lake ks and ac sn s, he ic sandw go tween Chica Shore Limited beverages be to ar le se Rens route from and Albanying le also provid Boston, whi Chicago to New passing e th of g in perfect view York (or parts scenery. thereof), and the Empire Builder, Builder which takes travellers along pioneer trails from Chicago through the heart of Wisconsin and on to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-Saint Paul. There are also 14 trains daily between Chicago and Milwaukee to enjoy a good slice of the Amtrak style.

South Bend, Indiana, home of famous Notre Dame University and its revered American football team, where you can see the famed ‘Golden dome’ above the treetops. Travelling via Waterloo (Indiana) and Bryan (Ohio) brings you to Toledo, where, just south of Fort Miami, General ‘Mad’ Anthony Wayne defeated the Native Americans at Fallen Timbers in 1794, a conquest that cleared the way for the settlement of north-west Ohio and northern Indiana.

Rolling on to Sandusky, you can see a monument to Oliver Hazard Perry (for his defeat of the British fleet in 1813) and get a glimpse of one of the tallest roller-coasters in the world – the 420ft Top Thrill Dragster – at Cedar Point. Sandusky is the second largest Great Lakes coalshipping port, with an excellent natural harbour surrounded by islands. Next, Amtrak heads through Elyria to Cleveland, Ohio’s largest city, one of the leading manufacturing, trading and cultural centres of the Midwest and home of the amazing Enjoy superb Fall foliage scenery

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AMTRAK

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum.

Erie is Pennsylvania’s only major Great Lakes port and is known as the ‘Gem City’ because of its sparkling bay (although the name comes from a tribe of fierce Native Americans, the Eriez). After 11 hours, the Lake Shore Limited finally exits the Great Lakes states for Buffalo-Depew, a city just across the Niagara River from Canada and famous for manufacturing steel, chemicals and auto parts before heading east to either New York or Boston, via Albany-Rensselear.

Amtrak’s stunning Empire Builder route

EMPIRE BUILDER Travelling daily between Chicago and the Pacific north-west along major portions of the historic Lewis-Clark trail, Amtrak’s Empire Builder provides the perfect way to experience the rugged splendour of the American west. Its exciting passage passes through some

majestic wilderness territory, following in the footsteps of the early pioneers. The full journey to Seattle takes 46 hours, but the section to Minneapolis-Saint Paul is a more manageable 8¼ hours.

From Chicago, there are magnificent views of the mighty Mississippi as you head north-

west into Wisconsin via modern, suburban Glenview, with the view punctuated by older farms and industrial complexes.

Next stop is Milwaukee, the Brewing City made famous by its German immigrants, with the big baseball stadium on the right and the Miller Brewing

Company on the left, as well as the glass domes of the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory.

Continue on through Columbus (with the landmark steeple of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church) and you reach Wisconsin Dells, with its glorious red sandstone canyon.

Tomah is the gateway to Wisconsin’s Cranberry Country, with rugged limestone bluffs, which soon gives way to soft, tree-covered mountains as you reach the town of La Crosse, where the Black, La Crosse and Mississippi Rivers meet. This marks the start of a 140-mile stretch following the wide, quiet and scenic Mississippi valley, via the towns of Winona and Red Wing.

Finally, with darkness fallen and the glowing city skyline of Minneapolis-Saint Paul looming into view, it is time to leave the Amtrak behind and let it continue on its much longer voyage to the Pacific.

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

The superb vista of Mackinac Island

Get your motor running in

MICHIGAN Begin in Detroit, the Automotive Capital of the World; discover a century’s worth of great inventions; feast on traditional chicken dinners; enjoy a slice of island life, hike to a waterfall, then explore underwater shipwrecks.

Next, journey with ocean-going freighters, enjoy world-class golf and shopping and wrap it all up with a journey into Michigan’s Native American culture.

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etroit once hummed with the sounds of a thriving industrial giant, and a strong echo of its proud automotive heritage can be found at the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, an 89-acre livinghistory tribute to American innovation.

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Drive into the Motor City for a meal at Greektown; try your luck at nearby casinos; or participate in a free walking tour of the GM Renaissance Center, culminating in a 72-storey glass lift ride with a spectacular view of neighbouring Canada.

Find headline entertainment at the glamorous 1920s-era Fox

Theatre or satisfy your inner sports fan at a baseball, ice hockey, American football or basketball game. Detroit has them all!

Then head out via major north-south artery I-75 to German-inspired Frankenmuth, where the main attraction is dining on world-famous chicken

www.michigan.org

The amazing Bronner’s

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MICHIGAN DON’T MIS S

● HOLL AND: the allAmerican city with the Dutch accent , home of original attrac tions (like the new Prin cess Dinner Cruises), arts , activities, blissful beac hes – and the annual Sprin g Tulip Festiv al. ● GRAN D TRAVERSE BAY: where you ca n scour the beaches for rare Stones, which Petoskey are found on ly in Michigan.

RIVER TUBIN G: a Michigan sp eciality – hi re an inner tube and go ‘rump bumping’ alon g one of the state’s many peaceful river s.

Tradition dict ates you brin g along a floatin g cooler full of your favourite beverage, tie it to your tube and make a day of it. The Cry stal Mountai n Resort in Th ompsonville is a fine example. ● SLEEPI NG BEAR D UNES NATIONAL LA KESHORE: Ojibway lege nd says the spectacular 460ft-high du ne formed over a mother bear as she waite d in vain for her cubs to swim across Lake Michigan. Th e cubs are remembered as nearby Nor th and South M anitou Island s.

Forest Canopy Bridge at Mill Creek

●

dinners at the Bavarian Inn or Zehnder’s, after shopping at Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store.

Take a riverboat tour, stroll over the covered bridge, sample local beers and cheeses, then soak up ‘Michigan’s Little Bavaria’ on a guided horsedrawn carriage ride. Summer sizzles with festivals such as World Expo of Beer, Bavarian Festival and Summer Music Fest,

while winter brings Zehnder’s Snowfest. Shopping enthusiasts have two mega-outlets to enjoy – Frankenmuth River Place in town and nearby Prime Outlets at Birch Run. Stay at fabulous Zehnder’s Splash Park Resort for some watery fun, family style.

Further north, the crown jewel gracing the Straits dividing upper and lower Michigan is Mackinac Island (via ferry from Mackinaw City or St Ignace). There are no cars allowed, so biking, hiking and horses are the transport options.

Wind through interior trails on a guided carriage ride (you can even drive your own!) or explore on horseback or by bike.

Market Street offers numerous opportunities to fill up on the trademark fudge before making the steep climb to fascinating Fort Mackinac, where costumed interpreters perform daily tasks as soldiers and residents of the 1880s.

Tranquility descends on this impossibly scenic islet once

Trail Climbing Wall ensure thrills as well as scenic splendour.

You should also visit Colonial Fort Michilimackinac and its neighbouring Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.

After crossing mighty Mackinaw Bridge, you journey into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Immortalised in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s ‘Song of Hiawatha,’ nature’s grandeur takes centre stage here. Choose a guided hike or set off on your own, splashing in the Lower Falls, then trekking up-river for a view of the tannin-stained Upper Falls, former Ojibwa Indian

day guests depart, making an overnight stay in the various inns and B&Bs an exercise in serenity.

For the ultimate in style, book into the elegant Grand Hotel, which has graced the island in true Victorian fashion since 1887. It even has its own golf course.

Return to Mackinaw City, where Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park highlights the area’s importance as a lumber supplier through interpretive reconstructions of the 18thcentury water-powered saw mill while the new Forest Canopy Bridge crossing, Eagle’s Flight Zip Line adventure and Nature Lake Superior

Whitefish Point Tahquamenon Falls State Park

Bay Mills

St. Ignace Petoskey Lake Charlevoix

Sault Ste. Marie

ROUTE: Round trip from Detroit DISTANCE: 1,074 miles ALLOW: 11-14 days

Mackinac Island Mackinaw City

Boyne City

Leelanau Peninsula 31 Bellaire

Traverse City

Lake Huron

75

115

23

Mt. Pleasant Lake Michigan

Birch Run

Frankenmuth

75

Lansing

Detroit Dearborn

Greektown

Lake Erie

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

hunting and fishing grounds and a spectacular visual treat. Thirsty hikers should seek out Camp 33, the gift shop and brew-pub at the Upper Falls!

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point on Lake Superior provides a riveting memorial to hundreds of ships, including the Shipwreck Coast’s most famous wreck, the 1975 tragedy of the massive Edmund Fitzgerald. Tour the oldest working lighthouse on Superior, then follow the pretty shoreline and enjoy the beaches at Bay Mills before reaching Sault Saint Marie and the largest waterway traffic system on earth.

Soo Locks Park affords a stunning view of ocean-going freighters, so close you can almost touch them, as they navigate the 21ft drop between Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan and Huron. Don’t miss the chance for ‘locking through’ alongside the behemoth vessels

GETTING THERE Fights from the UK to Detroit include – From London Heathrow and Gatwick: Northwest Airlines flies direct daily.

From Dublin: fly Aer Lingus or Air France and United, American or Northwest via Chicago.

The wonderful Great Wolf Lodge

on a two-hour guided Soo Locks Boat Tour or Dinner Cruise. The city’s colonial history is also well represented – and dinner at the eclectic Antlers restaurant is an unexpected treat!

Return south by veering on to US-31 to Petoskey. Nestled

HOLL AND MICHIGAN

“One of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations”

Warm Sandy Beaches Boutiques & Galleries Festivals & Fine Arts Unique Attractions Farm Markets & U-Picks Hiking & Biking

along Grand Traverse Bay, Petoskey poses as a sleepy little town, but don’t be fooled.

World-class shopping, art galleries, antique markets and five-star cuisine are standard fare here. Nearby, Little Traverse History Museum highlights the area’s history, including Odawa Indian artefacts and Ernest Hemingway’s personal letters and pictures.

Visit in winter for exceptional skiing at Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne City, where the Avalanche Bay indoor water park at Boyne Grand Mountain Lodge offers year-round fun. Equally, the spectacular Lakeview Hotel (part of the immense Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, which boasts four superb golf courses in summer and extensive skiing in winter) has rooms with a view and dining to match. Activities

abound hereabouts – choose from horse-riding or hiking; boating or rafting; fishing or swimming; it is a nature-lover’s wonderland.

Skirt along Grand Traverse Bay to Traverse City, where the historic downtown district offers 150 boutiques, galleries, dining venues and long, sandy beaches. Tour the Bay on tall ship Manitou; grab a burger at the 1950s-style Don’s Drive-In; watch a movie at the Cherry Bowl Drive-In; then spend the night at Great Wolf Lodge, where the indoor water park is truly captivating. A trip to the Mission Point Lighthouse and Leelanau Peninsula also reveals the signature wineries hereabouts.

The last leg of your journey brings you to Mount Pleasant, where the Ziibiwing Center’s exhibits, artwork and rare arte facts tell the story of the Anishinabe culture. Beautifully handcrafted beadwork, crafts and jewellery are available as a special remembrance of your holiday.

Return to Detroit via state capital Lansing.

● Detroit’s famous soda, Vernor’s Ginger Ale, was created in 1862 by pharmacist James Vernor.

Called to serve in the Civil War for four years, the formula was stored in an oak case and acquired its trademark gingery flavour. Vernor’s was the first soda made in the US.

STAT SECRETE S

● Carved out by glacial retreat, Lake Superior is the world’s largest body of fresh water, containing enough water to cover all of North and South America to a depth of 12 inches.

3 hours from Chicago & Detroit

16

www.holland.org lucy@holland.org

● Nearly 75 per cent of America’s cherries come from Traverse City, making it the Cherry Capital of the World. The 83rd annual National Cherry Festival will be held in July 2009, featuring cherry-pit spitting contests, Cherry Buffet and live entertainment.

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MINNESOTA

Twice as nice in

MINNESOTA www.exploreminnesota.com

We have two drives for the price of one in Minnesota! Start in MinneapolisSt Paul, then explore part of the Mississippi, one of the world’s longest rivers. Drive north-west to its source, visiting the birthplace of entertainer Judy Garland and boyhood home of pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh.

Alternatively, drive south to see historic towns and a cathedral-like church.

NORTHERN SIGHTS….

Walk the Mississippi at the Itasca State Park

The journey begins in Minneapolis-St Paul, nicknamed the Twin Cities, as they are only a few miles apart. St Paul is the state capital, ‘the last city in the East’, with solid brick and tree-lined boulevards, plus a riverfront where paddle steamers dock at the most northerly port for cruises. Halfway to Minneapolis is Fort Snelling, where costumed interpreters, dressed as soldiers and settlers,

Bemidji 2

Grand Rapids

Itasca State Park 169

Brainerd

Little Falls Sauk Centre

10

NORTHERN DRIVE FROM: Minneapolis-St Paul TO: Itasca State Park DISTANCE: 250 miles ALLOW: 3-4 days

94

Rogers

Minneapolis

St. Paul

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

take you back to 1827, when this was a real frontier outpost.

Minneapolis provides a contrast, with its glass and steel skyscrapers. The ‘first city of the West’ was originally a milltown, thanks to Saint Anthony Falls, the only major waterfall on the Mississippi. Their power made Minneapolis the flour-mill capital of the world from 1880 to 1930, and General Mills’ HQ is still in the city.

Barges still ply the river, although now they carry coal, gravel or salt rather than grain.

First stop outside the cities is in Rogers for the Ellingson Car Museum, whose 100-strong collection ranges from trucks and motorbikes of the early 1920s to the muscle cars of the 60s and 70s.

Then it is on to Little Falls, the home of Charles A

Lindbergh. In 1927, ‘Lucky Lindy’ flew solo from New York to Paris in the Spirit of St Louis, a single-engine plane. Goodlooking as well as brave, he was an S DON’T MIS instant superstar; ts as a range visit his home to Minnesota bo attractions. e’ se t of ‘mus learn that he did not e: These includ enjoy school – but he MERICA, ● MALL OF A did like to tinker with t shopping : The larges Bloomington ex in the US pl m co machines! t nmen and entertai restaurants 50 , 520 stores Worth an hour’s ing offers some az s like the am detour for literature and attraction verse Amusement Park.

Uni ng or shoes Nickelodeon fans is Sauk Centre, tax on clothi nd there’s no A home of America’s first ! in Minnesota Valley: one Nobel Prize winner. Yet, ZOO, Apple ● MINNESOTA with 2,400 in 1920, locals reviled finest zoos, of America’s nments, ro vi alistic en Sinclair Lewis for his animals in re bear exhibit, fabulous new e th g in novel Main Street, an ud incl zzly Coast.

Russia’s Gri exposé of small town life.

R CENTER, ERICAN BEA Now you can explore the ● NORTH AM t this brand si vi y nl ai ld cert s focus it Ely: you shou h small museum that was it tive centre w

Paul Bunyan and ‘Babe’

18

The futuristic Walker Art Center

home that is now a museum.

Every June, fans join in the annual festival to celebrate Miss Showbiz. The town got its name from the 2-mile long rapids that still power paper-mills providing newsprint for Time and Newsweek magazines. me to the new interpre ho so al is All is explained at the nearby y s. El R. on black bear OLF CENTE W L A N Forest History Center, where IO INTERNAT ng with lo A : R TE costumed interpreters take you EN RT C the ● WALKER A ure Garden, pt ul Sc is back to the 1900s. ol n collectio the Minneap a world-class es ur ed at it fe is r The ‘First City on the t-v ke Wal s mos e of America’ ng lo ft making it on 52 Mississippi’ is Bemidji, s h the famou pture. galleries, wit ul sc y rr he home of a true American C and Spoonbridge t hero.

Assisted by Babe, his si OPPING: vi with 100 ● SUPER SH , ts le ut O blue ox, lumberjack Paul m emiu northAlbertville Pr and outlets, br em na Bunyan was ‘stronger than d designer an info from apolis. More ne in M e ill Goliath and Hercules,’ and of tv t wes /alber moutlets.com www.premiu their towering statues are a perfect photo op. Lake Bemidji, one of more than his boyhood home and walk 11,000 lakes in the state, is down Sinclair Lewis Avenue – popular for fishing and boating, the original Main Street. while the surrounding pine Back on the Mississippi is forest is perfect for walking.

Brainerd. Short-changed As for walking – why in the 1997 movie not walk across the Fargo, the town is Mississippi? If you better known for its do, you will have a great golf courses, long life, according several designed by to Indian legend.

Arnold Palmer and Itasca State Park, Robert Trent Jones Jr. 40 miles from Bemidji, Judy Garland sang is the source of Ol’ about being born in Man River. At the a ‘trunk in Pocatello, head of Lake Itasca, Idaho’. But, Frances water gurgles out in Ethel Gumm (her real a stream about seven name) was actually strides wide. Hop from born in Grand rock to rock to make Rapids. Her dad the legend come true. ran the vaudeville Then, find out more theatre; ‘Baby about the waterway at Gumm’ rehearsed the visitor centre. at her white wooden

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MINNESOTA

….AND SOUTHERN DELIGHTS South of the Twin Cities, the clear water of the St Croix River meets the muddy Mississippi near Hastings. For some 80 miles, this huge waterway forms the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Dramatic bluffs punctuate the rolling landscape and birders watch for rare bald eagles in winter. Fascinating riverside towns include Red Wing, one of only 12 ‘distinctive destinations’ in the USA selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2008.

With 25 listings on the National Register of Historic Places, the historically and architecturally significant buildings reflect its mid-19th century beginnings as a riverfront trade point, like the restored 1875 St James Hotel. Since the town hosted the first ever US ski

Snowmobiling is a great winter pursuit in Minnesota

● Luckily for golf-mad Minnesotans, the state boasts hundreds of great GOLF COURSES. And, once again, the state hosts the US PGA Championship, played at the testing Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, south-west of Minneapolis (August 10-16, 2009).

STAT SECRETE S

● Over twice the size of the Isle of Wight, VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK encloses more than 500 islands. Way up by the Canadian border, this is home to moose, wolves and bears as well as loons. Perfect for house-boating, fishing and camping. ● Hibbing is the birthplace of two American icons. At the GREYHOUND BUS MUSEUM, the buses range from a 1914 Hupmobile to a 1982 classic. Local boy made good is Bobby Zimmerman, aka BOB DYLAN. Zimmy’s Bar & Restaurant hosts the annual Dylan Days festival around his May 25 birthday.

Minneapolis St Paul

SOUTHERN DRIVE FROM: Minneapolis TO: Winona DISTANCE: 200 miles ALLOW: 2 days

10

Hastings

61

Red Wing Lake City Wabasha

61

jumping tournament in 1887, this is also home to the American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame.

Skiing must be in the blood.

In Lake City in 1922, Ralph W Samuelson wanted to ski on water. Since no boats were fast enough, he used a biplane and – hey presto! – he invented waterskiing. Continue on to Wabasha and you encounter the National Eagle Center, complete with its huge viewing windows and riverside observation deck.

Further on, in the small lumber town of Winona, the surprise is the enormous church. The

soaring towers, grandiose domes and angels blowing trumpets were all funded by Polish immigrants.

Winona

GETTING THERE Flights from the UK to Minneapolis/St Paul include – From London Gatwick: Northwest Airlines via Amsterdam; From London Heathrow: Northwest Airlines direct, Icelandair via Reykjavik, Continental via Cleveland and American Airlines via Chicago.

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

Rev up for

OHIO

Ohio is an All-American state and the birthplace of seven US presidents, as well as the Wright brothers, the first moon-walker and even the term rock ’n’ roll.

Drive around Ohio and eat five-way chilli; meet peaceful Amish farmers; or ride some of the world’s scariest roller-coasters – not forgetting some great car museums! et your motor running in Cleveland, set on Lake Erie and rated as one of America’s most liveable cities. The rich cultural scene ranges from theatre to classical music, with one of America’s finest orchestras.

But, it was here that WJW Radio disc jockey Alan Freed first described 1950s music as

G

20

‘rock and roll’. Hear all about it at the impressive Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, with everything from guitars and original lyrics to the Abbey Road studio mixing board!

For car enthusiasts, the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum is a must, with 200 antique, vintage and classic motors, ranging from an 1897 Panhard-

Levassor to the first Delorean produced, the DMC-12 Coupe.

Driving west, you pass beaches and small resorts along the Lake Erie shore before you reach Sandusky and its increasingly varied collection of attractions, including the legendary amusement park Cedar Point, which boasts a truly world-class collection of coasters and other

Beautiful Columbus hosts the Ohio State Fair

www.discoverohio.com

rides. This is also a good place to stay, with a wide range of lake-side accommodations, from the elegant Hotel Breakers to the fun cottages and cabins of Lighthouse Point – and the amazing year-round indoor water-park of Castaway Bay. Next stop is Toledo, known worldwide for its auto and glass industries.

And, with 5,000 works of art in glass, the Toledo Museum of Art’s glorious Glass Pavilion positively sparkles. Eat as locals have since 1932 – order a spicy hotdog at Tony Packo’s Café on Front Street; ask about their M*A*S*H connection, and the autographed buns!

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OHIO

Further south, Wapakoneta is astronaut Neil Armstrong’s hometown. In the Air & Space Museum, you can relive his ‘one small step’ on the moon in 1969; see a lunar rock, Apollo 11 artefacts, the Gemini VIII spacecraft and much more.

Ohio has long been at the leading edge of new technology.

A century ago, Dayton was buzzing with inventors, most famously the Wright brothers.

Start in the Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, with the Wrights’ original bicycle shop, then move on to Carillon Historic Park.

Also here, just outside

Dayton, is the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the world’s largest and oldest military aviation museum, at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

See 400 planes, including a Sopwith Camel, World War II B-17 bomber Memphis Belle and a Northrop B-2 Spirit, the eerie ‘stealth bomber’.

As well as the original 1905 Wright Flyer III, the first plane capable of properly-controlled flight, the collection includes a Dayton-built 1908 Stoddard Dayton and a 1915 Cyclecar, built in nearby Xenia. Outside Dayton is Huffman Prairie Flying Field, where, nine months after

High thrills – and Snoopy!

– at Cedar Point

hosts te Fair

DON’T MIS S

● CEDA R POINT,

SANDUSKY: don’t wor ry if the collect ion of highadrenaline th rill rides look too formidab s le, there is something fo r ever yone in this eye-catc hing amusem ent park. Planet Snoopy is th eir latest attrac tion, with se ven junior-sized rides, while Cedar Point also boasts a host of show s guaranteed to appeal to all the family .

And, if you ARE up for the big thrills of Millennium Force, Top Th rill Dragster and Maveric k, no-one do es it better anyw here in the world.

Lake Erie

Toledo Sandusky 80

Cleveland 2

90

75

Akron Canton

Wapakoneta

75

Columbus Pickerington

Dayton

71

Kings Island Park

Cincinnati

Berlin

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ROUTE: Round-trip from Cleveland DISTANCE: 600 miles ALLOW: 7 days

the ‘first flight’ at Kitty Hawk, the Flyer completed a full circle, travelling nearly one mile in one minute and 36 seconds. Nearby, the National Museum of the United States Air Force continues the story.

Down on the banks of the mighty Ohio River is Cincinnati. The Queen City is known for handsome homes, riverboats and its role as a border town with the South.

Slaves who escaped north to Ohio inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Her former home is a shrine to the Abolitionist Movement, as is the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Peculiar to the city is Cincinnati-style chilli, served over spaghetti, with a choice: cheese, beans, onions, or the lot!

Outside Cincinnati is the

The Wright Brothers’ workshop

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA DON’T MIS S

Whatever you do in Ohio, there ar e several attractions yo u shouldn’t miss. These include: ● SUPE R SHOPPING : Aurora Farms Premiu m Outlets of fers 70 designer an d name bran ds, including Coa ch, Calvin K lein, Polo Ralph La uren and mor e, all at savings of 25-65% ever y day.

Located in no rth-east Ohio, for information call 330 562 2000 or visit www.prem iumoutlets.c om/ aurora.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

family-friendly theme park King’s Island, which unveils the wicked new Diamondback roller-coaster in 2009 – a 230fttall monster that hits 80mph and covers a rollicking 10 acres along more than 5,000ft of track. Too big? Then there are 18 dedicated kids’ attractions in the award-

OHIO

winning Nickelodeon Universe area.

Next stop is Columbus, the state capital with its fine art galleries and one of the USA’s biggest state fairs in early August. Just outside the capital, in Pickerington, is the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, with

● Longaberger makes baskets, so even their seven-storey HQ in Dresden looks like a giant hand-woven basket! Book up for the ‘Make a Basket’ scheme or play golf on the company’s course, rated in the top 100 in the USA.

STAT SECRETE S

● OHIO RIVER STER NWHEL FESTIVAL, M ARIETTA: ev ery September, O hio’s oldest ci ty celebrates th e riv transported pe erboats that ople and good s, soldiers and gamblers acro ss America.

KELLEYS IS LAND, from MARBLEHEA D: just offsho re in Lake Erie, here you can hike, swim or sip w ine at the Kel ley’s Island Wine Com Inscription Ro pany. See ck, a limesto ne boulder with 300-year-old pictographs of men and an imals carved by the Erie Indians. ●

Columbus Statehouse

● Johnny Appleseed was a real person – John Chapman. Remembered at the Johnny Appleseed Heritage Center in Ashland, this horticulturist and early environmentalist took the apple west across the USA. ● Bowling Green is the home of Snook’s Dream Cars. Dating from the 1930s to the 1960s, the cars are all in working condition, and housed in a replica 1940s Texaco station.

300 classic bikes, from an 1894 Roper Steamer to Steve McQueen’s Scott Super Squirrel.

From noisy bikes, this route leads to the calm of the world’s largest Amish community, north-east of Columbus. In the neatlyfarmed countryside, the Amish wear modest black and shun modern machinery in favour of horse-drawn buggies and ploughs. They also make wonderful quilts and furniture. Learn more at the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center in Berlin.

Then on to Canton, birthplace of professional football – grid-iron style, American football. Back in 1920, some 800 spectators watched the first game of the newly-formed professional league. At the Pro Football Hall of Fame, you can throw a ball and watch great moments on video. But don’t miss the Canton Classic Car Museum, with its rare 1901 curved-dash Oldsmobile and 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz.

Of course, what every car needs is tyres – welcome to Akron, and the Goodyear World of Rubber Museum. It was Charles Goodyear who accidentally invented the vulcanised rubber needed to make hard-wearing tyres and his story is told here, from a reproduction of his workshop to a moon buggy and even an artificial heart.

Return to Cleveland.

GETTING THERE Flights from the UK to Cleveland include – From London Gatwick: Continental Airlines offers seasonal flights.

Flights from the UK to Cincinnati –

Beautiful lakeside Ohio

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From London Gatwick: Delta Airlines provides inbound feeder flights.

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)T S A NATURE LOVER S DREAM $AY "UCKEYE ,AKE 0IEDMONT ,AKE -USKINGUM 2IVER &ISH lSH AND MORE lSH $AY (IKING THROUGH THE (OCKING (ILLS AND RIDING A ZIP LINE OVER THEM 7OW THAT S WAY UP THERE $AY !LL ABOARD THE #UYAHOGA 6ALLEY 3CENIC 2AILROAD /HIO S THE PERFECT BALANCE OF GETTING CLOSER TOGETHER AND GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL AND TOO MUCH FUN FOR JUST ONE DAY

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

Tour history and fun in

PENNSYLVANIA Start in Philadelphia, birthplace of American liberty; travel by horse and buggy; relive historic battles; satisfy your sweet tooth; steep in artistic Americana; uncover evidence of alien invasion; then slow the pace down along sandy beaches, sun-dappled walking trails and serene rural villages.

P

hiladelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, offers more than an extralarge dose of American history, although visiting the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in Independence National Historic Park is practically compulsory.

Stroll through Reading Terminal Market, one of the nation’s oldest farmers’ markets, with its eclectic mix of world cuisine and imported crafts, and the

‘Hipstoric’ Old City area, where hip shops and restaurants jostle with some of Philly’s foremost monuments.

This is also a great sporting city, where you can cheer on the Philadelphia Phillies (baseball), the Eagles (football), 76ers (basketball) and Flyers (ice hockey) while sampling the state’s iconic Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. Families should make for the Philadelphia Zoo, the

hands-on Academy of Natural Sciences and the new Please Touch Museum, while the fashion-conscious mustn’t miss ultra-chic Rittenhouse Square and up-and-coming Northern Liberties.

For the full overview, though, check out Historic Philadelphia, a multi-attraction area and experience offering everything from mini-golf and the unique nightly Lights of Liberty walking

www.visitpa.com

tour/show to Betsy Ross House (home of the first American flag), guided walks (try the Tipplers Tours for something different!) and Once Upon A Nation storytelling benches.

After you have toured Philly, head for King of Prussia and the Valley Forge National Historic Park, honouring the perseverance of Revolutionary War soldiers and citizens during the Continental Army’s 1777 encampment under General George Washington. Listen in at the Storytelling Benches, take a guided Trolley Tour or simply call a special number on your mobile phone and learn about Get ready to scream at Hersheypark!

Lake Erie Presque Isle State Park 17

Erie

59

Warren

6

Towanda

6

6

Galeton

79

Scranton 80

New Castle Evans City

80

28

Sunbury

Mars

Pittsburgh

ROUTE: Round-trip from Philadelphia DISTANCE: 948 miles ALLOW: 11-14 days

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Hershey

New Hope Doylestown

Harrisburg Elizabethtown Bird in Hand King of Prussia Intercourse Mt. Joy Lancaster Gettysburg

Philadelphia

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PENNSYLVANIA

Tour the battlefield at historic Gettysburg

the sites and monuments from the comfort of your car (www. nps.gov/vafo).

Further west is Lancaster County, where softly rolling countryside, handmade quilts and beautifully handcrafted furniture reflect the Amish and Mennonite cultures’ gentle pace.

Discover 21 exquisitely detailed murals painted on buildings along three Mural Trails, starting in downtown Lancaster, heading west to Mount Joy and Elizabethtown, and east through Bird In Hand to Intercourse. Take an Amish buggy ride, sample fresh jams at the Canning Kitchen in Kitchen Kettle Village or explore the heart of Dutch Country’s 28 covered bridges.

Continue on to Gettysburg, site of the nation’s turning-point battle during the Civil War. New in 2008, the Museum and Visitor Center houses more than a million artefacts and archives.

View the Cyclorama painting,

‘The Battle of Gettysburg,’ explore the battlefield and Soldier’s National Cemetery, then witness the bullet holes that still riddle Gettysburg’s buildings!

Stop by the David Wills House in Lincoln Square, where President Abraham Lincoln lodged the night before delivering his Gettysburg Address. In the evening, take a guided ghost tour – family-friendly and far more humorous than horrifying.

Veer north toward state capital Harrisburg. Ply the waters of the mighty Susquehanna on an authentic paddlewheel riverboat, then sweeten the deal with a side trip to Hershey. Tour Hershey’s Chocolate World and the nextdoor amusement park fun of Hersheypark. Wine enthusiasts should continue north to Sunbury, sipping the local ‘grape’ at six vineyards along the Wine Trail.

Next, make the cross-state trek to Pittsburgh, a surprising blend of culture and countryside. www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA PENNSYLVANIA

S DON’T MIS E ● BEHIND TH

Nature takes pride of place

at Erie, Erie situated on Lake Erie’s ULT SCENES VA y lle Va coastline.

Start at the Tom , R TOU azing Forge: this am Ridge Environmental Center n es rarely-see facility featur ts en m cu at Presque Isle gaining an do War Revolutionary overview of the state park s. and artefact through interactive exhibits, a PPING: Be ● SUPER SHO a hi lp de ila short orientation film and, more Ph sure to visit , ts, 150 stores le ut O m directly, the windows of the iu Prem ings Premium or The Cross centre’s 75ft tower. Presque onos) with 85 Outlets (Poc ay Isle itself is a nature-lover’s yd g ever stores, offerin sit www.

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5% -6 dream, boasting miles of 25 savings of .com. ts tle ou m iu hiking, biking and (in winter) prem N, TO G IN SH cross-country skiing trails.

A ● MOUNT W only 300ft up s it’ h: rg Water sports await the bu Pitts t e Incline, bu the Duquesn activity-inclined, while golden d cable car the century-ol . ew vi le beaches lure the relaxationab emor provides a m minded. Bird fanciers should ER, Mill ● FALLINGWAT d oy visit in spring or autumn, Ll Frank Run: architect ng ki ta when the Isle’s 320 species, th Wright’s brea south-west in ce ie rp many of them migratory, te mas is well worth Pennsylvania are most active. as is a second seeking out, ck tu en K Begin your return c, si clas Lloyd Wright Hill. lk ha C by ar Knob, in ne

The amazing Fallingwater

Sample ‘tin-can life’ aboard the submarine USS Requin, roar with dinosaurs, or contemplate masterpiece architectural casts at Carnegie Science Center, Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Museum of Art before challenging your senses at the Andy Warhol Museum.

Irresistible culinary temptations abound in The Strip District; a perfect follow-up to a day of sight-seeing or retail therapy.

For a touch of nature’s artistry, take a side-trip on any of the hundreds of sightseeing trails that crisscross south-west Pennsylvania.

Head north again and you divert into the bizarre, first in Mars, complete with its own alien space ship, and then in Evans City, home of the zombie hordes, at least cinematically. Several scenes from 1968 film Night of the Living Dead were shot in downtown Evans City and the Evans City Cemetery.

Further on is New Castle, 26

the Fireworks Capital of America and home to Warner Brothers’ First Theater. Built in 1907, the original silent film theatre has been carefully recreated within the $10million Cascade Center entertainment complex. Watch a live performance at Stage 3 at the Warner Theatres, have a meal at Mill Street Grille, then cap off the evening with cool jazz at The Basin.

A typical covered bridge

● America’s first piano built in 1775; its first daily newspaper published in 1784; the first medicinal application of oxygen in 1885; and the first car licence plate to carry a state’s website URL all occurred in Philadelphia.

STAT SECRETE S

The Liberty Bell

● Arguably the best-known weather forecaster in the country, Punxsutawney Phil, a reluctant groundhog, emerges from his burrow each year on February 2 (Groundhog Day). If he sees his shadow, the country faces six more weeks of winter; if not, spring will arrive early. Every year, crowds gather at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney to witness Phil’s emergence. ● Established in 1897, northern Pennsylvania’s Route 6 became part of the highway system in 1925, connecting the East Coast to the West Coast and securing its place as one of the country’s longest and most scenic highways.

www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk

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PENNSYLVANIA

Delaware River. Finally, finish your tour in Bucks County, where a host of charming country towns such as New Hope, Doylestown and Quakertown are the gateway to more essential history (at the likes of Washington Crossing Historic Park and the Mercer Museum), natural attractions (like rock-climbing, horse-riding and kayaking) and family fun (at theme park Sesame Place and the Crayola Factory).

Return to Philadelphia.

The historic Capitol building in Philadelphia

GETTING THERE Flights from the UK to Philadelphia include –

journey along historic Route 6, heading east through Allegheny National Forest. Pause for a view of the Kinzua Dam in Warren; hire a canoe for a paddle along the Allegheny River; hike the North Country National Scenic

Trail; or choose a forest path in Galeton, at the Cherry Springs Scenic Area. The Artisan Trail rewards travellers with one-off art galleries, antique shops and boutiques dotted throughout picturesque burghs.

Check out Pine Creek Gorge, the ‘Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania,’ in Towanda before turning south via Scranton to the Delaware Gap National Recreation Area for a rafting adventure down the

From London Heathrow: British Airways, BMI and US Airways all fly direct. From London Gatwick: US Airways and BMI. From Manchester: US Airways and BMI. From Dublin: US Airways.

www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

Savour the drive of

WISCONSIN Take our Grand Circle tour of Wisconsin and discover scenic lake drives and a wide range of outdoor activities; maritime heritage and stunning scenery; a wealth of Native American heritage and the heart of the state’s dairy country; the gateway to the mighty Mississippi; and a surprising range of culture and cuisine OR try a ‘slice’ of the Badger State along Highway 51.

Splashdown! Watery fun in the Wisconsin Dells

ilwaukee is a worthy starting point for any driving tour and sets things up for a taste of the state in every sense. The ‘City of Festivals’ boasts a wide range of ethnic diversity, highlighted by the 11-day Summerfest, one of the largest musical celebrations in the world.

But that’s just the start of attractions both cultural and artistic. The Milwaukee Art Museum is famed for its exterior design as well as its exhibits while the Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin is a hands-on delight for kids of all ages. For a change of pace, the new Harley-Davidson Museum brings the famed bike company’s 100-year history in

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Milwaukee to life with a vast collection of vintage and celebrity motorcycles.

No visit should also pass without a sample of its rich brewing heritage, and that means the Miller Brewing Company, where the free hour-long tour highlights their vast American output. Then stop by the Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion for an eye-opening look at the wealth accumulated by this family beer empire.

Head north along motorway I-43 and enjoy superb views of Lake Michigan for 54 miles before you reach Sheboygan. Here, you can enjoy one of Wisconsin’s many surprising encounters with the arts at the nationally-acclaimed John Michael Kohler Arts Center

www.travelwisconsin.com

WISCONSIN

DON’T MIS S

Whatever yo u do in Wisconsin, th ere are various sigh ts and experiences you shouldn’ t miss. These include: ● WISC ONSIN DEL LS: No family holid ay to Wiscons in is complete with the ‘water-par out a trip to k capital of the world,’ boas ting five outd oor and three in door waterparks, plus fo ur amusemen t parks and a (for visual and performing arts), host of othe r activity-orien tated pursui the Stefanie H Weill Center for ts. ● GANG the Performing Arts (a restored STER COUN TRY: Northern Wis consin was 1928 theatre) and the James the favoured hiding place Tellen Woodland Sculpture of various w ell-known gangsters lik Garden. e Al Capone and John Dill But there is also plenty of inger.

Capone’s se cret ‘retreat’ family fun at the Blue Harbor was near Cou deray, where Resort and its water park, the 400-acre estate remai ns as a seasonal and the Above & Beyond tourist attraction to Children’s Museum – as well day (www. alcaponehide out.com). as some genuinely enticing ● OJIBW cuisine. Wisconsin has quietly E HISTORY, Lac du Flambeau : on the driv developed an alter ego in fine e north to Bay field, this sm dining, so check out the Wine all town is hom e to W Brown Ojib the George Spectator-rated Margaux and we Museum & Cultural C master chef Marcel Biro’s Ó enter, summ er Pow-Wows an d the recrea Restaurant. Or simply tuck ted village of Was wagoning. in to the hearty fare in the ● SUPE R SHOPPIN ‘Bratwurst Capital of the G: at Johnson Cre ek Premium World.’

Outlets - 60 designer and name brand Continue north and you outlets (betw een M adison and M come to stunning Door ilwaukee); premiumoutle ts.com/ johnsoncreek .

Lac du Flambeau

www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk

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WISCONSIN

for 6-8 weeks. There are 10 major scenic driving routes, including Door County; the ‘Cranberry Highway’ (www. cranberryhighway.com); St Croix National Scenic Riverway; and the Great River Road along the Mississippi (www. wigreatriverroad.org).

Arriving in La Crosse affords spectacular views from Granddad Bluff over Wisconsin and neighbouring Minnesota and Iowa; lunch cruises on the Mississippi; and tours of the Victorian Hixon House. Then head east, via Spring Green – home to renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his visionary Taliesin house, and the amazing House on the Rock of rival Alex Jordan – to state capital Madison.

The downtown area features the majestic Capitol building and University campus, plus State Street Mall, full of eclectic shops, restaurants and cultural opportunities like the Overture Center for the Arts.

Madison is also the ideal point from which to tour the neighbouring Europeaninfluenced towns like New Glarus, ‘America’s Little Switzerland,’ Mount Horeb (and its Norwegian ‘Trollway’) and Stoughton, with the colourful Syttende Mai festival every May. Return to Milwaukee.

The Stately state capital of Madison

Bayfield’s Applefest

County, with 300 miles of coastline and five state parks for a journey into the totally picturesque. Explore superb golf courses, scenic hikes, surprisingly rich performing arts scene (especially for jazz and touring theatre groups) and charming harbourside towns, like Norwegian-tinged Ephraim, Fish Creek, at the entrance to Peninsula State Park, and the birding and hiking centre of Baileys Harbour. Sturgeon Bay boasts the Door County Maritime Museum, the Miller Art Center and Potawatomi State Park for contrasting views of local arts and nature.

Retrace your steps slightly via Green Bay (where Lambeau Field is one of the premier venues for American football,

GETTING THERE Flights from the UK to Milwaukee include – From London Heathrow: United Airlines provide flights via Chicago, as do British Airways/ American Airlines; Northwest fly via Minneapolis/St Paul and Detroit. From London Gatwick: Northwest fly via Detroit.

From Dublin: Aer Lingus and Northwest/KLM via London or Amsterdam.

● Fans of TV series Happy Days should seek out the new bronze statue of The Fonz (aka actor Henry Winkler) which graces the Milwaukee Riverwalk scene and celebrates the show’s city links.

STAT SECRETE S

● Wisconsin’s Marathon County is America’s ginseng capital, producing some 95% of the highly-valued medicinal root. Visit Hsu’s Ginseng Enterprises in Wausau for the full insight into this unusual business. ● The small city of Hayward is home to the annual Lumberjack World Championships every July, which makes for an eyecatching spectacle for casual visitors and draws competitors from as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

and Heritage Hill history centre offers a hands-on look at the region’s past), then head west to Wausau, a regional hub on the Wisconsin River. The downtown district features the 1920s-era Grand Theater and Marathon County Historical Museum, plus Whitewater Park, which stages world-rated kayak competitions each summer. Outside town, witness Wisconsin’s largest dairy, Van Der Geest’s, which boasts more than 3,000 cows with milking three times a day!

Going north to Bayfield brings you to the south shore of Lake Superior, and the delightful Apostle Islands, where lighthouse tours and beautiful sailing are the order of the day. Then go south through the Chippewa Valley to Claire. Beer fans should Eau Claire stop at Chippewa Falls for the free Leinenkugel’s Brewery tour and gift-shop.

This is also a prime area for Fall Foliage tours, when much of Wisconsin bursts into vivid autumn colour to rival anywhere in America from late-September

20 Lake Superior CIRCLE TOUR ROUTE: Round–trip from Milwaukee DISTANCE: 1,190 miles ALLOW: 12 days

Bayfield

2

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53

Fish Creek Wausau

Chippewa Falls

Eau Claire

Sturgeon Bay

29

Green Bay

93

43

La Crosse

Ephraim Baileys Harbour

72

Lake Michigan

Sheboygan

14 43

Madison

Spring Green Mt. Horeb

Stoughton

Milwaukee Lake Erie

New Glarus

www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk

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GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

F

or a more modest sample of the Badger state – but still an indepth look at its charms – try the north-south style of Highway 51.

From historical brewpubs and farmers markets to tranquil state parks and national forests, this is Wisconsin’s answer to Route 66, beginning in Hurley, near Lake Superior and home to more than 50 waterfalls.

Visitors and outdoor enthusiasts alike travel here year-round for a wide variety of activities, including boating and fishing in Minocqua and Manitowish Waters; white-water rafting on the Wisconsin River; visiting ginseng farms; and bird-watching in Stevens Point. You also get another chance to visit the great cultural city of Madison and the University of Wisconsin’s largest campus.

Highway 51 provides direct access to many of Wisconsin’s state parks, museums and

30

Kayaking is a popular Wisconsin pursuit

Lake Superior

Hurley Manitowish Waters Minocqua Tomahawk

Stevens Point

HIGHWAY 51 FROM: Hurley TO: Beloit DISTANCE: 310 miles ALLOW: 5 days

Madison

Beloit

historical districts. Little Bohemia in Manitowish Waters is famous Lake for a shoot-out Michigan between gangster John Dillinger and the FBI during America’s prohibition period (www.littlebohemialodge. com), while Beloit is home to the world’s largest Angel Museum, including 500 donated

by Oprah Winfrey.

And you can also get your fill of Wisconsin – quite literally. With the state known for its food and beer, great places to stop include the Big Moose Supper Club (Tomahawk) for traditional food or the Stevens Point Brewery, for a taste of both traditional food and plains-brewed beer. Now that’s what we call a tour!

www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk

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S: 183 mm

Become a morning person.

S: 268 mm

11,000 inland lakes • Over 19 million acres of forest • 10,000 miles of scenic trails • More than 850 golf courses

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TOUR OPERATORS

GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

UK TOUR OPERATORS

AMERICA AS YOU LIKE IT ★★★★★★★★★ 2 Oxford House, 24 Oxford Road North London W4 4DH Tel: 0208 742 8299 Fax: 0208 747 4331 www.americaasyoulikeit.com

BRITISH AIRWAYS HOLIDAYS Waterside, PO Box 365 Harmondsworth West Drayton UB7 0GB Tel: 0870 243 4224

★★

★★

AMERICAN & WORLDWIDE TRAVEL★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 1 Lonsdale Gardens Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU Tel: 01892 511894 Fax: 01892 779904 email: info@awwt.co.uk www.awwt.co.uk

BOOK A TRIP East House, 109 South Worple Way London SW14 8TN Tel: 0870 2244877 www.bookatrip.com

★★

★

AMERICAN HOLIDAYS ★★★ 18 Duke Street, DUBLIN 2, Ireland Tel: 00 353 1 673 3800 email: info@americanholidays.com www.americanholidays.com AMERICA OPTIONS Travel Options Direct 28 Churton Street London SW1 V2LP Tel: 0845 345 1212 www.americaoptions.com

★

★★

ARCHERS DIRECT ★★★★ National Call Centre Ground Floor, Dale House Tiviot Dale Stockport, SK1 1TB Tel: 0871 423 8426 Fax: 0871 423 8498 email:archersadmin@archersdirect.co.uk www.archersdirect.co.uk

★

AIRLINE NETWORK The Trident Centre, Port Way Ribble Docklands Preston, Lancshire PR2 2QG Tel: 0870 700 0514 www.airline-network.co.uk

★★

ALL AMERICA ★★★ Riverside Business Centre Riverside Road, Lowestoft NR33 0TQ Tel: 0870 380 0004 Fax: 0870 380 0005 www.allamericaholidays.com

★

★

BON VOYAGE ★★★★★★★★★ 16 - 18 Bellevue Road Southampton, Hampshire SO15 2AY Tel: 0800 3163008 email:sales@bon-voyage.co.uk www.bon-voyage.co.uk

★

★★★★

BEST AT TRAVEL ★★★ 10 Berners Mews, London W1T 3AP Tel: 0870 709 3020 www.bestattravel.co.uk

★★

★

CARAVAN ABROAD 14 Rural Way, Redhill Surrey RH1 4BT Tel: 01737 760473 Fax: 01737 789616 email: info@caravanabroad.com www.caravanabroad.co.uk CAN AMERICA 67 Middle Abbey Street Dublin 1, Ireland Tel: 00 353 1 872 0444 Fax:+353 1 8720500 email:info@canamerica.ie www.canamerica.ie

★

CAN BE DONE LTD 11 Woodcock Hill Harrow HA3 0XP Tel: 020 8907 2400 Fax: 020 8908 1854 email: holidays@canbedone.co.uk www.canbedone.co.uk

★

★★

★

★

★

★

CARRIER LIMITED Lakeside, Cheadle Cheshire, SK8 3GW Tel: 0161 491 7640 email: aspects@carrier.co.uk www.carrier.co.uk

★

CASSIDY TRAVEL Liffy Street, Dublin, Ireland Tel: +353 1 873 5000 www.cassidytravel.com

★

COSMOS COACH TOURS LTD ★★ Wren Court, 17 London Road Bromley, Kent BR1 1DE Tel: 0871 622 4648 Fax: 0870 264 6065 www.cosmostourama.co.uk

COLLETTE WORLDWIDE HOLIDAYS Unit11, Brook Business Centre Cowley Mill Road, Uxbridge Middlesex UB8 2FX Tel: 0800 804 8701 Fax: 01895 233 643 email: sales@colletteworldwide.com www.collettevacations.co.uk COMPLETE NORTH AMERICA LTD ★ Colwick Quays Business Park Private Road No. 2, Colwick Nottingham, NG4 2JY Tel: 0845 263 7100 Fax: 0845 263 7177 email: enquiry@completenorthamerica.co.uk www.completenorthamerica.co.uk

Tailormade Holidays City & Resort Stays Fly Drive Coach Tours Apartments/Villas Motorhome Special Interest Bed & Breakfast Activity/Adventure Holidays

Tailormade Holidays City & Resort Stays Fly Drive Coach Tours Apartments/Villas Motorhome Special Interest Bed & Breakfast Activity/Adventure Holidays

Tailormade Holidays City & Resort Stays Fly Drive Coach Tours Apartments/Villas Motorhome Special Interest Bed & Breakfast Activity/Adventure Holidays

Tailormade Holidays City & Resort Stays Fly Drive Coach Tours Apartments/Villas Motorhome Special Interest Bed & Breakfast Activity/Adventure Holidays

Finding your Great Lakes holiday couldn’t be easier – just glance through our comprehensive list of all UK tour operators featuring the region and take your pick from the list of specialists in nine different categories.

★

★

CONTIIKI HOLIDAYS Wells House, 15 Elmfield Road Bromley, Kent BR1 1LS Tel: 0208 290 6422 Fax: 0208 225 4222 www.contiki.com

★

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES VACATIONS UK ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ One Elmfield Park Bromley, Kent BR1 1LU Tel: 0870 942 7070 email: info@covacations.co.uk www.covacations.co.uk

★

★★

CONNECTIONS WORLDWIDE ★★★ The Old Registery, 20 Amersham Hill High Wycombe, Bucks HP13 6NZ Tel: 01293 455330 www.connectionsworldwide.co.uk

★

★★

CRESTA ★★★★ ★★ Tabley Court, Victoria Street Altincham, Cheshire WA14 1EZ Tel: 0870 333 3303 www.crestaholidays.co.uk DIAL A FLIGHT ★ ★ Sandpiper House 39 Queen Elizabeth Street London SE1 2BT Tel: 0870 333 4488 www.dialaflight.co.uk DREAMTICKET ★ 345 Lower Addiscombe Rd Croyden, Surrey CR0 6RG Tel: 0845 880 0248 www.dreamticket.com ELEGANT RESORTS ★ ★ ★ ★★ The Old Palace, Chester CH1 1RB Tel: 01244 897 222 Fax: 01244 897 220 email: enquiries@elegantresorts.co.uk www.elegantresorts.co.uk EBOOKERS.COM ★★ ★★★★ Fleetway House, 25 Farringdon Street London EC4A 4AB Tel: 0870 888 7711 Fax: 0207 489 2200 www.ebookers.com FIRST CLASS HOLIDAYS ★★ ★ ★ Trafford House, Chester Rd Manchester M32 0RS Tel: 0845 644 3545 Fax: 0845 644 3550 email: usa@1stclassholidays.com www.1stclassholidays.com FFESTINIOG TRAVEL ★ Harbour Station, Porthmadog Gwynedd LL49 9NF Tel: 01766 512400 Fax: 01766 514715 email: info@ffestiniogtravel.co.uk www.festtravel.co.uk

WIN A TRIP TO “DRIVE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA!”

We are offering the chance to win a FREE 9-night holiday for two to the Great Lakes region. The winner will fly from Manchester or London to Chicago on BMI Airlines and stay for 9 nights while driving through much of this breathtaking area. There’s no better way to experience our unique destination than driving along the scenic highways and byways, offering fascinating side-trips into our wonderful state parks, small towns and timeless scenery. You’ll also be able to sample one of America’s most spectacular cities, Chicago.

From CHICAGO airport, you will collect a hire car and drive to INDIANA for a 2-night stay in Amish country. Then you will head north through MICHIGAN along the shore

GL09 insert.indd 1

of Lake Michigan, staying 2 nights in scenic harbour villages. Next, you cross the lake at Ludington on a passenger ferry (fare not included in prize) to Manitowoc, WISCONSIN, from where you drive to the Door

County region for another 2 nights.

Then it’s on to MILWAUKEE, where you have one night before heading back to Chicago to return your hire car and enjoy 2 more nights in the Windy City before flying home.

Just fill out our competition entry below and send it to the address at the bottom of the form. Deadline for entry is April 30 2009. The winner will be drawn at random from all entries and notified by May 10.

For complete Terms and Conditions and for information on holidays in the Great Lakes visit www.greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk. Free tourist info guides are available on 08456 020 574.

Name Address Telephone Email Please tick here if you do not want to receive further information from Great Lakes of North America.

Send your completed entry form to: Great Lakes of North America, c/o Cellet Travel Services Ltd, Brook House, 47 High Street, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, B95 5AA.

14/10/08 12:41:22