On a warm summer day, we rolled into Abilene, Kansas. We arrived from the south, much like the cattle drives of old. The first destination on our itinerary was the Dickinson Heritage Center. This multi-subject museum is a good spot to learn the background of the area, as well as some extra informational tidbits. The […]
Cowboys, Calls, and Carousels – Dickinson Heritage Center Read More »
Traveling to downtown Des Moines, Iowa allowed us an opportunity to park our car and stretch our legs. This area is very walker friendly and we knew we would be wanting to burn off the extra calories that were sure to be heading our way. One of our favorite parts of visiting new destinations is
8 Delectable Downtown Des Moines Dining Destinations Read More »
Coffee! It’s what gets our motors running in the mornings. We dropped by the Filling Station, at 7420 Johnson Drive, to explore their space. Now, we know there are some of you who skip this potent potable, but for us it’s part of our normal routine. We are members of a collection of groups that
Fueling Up At The Filling Station Read More »
There is something engrossing about seeing history come to life. At Old Abilene Town visitors have the chance to witness this happen each weekend during the summer. This place is family-friendly and includes a mix of static museum-style displays with interactive activities. We dropped in on them on a Saturday afternoon and found that they
The Quick and The Dead – Old Abilene Town Read More »
Let’s just face the facts. There is something special about capital cities that sets them apart from other destinations. Des Moines, Iowa certainly fits in this category, as we quickly discovered. Our three days was enough to give us a chance to sample the flavors of this Midwestern city. Of course, we realize that we
3 Outdoor Spaces Not To Be Missed In Des Moines, Iowa Read More »
Those of us who live in or around Kansas City are blessed to have so many interesting destinations within easy striking distance for day trips. We love heading off in the morning for a new location with a list of places to explore. Sometimes we will even seize the opportunity for an overnight stay. There’s
24 Hours in Council Grove, Kansas Read More »
Friday Happy Hours are some of our favorites. There is something about the end of the week that makes them a little sweeter. We enjoy sampling various locations during the happy hours, since it lets us get some extra value for our dollars. Piropos is an Argentinian cuisine restaurant located at N. Mulberry Drive in
Small Bites Equal Big Taste At Piropos Read More »
Growing up neither of us had much opportunity to travel by train. The heyday of this mode of transportation had passed and most families navigated the countryside by automobile. Recently, we had the chance to take a lunch train ride that piqued our interest in experiencing more of this form of travel. When we laid
All Aboard The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad Read More »
A visit to a botanical garden is always a new experience, since the plants change so much with each season. The spring is popular for the bright blooms, while fall brings the vivid foliage as it prepares to go dormant. Summer is the transition period, but we enjoy the textures and shades of green that
Relaxed Beauty at Des Moines Botanical Gardens Read More »
We firmly believe that travel is an excellent way to continue our education in our adult years. With schooling behind us, we can still learn lots of interesting things about this big, blue marble we all call home. One of our favorite subjects is history, and Council Grove gave us plenty of it. When we
History Overload In Council Grove, Kansas Read More »
One of the things we most enjoy about traveling is the people that we meet. By interacting with the residents, we get a better understanding of what drives them through their lives. Our extended stay in St. Louis, Missouri gave us an excellent chance to mingle with some of the locals, as well as observe
11 Things That Make St. Louis The True Gateway City Read More »
Every once in a while we will spot a location that we know is based on a novelty idea. Some we pass up, but then there are the ones that just hook our attention and yell out for us to visit. This is exactly what happened when we spotted Zombie Burger during our preview of
Flavors To Wake The Dead At Zombie Burger Read More »
When visiting a historic city, it only makes sense to stay in a historic lodging location. In Council Grove, it ended up being The Cottage House for us. While it would be reasonable to make the visit to Council Grove a day trip, why not extend your visit to include an overnight? It certainly helps
Step Back In Time At The Cottage House Read More »
For five years we ran a local restaurant blog, before moving into the travel arena. Through that time, we came to realize that every dining establishment has its redeeming values. Some may have more flavorful dishes, but they all have at least one that they excel with. The key to successful dining when traveling is
Sample The Flavors Of St. Louis Dining Read More »
Sometimes even travel writers can be surprised when they stumble upon an unexpected treat. Such is the case when we visited the Wells Fargo Museum in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. This free museum is located in their bank lobby, and is the newest in a string of museums that Wells Fargo hosts. When we discovered
Relive The Past At The Wells Fargo Museum Read More »
Council Grove, Kansas opened up a wealth of historic sites for us. What we learned during our visit was that it wasn’t just limited to museums. Even the restaurants have stories to tell. Our stay in town was only long enough to sample three of their dining establishments, but it still gave us a historic
Historic Eats in the Heartland – Council Grove Read More »
It’s not unusual to hear people talk about dinner and a movie, but how come the idea of dinner and a live show is less commonplace? We can’t speak for others, but we like the idea of having entertaining activities taking place while we dine. In Des Moines, we were able to get just that
Four Fabulous Reasons To Try Olympic Flame In Des Moines Read More »
Council Grove, Kansas is a town that we have heard mentioned many times over the years, but had never visited. Like many small to mid-sized towns, it is filled with the history and stories of the people who persevered in the harsh environment of life on the prairie. In 1541, Coronado crossed the Neosho River
Getting Our Bearings At Post Office Oak Museum Read More »
As we have said on numerous occasions, we are zoo people. We rarely pass up an opportunity to visit a new location, and enjoy returning to ones we have already seen. The ever changing exhibits usually offer a new view on something or at least a different perspective. When we planned our St. Louis trip,
Five Zones Of Free Fun At The St. Louis Zoo Read More »
Visits to science centers are becoming a standard practice for us when we travel to new cities. Many times we are met with surprise, since visits to these locations usually include children in tow. Little do they realize, but we are two of the biggest kids around. This was the case when I discussed our
Big Kid Fun At Science Center of Iowa Read More »
Kansas City is such a mecca for barbecue, that we believe you could easily eat this cuisine at a different restaurant every week and never repeat locations. It seems like wherever we travel in the metro, we run into at least one place we had never visited before. This was the case when we stumbled
Taking a Spin At A Little BBQ Joint Read More »
Being visitors from outside of St. Louis, we found the Forest Park area to be an amazing place to spend time. The lush landscape and numerous attractions beckon visitors to explore. The four crown jewels of the park include their zoo, art museum, science center, and the Missouri History Museum, which is the focus of
Evolution Of A City – Missouri History Museum Read More »
During the periods we spend researching new destinations, many sites will be added to our list. From these, we can glean a finished itinerary that will allow us to showcase a variety of options for our readers to add to their own travel schedule. We are always excited when we uncover one of those places
Secret Treats At Black Cat Ice Cream Read More »
Kansas City is a metropolis filled with countless tales. Every corner of the city has its urban legends, myths, and tall tales. Somewhere along the way, many of these began with an inkling of truth and were merely stretched with passing time. Not long after the Civil War ended, many pioneers would pass through Independence
A Story Of Passion Extinguished – Vaile Mansion Read More »
Being from Kansas City, we always attempt to test out the local barbecue at least once. Now we are far from being BBQ experts, but we do know what we like. Since we were staying on the Delmar Loop, a visit to Salt + Smoke seemed to be the perfect spot to do some research.
Kansas City Diners Test St. Louis BBQ At Salt and Smoke Read More »
A visit to Des Moines, Iowa wouldn’t be complete without checking out the State Historical Museum of Iowa in the East Village. This place is dedicated to telling the story of the people who have inhabited the territory for as long as the history is known. It was a short walk from our hotel to
Iowa Through The Ages – State Historical Museum of Iowa Read More »
Do you get excited when you discover a new place that has been right under your nose for years? We do, and this is exactly what happened when we stopped in Happy Gillis at 549 Gillis St. in Kansas City, Mo. A day of exploring required a good breakfast, so we were scouting for a
Finding New Favorites At Happy Gillis Read More »
With all of the cities that we visit, we will obviously need lodging. Most of these are nice chain locations that we try to mention during our overview articles. Once in a while we will happen upon a location that stands out as a special stay. This was the case in St. Louis, when we
Space Age Stay At Moonrise Hotel In St. Louis Read More »
Those of you who have been following our escapades for a while know that we love pizza. Whatever city we visit, we always try to add at least one good pie to our list of meals. Des Moines, Iowa was no exception, but it did deliver our treat with a twist. During the planning stage
Dining Around The World in Downtown Des Moines Read More »
Kansas Citians are blessed to have so many things to do in the metro area. Of course, sometimes it is nice to get away from the city for the day and strike out to one of the nearby communities. With just a little planning, it’s easy to fill a day with new sights and some
On The History Trail in Miami County – A Kansas City Road Trip Read More »
No matter how well we research, it always seems that we find at least one nugget that we had not foreseen. In St. Louis, Missouri that hidden gem was Blueprint Coffee. During a morning stroll down the DelMar Loop, we stumbled upon this diminutive coffee house. We popped in to get a fresh cup of
Why We Were Surprised By Blueprint Coffee Read More »
Like many people, we are learning that there are lots of things to do in some of the medium sized cities. Our visit to Joplin, Missouri lasted just over 24 hours, but could have easily been extended to a full weekend. (We packed a lot into our timeline.) Joplin is a name that many have
The City That Jack Built – Joplin, Missouri Read More »
The promise of a warm Spring day in Kansas City can often change quickly. Such was the case when we visited the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs, Kansas. We were meeting up with a group of social influencers who had been invited to an Instameet being hosted by Visit Kansas
What To Expect At The National Agriculture Center Read More »
St. Louis offers so many great educational opportunities for visitors of all ages. Our visit to the St. Louis Science Center sparked our imaginations and opened our minds to new ideas and possibilities. Located in the Forest Park neighborhood, this center is designed to engage all ages in a series of fun, interactive displays and offers
How The St. Louis Science Center Brings Science To The Masses Read More »
There are varying opinions on the amount of enjoyment one can get from visiting a localized history museum. Some shy away from them, believing that they are dull and boring. Others, like ourselves, find that there are a multitude of personal stories just waiting to be uncovered. In Paola, Kansas we visited the Miami County
Why We Enjoy Places Like Miami County Historical Museum Read More »
These days many places are downsizing, but it seems to be the exact opposite for sporting goods stores. Each major chain is trying to one up the competition, and this creates the perfect opportunity for families to beat the bad weather for the day. We recently visited one of the Scheels stores to see what unique
How To Get The Most Out Of A Visit To Scheels Read More »
During the planning portion of our St. Louis trip, it was decided that we would make the Moonrise Hotel, on the DelMar Loop, our home base. With this in mind, we went to work looking for unique dining destinations within walking distance. When we happened upon the Peacock Loop Diner, it was obvious that a
What Makes Peacock Loop Diner So Special Read More »
Most Kansans have heard the name of John Brown. This iconic legend was a hero to some and a villain to others. Although he was not born in the state, many of his most notable actions occurred there. During our Miami County Road Trip, we stopped at the John Brown Museum to learn more about
A Man Touched By Fire – John Brown Read More »
Whenever we post an article about Kansas City BBQ we receive lots of feedback. Talking barbecue in KC is like discussing pizza joints in Chicago or Philly steak sandwiches in Philadelphia. While it seems that everyone has a different opinion on their favorite, the one thing we can agree on is that Kansas City is
SLAP’s BBQ – You’ll Squeal With Delight Read More »
During the planning stage of our St. Louis trip, we had assembled our preliminary itinerary. A phone conversation with Anthony Paraino from Explore St. Louis shed light on a couple of great attractions we had overlooked. The St. Louis Art Museum was preparing for the launch of a new traveling exhibit. Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds
We Spotted Sunken Treasures At St. Louis Art Museum Read More »
A friend from work was the first to mention that we should visit Fitz’s Restaurant on the Delmar Loop. We don’t drink a lot of sodas, but the chance to taste some at the source was something we couldn’t pass up. Our lodging was set up at Moonrise Hotel, which is just down the street.
Fizzy Freshness From Fitz’s Restaurant Read More »
A day trip to Osawatomie, Kansas was less than an hour drive from Kansas City, but landed us in a different era. This itinerary was designed to showcase a variety of historic sites in Miami County. The Osawatomie Museum Complex, located in the downtown, was one of our stops. This locally oriented twin museum tells
What We Learned At The Osawatomie Museum Complex Read More »
Our request for suggestions of places to visit in St. Louis was met with an amazing number of responses. One location that we kept seeing mentioned was City Museum. We took a look at their website, and were intrigued by what appeared to be the world’s largest jungle gym. Now we may not be as
10 Things To Know Before You Visit City Museum Read More »
Like many of you, we associated the name George Washington Carver with peanuts, but couldn’t really tell you why. The knowledge that he was a botanist seemed familiar, but that was about the extent of what we remembered from school. A visit to the George Washington Carver National Monument would forever change this. The site
Have You Heard Of The Peanut Man? Read More »
St. Louis, Missouri has tons of places to explore, but all of that action means working up an appetite. After our visit to the Civil War Museum and Jefferson Barracks Cemetery, we needed to find a nearby restaurant. (You can read about the museum here.) Just a couple blocks away we discovered Cafe Telegraph, a locally
Why The Locals Love Cafe Telegraph Read More »
When the name of Joplin, Missouri is mentioned, many will think immediately of the 2011 EF5 tornado that devastated portions of the city. Joplin is so much more than that. It has a rich history reaching back before the Civil War. We stopped in the Joplin Museum Complex to learn more about this southwestern Missouri
What To Expect At The Joplin History Museum Read More »
We are trying to figure out what it is about gas stations and BBQ in Kansas City. We all know about the nationally recognized joint that recently dropped Oklahoma from its name. There is another place that sits on the side of the highway a little farther west in KCK. Well now we found one
Filling Station BBQ – Another KC Gas Station BBQ Joint Read More »
When planning our visit to St, Louis, we wanted to make sure we included some stops that would help us better understand the history of the area. Jefferson Barracks happens to be the oldest operating U.S. military installation west of the Mississippi River. On these grounds, the Missouri Civil War Museum has operated since 2013.
Missouri Civil War Museum – Remembering The Fallen Read More »
During our visit to Joplin, Missouri we took some time to visit the downtown area. This section of the city falls on the path of Route 66, so it draws a wide variety of travelers every year. After taking in some of the sights, we had worked up a big lunchtime appetite, so we made
Getting Stuffed At Red Onion Cafe Read More »
Our visit to Baxter Springs, Kansas occurred during the Route 66 Instameet sponsored by Travel Kansas. This was the last stop of the day, so we decided to wander off to explore away from the beaten path. Just a couple blocks from our meeting point, we found the Baxter Springs Historical Museum. We have visited
Baxter Springs, Ks – History In The Heartland Read More »