Memorial Day is coming up, marking the beginning of the summer driving season. That means heavier traffic on the roads and greater potential for driving mishaps—or even tragedies. To help ensure you arrive at your destinations safely, follow these 7Read more The post 7 Tips for Driving Safely This Summer appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Midwest Wanderer

7 Tips for Driving Safely This Summer

Colonel George Davenport, founder of Davenport, Iowa, and first white settler in the area, led a family life that today would be fodder for the tabloids. Regardless, as a sutler for the U.S. Army, fur trader, and representative of IndiansRead more The post Colonel Davenport House: History on the Mississippi appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Colonel Davenport House: History on the Mississippi

Howard Steamboat Museum in Jeffersonville, Indiana, pays tribute to the Howard family and their steamboat building company. The tour combines a history of the ornate Edmonds and Laura Howard mansion and the shipyard located across the street, which the HowardRead more The post Howard Steamboat Museum Pays Tribute to Early Riverboat Company appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Howard Steamboat Museum Pays Tribute to Early Riverboat Company

Watch as Connie walks through the Mississippi River. She and Skip are at the Mississippi River headwaters in Itasca State Park, near Bemidji, Minnesota. The 2,552 mile Mississippi River begins here as a small stream flowing from Lake Itasca. ListenRead more The post Itasca State Park: Mississippi River Headwaters appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Itasca State Park: Mississippi River Headwaters

Aviator Charles Lindbergh gained his fame as the first person to successfully complete a solo transatlantic flight. The Charles Lindbergh Museum in Little Falls, Minnesota, chronicles his life and career with exhibits and films. On a tour of the adjacentRead more The post Charles Lindbergh House and Museum: Childhood Antics appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Charles Lindbergh House and Museum: Childhood Antics

It’s eagle watching season. As the weather becomes colder and bald eagles migrate south down the Mississippi Flyway, people travel to those same places in hopes of catching a glimpse of the national bird. Some of the best places toRead more The post Eagle Watching on the Mississippi Flyway appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Eagle Watching on the Mississippi Flyway

The lightweight Beechcraft 35 Bonanza civilian airplane, produced post-World War II, was expensive compared to other personal aircraft. Because of the steep price, mostly professionals, like doctors and lawyers, could afford them. The tail, an unusual V shape, was designedRead more The post Mid-America Air Museum: 100+ Aircraft, Home-Built to Military appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Mid-America Air Museum: 100+ Aircraft, Home-Built to Military

Bar brawls and gunfights were the norm in Dodge City’s early days. Today, it’s a thriving cattle city. On the Dodge City Trolley Tour we learned about both the city’s lawless Old West days, and about today’s thriving cattle industry,Read more The post Dodge City Trolley Tour: Exploring Queen of Cow Towns appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Dodge City Trolley Tour: Exploring Queen of Cow Towns

When we saw people sledding down the sand dunes at White Sands National Monument last spring, I wanted to do it, too. So when we wandered beyond the Midwest again on another trip out west, we detoured back to WhiteRead more The post White Sands National Monument: Sledding and Hiking appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

White Sands National Monument: Sledding and Hiking

Did you know that ninety-five percent of pumpkins for processing in the United States are grown in Illinois? Specifically, they’re grown in and near Morton, a town southeast of Peoria, home to a large Libby’s cannery. Every September, Morton celebratesRead more The post Morton Pumpkin Festival Celebrates Pumpkin Capital appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Morton Pumpkin Festival Celebrates Pumpkin Capital

In this podcast, we chat about exploring byways and trails. If you’re a regular Midwest Wanderer reader, you know we do a lot of road trips. Some of our favorite trips are along scenic or historic byways. And then thereRead more The post Exploring Byways and Trails appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Exploring Byways and Trails

Day 13: Quad Cities to home The weather on the last day of our trip was rather gloomy. Since the skies looked like they could open at any time, we skipped traveling on the Channel Cat Water Taxi. Instead, weRead more The post Podcast: Great River Road Day 13 appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Podcast: Great River Road Day 13

Day 12: Quad Cities, Illinois and Iowa Day 12 was museum day for us. We started out at the German American Heritage Center and Museum in Davenport. We went there specifically to see the temporary Steam Circus exhibit, but foundRead more The post Podcast: Great River Road Day 12 appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Podcast: Great River Road Day 12

Day 11: Fulton, Illinois, to Quad Cities Following a breakfast treat at Krumpet’s Bakery in Fulton, we crossed back into Iowa to visit the Sawmill Museum in Clinton. The museum is much larger than we expected it to be, andRead more The post Podcast: Great River Road Days 11 appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Podcast: Great River Road Days 11

Day 10: Dubuque, Iowa, to Fulton, Illinois Our first stop after breakfast was the Julien Dubuque Memorial. The memorial overlooks the Mississippi River—gorgeous views—in the Mines of Spain State Park. Afterward, since I can’t resist a cave, we toured CrystalRead more The post Podcast: Great River Road Day 10 appeared first on Midwest Wanderer.

Podcast: Great River Road Day 10

Empty nesters exploring America's Heartland and beyond

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Midwest Wanderer

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