Kansas City is filled with so many entertainment options that we struggle trying to cover them all. When our daughter suggested a brunch outing, I decided to look for something out of the ordinary. Since we are all lovers of art, a visit to the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art was a perfect fit. This […]
Losing Their Voice – Kemper Museum Of Contemporary Art Read More »
The city of Atchison, Kansas has a long history of rising to the challenge. Squatting along the banks of the Missouri River, the town was founded just a decade before the start of the Civil War. This Midwestern city of around 11,000 has seen its own struggles. Their delay in constructing a bridge to span
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It’s hard to remember how many times we have been floored at the idea of businesses launching at the height of the pandemic. We understand that once a ball gets rolling, you just have to see it through. Still, the idea of beginning during such an unstable market has to be frightening. When we spotted
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On a high bluff overlooking the Missouri River, Amelia Earhart came into the world. While the small town she grew up in may seem quiet, the urge for adventure stirred deep in her heart. The two-story cottage stands as a reminder of the amazing flying feats performed by this aviation pioneer. The world knows her
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It saddens us when we hear about a local business having to shutter its doors. Unfortunately, this was an all too common occurrence in 2020. On a positive note, there were many new enterprises willing to take a risk during those uncertain times. One that evidently felt it best to let 2020 pass by is
All Is Right – Va Bene Italian Eatery Read More »
Few highways have captured the American spirit like Route 66. This nostalgic thoroughfare has been dubbed “The Mother Road” and “Main Street of America”. With 2,448 miles of open road, it led travelers from Chicago to Los Angeles. Along the way, drivers would find iconic stops to satisfy just about every need. This famous path
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It’s hard to believe we had never taken a real train trip. The stories that friends have told, about experiencing the views along the rolling tracks, have intrigued us. It is just that we have always fallen back on the reasoning that we would need our car for convenience. The day finally came when we
Amtrak Escape – All Aboard For Hermann, Missouri Read More »
Midwesterners have had a long love affair with the open road. While there are many wonderful destinations scattered across the region, often one is faced with a significant drive. The invention of roads helped make travel more feasible and shortened the time needed to move from point to point. One of our favorite thoroughfares to
Test Of Time – Route 66 Local Love Read More »
Hermann, Missouri is steeped in the German heritage that the founding fathers brought from the east. While time has certainly allowed a variety of new tastes to enter the scene, the old world still holds a place in the hearts of residents and visitors alike. Strolling through the downtown, one can almost imagine themselves being
Wine And Wurst – Hermann Oktoberfest Read More »
Our country is filled with an array of vacation opportunities. Just about any type of diversion can be found, if you know where to look. One of our favorite activities is exploring the haunts that early drivers would find across the United States. An easy way to do this is a Route 66 road trip.
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In the mid-1800s, much of the land west of the Mississippi River was still untamed. Land agents in the east offered immigrants promises of fertile lands teeming with possibility. Upon arriving in their new locations, the dreams of milk and honey would often sour. Such was the case for a group of German farmers who
Taming The Wilderness – Hermann History Museum Read More »
Route 66 explorers are always on the lookout for iconic stops. The Mother Road has been a fascination for decades and too many of the original attractions have deteriorated by the wayside. These days, a journey along one of America’s first highways can turn into a treasure hunt that brings a mixed bag of rewards.
Juvenile Jokes Galore – Uranus, Missouri Read More »
Breaking the BBQ barrier in Kansas City isn’t easy. On any given day, the smoky aroma of barbecue permeates the very fabric of the city. It isn’t reserved just for game days or the Fourth of July. Barbecue is the lifeblood of the city. The idea of launching a new restaurant in this atmosphere can
Breaking The BBQ Barrier – Q39 BBQ Read More »
Rolling down Route 66 in rural Missouri brought us to the pun-filled destination of Uranus, Missouri. Among the variety of commercial attractions is the Uranus Sideshow Museum. This place is a throwback to carnival days of old. While my only memories are of small versions at rural locations, there are certain things that I can
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Living in the landlocked Midwest used to mean that good seafood meals were few and far between. These days, the ability to move fresh supplies worldwide has made fantastic dishes available almost anywhere. On a beautiful Fall Saturday, we traveled to Hermann, Missouri to check out their annual Oktoberfest. The lure of music, wine, and
Tasty Treasures – Doxie Slush Read More »
It would be safe to say that most people have heard the name Norman Rockwell, but how about Lowell Davis? This Missouri-born artist was often referred to as a master of rural art. Davis was born near Carthage, in the original Red Oak, Missouri. Growing up in a rural setting instilled a love for the
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For decades, the McLain family served the locals in and around the Waldo area. Three generations of the family-operated this local bakery, delivering pastries, bread, and cakes to eager customers. There would often be long lines waiting for their chance to snatch up some of the goodies. When the McLain family sold the business in
Flavorsome Finger Foods – McClain’s Market Read More »
For many years, we have enjoyed visits to the Ozark Mountains. This ancient mountain range offers amazing scenery, abundant wildlife, and many hidden wonders. During a trip to Top of the Rock, we learned about another scenic site that we wanted to see firsthand. A little research uncovered 10,000 acres of exploring that offers visitors
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There are some names that stand out in American history. Just the mention of them will elicit images of the era in which they lived. This is certainly the case with past presidents, like Washington or Lincoln. It also applies to some other historic figures like Daniel Boone. Just the mere mentioning of his name
Boone County History Museum – Celebrating 200 Years Read More »
When we heard that Denver Biscuit Company was coming to KC, images of fluffy mounds, covered in gravy, filled our thoughts. Little did we know, the reality would be fat stacks of folded biscuit bliss that would challenge our appetites. Our affinity for southern-style foods means that we love folded biscuits, although we never turn
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The river town of Hannibal, Missouri rests along the banks of the “Mighty Mississippi”. Growing up in such a world, during the mid-1800s, would have surely presented an adventurous world to any boy. This was certainly the case for Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who would seal his fame with the pen name of Mark Twain. Born
Where Twain Meets – Hannibal, Missouri Read More »
Crossing through western Kansas, we can imagine herds of buffalo charging across the plains. Large numbers were roaming the territory when white settlers first arrived. The end of the Civil War brought expanded interest and development to Kansas. The “Border War” was fought on the eastern edge of the state, and seemed like a distant
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For many, us included, you cannot get the real flavor of a destination without including visits to some of the local restaurants. Hannibal, Missouri has a distinct connection with the “Mighty Mississippi”, so we certainly wanted to experience the river town tastes that can be found there. Obviously, we would want some variety and knew
River Town Tastes – Hannibal, Missouri Eats Read More »
The more we explore the Midwest, the more we discover that it is filled with surprises. For instance, how often do you hear people say that Kansas is flat and devoid of any significant landscape features? To many, you must travel to the coast or the Rockies to find amazing sights. Reality shows that this
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Hannibal, Missouri is known far and wide for its connection to Samuel Clemens. Many of you know him best by his pen name of Mark Twain. His stories reflect the life and struggles of growing up in a river town in the mid-1800s. While many of his tales are based on moments and memories from
Hidden History – Hannibal Legends Read More »
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is an American classic that has been cherished by readers for generations. From its first publication, in 1876, this adventure into childhood has captured the imagination of Mark Twain fans. As we had already discovered, Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) was a master of drawing from life, when creating his
Drawing From Life – Becky Thatcher Read More »
Spending time with our grandkids has opened up opportunities to visit some fun destinations. Being able to share our love for zoos with them helps us build a stronger bond while learning more about the world we live in. A recent excursion had us going on safari to the Topeka Zoo for a morning filled
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The mere mention of the town of Hannibal, Missouri evokes images of Mark Twain. It seems his iconic identity goes hand-in-hand with this river town. Most of us have grown up on the literary works of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who penned the books we read in school. The characters he created kept us entertained with
Triumph Over Oppression – Huck Finn Freedom Center Read More »
How many of us remember that special friend we had when we were growing up? Wouldn’t it be great to have the opportunity to meet back up and join forces later in life? This is exactly what happened to a pair of kids who grew up in the middle of the Heartland. After going their
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The year is 1921 and the world is coming out of World War 1. America was coming out of these troubled times with a renewed vigor. With the prospects of the world looking up, people began looking for new ways to expand their horizons. The war had shown people how aviation was the transportation avenue
Take To The Skies – Nicholas Beazley Aviation Museum Read More »
It is fair to say that Evel Knievel is one of the most recognizable names in daredevil history. While there have been many before and after him, he set the bar for showmanship. With over 75 ramp-to-ramp jumps to his fame, he spent the bulk of his life creating the legend that many of us
Always The Showman – Evel Knievel Museum Read More »
It goes without saying that we love learning about animals. Our world is filled with fascinating creatures that leave us in awe and remind us that we are just one piece of a massive ecological puzzle. Whether it’s unusual species or just an unbelievable specimen, there is a ton of education that comes with each
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Picture a vast inland sea teeming with an abundance of prehistoric creatures. Along the edge of the water laid a vast swamp filled with an assortment of dinosaurs. Overhead, Pteranodons floated on the warm air currents, as they scanned the horizon for an easy meal. This is the scene that would have played out in
A Date With History – Hays, Kansas Read More »
When people in the Midwest refer to “Bloody Kansas” or the “Border War”, it usually elicits visions of localized skirmishes. A closer look will reveal that this newly formed territory was the “Birthplace of the Civil War”. While many history books focus on the battles in the east, it was the introduction of Kansas Territory,
Rolling The Dice – Constitution Hall Read More »
It was an unexpectedly cold and wet day in the middle of Kansas. We arrived at Taco Shop for an early lunch with our new friend Janet Kuhn. Our visit to Hays was winding down to the last few hours, so this would be our last get together. It was fitting that our last meal
50 Years And Counting – Taco Shop Read More »
The year is 1865 and the Civil War has just ended. While westward expansion had significantly slowed during the war, it did not take long for it to resume. As settlers pushed for new territories to be opened, it would spark a resurgence of the American Indian War. Out on the westerns front, in Kansas,
Taming The Plains – Fort Hays Read More »
It is no surprise that the pieces and parts of The Wizard of Oz have saturated our daily lives. Based on the children’s novel, written by L. Frank Baum, it has been declared as “America’s greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale”. How many times have each of us uttered one of the familiar phrases that are
Familiar Phrases – Oz Museum Read More »
We love finding cities that have recaptured the magic of their downtown corridor. For decades this nation has seen the urban flight, which has left the inner cores of our cities empty. With all of the existing infrastructure still in place, these areas are ripe for redevelopment, like what we found in Hays, Kansas. During
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It has often been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We know this to be true, as it is fuel for a successful day of exploring. Those quiet moments spent planning our upcoming adventures are some of our favorites. Besides, having the opportunity to sample a variety of restaurants gives
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When we visit a new destination, one of our goals is to learn about its unique past. Every city and town has its own stories to tell, it just requires finding the right storyteller. To learn about the early days of hays, we tapped into the knowledge of Katie Annett, from the Ellis County Historical
The Early Days Of Hays – Ellis County Historical Museum Read More »
“Go West, young man, go west.” was a cry to push America’s westward expansion. When Horace Greeley first said these words, in 1865, he saw the potential of the fertile lands beyond the Mississippi River. As emigrants began their westward bound travels, new “roads” would spring up that led toward the setting sun. We love
Westward Bound – The Archway Read More »
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, especially when traveling. It sets the tone for the entire day and provides the start needed to fuel a morning of exploration. While many newer restaurants are focusing on Instagram worthy plates, there is still much to be said for good old-fashioned breakfasts. On
Family Friendly Feasting – Pheasant Run Pancake House Read More »
Like many of you, we enjoy a visit to our local city market. In fact, the historic City Market in Kansas City has been a staple of the downtown since 1857. The vibrant neighborhood that surrounds the market is filled with unique shops and restaurants. Going in search of a fun evening out, we planned
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It may be hard to believe, but millions of years ago Kansas was part of a huge inland sea. Traveling across the western half of the state, it is not an ocean that comes to mind. It takes excursions off of the interstate to expose the true history of the region. We made a visit
Life In Dinosaur Days – Sternberg Museum Read More »
Do you ever wonder what it was like to live the prairie life in 1890? We dropped by the Stuhr Museum to get a firsthand look at this huge living history site. Located in Grand Island, this Nebraska museum whisks visitors back to a simpler time. This extensive complex is made up of a series
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You have probably heard people refer to Kansas as “flat as a pancake”. To many along the coasts, our fly-over state is bereft of any tourism value. Fortunately, we know better. Scattered across our home state is a slew of unique oddities and interesting stories. The drive along I-70 opens up a lot of possibilities
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The end of a long drive should have some kind of reward. After hot-tailing it from Kansas City to Grand Island, Nebraska, we were famished. Before we could even think about touring the local sights, we needed something to get us revved up. Right as we were rolling into town we spotted Thunder Road Grill.
Starting Our Engines At Thunder Road Grill Read More »
If you Google Marysville, Kansas you will find that it is listed as a city in Marshall County with about 3300 residents. While these statistics seem commonplace, they do little to tell the city’s story. To truly understand the dynamics of this historic town you have to experience it firsthand. Our short jaunt from Kansas
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Who was Samuel Langhorne Clemens? It has been noted that he was one of the greatest American humorists. Of course, there are many who upon hearing that name, are left with a puzzled gaze. When the name Mark Twain is mentioned, then they immediately picture the white suit and gray haired author. Still others, who
A Man Of Many Names – Who Was Mark Twain? Read More »
Our style of travel can certainly make a body weary. Since many of our trips are designed to gather as much research as possible, we can find ourselves worn out by the end of each day. Fortunately, there is always a place nearby to lay our heads. In Marysville, Kansas we had planned an action-packed
Feeling At Home In Marysville – Trailhead Suites Read More »