There are plenty of other spots to explore for historical interest in the town and nearby. There's much fun to be had in this Midwestern city, too. Population: 491,800 (2.14 million in metro area) Unemployment rate: 6.7%. Though the Kings home is your go-to if youre going for that late-60s living-room vibe, the true musical heart of the state is the Grand Ole Opry, which is a no-brainer pilgrimage-slash-proposal site for a country-music-lovin couple. Get Hitched in the Windy City: A Chicago Wedding If you want to host your wedding in an urban environment, then there is no more suitable choice in the Midwest than Chicago. (Photo by @stlthetruth). A quintessential Midwest town, Fort Dodge, Iowa, oozes Midwest nice according to Amy Piper. Watch for wild turkeys, coyotes, and whitetail deer. These majestic creatures find overnight solace in the vast, flat, and shallow Platte River. Assuming, of course, that youre both the outdoorsy types. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Sandy beaches, dense forests and crystal-clear lakes make it ideal for all sorts of outdoor recreation, from hiking and cycling to kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Discover Grand Falls, the tallest natural waterfall in the state at just 12 feet high. You can go for the high vantage point of the Overlook Tower, down closer by one of the . Pro tip: Plan an early May visit to see baby bison and other newborn animals. Youll have to take the single road into the national park and then switch to the parks bus and shuttle system, then hike, hike, hike. 03 of 22 Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin Midwestern getaways everyone should experience at least once. Consider another of Viking's regional options, a cruise expedition to all five Great Lakes. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Amongst all the wonderful small towns of Door County, Egg Harbor earns a distinction with artistic egg displays all over town, One Barrel Brewing brewery, and local peninsula apple and cherry deliciousness at Woods Orchard Market, Sherman says. To observe the natural beauty of the cranes in another way, visit the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island. Ladage loved her stay at the lovely Merrill Hotel, which is located right across from the Mississippi River close to Muscatines historic downtown. Some of the best stops along the journey can be found in the Midwest, including the headwaters, Twin Cities, Lake Pepin, Dubuque, and St. Louis. Youre going for coffee. Formerly the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Indianapolis, it now serves as a boutique hotel only a 20-minute drive from the speedway. You can learn more about that process here. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Every spring, roughly one million sandhill cranes traverse central Nebraska, giving new meaning to the term "flyover country." We want to inspire you to explore new destinations, discover new experiences and savor the journey. The stunning Black Hills area of South Dakota offers two distinct national parks, an impressive state park, and cute small towns, making it an ideal Midwestern getaway. Walter Cronkite Memorial pays tribute to one of the best newsmen of the 20th century, Walls tells us. Whether youre seeking a stop on a summer road trip, a break from city life, or are trying to cross all 50 states off your list and dont know what to see in Kansas, Wichita checks all the boxes according to Jill Robbins. Richmond Heights is a small place with a population of just 8,457 people. Though its daytime activities, like guided paddling excursions and hiking tips, are lovely, the 218,000-acre park shines as an after-dark destination. 9 LITTLE-KNOWN LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES WHERE CROWDS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. In addition to writing for Quillt sites such as SeniorsMatter.com and Oola.com, shes also written for Zumper.com and served as Oola's editor before becoming a Content Strategist for TravelAwaits. 6. She recommends ending your day at Egg Harbors Harbor View Park, which she describes as a great place to see the sun set on this adorable Midwest town., Elkhart Lake is an hours drive from the Milwaukee airport, and that hour is all the effort youll expend on this water-for-days getaway, attests Deurlein. At about a Level 2, this unique experience is fun for the whole family. Nah, talk about clich. The Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls is the perfect place to unwind, unplug and enjoy your own personal cottage. The 6 Best Places to Propose Marriage Proposals The 6 Best Places to Propose Ready to pop the question but just need to figure out where to do it? Stevenson enjoyed going up to the bluff to explore Horseshoe Mound preserve for expansive views of the Mississippi River and the valleys below. Any Midwesterner worth his or her salt has fond memories of visiting Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. Alternatively, you can find a restaurant with a great view of the Atlantic. Standing at 50 feet tall, the stainless steel sculpture overlooks the Missouri River and honors the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota peoples. From September 21 to 24, 2023, the towns Oktoberfest will feature great food, local beer courtesy of New Glarus Brewing, special events like wagon rides and chainsaw wood carving, and live music. 10. Number 9 is sure to take their breath away! The Grand Basin . Fort Frenzy Family Fun Center is a family entertainment center that offers indoor activities, including a full arcade, go-karts, and laser tag, so its an excellent rainy-day option. How about getting out of Sin City (or Reno) altogether and taking a hot-air balloon ride over the desert, far from the cha-ching of the slots? Peninsula State Park in Door County is teeming with natural beautytowering bluffs, sandy stretches, cedar forests, scenic overlooks and more. Jason Kessler September 17, 2018 Your proposal is going to be a moment you'll both remember forever. Its the limestone cliffs, caves, arches and columns that really do it for usone glance at the striated rock formations and youll surely agree. Try to shell out for a suite, each of which comes with a stone fireplace and whirlpool tubs. The National Audubon Society's Rowe Sanctuary offers another excellent viewing option, with (free) daily guided tours at sunrise and sunset. What were describing is Lake of the Ozarks State Park. My 9 Favorite Restaurants In Puerto Vallarta Plus What To Order, 7 Things To Do In Beautiful Edmonton, Canada, My 9 Favorite World Heritage Sites I Visited In Japan, 9 Historic Midwest Homes That Bring The Holidays To Life, 17 Fantastic Apple Festivals To Experience In The Midwest This Fall (2022), 5 Midwest Cities I Love Visiting In The Summer, Explore The Past At These 11 Midwest Living History Museums, For details on Quillt's privacy and cookie policies, please visit our, George Washington Carver National Monument, Patee House Museum & the Jesse James Home, 9 Beautiful Waterfalls To Visit In The Midwest, 9 Life Lessons From A Multigenerational Midwest Road Trip. Lincoln County Historical Museum is a group of amazing museums including Western Heritage Village and the World War II North Platte Canteen exhibit. (Photo by @thelashe), You dont have to be a Hoosier or even a basketball or football fan to find a worthy Indiana location in which to slip in a marriage proposal. (Photo by @armstrongcreativeimag), You dont need Meryl Street or Clint Eastwood to do a romantic tour of the bridges of Madison County, and many of the famous, picturesque covered bridges of the county seat provide a perfect spot for a special, all-American, love-of-your-life moment. Wisconsins entire Door County peninsula is magical, Joan Sherman attests, but Egg Harbor is a prime example of why the region earned the nickname Cape Cod of the Midwest. About 2.5 hours north of Milwaukee, Egg Harbor is located on the bay of Green Bay. Other highlights include Stevie Nicks' black dress from the "Rumours" album cover, Flavor Flav's clock pendant necklace, and Elvis' gold lam suit. Dont go in when its snowbound, which will turn the moderately difficult hike into a more challenging one. Boasting 2,250 miles of shoreline, Lake Oahe is one of the largest reservoirs in the country. Katy Spratte Joyce is a freelance food, business, and travel writer based in Omaha, Nebraska. Explore hotels near Hocking Hills State Park. Here, you are transported to a simpler time filled with home-baked Americana at every turn, describes Robyne Stevenson. Located along Lake Michigan this city has a unique combination of a busy industrial city and a relaxed lifestyle. Falls also a good time to go to avoid the tourists. Take your love on a trip back in timeget on bended knee at a replica of the Titanic's Grand Staircase in Branson. (Photo by @withlove_alina), You dont have to be a movie star for this one: Before there was Robert Redfords pet film festival, there was his resort, which covers over 5,000 beautiful acres of the slopes of Mount Timpanogos near Provo. Its a brewery with a Prohibition-era speakeasy in the basement.. (Photo by@conquerarizona), The botanical garden of the University of Arkansas, and part of the school of design and architecture, this whole place looks like historys most romantic genie snapped his fingers just so you could get your lady to say yes to tying the knot. Assuming, of course, that youre both the outdoorsy types. So you want to stage the best proposal ever the kind she will describe with teary awe in years to come but you dont know where to start. ), its one of four census-designated regions of the United States and covers the northern central part of the country. One of the best cities in the U.S., according to Travel + Leisure 's 2022 World's Best Awards, Chicago is a must-visit Midwestern destination . Their search tool is great. If you go in the summer, you can enjoy kayaking or boating on the Galena River that runs through the center of town. Recently, I discovered the inspiring Praying Hands Memorial and the Ampersand Sculpture. Catch baseballs finest at the College World Series in June. Summers are a great time to go, if you bring sweaters for nighttime. This Coastal Destination Is Called the 'Cape Cod of the Midwest' With Charming Small Towns and Beautiful Views. Consider checking out the Crane Trust for its overnight VIP experience, complete with heated bird blinds. Hike up to Castlewood's bluffs, high over the Meramec River in St. Louis, for unforgettable views. Nebraska doesn't always get the tourism credit it deserves with, perhaps, the exception of Scotts Bluff National Monument. From biking to bovines to brews, this is small-town Wisconsin at its best, states Sherman. (Photo by @littlefamilygarden), When you think quaint New England towns, youre basically thinking of this community of under 3,000 four and a half hours from New York City. Its also super relaxing. At Prophetstown State Park you'll be able to explore a unique living history museum. Laura Ray has lived in Atlanta, the Bay Area, SoCal, and Austin. Even if you dont care a lick about history, its just super cool to see IRL. Zolkewich recommends kicking off your tour of Chamberlain with a visit to Dignity: Of Earth and Sky. (Photo by @flyingarnolds), You thought wed say Graceland, right? As the owners like to say, its a small-town shop with big-city perks, she says. (Photo by @northdakotalegendary), Live the Amish country lifestyle for a weekend while you plot the perfect time to propose. Scotts Bluff, its namesake crown jewel, which towers 800 feet above the North Platte River, was an important landmark for travelers moving westward during the 19th century. Go in the winter, when shell have to cozy up to you in the water as the snow falls around you. A couple of hours outside of Chicago, New Glarus is a quaint town that offers a glimpse into beautiful Wisconsin small towns. Her work has appeared in a variety of print and digital outlets, including. The Midwest is known for its impressive list of colleges and universities, including Northwest University in Chicago, the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin, Ohio State University, the University of Michigan, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Chicago and more. These are just a few of the reasons it is consistently ranked as one of the best zoos in the U.S. Visitors might also enjoy a classic Chicago deep dish tour (book with Finger Licking Foodie Tours or James Beard award-winning food journalist Steve Dolinsky) and the CAFC Chicago River cruise. Known as the "crown jewel of Michigan" or "pearl of the Great Lakes," Mackinac Island offers a nostalgic feel since no cars are allowed here. Is small-town Wisconsin at its best, States Sherman Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls the! Heights is a freelance food, business, and travel writer based in Omaha Nebraska..., Fort Dodge, Iowa, oozes Midwest nice according to Amy Piper a quintessential Midwest town, Fort,. 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