Midwest Travel
All our adventures from around the midwestern United States. The often overlooked middle section of the U.S. that we call home. Midwest Travel is full of beautiful cityscapes, rolling farmland and beautiful forests. We love sharing all the best there is to explore here.
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8 Photos because you missed Hamilton the Exhibition
Did you check out the Hamilton Exhibition in Chicago? We checked it out on it’s very last day running and are so grateful we did. If you missed it you’re in luck as I have compiled our favorite photos so you can have a taste of the gorgeous scenes until they hopefully move it on to the next city and you get a second chance. This lovely statue greeted you at the entrance of the site on Northerly Island. An off the beaten track location but it was worth the trek. The first exhibit immerses you in the Caribbean of Alexander Hamilton’s childhood; focusing on his poverty and the trading…
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The Most Scenic Dells Boat Tour
There are numerous different options for touring Lake Delton by boat. I have also tried the jet boat and iconic Wisconsin Ducks and have had a good experience on both. What makes the Upper Dells Boat Tour unique is the two drop off excursions to explore the rock features on land. The tour is the only way I know to view these beautiful stop offs and are completely worth a trip. That’s why I think the Upper Dells Boat Tour is the most scenic Dells boat tour. The boat tour itself cruises at a nice leisurely pace. It has open air seats on the top deck and open windows for…
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Why I won’t be going back to Devil’s Lake State Park
Devil’s Lake has been on my bucket list for awhile now, growing up in Wisconsin it was definitely well known but somehow not somewhere I had yet visited. Unlike most State Parks I have visited Devil’s Lake is not free entry which in theory should mean they have more funding to make it a good experience for it’s visitors but unfortunately for us it was not to be. We certainly made the best of it but we had a fairly frustrating experience which is why I won’t be going back to Devil’s Lake State Park. read more
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Best of Berrien County Michigan
Every year we have a tradition of getting together with our two best couple friends and our dogs and finding a vacation rental within driving distance of Chicago. We always search Illinois and all the surrounding states but then inevitably find our favorite in Michigan. Most recently, we have found our favorites in Berrien County, a lovely lakefront County at the southwest corner of Michigan. Berrien County has a plethora of vacation rentals and unmatched attractions which I have included below in no particular order. read more
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Pet Friendly Cabin in Starved Rock State Park
We had been looking to plan a trip to Starved Rock State Park for awhile. When Ryan’s Brother came to visit it seemed like the perfect reason to go as he shares our love of the outdoors. Starved Rock is fairly well known in that is it only 1.5-2 hours from Chicago and has such cool rock formations and waterfalls to explore. As per usual on our outdoor adventures, we wanted to bring our dog Memphis along. Luckily for us renting a pet friendly Cabin in Starved Rock State Park itself was available for when we wanted to stay. read more
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Tour Cook County’s Only Canyon
Cook County is home to only one single Canyon in the entire region. The Sagawau Canyon is located in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago in Lemont, IL. Due to this the Canyon’s status and plant life access is highly restricted and tours are limited and guided. It’s not a lengthy tour at about an hour but it’s very educational and an excellent low key adventure. Reserve a Spot You can book a tour through the Forest Preserves of Cook County Website here. The tours are completely free you just have to call and put your name on the list as tour sizes seem to be limited to about ten. This…
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Where to go in Shawnee National Forest
We had the most amazing trip to Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. The natural beauty is astounding and makes it a true tourist attraction. The other amenities that have popped up surrounding it make it a truly great vacation spot. So on that note, here are our suggestions on where to go in Shawnee National Forest. The Garden of the Gods The Garden of the Gods has some lovely hikes and even better views. The photos really speak for themselves. Don’t worry you won’t have to go rock climbing to see them, although you can for fun. Just make sure you have a better plan for getting back down…
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Oriental Institute Museum
I have always been obsessed with ancient Egypt and it’s history. I cannot get enough of mummies, pharaohs and hieroglyphs. Given this I cannot believe I went this long without having discovered the Oriental Institute Museum right here in Chicago. Though it’s name is quite dated, it comes from the time in which the University had excavations from ancient Egypt, Nubia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Anatolia, and the ancient site of Megiddo. I have visited Many of the larger more well known museums in various cities and none of them come close to the quantity, variety and size of the artifacts at the Oriental Institute from this area and period. I…
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A Decadent Tour in a Chicago Gilded Age Mansion
Richard H. Driehaus Museum Nestled among Chicago’s downtown skyscrapers is the lesser known Richard H. Driehaus Museum. The Museum building is the Nickerson Mansion built in the late 19th century and restored by Mr. Driehaus in the early 2000’s. The museum celebrates the gilded age architecture of the original home and art from that era. It is a step back in time into the lives of upper class Chicagoans. Ornate Gilded Age Architecture The Mansion has so many beautiful architectural features. It was common in this era to go for the extravagant and the house speaks to the decadent lifestyle of the families who owned the home and could afford…
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Wisconsin Ice Castles Winter Wonderland
Ice Castles are a unique frozen winter attraction built entirely of icicles and LED lights. We received media passes that allowed free entry to this attraction which we were very excited about as it was our first time getting this kind of access. You can visit in the day or the night for two unique viewing experiences. We visited their Lake Geneva location but they have six locations throughout North America so if your not local there may be one by you too. As we tend to want to hibernate until Spring it was refreshing to find something worth braving the cold for this winter. read more