Itineraries Midwest Winter 2015-16

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56 South 33rd Avenue, #234 | St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301 320-259-1082 | 877-832-7267 | Fax: 763-201-7945 info@itinerariesinc.com | www.itinerariesmidwest.com Heather J. Lahren | PUBLISHER heather@itinerariesinc.com Mackenzie Lahren | PROJECT MANAGER mackenzie@itinerariesinc.com Eric Beuning | ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Independent eric@itinerariesinc.com Debi Burger | SALES REPRESENTATIVE debi@itinerariesinc.com Chris Reber | WEB DESIGNER/PROGRAMMER chris@itinerariesinc.com Ashley Nelson | ASSOCIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNER; MARKETING MANAGER | ashley@itinerariesinc.com Carinna K. Hard Bullemer | ART DIRECTOR HARD AT WORK Design, inc. | carinna@hardatworkdesign.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Heather Lahren, Kathleen Somers, Ashley Nelson, and Mackenzie Lahren | ITINERARIES Inc. Britt Aamodt, Chelsea Einerwold We make every effort to be as accurate as possible, but assume no responsibility for errors or omissions found in this magazine or any other corporate publications produced by ITINERARIES Inc. Proud Members of: Tour Minnesota Association (TMA) & American Bus Association (ABA) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ITINERARIES Inc. 56 South 33rd Avenue #234, St. Cloud, MN 56301 PHOTO CREDITS Albert Lea CVB, Alpenfest, American Music & Vintage Arts Fest, Arch Camp, The Archway, Baraboo’s Big Top Parade & Circus Celebration, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Chicago Flower and Garden Show, Greater Des Moines CVB, Dodge City CVB, Eagan Convention & Visitors Bureau, Explore Minnesota, Explore Southern Minnesota, Feast of Nations, Garden Glow, Harold Warp Pioneer Village, Indian Summer Festival, International Carillon Festival, International Festival, Jacksonville Area CVB, Lakota Ways, Lutsen Mountains, Mackinac Island, Mall of America, Medora CVB, MN River Valley National Scenic Byway, Nebraska Firefighters Museum & Education Center, Norsk Hostfest, North Dakota Tourism, Northfield CVB, Nouveau Wine Weekend, Old Creamery Theatre, Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway, Pictured Rocks Boat Cruises, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, Plymouth Playhouse, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, Route 66, SnowFest 2016, South Dakota Office of Tourism, St. Cloud Area CVB, St. Joseph CVB, Visit St. Louis, Thunderhead Brewery, Topeka Visitors Bureau, Trainland U.S.A. , Travel Iowa, Travel Manitoba, United Tribes International Powwow, Wadena Area Chamber of Commerce, The Wallace Centers of Iowa, Warrens Cranberry Festival, Winter Wonderland, Worthington Area Chamber/CVB COPYRIGHT 2015-16

Coming Spring/Summer 201 6 !

Guy Getaways Breweries, car shows, sporting events, outdoor adventures, golf, gaming and more…this issue will become your new favorite travel tool when planning that perfect “man-cation” for your group. You’ve heard of girlfriend getaways. Well, this issue caters to the group that prefers things a little more rugged.

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letter from

the publisher Dear Planner, Many of our readers have commented that they love to refer back to our past magazines in order to find group tour ideas. So rather than a specific theme for this issue, we’ve decided to dig through our Itineraries library and dust off our favorite tours, give them an updated makeover, and present them to you once again!

This issue covers everything from cars to wineries, farming to festivals. Discover endless shopping opportunities in Minnesota, travel back to the Wild West in North Dakota, then steer your motorcoach to South Dakota for a breathtaking drive along scenic byways and vistas. Or start your tour in Iowa, where unique arts & crafts await. Then indulge in food festivals in Illinois and Native American culture in Wisconsin. You’ll also find one of our all-time favorite itineraries, featuring a 14-day trip between the U.S. and Canada. If variety is what your groups have been looking for, then look no further!

Now read on to discover Itineraries Midwest’s greatest hits! And stay tuned for an all new, never-before-seen theme for our next issue!

Best Regards, Heather J. Lahren, CEO - Publisher

table of contents

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winter 2015-16 iowa featuring

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michigan

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Main Street Across Nebraska

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St. Joseph Arts & Culture

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festivals ABA’s Top 100 Events of 2016

City Nights & Northern Lights

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calendar of events

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Best of Itineraries Midwest: It’s a blast from the past as Itineraries pays tribute to its most memorable group tours.

Since 2001, our magazine has highlighted a wide variety of group tour ideas including festivals, scenic byways, agri-tourism, theatre, wineries and many more. This magazine is chock-full of motorcoach-friendly tours for a wide range of interests.

Read ITINERARIES Midwest Online. Ads hotlinked to websites. www.itinerariesmidwest.com

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festivals

Congratulations to these events for being selected as part of the

American Bus Association’s

TOP 100 EVENTS OF 2016 With the release of the American Bus Association’s 2016 Top 100 Events in North America, ABA is celebrating its 34th year of this coveted annual list. What began as a way for motorcoach operators to incorporate new products into their itineraries has grown into one of the most sought-after lists by travel professionals, motorcoach operators and the general public. The following list showcases the events taking place in the Midwest.

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ABA TOP 100 EVENTS OF 2016

ILLINOIS 1-International Carillon Festival Springfield, IL June 1–5, 2016 www.carillon-rees.org/events/ carillon-festival The International Carillon Festival is located in historic Washington Park. This free event also has tours available for your group and features evening concerts by some of the world’s best carillonneurs. Allow 30 minutes for your tours.

5-Alpenfest Gaylord, MI June 12–16, 2016 www.gaylordalpenfest.com Alpenfest is Gaylord’s unofficial annual homecoming weekend. Home of the “World’s Largest Coffee Break,” Gaylord’s beautiful Alpine Village Main Street transforms into the Alpenstrasse. The event includes a pancake breakfast, main street arts & crafts fair, ethnic foods and a parade.

MISSOURI KANSAS 2-Tulip Time in Topeka

6-American Music & Vintage Arts Fest

Topeka, KS April 4–24, 2016 www.visittopeka.com

Branson, MO April 27–28, 2016 www.bransontravelplanning.com

This two-week event gives visitors the opportunity to explore more than 100,000 tulips and daffodils as they bloom around the city in three locations: Lake Shawnee’s Ted Ensley Botanical Gardens, Old Prairie Town in Ward-Meade Historical Park and Doran Rock Garden. Each location has its own events.

Branson’s largest springtime event offers you the opportunity to sample some of Branson’s top 20 entertainers during two days of matinee performances. Guests have the opportunity to win prizes throughout the event.

3-Dodge City Days

St. Louis, MO June 25, 2016–Feb 12, 2017

Dodge City, KS July 29–August 7, 2016 www.dodgecitydays.com This is a 10-day celebration hosting more than 50 events, including the award-winning PRCA Hall of Fame Dodge City Rodeo.

Come see why TIME Magazine named Dodge City’s Roundup Rodeo one of the “50 Authentic American Experiences.”

Located in one of the country’s last remaining Wild West towns, it’s the “Greatest Show on Dirt!”

MICHIGAN 4-Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Mackinac Island, MI June 3–12, 2016 www.mackinacisland.org This 10-day festival is one of the Island’s biggest attractions. Enjoy “A Taste of Mackinac,” held on the lawn of the Harbour View Inn and surrounded by some of the Island’s oldest lilacs. Sample culinary favorites from local chefs, wine tasting, and more. Other festivities include the coronation of the Lilac Festival Queen & Court, Grand Hotel History Lecture, horse drawn carriage tours, numerous concerts, and boat cruises under the Mackinac Bridge.

7-Route 66: Main Street Through St. Louis www.mohistory.org/route66 Explore the local history of this world-famous highway known as The Mother Road. Hear stories about the motels and tourist traps that could be found along the road as it meandered through St. Louis. All reserved groups receive meet/greet orientation with coupons for use in the Museum Store.

comedy and variety acts. Dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt’s time in the Badlands, the Medora Musical is brand-new each year and celebrates the spirit of the West.

10-United Tribes International Powwow Bismarck, ND September 8–11, 2016 www.unitedtribespowwow.com This annual powwow attracts more than 1,800 dancers and representatives from more than 70 tribes, making this one of the largest gatherings in the North Central States.

Enjoy arts & crafts, food vendors, traditional ceremonies and more.

11-Norsk Høstfest Minot, ND Sept 27–Oct 1, 2016 www.hostfest.com America’s premier Scandinavian festival celebrates the Scandinavian culture and cuisine of Nordic countries. Enjoy one day or take in all four days to see several free stages of entertainment and amazing performances in the Great Hall of Vikings.

The food will not disappoint!

WISCONSIN 12-Baraboo’s Big Top Parade & Circus Celebration Baraboo, WI July 23, 2016 www.bigtopparade.com

St. Louis, MO Nov 19, 2016–Jan 1, 2017

Baraboo is the historic home of the world famous Ringling Bros. Circus. The main event is the Big Top Parade, featuring more than 75 circus and community entries, including antique circus wagons, animals, clowns, and bands.

www.mobot.org

13-Warrens Cranberry Festival

The Missouri Botanical Garden transforms into Garden Glow each winter, featuring more than a half million lights. Walkways become sensory light tunnels with installations along the pathways, giving the feel of a fairyland.

Take time to shop at the Garden Gate Shop.

Warrens, WI September 23–24, 2016

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N O RT H D A K O TA 9-Medora Musical

www.cranfest.com The world’s largest cranberry festival in Warrens, Wisconsin has something for everyone, including shopping, contests, marsh tours, and a parade. The festival boasts 850 arts & crafts booths, 350 flea market & antique booths, and 100 farm market vendors.

Medora, ND June 3–Sept 10, 2016 www.medora.com Experience this Wild West musical under the Badlands sky in the 2,900-seat Burning Hills Amphitheatre. This outdoor production features singing, dancing, and nationally known

To view the complete list, visit www.buses.org.

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It’s Showtime!

Timeless

TTripping Let’s start with your business. You know, bringing groups together and loading them on a motorcoach and taking them to destinations. It’s fun, right? Yes, I know it’s a lot of hard work, but there is also a real sense of accomplishment when you know you’ve done a good job. Everyone had a great time and the entire experience was a net positive. So once in awhile it’s nice to reflect back on what worked, what was a huge success, and where your greatest sense of pride came from. This time of year just lends itself to that sort of reflection.

So here at Itineraries, we thought it would be fun to highlight some of our favorite attractions over the years since we were first published back in 2002. Then it occurred to me that choosing a favorite theme, destination, or magazine might be a little like trying to choose your favorite child. It all depends on the day of the week, stage of development, or at my age, who called home most recently. So instead, I have decided to highlight some of my most memorable tour ideas. Hoping you enjoy what we have put together for you, we also would like to encourage you to reflect on your own successes. Perhaps it will inspire you to bring back some old favorites.

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In the spring of 2010, Itineraries Midwest had the theme of “Theaters Big and Small.” We shared some of the advantages of taking your groups to the theatre. I still love that idea, perhaps because I have always loved live theatre, and the group experience just makes it even better. From professional Broadway type performances to local theatre experiences, groups love live theatre, and planners love to give their groups the opportunity. It’s a match made in heaven. Many of the Midwest’s playhouses, big and small, cater to the group tour market, offering discounts, free parking, arrival receptions, behind-the-scenes tours and other options tailored to make your job easier and entice repeat business. It’s a win-win-win: good for you, good for them, and great for your groups.

The Midwest is home to every style of theatre available, without the sticker shock of a New York play.

You’ll find dramas and comedies, farces and street plays, elaborate productions with huge casts and sets, or small one man/woman shows with little more than a spotlight. There are summer stock theatre festivals, paddleboat showboats, city park productions and church basement ladies—or anything in between! Plays are a group experience like no other.

Shows can be the sole reason for a group outing or combined with a much larger and longer trip. They can be a reason to get dressed up and show off your finest, or a casual outdoor amphitheatre experience. Even the

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theatrical houses can be an attraction in and of themselves. With options running the whole gamut, it just makes good sense to include a little drama in your trips…the good kind.

Wine Country Once considered strictly the domain of France, winemaking became a popular fascination with Americans when California wines started winning awards and making a name for themselves. Today, you don’t have to travel to California wine country to tour a vineyard. Every state in the Midwest is producing wines, with tours and tasting, and some are pretty darn good. Oh, I admit, I have been on some terribly boring tours where I felt I had to drink just to tolerate them. But I have also been on some excellent tours that were so surprisingly entertaining and fun that I just couldn’t help but rave. How do you know ahead of time where the good ones are? We don’t know. Seems like trial and error, word of mouth, and experience are your best bets.

That’s why Itineraries Midwest has decided to run a little CONTEST. I place wine tours in the same category as breweries.

While not all groups will lend themselves to such outings, both tour types can be fun and educational for your groups. Some will involve walking through the vineyard; some will offer a large gift shop, tasting and other amenities. Wineries can be as unique as the wines themselves. There are wine/brewery trails that can take days to complete, or you

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can make one specific winery the object of your daytrip.

Just as any good wine can be paired with a complimentary food, your wine tasting tour can be paired with any number of destinations as part of a day’s outing or multi-day trip.

In Wisconsin, we once toured a cheese factory that culminated in shopping their store for cheese, and you guessed it, wines.

Brewery/wine tours complement each other, but also go well with restaurants, theatre, or agriculture themes. So popular is the idea, Itineraries has highlighted the theme at least twice since the magazine began (summer 2002, summer 2007). If you are not familiar with this type of tour, a couple items to be aware of: states have different laws around sending wine through the mail, so be sure you work with the winery if you want your group to be able to ship

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7 days a week, but most are not. Some are more seasonal.

You can be sure the ones advertising in Itineraries are eager to serve your group.

Just make sure you get all your details straight from the winery before booking.

Down on the Farm Emerging as one of the most popular types of group travel is agricultural tourism. You might recognize the similarity between wineries and agri-tours because, after all, vineyards are growing crops like any other farmer. Still there’s a difference. In winter of 2012 we wrote about the Loess Hills area of Iowa, specifically Honey Creek Creamery and a goat herder named Sharon Oamek (“Kids Make the Darndest Tours!”).

That’s just one example of why Agritourism World reports 89% of groups are planning to include agri-tourism in future travel, and 87% would recommend

your group back to nature and down on the farm. Consider tulip bulb festivals, horticultural gardens or berry picking.

Have you been to Wisconsin’s Cranberry Discovery Center and Wetherby Cranberry Company? One of the best tours I have personally enjoyed was at Wetherby’s.

Or maybe think outside the box a little with a horse ballet at Tempel Farms in Illinois (home of the Lipizzans), or a Bees & Blossoms Tour at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska, or tapping the sugar maples in Minnesota.

The more you think about it, the more ideas you’ll come up with. And along the way your group will be exposed to some of North America’s most stunning vistas. Pretty prairie lands or beautiful Black Hills trails can be part of the adventure.

Scenic byways and the Great Mississippi River Road could make getting there half the fun. Remember to include

Evaluate and submit your favorite (or not-so-favorite) wine tours for a chance to win a PRIZE! All evaluations will be posted online.

Details and deadlines can be accessed on our website at www.itinerariesmidwest.com.

wines home. Not all tasting rooms charge – it’s best to know before you go. Many will have a gift shop, but not all. Some will require more time than others. What about food? Some offer food and entertainment, some are open

farm/market visits to friends and family. Fresh air tours feed the soul as well as the mind. Choose a hay wagon ride, apple picking, corn maze or visit a working farm.

America’s Midwest is a treasure trove of opportunities to get

interactive presentations like state parks and arboretums offer. The Midwest, with her vibrant natural settings, will stimulate all the senses, making your agri-tourism adventure unforgettable.

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City Nights & Northern Lights A 14-day Two Nation sample itinerary.

Lake Audy -Riding Mountain National Park

Travel to one of the most diverse and unspoiled destinations on the North American continent. The northern lights still appear in the night skies in remote areas, yet the cities offer a wealth of entertainment and shopping temptations. Great for groups of all ages!

Minneapolis & Saint Paul, MN 9:00 am – 12:00 pm The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul are not identical twins. Minneapolis’ contemporary, sleek skyscrapers contrast with Saint Paul’s European-style architecture. Enjoy a city tour including Minneapolis’ Nicollet Mall, Guthrie Theater, Walker Art Center and Sculpture Garden. In Saint Paul, the Victorian homes on Summit Avenue lead to the Saint Paul Cathedral, State Capitol, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Science Museum of Minnesota, James J. Hill House, & the Minnesota History Center.

12 – 6:00 pm Groups are greeted upon arrival at Mall of America®.

A mall representative will assist with shopping materials and share some of the history of this “city within a city.” The USA’s largest shopping/ entertainment center beckons shoppers with over 520 stores for tax-free shopping and 50 restaurants that appeal to a variety of tastes.

6 – 11:00 pm Enjoy an evening of entertainment in the Hennepin Avenue Theater District, Chanhassen Dinner

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Earth lodge -Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

Theater, or the Plymouth Playhouse.

Minneapolis/Saint Paul to Bemidji, MN (230 miles) 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Travel the Great River Road along the Mississippi River to Little Falls, MN. Relive Charles Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic with a visit to the Lindbergh Home and Interpretive Center.

12 – 1:30 pm In Bemidji, a giant statue of Paul Bunyan, mythical giant lumberjack, stands by Lake Bemidji with his blue ox, Babe. Legend says Paul’s footsteps formed Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes when he and Babe took a walk after a rainstorm.

1:30 – 5:00 pm In nearby Itasca State Park, the Mississippi River trickles out of a spring-fed lake, beginning its 2,552mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors can walk across the headwater stones or a log bridge.

Naturalist-guided excursions are available.

day two

Bemidji, MN to Winnipeg, MB (229 miles) 8:00 am – 1:00 pm From Bemidji, travel north to Winnipeg (Manitoba’s capital), a cosmopolitan city with an exciting and diverse range of attractions, activities, dining, shopping and people.

1 – 3:00 pm With roots as an early fur trade hub, and later a gateway

day three

to Canada’s pioneer west and a center of commerce, Winnipeg boasts rich history. Explore stunning turnof-the-century architecture while strolling the streets of the Exchange District, a National Historic Site, and taste the old world charm of over 45 restaurants and cafés.

3 – 5:00 pm Climb aboard a replica ship from the fur trade era at The Manitoba Museum, or take a glimpse into the life of a voyageur at Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site. Tour the Royal Canadian Mint to see how Canada makes their currency.

5 – 9:00 pm Spend a little time at one of the city’s two casinos.

Evening activities include dinner theatre, Broadway musicals, gaming and dining.

Year-round festivals dot the social calendar of this urban oasis on the prairie. The world’s largest multicultural festival, Folklorama, in August and February’s “Kitchen Party” at the Festival du Voyageur are just two of the over 140 festivals you can enjoy throughout the year.

Winnipeg to Riding Mountain National Park, MB (142 miles) 12 – 4:00 pm Heading west along the Trans-Canada/Yellowhead Highway, take time to smell the lilies at Neepawa’s Lily Nook and visit the Margaret Laurence Museum, a living memorial to its author. Turn north onto

day four

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CITY NIGHTS & NORTHERN LIGHTS

Journey Museum -Rapid City, SD

The Manitoba Museum -Winnipeg

Highway 10 and end up in Riding Mountain National Park, a wild and wonderful mecca with its cool lakes, rushing rivers and dense green forests. It is home to elk, deer, black bear and other magnificent wildlife, along with its own herd of bison, which roam the range at Lake Audy.

4:00 pm Enjoy the evening at the nearby townsite of Wasagaming or Clear Lake, located in the heart of Riding Mountain National Park. They offer shops, restaurants, a movie theater, a museum, visitor center, marina, accommodations and a championship golf course.

Riding Mountain National Park to Boissevain, MB (115 miles) 9 – 11:00 am Depart early and spot the wildlife as you drive south to Brandon. This is Manitoba’s second largest city with a population of 47,000.

11:00 am – 2:00 pm Rich agricultural heritage is showcased at the Daly House Museum and the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, where pilots from throughout the Commonwealth trained for World War II. 2 – 5:00 pm A warm prairie welcome awaits you in Boissevain, voted one of Canada’s most beautiful towns. It features outdoor art murals, the Moncur Gallery, the Irvin Goodon International Wildlife Museum, Walkinshaw Place’s map of Canada fields, and

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Dueck’s Cedar Chalet for a homemade meal.

5 – 7:00 pm Boissevain is located just north of the International Peace Garden in Dunseith, North Dakota. This 2,339-acre botanical garden commemorates peace between the U.S. and Canada. It has 155,000 flowers and is open all year with peak flowers in July and August.

Dunseith to Minot, ND (90 miles) 9 – 10:30 am The Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway covers 24 miles through the tree-covered Turtle Mountains with beautiful lakes, lush foliage and an abundance of wildlife.

10:30 am – 12:00 pm In Minot, visit the Scandinavian Heritage Park. This Nordic heritage park features the Gol Stave Church Museum, a Danish windmill, Finnish sauna, a 240year-old Norwegian log house, a replica stabbur, Swedish Dala horse, and visitor center.

12 – 3:00 pm The Roosevelt Zoo offers educational displays, zoo tours and more than 200 mammals, birds and reptiles.

3 – 4:00 pm Tour and sample wines at Pointe of View Winery.

North Dakota’s first bonded and commercial winery offers a variety of experiences on North Dakota native fruits and sampling of the product.

4 – 6:00 pm Minot’s unique restaurants offer entrées ranging from pheasant to elk, in addition to standard selections.

day six

Minot to Bismarck, ND (110 miles) 9:00 am – 12:30 pm Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in Stanton was home to the Mandan and Hidatsa Indians and last occupied in 1845. This site has remains of three Hidatsa villages, with 210 depressions and the home of Sakakawea, as well as a modern museum, visitor center and a reconstructed earth lodge. Open year round.

12:30 – 3:30 pm In Washburn, the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center is a world-class interpretive site along the route Lewis and Clark traveled on their “voyage of discovery” more than 200 years ago. Nearby is the reconstructed site of Fort Mandan, winter home of Lewis and Clark, the Corps, and Sakakawea from 1804-1805.

3:30 – 6:00 pm In Bismarck, you can choose from a variety of activities. The North Dakota Heritage Center has one of the world’s largest collections of Plains Indian artifacts, second only to the Smithsonian. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, located on the banks of the Missouri River, includes On-A-Slant Indian Village—a Mandan Indian village which thrived for 200 years. Near the village is the Fort Abraham Lincoln Visitors Museum, displaying exhibits relating to the life of the Mandan Indians and the military history of the fort. Before you leave the park, tour the 7th Cavalry Commissary, barracks, horse stables and

day seven

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the Custer House—the last home and command of General George and Libbie Custer.

6 – 9:00 pm Conclude the day with a relaxing ride on the Lewis and Clark Riverboat.

Bismarck to Medora, ND (128 miles) 9 – 11:00 am Make a stop in Richardton at Assumption Abbey, a historic Bavarian Romanesque Catholic Church built in 1909 and identified by its twin spires. The Abbey library, gift shop, and wine cellar are open by request.

11:00 am – 1:30 pm The Ukrainian Cultural Institute in Dickinson features folk art, research library, Ukrainian exhibits and food items.

1:30 – 4:00 pm Medora, an authentic Old West cow town, was founded in 1883 by the Marquis de Mores and named for his wife. Tour the 26-room, 2-story house known as the Chateau de Mores State Historic Site. The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame offers Western heritage and history of life on the plains with homesteaders and trail drivers, American Indians, rodeos, and the impact of the horse.

4 – 5:30 pm The Billings County Courthouse Museum holds memorabilia, history of the county and courtroom stories of cowboys. Bully the Play, a one-man performance from the Broadway play, presents the life of Theodore Roosevelt as president, father, husband and hunter in the North Dakota Badlands.

5:30 pm For dinner, experience Pitchfork Steak Fondue, a unique western steak meal served at the Tjaden Center on the bluffs, offering a spectacular view of the scenic Badlands. After the Fondue, sit back and enjoy the Medora Musical, a Broadway-style musical show staged outdoors in the Burning Hills Amphitheatre, which is carved into a Badlands canyon. Western entertainment and a patriotic salute are part of each show. Trail rides, mountain biking, hiking, museums, many gift shops and restaurants are bustling during the summer season.

day eight

Medora, ND to Deadwood, SD (220 miles) 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Take a morning loop drive through Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The colorful North Dakota Badlands provide the scenic backdrop to this park. Named for the 26th U.S. President, the park memorializes his contribution to conservation. At the entrance to the South Unit of the park, tour the Visitors Center and Theodore Roosevelt’s Cabin from the Maltese Cross Ranch.

12 – 3:00 pm Enjoy a picnic lunch at the park followed by horseback riding, mountain biking, or hiking along the marked trails of the Badlands on the Maah Daah Hey Trail, or canoe through the Theodore Roosevelt National Park on the Little Missouri River.

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3 – 7:00 pm Depart Medora for historic Deadwood, SD and enjoy a historic tour, learning about the 1876 gold rush and the colorful characters that passed through here.

7:00 pm Try your luck at gaming or visit historic attractions.

In summer months, see re-enactments of the “Murder of Wild Bill Hickok” and the “Trial of Jack McCall.”

Deadwood to Black Hills to Rapid City, SD (112 miles) 9 – 11:00 am Travel on Hwy 385 to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, America’s Shrine of Democracy. This drive offers views of Pactola Lake, pine-covered mountains, and lush meadows.

11:00 am – 1:00 pm Crazy Horse Memorial is a work in progress of a mountain-sized man and his spirited horse. Hill City offers many area artists’ shops on Main Street.

1 – 8:00 pm Board an historic 1880 train. Experience this relaxing 20-mile round-trip ride between Hill City and Keystone.

Back in Keystone, enjoy activities like shopping, presidential attractions, exploring Black Hills caves, touring a gold mine, or panning for gold. Evening entertainment includes a lighting ceremony at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

day ten

Rapid City to Black Hills to Rapid City, SD (147 miles) 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Custer State Park’s Wildlife Loop offers opportunities to watch for 1,500 bison as well as pronghorn, deer, prairie dogs, elk, mountain goats and bighorn sheep in this 71,000-acre wildlife preserve.

12 – 2:00 pm Travel south to Wind Cave National Park and enjoy a tour of unique box-work formations in the fourth longest cave in the world.

2 – 4:00 pm Hot Springs offers The Mammoth Site, an active paleontological dig site. Their current mammoth count is 61, with 58 Columbian and 3 woolly mammoths.

4 – 5:30 pm The Journey Museum in Rapid City gives a wonderful overview of the Black Hills from the Lakota and white man’s perspectives. Downtown Rapid City is a mecca for shoppers looking for Native American art. Black Hills Gold Jewelry tours are available to see how this unique jewelry is made.

5:30 – 8:00 pm Join cowboys for a chuckwagon dinner, complete with singing and entertainment, at the Fort Hays Old West Town & Dinner Show.

day eleven

Rapid City to Mitchell, SD (288 miles) 9 – 10:30 am Travel east on I-90 to the town of Wall, where a little country drug store (Wall Drug) became famous for offering free ice water, and now features one of the

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largest collections of original western art in the country.

10:30 am – 1:30 pm Travel the SD Hwy 240 Loop through Badlands National Park and enjoy the spires and pinnacles of this 244,000-acre wilderness area.

1:30 – 4:30 pm Traveling east on I-90, you’ll find the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center in Chamberlain, offering artifacts as well as modern day Native American art.

4:30 – 6:00 pm Continuing east, attraction choices in Mitchell include the World’s Only Corn Palace, the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village and Dakota Discovery Museum.

Mitchell, SD to Austin, MN (261 miles) 8 – 11:00 am Tour Sioux Falls, South Dakota’s largest city, where options include a tour of Falls Park, the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science, the Outdoor Campus, the Great Plains Zoo, and great shopping opportunities.

11:00 am – 3:00 pm Crossing the border into Minnesota, have lunch at a local restaurant in Pipestone. Since 900 A.D., Native Americans have gathered catlinite (soft stone) from the quarry at Pipestone National Monument for peace pipes. Visitors can learn the history of Native American culture at an interpretive center, watch Native American craftspeople carve the pipestone, and walk through the quarry.

3 – 7:00 pm Stop in Albert Lea and enjoy dinner and other group-friendly accommodations.

day thirteen

Austin to Minneapolis/Saint Paul, MN (112 miles) 10:00 am – 12:30 pm George A. Hormel began life in an 1861 log cabin, and then went on to build a meat-processing empire in Austin. The most famous Hormel product, SPAM®, became linked forever with World War II as a staple for allied troops.

12:30 – 2:30pm En route to Minneapolis, visit Cabela’s (it’s not just for sportsmen) in Owatonna. A 35-foot mountain replica is inhabited with 100 trophies of wildlife species. See native and predator fish in a walk-through aquarium, snack on an ostrich or buffalo burger, and visit the art gallery. Depart for Minneapolis to conclude your City Nights and Northern Lights adventure.

day fourteen

Call ahead...

Explore Minnesota / 888-VISITMN North Dakota Tourism / 800-435-5663 South Dakota Office of Tourism / 800-S-DAKOTA Travel Manitoba / 800-665-0040 www.2nationtours.com

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St. Joseph Arts and Culture This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of the year!

Whether your group is looking to make history or relive it, St. Joseph is the place to do it.

Home to 17 distinctive area museums, 12 annual festivals, and over 17 districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, there is literally a story to tell around every corner.

The Pony Express had its starting point in St. Joseph, Lewis and Clark traversed the area on their return trip in 1806, and outlaw Jesse James was shot and killed in his St. Jo home in 1882. Your group is invited to revel in the tales scattered throughout the city.

St. Joseph has plenty to offer in arts and culture as well. The town has a world-class art museum, a renowned symphony orchestra and outstanding theatrical productions at the historic Missouri Theater. Don’t forget to check out what’s going on at Missouri Western State University, where you can always find an art exhibit, concert, or show!

day one 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Start off with a tour of the Patee House Museum, the former headquarters of the

Pony Express and finest hotel west of the Mississippi. The museum features two full floors of exhibits including horse-drawn hearses, model railroads, the vintage Wild Thing Carousel, stagecoaches, a blacksmith shop, antique furniture and toys, and a wing designed to look like the streets of Old St. Jo. Don’t forget to stop at the home where Jesse James met his violent end.

12 – 4:00 pm Mount up and head to the Pony Express National Museum. The famous mail delivery service started within these walls on April 3, 1860. Your guide will give a personalized tour of exhibits covering the creation, running and demise of the Pony Express. Contact the Pony Express National Museum to make arrangements for your group’s catering needs.

They can fit any budget for catering along with museum tours.

4 – 10:00 pm Settle into your hotel and head over to the JC Wyatt House. This 1891 historic home serves wonderful cuisine in an authentic Victorian atmosphere (by reservation only). Spend the rest of your evening at the Missouri Theater.

As with many of these old theaters, it too has a wonderful story and a variety of entertainment.

day two 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Your group will enjoy a leisurely walk through the exhibits at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art. They house one of the finest collections of 18th, 19th, and 20th century American art in the Midwest. Call ahead to find out whose artwork will be featured during your visit and food arrangements can be made at the AKMA café.

1– 4:00 pm Since it was founded 1843, St. Joseph has been a hub for trading, buying and selling. The original trading posts of the 1800s have been replaced with shopping districts, antique stores and large enclosed malls. The Jesse James Antique Mall offers over 110 booths, 160 showcases and 40 small shelving areas throughout two large rooms, making it the region’s largest antique mall and a must-stop for your group. Other popular shopping options are the Shoppes at North Village, Stetson Hat Company Outlet Store, and the East Hills Mall.

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, please call the St. Joseph CVB at 800-785-0360 or visit them online at www.stjomo.com.

Patee House Museum

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Main Street Across Nebraska The Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of the year!

Experience the Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway, one of Nebraska’s most nostalgic and fascinating routes! It’s also the only byway that spans the state from its eastern to western borders on US Highway 30. Plus, this 400-mile byway is part of the original Lincoln Highway, America’s first transcontinental artery between San Francisco & New York. Now known as US Highway 30, this historic route lets you enjoy a leisurely tour.

day one 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Start your travels just north of the Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway in Minden, home of the world-famous Harold Warp Pioneer Village. Twenty-six buildings— including a sod house, one room school, Pony Express station, and an 1884 church— make up the village. It houses the oldest existing Buick, plus 350 other antique cars, 20 historic aircraft, 100 vintage tractors, guns, motorcycles, snowmobiles, boats, buggies, trains, and trolleys. The historic crafts of spinning, weaving and broom-making are demonstrated year-round.

1:30 – 2:30 pm Travel north to Shelton, located on US Hwy 30 (the byway). Stop at the Shelton Historical Interpretive Center & Lincoln Highway Visitor Center. It is located in an historic 1909 Meisner Building along 1 block of the original Lincoln Highway bricks. View history of the Lincoln Highway, including original highway markers, postcards and vintage memorabilia.

2:30 – 4:00 pm Continue your travels west along the byway

to Kearney. View The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument, the only tourist attraction in the nation located over a federal interstate highway. The “Arch” commemorates westward expansion of America, including the West’s original American Indian inhabitants, the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails, the early pioneers, the modern railroad and more!

Explore the history of transportation and communication along the famous Platte River Road through great interactive exhibits.

4 – 5:00 pm Also in Kearney is The Nebraska Firefighters Museum & Education Center. It recognizes the history and dedication of Nebraska’s many brave firefighters and EMTs. The museum features the history of Nebraska firefighting through images, artifacts and state-of-the heart exhibits.

5 – 7:00 pm Stroll outdoors through the Cliff Hillegass Sculpture Garden. Then off to Thunderhead Brewery for some award-winning beer and delicious pizza baked in a stone oven. Tours of the brewery can be arranged.

7:00 pm Check into your group-friendly hotel and spend the evening on your own. As you explore Kearney look for Cranes on Parade, a community-wide art project featuring six-foot fiberglass works of art.

day two 9 – 10:00 am Wake up and smell the coffee! Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before you board your motorcoach and travel west along the byway to Lexington.

10 – 11:00 am Explore The Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles. The museum features an impressive collection of military equipment & machinery, such as jeeps, ambulances, helicopters, tanks and a rare snow tractor.

11:00 am – 1:00 pm Lexington is also home to Mac’s Creek Winery & Vineyards. Sample excellent Nebraska produced wines and tour the vineyards and production facilities. The Prairie Bistro offers a light lunch menu of sandwiches, salads, pizzas, and gourmet picnic baskets. The staff will help you pair your meal with great Mac’s Creek wines. The Bistro is open from 12 – 3pm.

1 – 2:15 pm Load the motorcoach and travel west along the byway to Gothenburg to see one of the few Pony Express stations still intact in Nebraska, located in the city park. Original historic items are on display and you can send postcards to friends and family back home postmarked with the original Pony Express stamp!

2:15 – 4:00 pm Continue your travels on the byway to North Platte. Enjoy a spectacular view of Union Pacific Railroad’s Bailey Yard, the world’s largest railroad classification yard, from atop the 8-story Golden Spike Tower & Visitor Center. The 95-foot tall tower and visitor center features an enclosed 360-degree view of the action below, historical and regional railroad memorabilia, and a gift shop. You can choose to continue your travels west along the Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway all the way to Wyoming or end your travels and head for home!

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, please contact your tour operator.

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The Nebraska Firefighters Museum & Education Center

Thunderhead Brewery

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The Archway -Kearney

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illinois festivals & more…

Annual Puerto Rican Heritage Festival | AURORA Enjoy this group-friendly celebration of Puerto Rican heritage and culture. This is a great opportunity to experience ethnic foods and authentic music! Guests will also enjoy a parade, the Aurora Talent Show and the Miss Puerto Rico of Aurora contest. This two-day festival features endless food vendors offering wonderful cuisine, domino competitions, traditional folk music, Puerto Rican bands, Puerto Rican craftsmanship vendors and non-stop fun.

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Grab your groups and prepare to fill up on food — from classic Chicago dishes, to specialty cuisines from ethnic neighborhood restaurants, to inspired chef creations. The city’s recipe for a fantastic food festival combines Top Chefs, Grammy winners, entertainment for all ages and several thousand tasting servings of favorite Chicago bites.

This quintessential summer event appeals to all of your senses. Take in dazzling Lake Michigan and its magnificent skyline – the backdrop to this five-day event in Grant Park.

Plan your trip today, and be sure to bring an appetite! This annual lakefront festival is held every July.

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Kewanee t La Salle 55 34 ring your group and raise a glass 67 57 39 Galesburg as they celebrate the release of 34 74 24 Galena Cellars’ Nouveau Wine Peoria ○ and pay tribute to the region’s Macomb 24 ○ Bloomington t 155 136 rich heritage and culture! A traditional 136 136 74 51 Rushville horse-drawn wagon parade delivers 74 T 24 72 55 Galena Cellars’ Nouveau Wine to area 67 Champaign Jacksonville 36 74 businesses. Launched in 1985 by Galena r t 150 Springfield Cellars winemaker Chris Lawlor, this Marshall 54 57 T celebration is based on the French Beaujolais 51 70 55 Nouveau celebration. “Nouveau is a shortly t Effingham 67 fermented wine from the fall’s harvest,” says 70 45 Lawlor. “It’s meant to provide a preview of the Highland 50 t ○ Collinsville 50 vintage and celebrated.” Indulge in wine tastings, 57 Belleville 64 including not only Nouveau, but also everything 64 3 from elegant Oregon Pinot Noirs to stunning Napa ○ Whittington Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, crisp Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs to toasty Carneros Chardonnays.

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Welcome to Swedish Days!

Swedish Days (Svenskarnas Dag, Inc.) is the Midwest’s oldest Midsommar festival, dating back to 1911. Swedish Days is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of June at Good Templar Park. This ethnic festival, organized by the Swedish Day Committee, has entertained the Fox Valley area for generations. Come out for the day and enjoy beautiful Good Templar Park! This group-friendly event has something for everyone: arts & crafts fair, Scandinavian food, Maypole Celebration, live music, children’s choir, and more.

Skokie Festival of Cultures SKOKIE Since its inception in 1991, the Skokie Festival of Cultures has become one of the premier ethnic festivals in Illinois, attracting more than 400,000 visitors and dozens of cultures, all representing Skokie’s tremendous diversity. Explore this free “Tour of the World” where you and your group will enjoy two days of ethnic folk music and dance, a wide range of food, unique arts and crafts, international children’s games, Whole Foods Market International Beer Tasting, a merchandise bazaar, and dozens of cultural booths and displays.

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Mile after Magnificent Mile.

Chicago: A Tour of World-Class Architecture This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of year.

This renowned city features breathtaking architecture, rich history and astounding collections of public art.

Let the Chicago Architecture Foundation showcase their city to your groups for an engaging, entertaining and memorable experience.

--8 – 11:00 am Put on your walking shoes this morning and discover outdoor Chicago. This tour will show off traditional realism such as the Art Institute’s bronze lions, all the way to the sleek modernism of the “Cloud Gate,” located in Millennium Park. Discover lesser-known gems hidden among skyscrapers as well as monumental works by modern masters. Downtown is filled with great public sculptures.

11:00 am – 12:30 pm Brunch will be held at The Bristol. With a wide range of delicious brunch options, your groups will enjoy this experience.

12:30 – 5:00 pm Take a ride out of downtown Chicago to experience the history of Frank Lloyd Wright in this afternoon bus tour. Discover the neighborhood that Wright called home and see where his famed Prairie style of architecture began. Explore the Wright home and studio as well as the Historic District to find his “little jewel box.”

5 – 7:30 pm Dinner with a view awaits your group at The Signature Room at the 95th. Located atop the John Hancock Center along the Magnificent Mile, this fine dining restaurant offers exquisite food, superb service, and a dazzling skyline view.

7:30 – 9:00 pm All aboard for a Chicago’s First Lady cruise. A tour guide will interpret more than 50 beautiful buildings that stretch along the Chicago River. This architectural tour will reveal how this small backcountry outpost city turned into one of the world’s most important crossroads in just 100 years’ time. Enjoy it all from Chicago’s finest fleet.

the United States government in 1873 as the lead lighthouse marking the approach to Chicago after several shipwrecks demonstrated its need. In 1999, Grosse Point Lighthouse was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service—the first lighthouse on the Great Lakes to carry that status.

2:30 – 3:30 pm Further along Sheridan Road, the gleaming, nearly 200-foot high dome of the Bahá’í House of Worship comes into full view. Over 30 years of construction have resulted in this striking landmark, which overlooks Lake Michigan and is one of the most visited sites on all of Chicago’s North Shore.

Surrounded by nine formal gardens and fountains, it is one of seven Bahá’í temples in the world, and the only one in the Western Hemisphere.

3:30 – 5:00 pm As you continue your travels north on Sheridan Road, your tour day ends at the Chicago Botanic Garden where you can experience 23 beautiful gardens and three natural habitats set on 385 acres of lush, rolling hills and tranquil lakes. Visitors can take walking guided tours of the garden or take the popular tram tour. The trams wind through the far reaches of the garden and give you hidden views of select gardens.

It’s relaxing to traverse many far-reaching points of the garden in the comfort and convenience of the tram.

Bahá’í House of Worship

Chicago Botanic Garden

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, contact the Chicago Architecture Foundation at 312-322-1130, email groupsales@architecture.org or online at www.architecture.org.

For information & booking, contact Chicago’s North Shore Convention & Visitors Bureau at 847-763-0011 or visit www.visitchicagonorthshore.com.

day two 9 – 11:30 am Begin your day at the Charles Gates Dawes House, home of former United States Vice President, World War I Brigadier General, and Nobel Laureate Charles Gates Dawes. The Dawes House was built in 1895 on the shores of Lake Michigan. The Evanston History Center resides in the home.

11:30 – 1:00 pm Enjoy a group lunch at one of the numerous dining opportunities in the area. Chicago’s North Shore has a restaurant to suit every taste.

1 – 2:30 pm Continue north on Sheridan Road as it winds its way along the shores of Lake Michigan. Take a moment to stop and view the Grosse Point Lighthouse, built by

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directory Blackhawk Waterways Convention & Visitors Bureau . . . . . . . . . 800-678-2108 201 N Franklin Avenue – Polo, IL 61064 office@bwcvb.com www.visitnorthwestillinois.com Our region of NW Illinois boasts the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home, John Deere Historic Site, a Victorian Castle, group-friendly theatrical productions and unique lodging options. We cater our itineraries to your group’s specifications.

Chicago Architecture Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312-561-2165 224 South Michigan Ave – Chicago, IL 60604 pminer@architecture.org www.architecture.org This world-class city features breathtaking architecture, rich history and astounding collections of public art. Let the Chicago Architecture Foundation showcase their city to your groups for an engaging, entertaining and memorable experience.

Jacksonville Area CVB . . . 217-243-5678 310 East State Street – Jacksonville, IL 62650 visitors@jacksonvilleil.org www.jacksonvilleil.org Jacksonville is full of the unexpected. From our Civil War and Abraham Lincoln connections, to the modern business of today, the area offers something for everyone. Let the Jacksonville Area CVB help you create a wonderful trip.

History in Jacksonville This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of year.

Welcome to Jacksonville, Illinois—a community rich in historical treasures, thriving with arts and culture, and wrapped in Midwest hospitality.

Centrally located between St. Louis and Chicago, Jacksonville offers an excellent hub for your next hub & spoke group tour.

day one 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Your day begins with the Underground Railroad driving tour. The hub of the Underground Railroad in the 1800s, Jacksonville sheltered hundreds who wished to escape the horrors of slavery. Enjoy a tour through several local historic homes that served as shelters.

12 – 1:00 pm Stop for lunch in historic downtown at Mulligan’s.

Enjoy their “Irish pub and grub” that includes fabulous food and beverages with excellent service.

1 – 6:00 pm Follow in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln this afternoon in the Looking For Lincoln Audio Tour.

Jacksonville has many Lincoln sites and two interconnected tours. Start at the life-size statue of a seated Lincoln and his dog, then work your way through Jacksonville, finding all the connections to our 16th president and a few exhibits with dramatized audio clips for an entertaining and educational tour.

6 – 8:00 pm Dinner tonight is at Leo’s Pizza & Ristorante Italiano for authentic pizza and Italian specialties.

day two 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Energize your group with a home-style country brunch

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from Norma’s North Star Café.

12 – 4:00 pm Spend your afternoon with some Historic Walking Tours throughout Jacksonville. Make stops at Big Eli Ferris Wheel, the School for the Deaf Museum, the Strawn Art Gallery or take a Haunted Jacksonville Tour.

4 – 6:00 pm Take a tour of the WallDog Murals downtown. Painters from all over the country—and as far away as Ireland and Australia—worked on these 10 historic murals.

6 – 8:00 pm Finish the evening with dinner at Muggsy’s Fine Dining. Group-friendly service welcomes you, along with a full culinary team to suit your needs.

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, contact the Jacksonville Area CVB at 800-593-5678 or online at www.jacksonvilleil.org.

1-877-832-7267

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more IA pageants & art crawls…

1st Fridays Art Walk | FAIRFIELD Your group can stroll the beautiful town square and enjoy 19+ galleries filled with world-class art. Tour art galleries, taste incredible foods, or watch wonderful performances!

1st Friday of every month, 641-233-8883 Pella Tulip Time Festival PELLA Pella comes alive with tulips at Tulip Time. Thousands of residents wear Dutch attire and celebrate their Dutch heritage. Travel back in time to a European village full of windmills, tulips and excitement.

May 5-7, 2016 | 641-628-4311

DubuqueFest | DUBUQUE This 3-day fine arts festival features live music and many arts & crafts from regional artists. Features a “creation station” for imaginative art projects and activities!

May 20-22, 2016 | 563-599-0165

24th Annual Marion Arts Festival | MARION This nationally recognized fine art & craft event features 50 artists from across the country, hands-on art activities for everyone, food, and entertainment.

May 21, 2016 | 319-377-6316

Iowa Arts Festival | IOWA CITY

Glenn Miller Festival CLARINDA Celebrate the music and memory of Alton Glenn Miller. Enjoy tours of Glenn Miller’s birthplace home, stage shows, picnics, dances, & historical displays.

June 9-12, 2016 | 712-542-2461

Riverview Art Renaissance BELLEVUE Stroll along the beautiful Mississippi Riverfront and view original artwork displayed by many artists in this oneday event. Aug 2016 | 563-872-5830

Amana Artisans’ Annual Studio Tour | AMANA COLONIES Enjoy a beautiful fall driving tour of the seven villages of the Amana Colonies, visiting artists’ studios along the way. Several Amana artists open their studio doors for this 3-day event. Interact with the working artists and see how and where their creations are being made.

Sept 2016 | 800-579-2294

Holiday Arts Festival | WATERLOO Begin your holiday shopping at the Waterloo Center for the Arts and purchase artwork from the finest Midwest artists working in wood, jewelry, metal, clay, glass, print, painting & more!

Nov 5-6, 2016 | 319-291-4490

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This free community celebration features over 115 local and regional visual artists displaying and selling their artwork, as well as a music festival, “Culinary Row,” and a variety of creative activities & entertainment.

June 3-5, 2016 | 319-337-7944

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he Des Moines Arts Festival returns to Western Gateway Park, June 24th-26th, 2016. For the past 17 years, this free, three-day festival of the arts has drawn over 2 million people and been crowned by its peers as one of the best festivals in the world! Featuring roughly 175 talented artists and their original artwork in a variety of categories, this festival reflects the very best, having been selected from a competitive jury process.

Guests have the unique opportunity to meet artists face-to-face from around the world and purchase their artwork. They also offer activities for adults, including an interactive mural where thousands of people can contribute their personal touch in recreating two masterpieces of modern art. Guests can enjoy more than 100 hours of entertainment, including film, live music, and performing arts. More than 20 eclectic food booths provide patrons with a variety of culinary delights. June 24-26, 2016 | 800-451-2625

Iowa: Life Changing

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The Old Creamery THEATRE

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The Original Operating Toy Train Museum in Iowa What better place to learn about three eras of trains than at Trainland U.S.A.? This extensive toy train museum in Colfax, IA displays Lionel trains and accessories along 4,000 feet of track. The development of the railroad across the United States is represented in frontier, steam, and diesel eras. With a display area that spans the size of two average ranch style homes, your groups will not miss a thing. The center section shows off the frontier and steam train era, while outside the diesel era runs from coast to coast. Trainland’s attention to intricate detail is what sets them apart as a truly unique destination. The scenery is hand-painted and the entire layout is enclosed in glass. Groups will be able to toy with four control panels that create an automated train control system that includes their own telephone communications.

Trainland U.S.A. houses over 60 operating Lionel accessories, most of which are still in their original state! Now on-site is the original Chicago and Northwestern Depot. Go online to www.trainlandusa.com and click the “Online Tour” to see some highlights to expect during your group’s visit.

Open by appointment April-October. Special rates are available for groups of 15 or more. Contact Judy at Trainland U.S.A. at 515-674-3813 for more information and to book your tour today!

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There’s nothing like the experience of live theatre, especially when it is shared with others. Amana, Iowa’s Old Creamery Theatre invites your groups to experience live theatre to the fullest. Laugh and enjoy a professional performance while sitting next to friends, both new and old. Each guest has the opportunity to meet the cast, adding a personal touch to your group’s experience. Motorcoach parking is free and convenient, with drop-off and pick-up areas available. The larger the group, the larger the discount!

2016 Main Stage / Amana, IA Steeple People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 21 – May 22 Broadway Hit – TBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 2 – 26 Shear Madness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 4 – 28 Grease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 8 – October 2 Nana’s Naughty Knickers . . . . . . . . . . . October 13 – November 6 Winter Wonderettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 17 – December 18 2016 Studio Stage / Middle Amana, IA Completely Hollywood Abridged . . . . . . . . . . March 31 – April 17 I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers . . . June 30 – July 17 Buyer and Cellar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 21 – 31 Me and Jezebel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October 6-9 & November 10-13 While you’re in the neighborhood, enjoy the Amana Colonies. Also called The Amanas, the Amana Colonies are a National Historic Landmark. They began in 1714 in Germany and continue today on the Iowa prairie. Be sure to check out Iowa City and Cedar Rapids while visiting the area!

Book your group today! Call the Old Creamery Theatre box office at 319-622-6262 or visit online at www.oldcreamery.com.

1-877-832-7267

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Life Changing

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directory Old Creamery Theatre Co. 800-352-6262

The Wallace Centers OF IOWA

39 38th Avenue – Amana, IA 52203 www.oldcreamery.com The Old Creamery Theatre Company is proud to be the oldest professional theatre company in the state of Iowa! This year we are celebrating 45 years of bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Iowa and the Midwest.

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Sustainable food & civility initiatives – Orient, IA You can do it all at the Country Life Center. Stroll, dine, and shop at the historic birthplace farm of Henry A. Wallace, U.S. Vice President, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and founder of Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Company. Acres of sustainably grown fruits and vegetables are transformed into farm-to-table meals served in the Gathering Barn. Unique outdoor art sculptures dot the ¾-mile walking path through the restored Iowa prairie. Take home a treasure from the farmhouse gift shop, which features handcrafted items from Iowa artists.

Discover more at the Country Life Center…

Restored Farmhouse See what a rural home would look like in early 20th century Iowa. Today, the farmhouse includes offices for the staff and serves as the gift shop and produce market.

Gathering Barn This meeting and educational facility replicates the original barn that stood west of the house in the early days of the farm.

The authentic building adds character to the historical site, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Flower Gardens Long before Henry A. Wallace developed hybrid corn, his first hybrid experiment was with his mother’s flower garden, crossing pansies. The floral gardens use flowers grown in the greenhouse as well as plants shared by area gardeners.

Sculpture Walking Path This gentle, ¾-mile walking trail beckons visitors to relax and ponder. View five outdoor sculptures as well as other hidden gems along the way.

Orchard & Produce Gardens Four working acres produce 8 to 10 different

. . . . . . . . . . 515-674-3813 3135 Hwy 117N – Colfax, IA 50054 www.trainlandusa.com An operating toy train museum displaying Lionel trains and accessories. Trainland U.S.A. features original railroad memorabilia and old toy trains dating from 1916 to 1976. This exhibit represents three eras of time; frontier, steam, and diesel.

The Wallace Centers of Iowa 756 16th Street Des Moines, IA 50314 . . . . . . . . . . 515-243-7063 2773 290th Street Orient, IA 50858. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641-337-5019 info@wallace.org / www.wallace.org WCI provides educational programs & community services, grows organic produce, and offers locally sourced meals. Offering one- and two-day itineraries.

kinds of fruits and 30 to 40 varieties of vegetables. The fresh produce is used at the Gathering Table restaurant and sold on Thursdays and Fridays inside the gift shop.

Restored Iowa Prairie These nine acres of former pasture were reconstructed in 2007 to incorporate additional native grasses and forbes. Currently, the area grows about 20 grasses and 120 forbes, resulting in beautiful vistas year round.

Pond This 1.5-acre pond was constructed in 1996, along with three grassed waterways and a terrace. It is a tribute to Henry A. Wallace’s passion for contour farming and reforestation.

Gathering Table Restaurant, Gift Shop & Market Gather your group for lunch or dinner in the Gathering Barn. Menus vary depending on what is available to harvest from the gardens. The gift shop has a diverse selection of homemade gift items such as jewelry, ceramics, note cards, quilted hangings, primitive art, handmade lotions & bath salts.

Seasonally, the Market offers fresh produce for sale from the garden and orchard.

Expand your trip to this rural landscape by asking about one- and two-day itineraries!

Contact The Wallace Centers of Iowa at 641-337-5019 or go online to www.wallace.org.

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other kansas mayberrys…

Abilene – Hear how Abilene has changed from its Wild West days. Visit the restored Union Pacific Depot and enjoy a sugar cookie made from Mamie Eisenhower’s recipe, or visit the home where President Eisenhower was raised. Abilene also offers onehour narrated trolley tours for groups.

Atchison – Atchison offers

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community theatre, concerts and art functions. The city’s small-town charm, rich historical legacy, and unique downtown-shopping district are increasingly drawing travelers from across the country and around the world. Be sure to visit the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum!

Cottonwood Falls – Cottonwood Falls serves as a great jumping off point for a visit to Chase County and the Flint Hills. The Chase County Courthouse is located at the end of the town’s brick main street, Broadway. Broadway boasts dozens of places to go, including shops, galleries, restaurants, and a hotel.

Council Grove – With more than 24 historical sites and a carefully preserved past, Council Grove remains a treasure trove of history.

Once a bustling rendezvous point on the Santa Fe Trail, today it attracts tourists and history buffs who are eager to relive the trail days’ spirit.

spotlight kansas

Fort Scott – This community, built around a frontier military fort well over 160 years ago, is rich in historic heritage, shopping opportunities, industry, culture, education and outdoor recreation. They are nationally known for their Fort Scott National Historic Site and National Cemetery.

Topeka

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here’s something for everyone in the capital city of Kansas! This Midwestern city is filled with unique attractions and activities and will fill your day with fun. Explore first-class historical attractions, including the Brown v. Board National Historic Site & Museum (dedicated to the case that ended legal segregation in public schools), Old Prairie Town, the Kansas Museum of History, and the Kansas State Capitol. See a performance at the Topeka Civic Theatre, visit their many art galleries and enjoy the local shopping and delectable dining.

Topeka is home to many annual events, including Fiesta Mexicana, Intertribal Pow Wow, and the Huff ‘n Puff Balloon Rally. The famous Tulip Time Festival features nearly 100,000 tulips and daffodils and is held every April. Plan your tour during one of these events to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

Topeka is a fantastic group destination regardless of the size of your group or reason for your trip. Come and see for yourself!

Kansas: As Big As You Think

Goodland – This one is a can’tmiss attraction. The sheer size of this 24- by 32-foot rendition of Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece, set upon an eight-story easel, has drawn interested and bewildered travelers from around the world. The Van Gogh Project is a series of Big Easel paintings based on his Sunflower Paintings.

Leavenworth – This quaint city invites you to discover, explore, experience, shop, dine, enjoy, and relax! As the first city incorporated in Kansas, Leavenworth was developed south of Fort Leavenworth—the oldest fort west of the Mississippi River in continuous operation.

Lindsborg – Experience a special Old Prairie Town

blend of history and culture. Old World charm springs from rich Swedish heritage. Unique shops and restaurants, museums, art galleries & working studios, cultural and ethnic events, great places to stay, and lots of friendly people await you here.

Wamego – A visit to Wamego’s Oz Museum is all that’s needed to visit everything Oz. See one of Wamego’s best-known landmarks, the Schonhoff Dutch Mill. It’s the state’s only working stone windmill and is still used to grind wheat to flour today.

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wet your feet in Michigan…

Copper Harbor Lighthouse Tours | COPPER HARBOR Your group will enjoy a narrated cruise through Copper Harbor’s once bustling port that takes you to one of Michigan’s oldest lighthouses, restored to its original beauty and overlooking the majesty of Lake Superior. This single tour encompasses a total lighthouse experience, including a ride in a boat similar to an early 20th century lighthouse launch. Once at the lighthouse, you will be met by a host who will assist you through the historic lighthouse complex, which includes a maritime museum, shipwreck artifacts, Michigan’s first commercial copper mine site, and easy historic walking paths. Please allow 1½ hours for the round-trip tour.

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MUNISING Book your group on an exploration of the depths of Lake Superior and its sunken vessels aboard the only place in the United States that allows you to see real shipwrecks on a glass bottom boat! Munising Bay Shipwreck Tours offers modern travelers a chance to see the proud boats that sailed the Great Lakes before the turn of the century.

Preserved by Lake Superior’s frigid waters, these doomed vessels lay on the bay bottom where they met their fates when the tempestuous lake displayed its violent power. History comes alive as you hear about these turn-of-the-century wrecks.

Soo Locks Boat Tours SAULT STE. MARIE Experience the world’s busiest lock system aboard a delightful 2½-hour luncheon cruise. You will sail the historic waterway of the St. Mary’s River while enjoying a delicious buffet luncheon. This tour will take you through the Locks, right alongside the big freighters. Your tour boat will ride the water as it is raised twenty-one feet, straight up, to the level of Lake Superior.

Toonerville Trolley Riverboat Tour | SOO JUNCTION Welcome to the Tahquamenon Falls Wilderness Excursion. The Toonerville Trolley, an authentic narrow gauge railroad, takes your group 5½ miles through thick forest; the habitat of bear, deer, moose, gray wolf, and many types of birds. This incredible train has been in operation since 1927. The unique train ride and riverboat tour provides the only access to the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. The tour combines the 24” narrow-gauge track of yesteryear with an old-fashioned riverboat trip that is second to none in wilderness adventures! Food, beverages and restrooms are available on the boat.

spotlight michigan

Munising Bay Shipwreck Tours

MUNISING

Pictured Rocks Boat Cruises

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reat your groups to the world famous Pictured Rocks sandstone cliffs. Bring your camera on a breathtaking 2½ to 3-hour cruise along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The crystal clear blue-green waters of Lake Superior have created masterpieces of colors and rock formations found nowhere else in the world. The cruise passes points such as Lovers Leap, Grand Portal, Miners Castle, and Indian Head. These rock sculptures are described with legend and lore by your captain. The boat slowly cruises close to some of the rocks so that you may take outstanding photos. The views are breathtaking, up close and wonderful! The beaches, sand dunes, and waterfalls along the Lake Superior shoreline will delight viewers of all ages. The boat travels 18 miles along the lakeshore and turns around at Chapel Rock. Stop by their large gift shop for unusual gifts, sweatshirts, t-shirts, books, nautical items, and lighthouse collectibles.

Pure Michigan

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more shopping in minnesota…

Albert Lea – Choose from shops with one-of-a-kind dolls to vintage antiques & collectibles, and many more. Visit Something Special in the Nest and browse their gift gallery, all housed in a historic 1887 church.

Alexandria – This vibrant and

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bustling community is far from ordinary.

Visitors will find shopping malls, major retailers, and a wide selection of specialty shops and boutiques.

Austin – Explore what makes this town famous: the SPAM® Museum and SPAM® Store! Browse through over 400 one-of-a-kind treasures from SPAM® socks to SPAM® bathrobes, plus everything in between, including SPAM® of course! A new SPAM® Museum will be unveiled in 2016!

Bemidji – Visit a collection of shops with special charm. Bemidji Woolen Mills is a unique store selling quality woolen garments, yarn, and comforters. Bemidji also offers several antique stores and national stores.

Harmony – Enjoy a metropolis of antique & Amish treasures. Visit homes and farms of local Amish families and purchase baked goods, baskets, woodcrafts, candy, quilts and more.

spotlight minnesota

Owatonna – Welcome to the home of Cabela’s, one of the largest fishing, hunting & outdoor gear stores in the Midwest. This destination features museum-quality animal displays, huge aquariums, and trophy animals in re-creations of their natural habitats.

Park Rapids – Browse the quaint BLOOMINGTON

Mall of America

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his “city within a city” offers more than 520 stores, 50 restaurants, and attractions galore, including Nickelodeon Universe®— featuring more than 30 rides—and SEA LIFE® Minnesota Aquarium, opening the door to mysteries of the deep blue sea. Other unique attractions include the House of Comedy, the LEGO Store, A.C.E.S. Flight Simulation Center, American Girl® and much more! What doesn’t this mall have? It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world; there really is something for everyone here. Visit Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Sears, and many unique shops for gifts and treasures.

And if you ever get done shopping, spend some time to take in your surroundings, as there are people here from all over the world on any given day. They offer group packages and perks as well as a dedicated pick-up and drop-off facility for motorcoaches.

Explore Minnesota

shops and Historic Main Street for one-of-a-kind specialty items. From homemade fudge to furniture, to jewelry, books and clothing, you’re sure to pick up a thing or two to take home.

Roseville – Visit Rosedale Center, featuring more than 150 stores and huge expansion known as The Plaza.

Also in Roseville is the Har Mar Mall, offering over 40 fine specialty shops.

Saint Cloud – Here is a retail mecca offering big retail names as well as smaller, unique specialty shops. The downtown area features boutiques, theaters, and art galleries, plus The Arts Co-op—a fine art & craft gallery featuring handcrafted gifts and home décor by local artisans.

Saint Paul – Grand Avenue spans 30 blocks from the Mississippi River to downtown Saint Paul. Browse through a variety of original shops.

When you’re hungry, Grand Avenue has a table waiting.

Stillwater – Stillwater is known as an antiques destination, but also includes a wide variety of unique shops, galleries and fine restaurants along the beautiful St. Croix River.

Willmar – Willmar’s Kandi Mall is anchored by Herberger’s, JCPenney, and Dunham’s Sports, and boasts over 50 specialty stores. Then it’s off to New London-Spicer, offering delightful shops, antiques and more.

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Explore Minnesota

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Jump, Jive ‘n’ Wail...with a Ghost or Two

The Wabasha Street Caves www.wabashastreetcaves.com

BY RICK PEARSON

hursday night is Swing Night at the Wabasha Street Caves along the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul.

It’s a jumpin’ evening of music and dance that your tour members will love.

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Nostalgia fills the air...and the ear! And if you believe in time travel or something akin to it— or just plain old reminiscing—this is where the past comes alive!

The big band plays rhythmic, high-energy, horn-led, woodwind- accented dance tunes, one after another. Standards like In the Mood and String of Pearls meld with big band versions of Cabaret and other more contemporary songs. Close your eyes just a bit as the dancers whirl. You’re at a USO Center... or a Canteen... or the famed Aragon Ballroom. You can almost hear a young girl asking a young man a long way from home, “Are you stationed here?”

And, yes, generally speaking, the crowd is younger. But don’t let that discourage you from bringing older tours. It’s a joy seeing how college kids have discovered the fun of swing dancing, many of them dressed in the style of the period. All of which is a tribute to the timelessness of that troubled but treasured time in America.

During the ‘30s Saint Paul was a gangster haven. The attitude of authorities was if they didn’t make trouble they were welcome to stay, so the likes of Ma Barker and John Dillinger were frequent visitors to Castle Royal.

Supposedly, one night in 1934 three gangsters were gunned down at dinner. A bullet hole in the marble fireplace from that hoodlum shootout still remains.

In the years before World War II, the Dorsey Brothers—Harry James, Cab Calloway, Glenn Miller and other legends—played at Castle Royal as part of their Midwest tour.

In the decades since its nightclub heyday, the Caves also had brief reincarnations as a teen center and a pizza place. Bremer and her husband Steve, bought the facility 20 years ago to renovate as offices for their construction firm, but then decided it also was ideally suited to be an event center (as opposed to a full-time night club). So it now regularly hosts private functions such as corporate affairs, class reunions, and weddings, with Thursday Swing Night the only regular time it’s open to the general public.

And then there are the numerous ghost stories. Yes, there are. Unnerving tales of spectral presences wandering the catacombs have been told for years. Many, many times visitors have heard strange sounds when no one was there. The Caves are, in fact, one of Saint Paul’s most notable haunted places.

So beware.

Tour groups are always welcome. Just call to plan events in advance. Most times, groups come for a complete package: tour, dance lessons and Swing Night. The cave tour begins at 5pm with dance lessons at 6:15pm and live music from 7 to 10pm. Also, be advised the Wabasha Street Caves is a beverage-only facility. Food service is not available, so be sure your group eats beforehand.

A cave tour, dance lesson, music, memories, jumping and jiving in a unique atmosphere... even ghosts, perhaps? What better way for your group to spend a Thursday evening.

Oh, another thing to be sure your tour members understand: No matter what their age... NO aerials or lifts on the dance floor.

Sorry about that!

“It really got rolling about fifteen years ago,” says Donna Bremer, owner of the Wabasha Street Caves. “We’d been having Swing Night for a few years, and then a Gap TV commercial with swing dancing got young people interested. A group of them started coming regularly. They called themselves the ‘Cave Cats’. They came dressed in ‘40s style and knew all the dance moves.” Swing Night has been thriving ever since.

It isn’t just the music and dancing that make the Wabasha Street Caves appealing, though.

Built into sandstone caves carved out by early settlers first for the silica sand, then to store perishable produce, and later to grow mushrooms commercially, the facility meanders through nooks and crannies in the side of the cliffs. High, arching stucco ceilings are the most notable feature, and the 60-foot bar is a standout, too.

The exterior features a formidable lighted castle façade rising against the cliff. Originally opening in 1933 as the Castle Royal, it was a rambunctious and romantic depression-era joint, billed as the “World’s Finest Underground Night Club.”

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Twin Cities Premium Outlets®

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Chill out in EAGAN inters in Minnesota aren’t for the faint-hearted or the easily cold, but winter in Eagan, Minnesota is extremely special and made for the best kind of people. It may be for the mere fact that there is so much to do indoors or outdoors, but there are a few certain things that really make Eagan a prime spot during the chillier months. The city that is made up of over 300 lakes, 50 parks and a copious amount of green space is also just ten minutes from Minneapolis and Saint Paul, so the opportunities for adventure and fun are endless.

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Head over to Lebanon Hills Regional Park where activities such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hiking and ice-fishing are right at your fingertips.

Try your hand, or should we say feet, at kicksledding, a new and growing sport that you can participate in with others or alone. If you’re more of a sports spectator, you’re in luck because Eagan is just ten minutes away from professional sports venues such as Xcel Energy

Center where the Minnesota Wild drop the puck or Target Center, the Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves’ stomping grounds. Having the best gear is needed for participating in any and all of these exhilarating expeditions so you need to check out Eagan’s Twin Cities Premium Outlets, the largest outlet mall in the Upper Midwest. It has over 100 stores including the Nike Factory Store, Under Armour, Van Heusen and Fossil. So whether you need a new hoodie for your run

by Schulze Lake or you want to pick up a new dress shirt for a romantic seafood dinner at Jensen’s Food & Cocktails, Twin Cities Premium Outlets has you covered, and always for a great price! How does every day discounts of 25 to 65% off sound to you? The outlet mall in Eagan offers those low prices and much more.

After a long, exciting day, stressing out about a hotel should be the last thing on your mind – stay in any of Eagan’s 15 fantastic lodging properties and you will most definitely have a good night’s sleep.

Contact the Eagan Convention & Visitors Bureau at 866-324-2620 or online at www.eaganmn.com and start planning your adventure today.

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Lebanon Hills Regional Park

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Country Roads AT THE PLYMOUTH PLAYHOUSE

By Kathleen Somers

he genius of John Denver has sprung to life at the Plymouth Playhouse in Plymouth, Minnesota with the production of Country Roads: The Music of John Denver. Starring Dennis Curley and backed by a six-piece band, this tribute to one of America’s favorite folk singers will have you singing along, smiling, clapping, and maybe even tearing up a little. The cast skillfully performs some of your favorite John Denver tunes sure to invoke warm memories of a simpler time. Not just a tribute, the show intersperses songs with Curley’s personal recollections of growing up with John Denver’s music, plus stories from family, friends and YOU, the audience.

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My group ranged in age from mid-30s to early-80s and they all loved it. “This is soooo much fun,” said a woman sitting next to me after just two songs into the show. Peter Rothstein, Artistic Director at Theater Latté Da, says of Curley, “He mines the warmth, charm and humor in John Denver’s iconic songs. His stunning voice will thrill both

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John Denver fans and make new fans for those unfamiliar with one of America’s great musical storytellers.”

As always, Plymouth Playhouse knows just how to welcome groups. Special discount pricing is offered for groups of 10 or more, plus weekday matinees may combine a buffet lunch with the show in the Sunset Room. Catered by the Green Mill Restaurant, the Rocky Mountain BBQ includes pulled pork + buns, baked beans, corn, coleslaw, pickles, kettle chips, and dessert with coffee & iced tea. You might also inquire about their overnight “Stay & Play” packages (includes a room for two at the Ramada Hotel Plymouth, a dinner voucher at the Green Mill Restaurant and two theatre tickets to the current show – all under one roof).

The show runs through May 1, 2016. To bring your group, check out www.plymouthplayhouse.com.

You’ll leave thinking it was “almost heaven.”

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Discover the Lure of LUTSEN MOUNTAINS ring your groups to Lutsen and experience wonders at every turn. With endless miles of hiking trails, canoeing and dramatic coastlines, you will immediately see that Lutsen Mountains is not just for skiing!

There is a mystique about Lutsen that lures visitors back year after year and in all seasons.

The North Shore has what no other place can offer: an inland sea, a mountain backdrop, an unspoiled wilderness and a feeling all its own.

A tour around Lake Superior or along the North Shore would not be complete without taking a ride on the Lutsen Mountain Tram, rising 1,000 feet over Lake Superior to the top of Moose Mountain and dropping you off at the Summit Chalet. Come inside to relax and enjoy the North Woods ambience, order lunch, snacks, and beverages and take a seat on the Chalet’s expansive deck, a wonderful place to soak in the fresh mountain air and panoramic views of Lake Superior’s dramatic coastline.

Your group can spend a night (or two) at the Lutsen Resort. From simple to luxurious, they

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have a variety of lakeside accommodations.

Professional outdoor educators on staff provide customized experiences for your group or incorporate their regular lineup of guest activities into your group tour. The spacious

beach in front of the lodge is a great spot for a barbeque or a place to gather around a campfire.

For more information and to customize a trip to fit your group, contact Lutsen Mountains at 218-406-1319 or online at www.lutsen.com.

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The Depot Visitors Center & Railroad Museum

Downtown Wadena

Downtown Park Rapids

Wadena & Park Rapids: Gateway to the North This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of year.

Uniquely situated in Central Minnesota, Wadena and Park Rapids are your gateway to North Country adventure and recreation.

9:00 am – 1:00 pm Park Rapids is often known for parking in the middle of the street. Here you will have an opportunity to do some great shopping. Make time for the Nemeth Art Center. The NAC houses a stunning collection of 16th through 19th century old world masters, Nigerian artifacts and revolving exhibits featuring local artisans.

1 – 4:00 pm Head south on 71 to Wadena and dive into

history this afternoon at the Wadena County Historical Society Museum & Genealogy Center. They have rooms and rooms of displays such as an 1896 barn wall, Aldrich Depot display, Two Nations Indian Village, and a military display, just to name a few.

4 – 6:00 pm The history lesson continues at The Depot Visitors Center & Railroad Museum. Built in 1915 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Depot is a wonderful place to view historic depot photographs and artifacts.

6 – 7:30 pm Dinner tonight is at The Uptown. Newly

remodeled, you will find a clean, neat restaurant with great service.

7:30 – 9:00 pm Enjoy entertainment tonight at the Wadena Memorial Auditorium. The auditorium is a cultural and historic landmark that’s provided countless hours of community and regional enjoyment. It has been restored in the beautiful Art Deco style of the early 1930s, with its bold, vivid colors and dramatic design. A grand piano is also a part of the allure of the auditorium’s elegance. As the center for the performing arts, it is one of Wadena’s most appreciated assets.

For more information contact your tour operator or the Wadena Chamber of Commerce at 877-631-7704, info@wadenachamber.com or visit www.wadenachamber.com.

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ens Munsinger & Clemens Gard

Explore Granite Country This sample itinerary is best during the warmer months, but can be customized for any time of year.

Munsinger & Clemens Gardens

We invite you to enjoy Central Minnesota, home to St. Cloud and the Central Lakes area. This inviting Minnesota destination will provide your groups with a warm and memorable experience.

gardens. Across the street you will find sunny Clemens Gardens, featuring the 24-foot “Renaissance Fountain with Cranes.” Learn the beautiful story that ties these two gardens together.

day one

day two

the Artifind scavenger hunt!

2 – 6:00 pm Make your way downtown. Choose from a self-guided St. Cloud Historic District Walking Tour, or meander down the streets to find unique shopping and tasty restaurant options.

11:00 am – 2:00 pm Your day begins in St. Joseph. The St. Benedict’s Monastery Art & Heritage Place is a museum, gallery and gift shop that features the history and talents of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict.

While you are on campus, grab some lunch at the Gorecki Dining Center. Food comes buffet style, with an amazing variety of delicious food stations!

2 – 4:00 pm Make an impression at Art As You Like It, located in Waite Park. It’s a great place for children and adults alike. They’ll provide the materials; all you need to do is have fun! Make an art piece that can be taken home the same day as a souvenir!

4 – 5:00 pm Check into one of the many group-friendly hotels in the area and get ready for your adventures this evening.

5 – 7:00 pm Located on the scenic Sauk River, Anton’s is the perfect restaurant for groups. A top choice of the locals since the 1930s, you will learn the history of the lodge’s past while admiring the log walls and irresistible popovers.

7 – 9:00 pm Watch the sun set with an evening stroll through Munsinger & Clemens Gardens. Located just off the banks of the Mississippi River, Munsinger Gardens invites you to relax on a bench, a swing, or in the gazebo overlooking the water and shade

11:00 am – 2:00 pm Take a detour to the Stearns History Museum.

With two floors of exhibits, your groups will be busy!

Learn about the Pan car that was manufactured in St. Cloud in the early 1900s or participate in

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, contact the St. Cloud Area CVB at 320-251-4170 or online at www.granitecountry.com.

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Historic Dayton House

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Only in SOMN Hotstops in Southern Minnesota Pipestone

Jeffers Petroglyphs

Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

Prairie Land Pipestone National Monument – Pipestone

For countless generations, American Indians have quarried the red pipestone found at this site. These grounds are sacred to many people because the pipestone quarried here is carved into pipes used for prayer. Many believe that the pipe’s smoke carries one’s prayer to the Great Spirit. The traditions of quarrying and pipe-making continue here today.

End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum – Currie

The End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets artifacts and stories of the Southwest Minnesota frontier experience. Their collection of buildings and artifacts are a stunning reminder of the past and the role that railroads played in establishing our nation.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum – Walnut Grove

Enjoy learning the history of the Ingalls

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family in Walnut Grove at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. The museum’s collections are housed in a series of interesting buildings, including an 1898 depot, a chapel, an onion-domed house, dugout display, little red schoolhouse, early settler home, and covered wagon display.

Historic Dayton House – Worthington

Experience the Victorian-period elegance and hospitality of this fully restored 1890s home.

The Historic Dayton House can serve as a gathering place for a wide variety of special events. It is also a unique place to rest and relax with all the lodging amenities you would expect in a five-star bed and breakfast.

Fort Belmont – Jackson

Stop by Fort Belmont in Jackson, Minnesota and explore a unique re-creation of Fort Belmont built by settlers living in Belmont township of Jackson County in the early 1860s. See a blacksmith shop, hand-built prairie sod house, trading post, museum and more.

Minnesota River Valley Salt Lake – Marietta

Outside of tiny Marietta on the western plains of Minnesota is Salt Lake, the only alkaline lake in the state. This briny body of water attracts all sorts of birds not native to the area and is a bird-watching Mecca. Alkaline soils run off into the lake, which has no inlet or outlet, leaving it a legitimate salt lake.

Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site – Comfrey

For literally thousands of years, the Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site has been an important place for the people who lived here.

Before the pyramids were built, before the first stone was erected at Stonehenge, there were carvings in the rock. Long after those first petroglyphs, this was a holy site to the native people who lived in and around this area.

Oldest Rock on Earth – Granite Falls

Visible here are some rock outcrops near the Yellow Medicine County Museum just as you come into town from the east. The exposed Continued on Page 32

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National Eagle Center

Schell’s Brewery SPAM® Museum

Orphanage Museum

Continued from Page 30: Only in SOMN

rock is 3.8 billion years old, which is impressive considering the earth itself is 4.5 billion years old. This rock was exposed from the mantle when Glacial Lake Agassiz emptied into the ocean during the last Ice Age. The draining of this impossibly huge lake apparently caused the ocean to rise 1-3 feet. Walk right up to it and touch a piece of true geological history.

Schell’s Brewery – New Ulm

Come to the place where the story of German craft beer began. Schell’s has been passed down through six generations. Brew masters remain dedicated to German traditions, most training in the Fatherland. As of 2013, Schell’s has crafted over 100 different varieties of German-inspired brews. They will keep making German craft beer until people stop enjoying beer…which clearly won’t be happening!

Minnesota’s Machinery Museum – Hanley Falls

This museum features five large buildings on a beautiful six-acre site. Its mission is to

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recapture a century of stories about farm life.

Implements, tools, tractors and gas engines in mint condition along with rural art help you look back to an era when neighbors worked together to harvest their crops, raise barns, and build a better life for their families.

Southern Lakes SPAM Museum – Austin ®

For over 12 years, the SPAM® Museum has delighted over a million visitors with delicious curated exhibits celebrating delicious curated meat. The SPAM® Museum simply can’t be beat — except perhaps by a brand new SPAM® Museum! A new SPAM® Museum will be unveiled in 2016.

Orphanage Museum – Owatonna

As the only known Orphanage Museum in the nation, the Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum was founded to “Remember the Children.” Visit and learn about the unique history of the school. Explore the museum, historic Cottage 11, the children’s cemetery, and interactive campus to get a glimpse of what life was like for the children who called the orphanage their home.

Minne-SOY-Ta Nice Candle & Soap Factory – Albert Lea

Minne-Soy-Ta Nice Boutique not only sells and manufactures natural bath and body products, but also supports and sells products made by local artists and crafters.

Jolly Green Giant – Blue Earth

At 55.5 feet tall, the Jolly Green Giant is the eighth-tallest freestanding statue in the United States. Looking north toward I-90, the Giant stands on an eight-foot-tall platform complete with a staircase so that visitors may pose for photos between his six-foot-long feet.

Outlaw Trail – Northfield

Since 1948, folks have come from all over to the Defeat of Jesse James Days to witness the reenactment of the attempted bank raid — those pivotal seven minutes in history when Northfield heroically defended itself against the notorious James-Younger Gang. Stories still echo down the Outlaw Trail about what took place here. The stories take on a life of their own and no doubt include some folklore, but many known facts have been documented by historians.

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MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY Byway Bits

hot

STOP Gilfillan Estate

Minnesota Marine Art Museum

FARMS & RED BARNS

With its substantial and diverse collections, 10+ annual exhibitions, and dozens of programs, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum is one of the most unique and dynamic art museum experiences you can find. You’re invited to discover why the MMAM is more than you’d expect.

What do the Jolly Green Giant, a millionaire’s estate, and a 100-year-old “Century Farm” have in common? They’re all here along the Byway!

Near Redwood Falls is the Gilfillan Estate.

Tour the mansion, the large farm museum, and attend FarmFest—a huge agricultural festival held every August.

Minnesota’s Machinery Museum in Hanley Falls hosts the state’s largest collection of farm equipment and exhibits. Check out the old time threshing show every August!

East of Montevideo is the Olof Swensson Farm Museum built in 1901.

You can see the large barn, 22-room home, and welcoming grounds.

Le Sueur is home to the Green Giant Company. The local museum and town markers tell the whole story! Ho, Ho, Ho!

Niagara Cave – Harmony

CANOEING, KAYAKING & HIKING

Niagara Cave is one of the most fascinating and unique geological attractions in the United States. During the one-hour guided tour, visitors will witness an underground stream leading to a waterfall nearly 60 feet high, stalactites both delicate and massive, calcite flowstone, and several fossils that have been dated to over 400 million years.

The Minnesota River, generally slow and winding, provides excellent game fishing including walleye, northern, channel and flathead catfish. Rock rapids, white water, and fine fishing can all be found on the Yellow Medicine River and Hawk Creek, which some claim are two of the best white water rivers in the state. If that sounds too ambitious for you, try your luck on the Chippewa or the Pomme de Terre Rivers, as they are known for their wildlife-viewing and gentle waters.

Prime spots for hiking are located in the

Mississippi River Valley & Historic Bluff Country

they’re one of the largest family owned and operated specialty toy stores in the country.

National Eagle Center – Wabasha

Minnesota Marine Art Museum – Winona

The National Eagle Center is a world-class interpretive center located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Wabasha. They are home to five rescued eagles: four bald eagles and one golden eagle. During a visit to the National Eagle Center, you can experience these magnificent creatures up close!

National Trout Center – Preston

The National Trout Center seeks to conserve our natural and cultural heritage of trout and their coldwater environments by engaging the public through education, practice and awareness. Individuals, families, students and groups are invited to participate in lectures and workshops, take a tour, or request a specialized educational program to meet your group’s interests.

LARK Toys – Kellogg

For over a quarter of a century, LARK Toys has offered remarkable toys, most notably their own handmade heirloom wooden toys.

With over 20,000 square feet to explore,

For more information about Southern Minnesota, call 800-868-7476 ext 162 or visit www.ExploreSouthernMinnesota.com.

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Explore Minnesota Continued from Page 33: Minnesota River Valley...

six state parks and many other parks along the Byway. A wide variety of hiking awaits you with forested, prairie, and riparian ecosystems. Bring along friends or family to make this trip a memorable one. Don’t forget the camera!

GEOLOGY, MINING & THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

See the oldest exposed rock in the world!

That’s what you’ll find near Granite Falls, but there are several other places along the Byway that will excite the geologist in you.

Look closer and you will even find cacti

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among the outcrops.

The draining of Glacial Lake Agassiz from west central Minnesota after the last ice age shaped this river valley. There is still evidence of those forces for the sharp eye.

The old town of Ottawa is ripe with limestone buildings from a local quarry, including a church, town hall, and barn.

Near the Minnesota/South Dakota border is the Continental Divide, which separates water flowing south to the Gulf of Mexico and water flowing north to Hudson Bay. A sign at Browns Valley explains this phenomenon.

GOLF & FRISBEE GOLF

There are more than 25 golf courses along the

Byway with a wide variety of playing surfaces and layouts, many with beautiful bluff and valley views! Frisbee golf courses exist in many river valley communities.

HUNTING & FISHING

Hunting in the valley begins in the fall with over 150,000 geese at the Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area. Deer, duck, pheasant, and turkey are numerous, and trapping muskrat, mink, fox, raccoon, and beaver is also viable. Bow and black powder hunting have grown recently with outfitters able to supply your needs along the Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway.

Ortonville’s Big Stone Lake is famous for

Salt Lake birding

Minnesota River

Benson parade

national fishing contests, but all along the river and its tributaries walleye, largemouth bass, crappies, northern pike, perch, blue gill, and fighting catfish abound. Don’t forget about the ice fishing in the winter!

BIRDING

The Minnesota River Valley Birding Trail is almost entirely within the Scenic Byway and there have been sightings of nearly 350 species within the river’s watershed. With many refuges, wildlife management areas, scientific and natural areas, parks and other specified lands, the habitat is healthy and widespread.

Check www.birdingtrail.org for great details!

FESTIVALS

With 287 miles’ worth of towns, there’s bound to be a festival for your taste or season.

Here is just a sample of some events: Sauerkraut Days (Henderson), Rock Bend Folk Festival (St. Peter), RibFest (Mankato), Bavarian Blast (New Ulm), FarmFest (Redwood Falls), Fiesta Days (Montevideo), AppleFest (Appleton).

As you can see, a wide range of interests and activities await you along the MN River Valley National Scenic Byway! For information call 888-463-9856 or visit www.MNRiverValley.com.

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Explore Historic Worthington

Historic Dayton House

This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of year.

Welcome to Worthington. Conveniently located along Interstate 90 in the southwest corner of the state, groups will find many attractions, lodging, restaurants and shops just waiting to be explored.

Spomer Classics

day one 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Discover a symbol of Worthington’s early years this morning at the Historic Dayton House. This artistic masterpiece has many architectural features for your group to see, as tour guides talk about the three families who occupied the home.

12 – 1:30 pm Check out the local restaurants for lunch.

1:30 – 3:00 pm Spend the afternoon at the Nobles County Historical Museum. Groups will find historical displays and archives that preserve the lives of early European settlers in Nobles County.

3 – 6:00 pm Step back in time at the Pioneer Village. Located across from the Nobles County Fairgrounds, this village contains 40 restored buildings and a museum of farm machinery that reflects early years of the area.

6 – 7:30 pm Check in to your hotel and enjoy a delicious dinner at Hickory Lodge Bar & Grill.

7:30 – 9:00 pm This evening’s entertainment will be at the Memorial Auditorium of Performing Arts. As one of the largest auditoriums in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, this venue seats 735. State-of-the-art lighting and sound will welcome you in this newly restored 1931 building.

day two 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Spomer Classics awaits your group with displays of over 300 advertising items that include automobiles, implements, oil, gas and much more. Each piece is restored and in working order. Your group can view peddle cars as well as 20-30 classic cars. There are also neon and porcelain signs and clocks.

2 – 5:00 pm Downtown Worthington features a variety of unique shops for your group to find one-of-a-kind items.

Comfortable benches and a quaint environment surround downtown, making the shopping experience memorable.

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, contact the Worthington Area Chamber/CVB at 507-372-2919 or online at www.worthingtonmnchamber.com.

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The Land Between the Lakes This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of year.

Pelican Breeze II Tour

Nestled between lakes Albert Lea and Fountain, Albert Lea has appropriately been dubbed “The Land Between the Lakes.” Offering the best year-round recreational activities and tours, your groups will love this small-town community that boasts big-city amenities.

day one 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Welcome to southern Minnesota! Your first stop this morning is at Minne-soy-ta Nice. Groups will make their own candle and a bar of soap for just five dollars! Tour the boutique and browse through their unique gifts.

12 – 4:00 pm Grab a bite to eat and make your way to Greibroks Mini History Farm & County Fair Museum.

Groups will tour more than 700 model tractors, trucks, cars, farm machinery, steam engines, and airplanes throughout the unique 40-room farmhouse.

4 – 5:00 pm Check into the Holiday Inn Express and get ready

Pelican Breeze II Tour

for the evening.

5 – 8:00 pm The Pelican Breeze II Cruise Boat awaits your group for a Mystery Dinner and a history-guided cruise through Albert Lea Lake. This 60-foot pontoon style riverboat has a seating capacity of 55 and features 2 smoke stacks, a paddle wheel, wet bar, tables, and can be enclosed for inclement weather.

day two 8:00 am Enjoy a continental breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express, then prepare to board your motorcoach for a fun-filled day.

10:00 am – 2:00 pm Head on out to visit the Alpacas of Oak Knoll Farms. Groups will delight in interacting with these fuzzy creatures. They may just want to take one home! Learn their history and how their wool is used. Photo shoots available.

2 – 4:00 pm Visit one of the top museums in the state at the

Alpaca of Oak Knoll Farms

Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library & Village. The museum holds famous exhibits while the village boasts a church, schoolhouse, stores, and farm machinery.

4 – 7:00 pm Historic Downtown Albert Lea is full of unique shops, art galleries and antique stores. Take a break from shopping and stop at a local downtown shop for coffee, pizza, sandwiches, or fine dining.

7 – 9:00 pm Your evening entertainment is located in the heart of the city at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center. Performances include ACT Theatre dramas, comedians, dance, Metropolitan Opera, Bolshoi Ballet, National Theatre in HD along with special events and national touring artists.

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, contact the Albert Lea CVB at 800-345-8414 or online at www.albertleatourism.org.

Freeborn County Historica l Museum, Library & Village

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MN State Public School Orphanage Museum

Finding Owatonna’s Roots This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of year.

Village of Yesteryear

Shop, dine, and stay in Owatonna! Located just one hour south of the Twin Cities on I-35, their history & attractions make it worth the trip every time.

day one 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Welcome to Owatonna! Start out your visit with the Historic Walking Tour. Discover a blend of architectural styles from the late 1800s to early 1900s. View historic homes, schools, churches, and other buildings clustered downtown as well as nearby residential areas.

12 – 4:00 pm Grab a bite to eat with the group and make your way to the Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum. This was the largest school of its kind ever operated in Minnesota from 1886 to 1945. Relive history through pictures, artifacts and personal stories by the orphans who were raised here.

4 – 6:00 pm Check in to the AmericInn Hotel & Suites of Owatonna and then take an afternoon stroll through Owatonna’s Mineral Springs Park. Known for its “healing waters,” you may drink from the natural springs as Princess Owatonna watches over you.

6 – 8:00 pm Pick one of many local group-friendly restaurants for dinner. With a wide variety, there is a place for everyone!

Burnsville Performing Arts Center

Steele County History Center

day two 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Your group will step back into the life of a Minnesota pioneer as they walk through the Steele County History Center Village of Yesteryear. This site includes 15 buildings full of history.

2 – 4:00 pm Have the afternoon to explore. Visit Cabela’s World’s Foremost Outfitter where you’ll see animal displays, an indoor aquarium, shopping, and a café & fudge shop. To further satisfy your sweet tooth, visit the Russell Stover Outlet for candy, samples, and Blue Bell ice cream.

4 – 6:00 pm Finish off the afternoon with a visit to the Steele County History Center, featuring rotating exhibits, educational programming, and displays that are all relative to Steele County and Minnesota history.

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, contact the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism at 507-451-7970 or online at www.owatonna.org.

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Goodsell Observatory

Japanese Garden

Come One, Come All to Northfield!

This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of year.

Along the scenic bank of the Cannon River, lies charming Northfield, Minnesota. With its 150 years of history, art, culture and education, Northfield offers something for everyone.

day one 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Start your morning off in Northfield at the beautiful Japanese Garden located at Carleton College. Ancient rocks support the frame of this garden that was designed by Dr. David Slawson in 1974. The garden is said to embody a philosophy of fulfillment found in harmony and tranquility of body, mind and spirit.

12 – 1:00 pm Spend lunch at the Hogan Brothers’ Acoustic Café. Specializing in hot hoagie sandwiches,

honey-cracked wheat bread and a signature sauce, groups will find something tasty!

1 – 3:00 pm Also located at Carleton College is the Goodsell Observatory. The building, constructed in the late 1890s, houses three telescopes—all over 110 years old. Both the 8” and 16” telescopes can be used during open house hours.

3 – 5:00 pm Get outdoors at the Cowling Arboretum this afternoon! Hike, run, ski, fish or simply enjoy the outdoors with this upland and lowland forest that includes a 150-acre prairie providing excellent bird and wildlife watching. In the winter, trails are groomed for both classic and skate skiing.

5:00 pm Check into your hotel and get ready for dinner at one of Northfield’s many group friendly restaurants.

made with freshly ground herbs and spices and contain no MSG. 1 – 3:00 pm History awaits you this afternoon at the Northfield Historical Society & Museum. Experience life as it was in the 1800s. The museum preserves the site that was once the bank that the JamesYounger gang attempted to rob in 1876.

3 – 6:00 pm Take a tour through the many historic sites in Northfield. Tours include landmarks such as the Archer House, the Scriver Building, the Grand Event Center and more.

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, contact the Northfield CVB at 507-645-5604 or online at www.visitingnorthfield.com.

day two 10:00 am – 12:00 pm This morning starts out with a walk through the Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. With several activities offered each season, groups will enjoy one of the last extensive stands of the “big woods.”

12 – 1:00 pm Dive into India for lunch. Chapati serves a selection of traditional Indian dishes as well as several of their own creation. All dishes are

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Cowling Arboretum

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directory accommodations

northern

Worthington Area Chamber & CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .507-372-2919

St. Cloud Area Convention & Visitors Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320-251-4170

1121 Third Avenue – Worthington, MN 56187 www.worthingtonmnchamber.com Worthington is a friendly community in the Southwest corner of MN. Bring your group here for some fantastic tours, including the Pioneer Village, Historic Dayton House, and War Memorial Auditorium.

metro

Lowell Inn

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .651-439-1100 102 2nd Street N – Stillwater, MN 55082 www.lowellinn.com

attractions metro

Lift Bridge Brewing Co. . . . . . . . . 888-430-BEER 1900 Tower Drive West – Stillwater, MN 55082 www.liftbridgebrewery.com

Saint Croix Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . 651-430-3310 6428 Manning Avenue North – Stillwater, MN 55082 www.scvines.com

St. Croix Boat and Packet . . . . . . 651-430-1234

1411 West St. Germain Street, Suite 104 800-264-2940 St. Cloud, MN 56301 jean@granitecountry.com www.granitecountry.com Among the many attractions are world-class gardens, history, granite, and great places to stay and eat. The St. Cloud CVB takes pride in helping you plan the perfect getaway. Creativity is key to the success of your group tour.

Wadena Chamber of Commerce

. . . . . . . . . 877-631-7704 5 Aldrich Avenue SE / PO Box 107 – Wadena, MN 56482 www.wadenachamber.com Located in the middle of Minnesota’s lakes and resorts area, Wadena has fun for any season. From our Art Deco Downtown with great shopping and many historic storefronts to our many public parks and community-wide celebrations, something’s always happening in the Wadena community!

525 Main Street South – Stillwater, MN 55082 www.stillwaterriverboats.com

Stillwater Trolley Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651-430-0352 400 Nelson Street – Stillwater, MN 55082 www.stillwatertrolley.com

northern

Lutsen Mountains - North Shore Mountain Tramway . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218-663-7281

festivals & events metro

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

. . . . . . . . . . . 952-445-7361 12364 Chestnut Blvd – Shakopee, MN 55379 www.renaissancefest.com Eat, drink, and be merry! The 16th-century atmosphere features more than 250 artisan booths, 16 stages of live entertainment, free parking, and food fit for a king!

southern

Albert Lea CVB

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .507-373-2316 102 W Clark Street – Albert Lea, MN 56007 800-345-8414 susie@albertleatourism.org www.albertleatourism.org Located 90 minutes from Minneapolis, where I-90 & I-35 intersect, featuring small town hospitality with big city amenities. Plus additional lakes and 38 city parks hosting various outdoor activities.

restaurants metro

Grand Banquet Hall & Catering

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651-430-1235 301 2nd Street South – Stillwater, MN 55082 www.grandbanquethall.com

445 Ski Hill Road – Lutsen, MN 55612 www.lutsen.com Take a ride on the Midwest’s only gondola. Travel over the Poplar River valley and through vast woodlands, ending up at the top of Moose Mountain, where your group will enjoy food service and breathtaking views.

Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-463-9856 www.mnrivervalley.com Located along the Minnesota River, motorcoach your groups through Hardwood forests, 3.8 billion-year-old granite outcrops, and lush prairie grasses. State and local parks dot the valley along with museums and history sites.

3712 Layton Avenue N – Lake Elmo, MN 55042 www.lakeelmoinn.com If your group is looking for a fine dining experience outside of the city, then Lake Elmo Inn is the place for you. Comfortable atmosphere, friendly faces, and wonderful food! It’s why we’ve been open over 29 years!

convention & visitors bureaus and chambers

Northfield Area Chamber & Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-658-2548

Rafters Restaurant, Night Club & Event Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651-342-1502

metro

Eagan Convention and Visitors Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . .651-675-5546 1501 Central Parkway – Eagan, MN 55121 denise@eaganmn.com www.eaganmn.com Eagan makes planning your next group outing easy! Personal service includes custom and creative itineraries, FREE welcome bags and FREE Mall of America coupon books ($9.95 value). You’ll also enjoy our low 3% lodging tax. Ask how to qualify for our $250 cash rebate.

Stillwater & Oak Park Heights CVB . . . . . . . .651-351-1717 PO Box 2025 – Stillwater, MN 55082 www.discoverstillwater.com Historic Stillwater, Minnesota is located along the banks of the scenic St. Croix River. Our many unique shops, restaurants, lodging establishments & attractions make a perfect group destination. Located within 30 min. of most major Twin Cities metro attractions.

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205 3rd Street West – Northfield, MN 55057 www.visitingnorthfield.com Located just 30 minutes from the Twin Cities along the shores of the Cannon River. Whether you enjoy the arts, history or nature, you’ll find multiple outlets for education as well as opportunities for relaxation and live entertainment.

Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce

. . . . . . . . .800-423-6466 320 Hoffman Drive – Owatonna, MN 55060 kgodfrey@owatonna.org www.visitowatonna.org Located in south central Minnesota, 45 minutes from Minneapolis/Saint Paul on I-35. Come “discover our faces and places” – filled with historical, recreational and cultural opportunities as well as nearly 700 guest rooms to accommodate any group.

Lake Elmo Inn Event Center . . . . 651-779-5994

317 South Main Street – Stillwater, MN 55082 www.stillwaterrafters.com

tour operators metro

Valley Tours, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651-439-6110 101 Pine Street West #4 – Stillwater, MN 55082 info@valleytours.com www.valleytours.com

Southern Minnesota Tourism Association . . . . . . . . . . . . .888-975-6766 115 East Hickory #230 – Mankato, MN 56001 www.exploresouthernminnesota.com You’ll be surprised…at what you’ll find in southern Minnesota!

With many scenic byways, festivals, parks & trails, historic sites, caves, bluffs, waterfalls & so much more, it makes a perfect destination for any group.

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more missouri theaters…

Arrow Rock – The Arrow Rock

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Lyceum Theatre is a nonprofit professional theater located in the unique village of Arrow Rock, a 19th century National Historic Landmark.

The Lyceum has been entertaining audiences in the heart of Missouri for over 50 years producing a variety of musicals, dramas and comedies.

Each year, this 408-seat theater attracts professional talent from across the country to produce an eight-show season (June-December).

Performers, designers, directors, and technicians take residence in Arrow Rock for five months to bring its patrons Broadway caliber productions throughout the summer.

Branson – You can’t think of theatre and Missouri and not have Branson pop into your head! For 50 years, live shows have been the staple of a trip to Missouri. With over 50 theaters and more than 100 shows, Branson is truly the live music show capital of the world! From country to rock n’ roll, magic and comedy to musical theatre, gospel, small intimate shows and major world-class productions, Branson offers a variety of entertainment options for all.

spotlight missouri

Hannibal – The Star Theatre is a

St. Louis

Y

our group may be surprised at the assortment of entertainment options available here. From Shakespeare and Broadway to dance troupes & American musicals under the stars, St. Louis can definitely entertain your group.

One great venue is the Fabulous Fox Theatre. This 1929 movie palace, one of the first theaters built for “talkies” by movie mogul William Fox, was designed in a style described as SiameseByzantine. Its showy interior— featuring a lobby guarded by two sculptures of majestic lions with twinkling yellow eyes—is often more elaborate than the sets from the touring Broadway shows and entertainment events that now grace the theater’s stage. Your group is welcome to take a behind-the-scenes tour. We also have to mention The Muny in St. Louis, one of America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theaters. They offer seven professionally mounted Broadway musicals each season, presented in a breathtaking setting framed by the majestic oaks of Forest Park. Dining is available on-site and backstage tours are offered for groups of 15 or more.

Missouri: Close to home. Far from ordinary.

historic theater built in 1906 and today has been fully restored to its original beauty. It is open as a Dinner and Movie Theatre complete with a singing and dancing wait staff!

Enjoy comedy shows by two nationally touring comedians the 2nd Friday of every month, and other special events throughout the year.

Kansas City – The historic Folly Theater, Kansas City’s oldest theater, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The “Grand Lady of 12th Street” presents and hosts a wide range of quality events for the community. Live theatre, world-class jazz series, national touring shows for children and a variety of programming.

Rolla – The Leach Theatre is located on the campus of the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The theatre hosts an average of 100 events per academic year (August to May).

St. Joseph – The Missouri Theater is considered one of the finest theaters in the U.S. This Moorish style building is a classic example of a 1920s palace theater, with features including a huge Bedouin tent ceiling and many sculptures including winged bulls, gods, and archers in combat.

Tours available by appointment.

Springfield – Come experience the arts in the 1926 historic Gillioz Theatre & Jim D. Morris Arts Center! Through an exquisite and formal lobby to a golden sky of ornate paintings and detailed architecture, you will enjoy live theatre, movies, conventions, concerts, film festivals & much more.

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more ‘on the go’ in nebraska…

Carhenge | ALLIANCE Six local families constructed this unique replica of the world-famous Stonehenge in 1987. Carhenge is formed from vintage American automobiles, painted gray to replicate the famous “wonder of the world.”

Voted one of the “Wackiest Attractions” in the country, you’ll be impressed by this vehicular phenomenon.

Strategic Air and Space Museum | ASHLAND

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The objective of the museum is to preserve and display historic aircraft, missile, and space vehicles and provide educational resources. The museum is regarded as having one of the top collections of strategic aircraft.

Fairmont State Airfield FAIRMONT Previous site of a U.S. bomber training facility during WWII, the airfield is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Four of the five large hangars originally built to last from 5-7 years are still standing along with the original water tower.

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer | GRAND ISLAND

Great Platte River Road Archway | KEARNEY Ride with the Pony Express, hear the rumble of the Iron Horse and watch a drive-in movie as you trace the history of transportation and communication right up to the fiber optic age. Special group rates and catering options are available.

Make your reservation today!

Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles | LEXINGTON This museum features roughly 100 vehicles including helicopters, tanks, halftracks, ambulances, and a jeep from every branch of the service, plus displays of weapons, uniforms, engines, equipment, and more.

Bailey Railroad Yard and Golden Spike Tower & Visitors Center | NORTH PLATTE This observation tower provides a bird’s-eye view of North Platte’s UPRR Bailey Yard, the world’s largest railroad classification yard. More than 150 trains pass through the yard daily. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience for railroad lovers of all ages!

Cody Park Railroad Museum NORTH PLATTE See one of the largest steam locomotives ever built, the Union Pacific Challenger 3977. The Railroad Museum also exhibits the 1969 UP #6922 World’s Largest Diesel Locomotive and railroad memorabilia housed in several railroad cars and a fully restored rail depot.

spotlight nebraska

From May 1st through Labor Day, experience Stuhr’s 1890s Railroad Town, a living history community featuring costumed interpreters. The Stuhr Building & Gus Fonner Memorial Rotunda are open year-round.

MINDEN

Harold Warp Pioneer Village

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xplore the largest private collection of authentic Americana anywhere!

The Pioneer Village complex holds over 50,000 irreplaceable items of historical value, restored to operating order, arranged in groups and also in the chronological order of their development.

Ride a priceless steam carousel, see 17 historic flying machines, and marvel at 100 antique tractors. See the world’s oldest Buick, a 1902 Cadillac, and a 1903 Ford, both designed by Henry Ford. Plus 350 other antique cars, all displayed in their order of development.

Stop by the General Store and the toy store and view authentic goods from a bygone era. See an original art collection including 25 Currier and Ives prints, 23 Jackson paintings, and the largest single collection of Rogers statues. Twelve historic buildings are positioned around the circular “green,” including a real Pony Express Station, an Iron Horse, and a home made of sod. You’ll have to see it to believe it!

Nebraska: Possibilities…endless

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more north dakota wild west…

Annual United Tribes International Pow Wow BISMARCK This annual event is held in the Lone Star Arena at United Tribes Technical College. Enjoy this impressive pow wow, representing over 70 tribes, with over 1,500 dancers and drummers and drawing over 20,000 spectators!

On ABA’s list of 100 best events!

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Frontier Village and World’s Largest Buffalo Monument JAMESTOWN Guide your group into a prairie town from the early days of the west.

They have re-created the town by bringing 24 original buildings from the frontier villages to this site and filled them with antiques and artifacts to let you experience what life was like for those that lived on the prairie.

Feed the buffalo in the village, and if the season is right, you may even see baby bison! You can also take a stagecoach ride and see the World’s Largest Buffalo Monument, with live ones grazing right beneath it.

spotlight north dakota

Badlands Trail Rides KILLDEER Take your group for a ride along the trails. You will be treated to a guided horseback trail ride through the spectacular scenery of the North Dakota badlands on a western adventure. They will match you with the right horse and the right trails and provide riding tips.

Medora

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he romantic history of the Wild West lives on in historic Medora. This authentic cow town boasts a 26-room chateau overlooking a walkable town of shops, cafés, museums and the Burning Hills Amphitheater. This open-air theater hosts evening performances of the world famous Medora Musical, offering a mix of music types, plus live horses on stage! And do not miss the infamous Pitchfork Steak Fondue. Go back to the days before automobiles on a buggy ride through downtown, where a cowboy guide points out historic buildings and tells tales of a bygone era. Medora offers spectacular scenery and dozens of indoor and outdoor activities to make your visit a modern “Old West” experience that you will never forget. Mosey your group by the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame on your way outta town…I reckon you’ll find plenty there to see! Howdy partners!

North Dakota: Legendary

Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park | MANDAN Visitors can relive what it was like for General Custer and his command in 1875. We invite you to take a step “back to 1875” as uniformed soldiers and laundresses conduct living history guided tours through the reconstructed Custer House and Central Barracks.

Come out to Fort Abraham Lincoln and relive the legacy!

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center | WASHBURN Located along the Lewis & Clark Trail, discover the legacy of Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

You can experience the heroic and human sides of these explorers and their friendship with the area’s Native Americans. The Center has expanded, with an exhibit gallery telling the story of Fort Clark and the fur trade and steamboat era. A spacious rest area is provided, along with a gift shop.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park | WATFORD (north unit entrance) The Grand Canyon of the North, only half as deep and a lot more complex, has great opportunities for hiking, biking and scenic viewing.

Visit the Long X Trading Post Visitors Center, showcasing the ranching and trail driving lifestyle of the 1880s. The 70,000-acre park and its rugged topography honor Theodore Roosevelt, who ranched and established the national park system.

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more south dakota vistas…

Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway 31 miles, travels on SD 240 – This drive cuts through the middle of breathtaking formations of Badlands National Park. In addition to carved steep canyons and high cliffs, it is also home to the largest and most complete example of mixed-grass prairie preserved by the National Park Service. Scenic overlooks, with names like Seabed Jungle, Pinnacles, and Prairie Wind, offer outstanding photo opportunities.

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Mount Rushmore Your group can have a great Black Hills excursion with the help of an experienced step-on guide. See Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park and more. The epic sculpture of Mount Rushmore features the faces of four exalted American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. South Dakota’s Black Hills provide the perfect backdrop for the world’s greatest mountain carving. These 60-foot high faces, 500 feet up, look out over a setting of pine, spruce, birch, and aspen in the clear western air.

136 miles, travels between Pierre and Chamberlain – The byway stretches across the hills, bluffs and the expansive tallgrass plains of the Sioux people, who preserve the history of the shaping of the American West. Found alongside the Missouri River, dams created two scenic lakes on the river: Lake Francis and Lake Sharpe. As you pass through the green-gold hills of this byway, its many memorial markers, monuments, museums, and sacred sites commemorate the heritage of the Sioux Nation and allow you to explore history from the Native American point of view.

Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway 22 miles, travels from Spearfish on U.S. Alt-14 – Experience the nature, history, and adventure of the Black Hills. From a distance, the light-absorbing Ponderosa pines make the hill country of South Dakota seem dark, more black than green, giving the country the name of Black Hills. Prospectors still mine the gold beneath the surface. And as the byway cuts through the Black Hills, it melds all elements of the Black Hills legacy into a single experience. Spearfish Canyon features nearly vertical cliffs with stone in Neapolitan shades of brown, pink, and gray. The narrow 11th Hour Gulch has such high walls that it only gets one hour of sunlight per day, and by mid-fall a large pillar of ice already begins crystallizing.

spotlight south dakota

Native American Scenic Byway

Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway 70 miles, travel through the Black Hills National Forest on SD Hwy 87 and Iron Mountain Road (US Hwy 16A)

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his drive offers breathtaking views of some of the Black Hills’ most stunning scenery and will lead your group on a delightful adventure.

Needles Highway features tunnels, hairpin curves and slender granite pinnacles and meanders through 14 miles of magnificent rock formations called “needles.” One of the most prominent rock formations on the highway is the Needles Eye, reaching 30 to 40 feet in the air with a 3-foot-wide slit. Three granite tunnels on Iron Mountain Road perfectly frame the faces of Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the distance. Also on the route are three pigtail bridges, built in the 1930s, which have a corkscrew shape.

Come spend a day exploring the fabled Black Hills, where bison roam free and the Old West is very much alive.

South Dakota: Great Faces. Great Places.

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Great Faces. Great Places.

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directory

The Origin of our Land’s Greatest Monuments This sample itinerary is best spring through fall.

attraction Lakota Ways. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-601-5103 600 Main Street PO Box 303 – Wall, SD 57790 www.lakotaways.com Raise a tipi, wear authentic tribal face paint, eat a buffalo burger, or dance at a powwow. Visit the most famous Native American reservation in the world: Pine Ridge. While there, pay reverent homage to the open air Wounded Knee Massacre site and be welcomed by friendly, expert informed local village descendants of the 1890 & 1973 Wounded Knee survivors. Your group tour experience cannot get any more ‘Native’ than that.

day one 6:00 – 10:00 am Early risers heading to Mount Rushmore National Memorial Monument just before sunrise won’t be disappointed. The morning sun highlights the granite

giving you a truly unique look at the mountain and postcard-perfect pictures. After watching the sun come up, sit down for a hot breakfast and morning latte with a spectacular presidential view, plus stop at the Visitor Center, gift shop and concessions stands.

10:00 am – 1:00 pm Enjoy the scenic ride to Crazy Horse Memorial, just a few miles from Mount Rushmore. This ongoing mountain carving is the world’s largest and a majestic tribute to all Native American tribes across the country.

The visitor complex includes a welcome center, the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Educational & Cultural Center, the sculptor’s log home studio, indoor and outdoor galleries, museum gift shop and expansive viewing veranda. Enjoy lunch at the Laughing Water Restaurant.

1 – 4:00 pm After lunch, take your group underground for a look at the beauty below the surfaces. Jewel Cave National Monument is approximately 20 miles west of Crazy Horse and is the world’s second longest cave.

Located about 30 miles from Jewel Cave you’ll find the world’s fourth longest cave, Wind Cave National Park. Both caves have daily tours.

4 – 8:00 pm Wall Drug is such a fun place to end your day. Those fabulous homemade donuts, buffalo burgers and the shopping are always worth the stop. You may even have time to take your group to the National Grasslands Visitor Center just up the block.

day two 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Visit the Wounded Knee Massacre Site. Groups will hear the true story of the event from Lakota guides and view the small memorial.

12 – 4:00 pm Celebrate the Lakota culture, Native art, and historic collections at the Red Cloud Heritage Center. The creativity and skill of North America’s Native community is represented in this museum for your group to enjoy.

With Lakota Ways, groups get the full Native experience. Their tours range from Cultural to Art and are flexible to fit your group. For more information, call 605-891-9692 or visit them online at www.aclosefamily.wix.com/copy-of-lakotaways.

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wisconsin cultural history…

Stonefield | CASSVILLE Located on the Great River Road, Stonefield includes a re-created 1900s rural village where you can explore over 30 shops and services.

Celebrating Wisconsin’s rich agricultural heritage with the State Agricultural Museum, Stonefield houses Wisconsin’s largest collection of farm tools, models, and machinery detailing the state’s agricultural past.

Experience the sights and sounds of the railroad — the era’s most important transportation. Stonefield celebrates the railroad’s impact during Railroad Days, an event that takes place every third weekend in August. Discover the grand summer estate of Wisconsin’s first governor, Nelson Dewey.

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GREENBUSH Back in the 1860s, horse-drawn stagecoaches moved travelers between Sheboygan and Fond du Lac. This was a slow and uncomfortable journey, but there was a haven for rest at the midway point; in the heart of the wilderness was the Wade House. Now this state historic site caters to travelers in a different way.

Your group can tour the stagecoach inn as well as the Wesley Jung Carriage Museum, which houses Wisconsin’s biggest wagon and carriage collection. Reconstruction of the Herrling Sawmill, powered by water from the Mullet River, adds yet another dimension to the study of local history.

Native American Tourism of Wisconsin (NATOW) The Native American people are “Inviting People Back to Our Land.”

Wisconsin is home to the largest number of Native American tribes east of the Mississippi River. The reservations of these eleven sovereign nations occupy more than one half million acres of Wisconsin’s most beautiful and unique landscapes: pristine lakes, rivers and streams, towering forests and ancient wild rice beds, each teeming with an abundance of wildlife. Discover how their tribal art, traditions and culture are significant parts of both Indian and non-Indian communities in the state, making Wisconsin a remarkable place to explore the history of Native American people.

Wisconsin Historical Society MADISON Wisconsin’s Historical Museum on Capital Square in Madison is full of wonderful information for you to plan your tours to historic sites that connect you with the past by inviting you inside the very places where history happened. Begin exploring three centuries of Wisconsin history by visiting Old World Wisconsin, Wade House, Villa Louis, Circus World, Madeline Island Museum, H.H. Bennett Studio, Pendarvis, Stonefield, First Capitol, and Reed School.

spotlight wisconsin

Wade House Historic Site

MILWAUKEE

Indian Summer Festival

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his is the largest Native American festival in the United States. It brings together members of many American Indian tribes to share and preserve the centuries-old traditions of their respective tribes. In addition to its spectacular competition powwow, Indian Summer is also known for its American Indian music, food, art and crafts. Your group can take in a torch-lit canoe procession, terrific fireworks, tribal village re-creations, cultural demonstrations, storytellers, lacrosse tournaments, American Indian traditional and contemporary entertainers, a sprawling Indian marketplace, and a fiddle and jig contest. In the heart of the Midwest, Wisconsin is a fitting location for this annual celebration of Native American culture, home of eleven tribes, and the largest number of tribes east of the Mississippi River. The reservations of these eleven sovereign nations occupy more than one-half million acres of Wisconsin’s most beautiful and unique landscapes. And nowhere will you find a better powwow than at Indian Summer Festival in Milwaukee.

Travel Wisconsin

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500 Miles Through Wisconsin

Plymouth Walldog

This sample itinerary can be customized for any time of year.

This 500-mile loop takes you to some of Wisconsin’s greatest travel destinations. Become a “cheese head” for a few days as you and your group enjoy some good old fashioned Wisconsin hospitality!

day one Wisconsin Dells Boat Tour s

9:00 am – 1:00 pm Welcome to Thorp, Wisconsin, home of Holland’s Family Cheese. A recently opened location, your groups will be able to visit the Penterman Farm, the cheesemaking facility, and the Marieke® Gouda Store.

Each facility has viewing areas where your groups will be able to see each stage of the cheesemaking process. Holland’s Family Cheese welcomes your groups to share in their passion of modern family farming and handcrafted cheesemaking! Enjoy lunch at Café DUTCHess.

1 – 6:00 pm Head south to Beaver Dam and get settled into your room at the AmericInn Lodge & Suites. This newly renovated award-winning hotel is known for its cleanliness and great customer service. With modern amenities and a hot breakfast, your groups will be able to kick back and feel at home.

6 – 8:00 pm Choose from two delicious options for dinner.

Palenque Mexican Bar & Grill will serve your groups an authentic Mexican dinner, while the Bayside Supper Club offers a wonderful banquet facility on beautiful Beaver Dam Lake.

day two 9 – 11:00 am Start the day in Beaver Dam by browsing the aisles of Nancy’s Notions. This sewing outlet was featured on PBS’s popular Sewing With Nancy.

11:00 am – 12:00 pm Stop for a snack at It’s A Sweet Life and indulge in gourmet cupcakes! Offering 6 flavors every week, you are sure to find the perfect treat to suit your taste buds.

12 – 2:00 pm Speaking of taste buds, Schultz’s Cheese Haus offers wonderful and unique cheese samples as well as local wine tastings. Each aisle is bursting with cheese spreads, cracker assortments, jerky & sausage, specialty cheeses, gift boxes, and even candies & chocolates! Wisconsin souvenir items are also available.

2 – 4:00 pm A one-hour drive to Plymouth brings you to 52 Stafford. This historic inn provides uptown service with small town charm. Their Irish cooking is like an Irish song; simple and tasty on the tongue, while filling and wholesome for the body and spirit. They hope your group will find the food flavorful, the services warm and generous, and the tariff moderate.

4 – 5:00 pm Spend some time this afternoon touring Plymouth’s

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famous murals. Modern mural artists, known as the Walldogs, have hand-painted Plymouth’s history along exterior walls throughout downtown. Follow it up with a tour of the Plymouth Historical Society, displaying a variety of exhibits. View several large collections featuring the fire department, a blacksmith shop, turn-of-the-century parlor, World War II, and Native American artifacts.

5 – 8:30 pm Head one hour south to Milwaukee, where your group will love the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. The hotel features Locavore, a full-service casual restaurant and lobby bar, as well as a coffee shop, fitness center and more. The folks at Potawatomi continue to offer

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the very best in gaming action across two massive floors that include table games, slot machines, bingo, poker and off-track betting. Is your group interested in seeing a show? The 500-seat Northern Lights Theater serves up world-class comedy and musical acts, giving you the best seats in the house. And check out their group packages! From bingo to hotels, Potawatomi offers great deals for groups of ten or more. Don’t miss out!

day three 8 – 10:00 am Head two hours northwest to Mauston. Positioned halfway between Chicago and Minneapolis, Mauston

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Travel Wisconsin finds you centered in the scenic Wisconsin outdoors.

With clean, friendly, and affordable lodging that is group-friendly, Mauston serves as the ideal base camp for experiencing the real Wisconsin. There are many local attractions to see!

10:00 am – 1:00 pm A morning boat ride on The Cruisin’ Turtle will accommodate up to 50 people with 25 under cover.

Equipped with air conditioning and heat, it’s a great way to get on the water in Mauston! You are welcome to have your cruise catered or bring your own food.

1 – 3:00 pm Located just 10 miles north of downtown Wisconsin Dells is Fawn Creek Winery. Indulge in a glass of fine wine while savoring the peace and quiet of the woods on the outdoor deck overlooking this seven-acre vineyard. This family-owned business is nestled on 36 acres amid a grove of maple, pine and oak trees.

They feature complimentary wine tastings, a gift shop, and a micro menu.

3 – 6:00 pm Return to Mauston and check into your hotel. Mauston has several great choices for evening entertainment. If visiting during the warmer months, an outdoor dinner along the lake is the perfect way to end the day.

day four 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Head west to Cashton and take in a simpler lifestyle as you tour Wisconsin’s largest Amish community at Down A Country Road. Over 300 Old Order Amish

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call the area home and have established a community rich in history, culture and handcrafted treasures.

Chuck and Kathy Kuderer have established a very close friendship with many of the Amish families in the area, and together they work to bring handmade treasures and treats to you at The Village Shops at Down A Country Road. The Village Shops consist of 6 unique small cottages filled with products made by the local Amish, other local artisans and some unique general giftware. Most of the little cottages were built by the Amish and are set in amongst beautiful gardens. There is no cost to stop with your group at The Village Shops, however there is a fee for the tour.

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino

For more information or to customize this sample itinerary for your group, contact any of the following: BEAVER DAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 920-887-8879 / www.beaverdamchamber.com DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD 608-654-5318 / www.downacountryroad.com

Potawatomi Hotel & Casi no

HOLLAND’S FAMILY CHEESE 715-669-5230 / www.mariekegouda.com MAUSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 608-847-4142 / www.mauston.org/tours PLYMOUTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 920-893-0079 / www.plymouthwisconsin.com POTAWATOMI HOTEL & CASINO 800-729-7244 / www.paysbig.com

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino

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directory accommodations Ages Past B&B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608-654-5850 1223 Front Street – Cashton, WI 56619 www.agespastbnb.com

National Historic Cheesemaking Center

. . . . . . . . . 608-325-4636 2108 6th Avenue – Monroe, WI 53566 www.nationalhistoriccheesemakingcenter.org

Calumet County Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920-849-1493 x263 206 Court St – Chilton, WI 53014 www.travelcalumet.com

Old World Wisconsin. . . . . . . . . . . . 262-594-6301

Green County Tourism . . . . . . . . . . 608-328-1838

W372 S9727 Hwy 67 – Eagle, WI 53119 www.oldworldwisconsin.wisconsinhistory.org

1016 16th Ave – Monroe, WI 53566 www.greencounty.org

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-729-7244

Mauston Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . 920-637-1271 303 Mansion Street – Mauston, WI 53948 www.visitmauston.com

Apple Holler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262-884-7100

1721 W Canal St – Milwaukee, WI 53233 www.paysbig.com Potawatomi Hotel & Casino offers high-stakes bingo, over 100 table games, 3,000+ slot machines, a 20-table Poker Room, a 500-seat theater and an Off-Track Betting Room. Numerous dining options plus a brand new, luxurious 19 story hotel.

5006 S Sylvania Ave – Sturtevant, WI 53177 www.appleholler.com

Rural Arts Roadtrip . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920-286-0971

Barn at Harvest Moon Pond . . . . 608-635-4344

W1993 Thede Road – New Holstein, WI 53061 www.ruralartsroadtrip.com

AmericInn of Beaver Dam . . . . . 920-356-9000 www.americinn.com/hotels/wi/beaverdam We know there’s no place like home, but with our newly updated furnishings, room décor, flat screen TV’s and cozy Serta® Perfect Sleeper beds, the AmericInn Beaver Dam will feel like your home away from home.

attractions

N3540 State Road 22 – Poynette, WI 53955 www.barnharvestmoon.com

Circle M Market Farm . . . . . . . . . . 608-558-0501 1784 County Rd H – Blanchardville, WI 53516 www.circlemfarm.com

Down a Country Road . . . . . . . . . . 608-654-5318 12651 State Hwy 33 – Cashton, WI 54619 www.downacountryroad.com

Glacial Lake Cranberries

. . . . . . . 715-887-4161 2480 County Road D – Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495 www.cranberrylink.com

Gramma Miller’s Farm Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715-249-3060 N4317 Elizabeth Lane – Hancock, WI 54943 www.grammamillersmarket.com

Hinchley’s Dairy Farm Tours . . . . 608-764-5090 2844 Hwy 73 – Cambridge, WI 53523 www.dairyfarmtours.com

Rushing Waters Fisheries

. . . . . . 800-378-7088 N301 County Road H – Palmyra, WI 53156 www.rushingwaters.net

Sassy Cow Creamery . . . . . . . . . . . 608-837-7766 W4192 Bristol Road – Columbus, WI 53925 www.sassycowcreamery.com

PO Box 146 – Warrens, WI 54666 cranfest@cranfest.com www.cranfest.com World’s largest cranberry festival, with more than 1,200 arts/crafts, flea market and antique booths. Experience everything cranberry. Delicious! Tour a cranberry marsh and see one of the largest marching band parades in Wisconsin.

3619 13th Avenue – Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 www.fawncreekwinery.com

46490 Highway 71 – Gays Mills, WI 54631 www.kickapoo-orchard.com

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920-418-2676 N2564 US Hwy 151 – Chilton, WI 53014 www.meuerfarm.com

Milwaukee County Zoo . . . . . . . . 414-256-5432 10001 West Blue Mound Road – Milwaukee, WI 53226 renee.Klatt@milwaukeecountywi.gov www.milwaukeezoo.org One of the country’s finest zoological attractions, they will educate, entertain and inspire you! Visit over 2,000 mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles in specialized habitats spanning 200 wooded acres. Explore fun attractions and enticing special events. w w w. i t i n e r a r i e s m i d w e s t . c o m

wineries

Warrens Cranberry Festival . . . . 608-378-4200

204 Main Street – Warrens, WI 54666 www.discovercranberries.com

Meuer Farm LLC

532 E Main Street – Stoughton, WI 53589 visitorservices@stoughtonwi.com www.stoughtonwi.com Located on the banks of the Yahara River, Stoughton is a treasure chest of Norwegian Heritage and Victorian architecture, Arts and Culture, and warm, friendly Festivals. Let us provide your groups with a fun and educational experience.

Fawn Creek Winery. . . . . . . . . . . . . 608-253-4400

Kickapoo Orchard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608-735-4637

. . . . . . . . . . . . 608-606-2866 106 2nd Street E – Westby, WI 54667 www.OcoochMountainAcres.com

Stoughton Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . 608-873-7912

12195 Hwy VV – Cassville, WI 53806 www.stonefield.wisconsinhistory.org

200 W Liberty Drive – Thorp, WI 54771 www.mariekegouda.com

Maple Trees & Milwaukee Trains

PO Box 584 – Plymouth, WI 53073 www.plymouthwisconsin.com Plymouth is Wisconsin’s Mural Capital! Located in Sheboygan Cty, it’s nestled in the gently rolling hills of the Kettle Moraine.

This quaint town is ideal for visitors to rest, relax, and rejuvenate.

Stonefield Historic Site . . . . . . . . . 608-725-5210

Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center & Wetherby Cranberry Co. . . . . . . . . 608-378-4878

Holland’s Family Cheese LLC . . . 715-669-5230

Plymouth Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . 888-693-8263

Munson Bridge Winery . . . . . . . . . 715-229-4501 W6462 Bridge Road – Withee, WI 54498 www.munsonbridgewinery.com

Trout Springs Winery . . . . . . . . . . . 920-864-7761 8150 River Road – Greenleaf, WI 54126 www.troutspringswinery.com

Vetro Winery

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920-674-9650 1414 Vino Lane – Jefferson, WI 53549 www.vetrowine.com

convention & visitors bureaus and chambers AbbyColby Crossings Chamber . 715-223-8509 PO Box 418 – Abborsford, WI 54405 www.abbycolbyareachamber.org

Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . 920-887-8879 127 South Spring Street – Beaver Dam, WI 53916 pres@beaverdamchamber.com www.beaverdamchamber.com Beaver Dam is a picturesque community that is located in south central Wisconsin on Beaver Dam Lake. The community offers plenty of waterborne recreation, as well as many other places for groups to explore.

Indian Summer Festival - Milwaukee

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International Festival –Madison, WI

Winter Wonderland –Sioux Falls, SD

calendar of events 2016 [ january – february – march ]

C O N TA C T A R E A C V B S F O R C O M P L E T E C A L E N D A R S .

illinois

illinois

january • Volo Bog’s WinterFest January 10, Ingleside 815-344-1294 • Spring Awakening at the Marriott Theatre January 14-31, Lincolnshire 847-634-0220 • Bald Eagle Tours at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge January 23-February 1, Marion 618-997-3344 february • Southern Illinois Boat & Fishing Show February 5-7, Marion 618-993-2657 • Chicago Valentine’s Day Dinner Cruise – Spirit of Chicago February 13-14, Chicago 866-273-2469 • The Peking Acrobats 30th Anniversary Tour at the James Lumber Center February 19, Grayslake 847-543-2300 march • Kane County Flea Market March 5-6, St. Charles 630-584-6926 • Chicago Flower & Garden Show March 12-20, Chicago 312-241-1250 • West Side Story: A Paramount Theatrical Production March 16 – April 24, Aurora 630-896-6666 • Crappie USA Super Tournament March 18-20, Marion 618-997-3690

iowa

iowa

january • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe January 8-24, Des Moines 515-277-6261 • World’s Toughest Rodeo January 8-9, Des Moines 515-564-8000 • Annual Ice Fishing Derby January 16, Mason City 641-421-3673 • Iowa Boat, RV & Vacation Show January 22-24, Cedar Falls 319-232-0218

50

february • 12 Angry Men February 5-21, Des Moines 515-277-6261 • Cedar Rapids Sportshow February 12-14, Cedar Rapids 319-232-0218 • 4th Annual Des Moines Area Bluegrass Festival February 26-27, Johnston 641-799-1442 march • North Iowa Home and Landscaping Show March 4-6, Mason City 319-232-0218 • Eastern Iowa Sportshow March 11-13, Cedar Falls 319-232-0218 • St. Patrick’s Day Celebration March 18-20, Emmetsburg 712-852-4326 • Riverdance: 20 Years March 22-24, Mason City 641-422-4188

kansas

kansas

january • Birger Sandzen Holiday Gift Show Nov 8 – Jan 24, Lindsborg 785-227-2220 • Starbird-Devlin Rod & Customs Charities Car Show January 16-17, Wichita 316-722-9190 • The Big Friendly Giant – Dallas Children’s Theatre January 19, Junction City, 785-238-3906 february • Lincoln Days February 12-13, Lincoln 785-524-5133 • Chocolate Lover’s Affair February 13, Lindsborg 888-227-2227 • Mary Poppins February 18-21, Hutchinson 620-662-1601 • EquiFest of Kansas February 26, Topeka 785-776-0662 march • PSU International Food and Culture Fair March 5, Pittsburg 620-235-4680

• Saint Louis Brass Quintet March 5, Junction City 785-238-3906 • Tallgrass Film Festival Road Show March 20, Junction City 785-238-3906 • PSU Best of Broadway Series, “Beauty and the Beast” March 22, Pittsburg 620-231-7000

michigan michigan january • Plymouth Ice Festival January 8-10, Plymouth 248-817-8836 • Bookings, Bullets & Bows: Expo & Gun Show 2016 January 15-17, Cadillac 231-878-2479 • Winter Delights: A Festival of Wine, Food and Music January 23, Benton Harbor 269-927-1221 • Snowfest 2016 January 27 – February 1, Frankenmuth 800-863-7999 february • 12th Annual Magical Ice Fest February 5-7, Saint Joseph 269-985-1111 • Detroit Camper & RV Show February 10-14, Novi 586-752-6381 • Burton Mountain Festival February 19-21, Harbor Springs 844-824-9665 • Michigan Nordic Fire Festival February 26-28, Charlotte 517-541-0095 march • Retro Weekend March 4-6, Harbor Springs 844-824-9665 • 7th Annual Brew-Ski Festival March 12, Harbor Springs 844-824-9665 • Michigan Gem & Mineral Society Show March 18-20, Jackson 517-522-3396

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Feast of Nations –Grand Forks. ND

Chicago Flower and Garden Show –Chicago, IL

minnesotaminnesota

nebraska nebraska

south dakota south dakota

january • Ice Fest January 9-10, Breezy Point 218-562-7811 • Back to Hack Winter Festival January 15-17, Hackensack 218-675-6135 • Winterfest January 22-23, Worthington 800-279-2919 • Midwest Vintage Snowmobile Show January 29-31, Waconia 651-649-4688 february • Sportsmen’s Show February 5-7, St. Cloud 320-255-7272 • 50th Annual Duluth Boat, Sports, Travel & RV Show February 17-21, Duluth 952-431-9630 • Central MN Farm Show February 23-25, St. Cloud 320-255-7272 • Grumpy Old Men Festival February 27, Wabasha 651-565-4158 march • Winter Bluegrass Weekend March 4-6, Plymouth 612-285-9133 • CMBA Home Show March 11-13, St. Cloud 320-255-7272 • An Irish Day of Dance & St. Patrick’s Day Celebration March 17-20, St. Paul 651-292-3225 • Motorhead Madness March 19-20, Duluth 952-447-5999

january • Cabin Fever Antique Show & Sale January 10-11, Lincoln 402-432-1451 • Fonner Park Outdoor Expo January 15-17, Grand Island 308-382-4515 • Central Nebraska Home & Builders Show January 22-24, Grand Island 308-382-4515 february • Fragile Beauty: The Glass Art of Craig Mitchell Smith February 1 – May 8, Omaha 402-346-4002 • Hinamatsuri: Japanese Doll Exhibit February 18 – March 3, Omaha 402-346-4002 • Flashdance: The Musical February 19-20, Lincoln 402-472-4747 • Valley County Home & Ag Expo February 27, Ord 308-728-7875 march • From Nebraska to the World: Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show January 30 – May 1, Omaha 402-444-5071 • Orchid Show and Sale March 5-6, Omaha 402-346-4002 • Puddin’ and the Grumble March 10-20, Lincoln 402-472-4747 • America’s Parks March 14 – May 14, Chadron 308-432-6401

january • Winter Wonderland November 20 – January 10, Sioux Falls 605-275-6060 • 15th Annual Mobridge Ice Fishing Tournament January 7-9, Mobridge 605-845-2500 • ISOC Snowcross Shootout January 22-23, Deadwood 605-578-1876 • Mardi Gras Weekend January 29-30, Deadwood 605-578-1876 february • Living History Fair February 5-6, Watertown 605-886-7335 • South Dakota’s Largest Tailgate Party February 7, Deadwood 605-578-1876 • Watertown Winter Farm Show February 9-13, Watertown 605-886-5814 march • James Valley Model Railroad Open House November 21 – March 2, Aberdeen 800-732-5682 • Custer Trade Show March 5, Custer 605-673-2244 • St. Patrick’s Day Weekend March 18-19, Deadwood 605-578-1876 • Curt Carter Memorial Gun Show March 19-20, Watertown 605-793-2347

north dakota north dakota

january • Intenational Festival 2016 January 9, Madison 608-258-4141 • Bald Eagle Watching Days January 15-16, Prairie Du Sac 608-643-4168 • Milwaukee Boat Show January 15-24, West Allis 616-447-2860 • Winterfest January 22-24, Beloit 608-365-4838 february • Winterfest & U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition February 3-13, Lake Geneva 262-248-4416 • Hot Air Affair February 5-7, Hudson 715-386-8411 • Greater Milwaukee Auto Show February 20-28, Milwaukee 414-908-6001 • Mad City Model Railroad Show and Sale February 20-21, Madison 608-267-3976 march • Motown the Musical March 1-6, Madison 608-258-4141 • Home, Garden & Leisure Show March 11-13, West Bend 262-338-2666 • Super Home Extravaganza March 18-20, Fond Du Lac 920-922-9067 • WPS Farm Show March 29-31, Oshkosh 866-920-3276

missouri

missouri

january • Eagle Watch at Roaring River State Park Dec 19 – Jan 16, Cassville 417-847-3742 • Museum After Hours: The Life and Shoes of Charles Tweedie at Missouri State Museum January 6, Jefferson City 573-522-6949 • 16th Annual Eagle Days – Lake of the Ozarks January 9-10, Lake Ozark 800-386-5253 february • Kansas City Repertory Theatre Presents: The Diary of Anne Frank Jan 29-Feb 21, Kansas City 816-235-2700 • The Leache Theatre Presents: Ragtime February 8, Rolla 573-341-4219 • Eagle Watching at Big Sugar Creek State Park February 20, Pineville 417-847-3742 • Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra February 29, St. Louis 314-533-7662 march • Kansas City Theatre Presents: Roof of the World Feb 26 – Mar 27, Kansas City 816-238-2700 • Leach Theatre Presents: The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra March 5, Rolla 573-341-4219 • St. Patrick’s Day Celebration and Home Brew Competition March 19, Sikeston 573-380-3801 • The Spring Thing Walk at Washington State Park March 19-20, 636-586-5768

january • Art Exhibit: “Missouri Valley Gold” by Greg Walter December 16 - January 16, Jamestown 701-251-2496 • Winter Ag & Construction Expo January 13-14, Jamestown 701-252-1400 • Broadway in Bismarck Presents “Million Dollar Quartet” January 24, Bismarck 701-355-1384 • North of Normal Frostival January 29-31, Fargo 701-282-3653 january • Sport and Rec Show February 4-7, Jamestown 701-252-4835 • Cabin Fever Days February 5-14, Jamestown 701-252-3982 • 54th Annual Feast of Nations February 6, Grand Forks 701-777-2731 • ShiverFest February 19-21, Devils Lake 701-662-4903 march • North Dakota Winter Show March 1-6, Valley City 701-845-1401 • KX Sport RV Boat Show March 11-13, Minot 701-852-2104 • Fargo-Moorhead Opera – The Face on the Barroom Floor March 13-15, Fargo 701-239-4558

wisconsin wisconsin calendar

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