Michelle’s Most Magnificent Midwest Destinations

Everybody does a top 5 list. Here is mine. Enjoy.

NUMBER ONE : I grew up in South Dakota – so that’s our #1 spot. Specifically the Black Hills. If you haven’t been to the Black Hills, then you don’t love America. History? Check. Fabulous rolling hills and gurgling streams and lakes? Yep. Quaint towns? Sure. It’s absolutely beautiful in the Hills and if you are coming from the East, you wonder – how it is the rest of the state is so flat and barren and here’s a magical spot of towering spruce, pine and cedar trees? Indeed. Fly into Sioux Falls and take the drive across the state on I-90. (BTW, we call it an “interstate” system, not a freeway, not an expressway of whatever you big city people use.) First, stop in Mitchell and visit the Corn Palace. Did you know it was first called the “Cow Palace?” And it actually resided in Plankinton, a town 30 miles to the West on I-90?  Then, stop at Al’s Oasis in Chamberlain for a buffalo burger. They were making buffalo burgers cool way before Mr. Turner even thought of buying one bison.

Recommendations: Wall Drug. You know why. The faces.  Crazy Horse – is that going to be finished in our lifetimes? Doubtful.  Drive around Spearfish Canyon. Reptile Gardens – if you are into that thing. Pheasant hunting. SO EASY TO GET THE FAMILY TO DO!! Stay at a cabin for the real “out west” feel for your family.

To avoid: Waterparks. This is the great West, we don’t need to spend time at an indoor waterpark. Unless it’s raining. Then okay. Dancing with the Wolves tour – I’m not a fan of any organized tour. You aren’t in a European Country, people, I think you can figure out how to get around 50 square miles on your own.

NUMBER TWO: Great River Road. I read in Frontier’s Magazine “Wild Yonder” about the Great River Road and they claim to get on in Stillwater and just drive to LaCrosse. WHAT?! There’s still another two-hours of awesomeness beyond that!! Okay, Stillwater is awesome. I want to open up a quaint shop there. It has shops, intimate restaurants, water tours on the Mississippi (they even have a gondola tour!). They used to have this cool dinner train, but I heard it was out of commission. Boo.  BUT – this article says MN DNR is planning on buying the railway for a rec trail. That’s okay.

Jump over to the Wisconsin side to continue on the Great River Road south along the Mississippi (yes, it is on both MN and WI sides).  The whole point of taking this road is to take in the sights and stop at the little villages to visit the shops. There’s everything from a Lavender farm by Pepin to caves to pottery studios. This is a “create your own adventure” route. You can end in Marquette, Iowa where they have a old boat-turned casino.  (I’m not a proponent of gambling, I just like cool places.)

To avoid: Just driving straight-through. Give yourself a whole day to savor ice-cream shops, studios and homemade pie.

NUMBER THREE: Brainerd/Baxter, Minnesota.  This is the iconic “up north” all Illinoisoins talk about. (Most just travel an hour over the border and claim to be “up north.”) You have these historic (but updated) resorts on the lake with top-rated golf and activities for the whole family. I can’t give it justice of how relaxing it is at these reorts surrounded by deciduous trees and snuggling up in your REAL fireplace room (at Madden’s Resort) Most resorts offer comp paddle boats and the like. But don’t forget your local guides, too! Each resorts has a selection of “go to” people.

Recommendations: Madden’s on Gull Lake or Cragun’s. Madden’s has a shooting range nearby. Both have superb golf courses and activities. Really can’t go wrong with any of the resorts in the area. The towns of Brainerd or Baxter don’t offer much. So I’d just stay on the resorts – bring your bike, kayak and boat and relax!

Avoid: The drive from Twin Cities to Brainerd is a little over 2 hours and IS NOT RELAXING on a Friday evening. Pretty much all of the city dwellers head there for the weekend. So time your trip accordingly.

NUMBER FOUR: Door County, Wisconsin. If you are a golfer or biker, this is a dream spot for you. Stay at a B&B and toodle around the peninsula sipping wine and taking in the scenery. About 3 hours north of Milwaukee, it’s not a bad drive. You can stop at Kohler on the way up and visit their Design Center (prepare to feel sorry for yourself that you won’t be able to afford any of their showrooms – $2000 for ONE spray nozzle? And the shower has 4?) But if you can afford that, then you should definitely play at Whistling Straits course and do the Kohler Spa. You’ll need about $500 for both activities. They offer great rates in the off-season. And be warned the spa INCREASES their prices on the weekends. How thoughtful of them.

Recommendation: Stay at The American Club, where the Kohler immigrants stayed and played back in the day. Do a kayak tour around the peninsula – spray skirt and all – it’s like being on the ocean. Almost. Plenty of public beaches and state parks – so get your park sticker and get out there! Stay at a B&B – there are TONS in Door County. Memorial Day weekend is a fab time to visit Door County – tulips abound!

Avoid –  Traveling anytime around a Packer game.

NUMBER FIVE: Madison/Wisconsin Dells – So this is really an Illinoisian playground. Wisconsin Dells is about 2.5 hours north of the Illinois border. Waterparks GALORE. And fancy resorts to go with them. But, there are plenty of public beaches along the Wisconsin River and Mirror Lake. Try something most tourists don’t do because they are too busy standing in line at a waterpark: go ziplining, kayaking or rock climbing with Vertical Illusions. The tours will set you back about $100 a person – but the tours are very intimate as its only YOUR CREW on the tour! And their people take care of you. Also, instead of staying at a resort, rent a vacation home on the lake for that true “up north” feeling.

Avoid: the upside down White House – SUPER LAME!!! The feed-the-deer park. What is that teaching? Future bambi-lovers. Avoid all restaurants at 5 pm. Any resort/hotel owned by Mt. Olympus. I’ve stayed at many of their properties and they are horrible rooms. Their newer hotel is all plastic wood floors and that means – no noise control. Who builds a hotel with no carpet?

Recommendation: Baraboo Circus Museum (about 20 min away) is getting cred because they loaned the circus wagons for the upcoming movie “Water for Elephants” (Read the book – awesome!) Daily circus acts. Can’t go wrong with that. Food and gas is cheaper here too. Get a state park sticker and travel to Governor Dodge State Park (by Baraboo) for camping and nice beach access. Also superb hiking rails and one-of-a-kind rock climbing.(something about the hardness of the rock, very unique to the area)  But lots of poison ivy right on the trails – so watch for that. Also – eat at High Rock Café downtown Dells. Downtown is kind of fun, so you should get there and check out the tourist traps. Be sure to sit on the second story of the café by the windows for a bird’s eye view of people-watching. (How many people can you count walking around in their swimsuits?)  Oh – and do the Duck Tour. There are two companies in the Dells – both are good and the tours never get old. For an adults-only stay – try the Sundara Inn & Spa.

Have you been to any of these spots? What did you think of them? Did I miss any places at these destinations?