Visiting an aquarium in the middle of the United States may seem odd to some, but we were looking forward to this unique experience. The Oklahoma Aquarium is a great place for a family destination, and offers a nice selection of activities, along with some beautiful exhibits. We dropped by on a Saturday morning, and while we […]
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It is said that Eureka Springs, Arkansas is one of the most haunted cities in America. If that is true, then the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa must be Ghost Central. We surveyed our readers, while making our itinerary, and the Crescent Ghost Tour ranked high with many of you. This certainly wasn’t a normal attraction
Whenever we travel we like to enjoy a few guilty pleasures. Eating dessert is not an everyday experience for us, so when the opportunity arises, we like to go bold. Antoinette Baking Company offered us a chance to do just that. This place was not on our radar, as I had not seen anything about
Our visit to the Amana Colonies, in Iowa was a chance to slow down and enjoy a simpler pace. Like many of you, our lives can become so hectic with all of the commitments, that we almost forget how to relax. Our morning drive began with rush hour traffic, but before long we found ourselves cruising
When visiting a new city, there are always a few iconic stops that just have to be experienced. In Tulsa, one of them is Tally’s Good Food Cafe on the old Route 66. The restaurant opened on Friday the 13th in November of 1987. Open 7 days a week, Tally’s serves breakfast (all day), lunch, and
Some people avoid outdoor activities during the summer months, but we love to get a daily dose of Vitamin D. For our stop at the Tulsa Zoo, we knew it would be best to start early to see the most activity. We arrived at opening time, and met up with Ellen Averill for a quick golf
It is obvious that the Amana Colonies are a tourist destination. Why else would a town like Amana, Iowa, with a population around 500 residents, be able to support multiple wineries. Fortunately for us, this made for the perfect chance to create a walking Amana Wine Trail tour. Now it is highly possible that this
During our cruise in the Caribbean, we discovered that their cuisine celebrates life with plenty of flavor. (You can read about it here.>) Our arrival in Tulsa was celebrated with a visit to Sisserou’s Caribbean Restaurant. We parked in the Brady Arts District, and made our way to lunch. This area of the city is filled with
When we planned our latest Topeka visit, our first stop was at Old Prairie Town. This historic site is located on the original path of the Oregon Trail. The morning drive from Kansas City was wet with thunderstorms, but by the time we arrived they had passed by. Wet Start After a small argument with Siri
Whenever I am creating an itinerary for a new city to visit, I like to find a couple of sweet options. In Tulsa, it was obvious that a stop at Glacier Confection would be a requirement. We find chocolatiers to be a set of unique individuals, with the patience for incredible attention to detail. Each place
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One of the longest operating restaurants in Amana, Iowa is Ox Yoke Inn. Since 1940, this full service restaurant has been serving up “family style” meals to locals and visitors alike. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, they also offer a Sunday brunch buffet option. We want to thank the Ox Yoke Inn for their hospitality.
A visit to Tulsa, Oklahoma offers a chance to immerse yourself in the culture of a Midwest city. At the Woody Guthrie Center you can learn about one of America’s greatest folksingers. Our visit occurred on a warm day in August. Of course, most days in August are going to be warm, since we are in
During our stay in the Amana Colonies we had an opportunity to sample every restaurant in the town of Amana. Our visit to Millstream Brau Haus (simply means “brew house”) introduced us to the oldest brewery in the state of Iowa. We had spent the morning checking out some of the unique shops around town, and
The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center ended up being a lot more than what we expected. This day-trip included our grandkids, so we had filled the itinerary with places we felt would be kid friendly. Our morning had been historic, and lunch was a visit to a local hangout. Now we had arrived at the place we
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Short stays require lots of research, as we want to see as many sites as possible. Our trip to Philadelphia challenged our ability to find a central location that allowed easy access by foot to a wide variety of attractions and restaurants. The Logan Philadelphia was a perfect fit, as it sat in between the
We all have seen products that we can immediately identify as “high quality”. At the Amana Woolen Mill, we could tell that the textiles were a grade above what we usually see. This type of quality is a hallmark of this small Iowa community. Designed for Durability The weekend we visited was in between festivals,
You may wonder how we ended up dining at Bobo’s Drive In during a recent day trip to Topeka, Kansas. We had planned to take our grand-kids, as there were some kid friendly attractions we wanted to research. To pick the right dining establishment, I reached out to our followers for suggestions. Before long, we
We knew we were in for an action packed time, when we scheduled our day trip to historic Independence, Missouri. There are so many great things to see, do, and taste that are all within just a few blocks of the main square. To be able to see all of our stops, we had to
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Amana was a communal society for many generations. This meant that large groups worked and ate together. To accomplish this they would serve meals in a family style. The dishes would come out on platters or large bowls, which could be passed around the table. While the communal lifestyle ended in the 1930’s, you can
While in Philadelphia we stayed in the Logan Hotel. This put us two doors down from The Franklin Institute, which was high on my list of places to visit. This cutting edge science museum was actually founded in 1824, and named for the American scientist, Benjamin Franklin. Short History of The Franklin Institute The museum
One of the “must see” places on our Philadelphia list was the Reading Terminal Market. The history of Philadelphia markets go back to around 1680, when they were located close to the Delaware River. The Reading Market of today was erected in the 1890’s, and remains a popular dining spot. It Smells So Good Our
When visiting large cities, we always enjoy the opportunity to see the landscape from high above. Sky Philadelphia was located just a block from our hotel, and offered views of the city from 51 stories. This was an attraction we just couldn’t pass up. Sky Philadelphia Background After a very quick elevator we were led
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What would you do if you saw a lion overhead? It seems like zoos are finding new ways to engage their visitors with the exhibits. Some use wide open expanses to simulate the natural environments of the animals that inhabit them. Others offer feeding and interactive experiences for their guests. The Philadelphia Zoo decided to
Are you tired of settling for a chain restaurant along the interstate during your vacation? One of the most difficult choices that travelers make is where to dine. We found dining options in Wichita to be numerous, and wonderful. Join us as we recap some of our top Wichita dining choices, as well as a
An especially adventurous day in Philadelphia required us to start with an abundantly sustaining breakfast. A visit to Le Pain Quotidien was just the thing we needed. The company is Belgian, and the name means “Our Daily Bread” (easier to spell), which is fitting for a bakery/restaurant combo. A Walk-able Itinerary The walk from our hotel, The Logan Philadelphia,
The Delaware River area in Philadelphia is a great place for a stroll. Just south of the Ben Franklin Bridge, we found Spruce Harbor Park. It is advertised as a pop-up park, which has been around for about four years. It certainly highlights the potential for other urban waterfront areas. Duck, Duck, Goose Located at
We know that the picture doesn’t necessarily exemplify non-stop action, but it was one of my favorite captures. There is a good chance that the gorilla is wondering just how much fun he would have checking out some Wichita attractions. Now we didn’t have time to do everything available in Wichita, but we certainly tried
Philadelphia has so many firsts that there seems to be one on every block. Shane Confectionery has the distinction of being the oldest continuously run candy maker in America. It was by chance that we ended up finding this unique shop. A Sweet Old Store As we strolled down Market Street, on our way to the
The timing for our trip to Philadelphia fell just a couple months after the opening of the new Museum of the American Revolution. This brand new attraction features over thirty audio-visual experiences for visitors. I have to admit that I was over excited when I heard it would be ready in time. Revolution Was In
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There were a lot of firsts for us during our visit to Philadelphia. A chance to tour the USS New Jersey was certainly a big first. Besides being our first travel opportunity in the Garden State, it was also our first steps on a battleship. To say it is an impressive ship would be an
The Museum of World Treasures is located in the Old Town section of Wichita. The first portion of our visit had us staying just across the street at Hotel at Old Town. Housed in a three-story converted paper warehouse, their collection spans a wide range of topics and time periods. We want to thank the
The Mid-America All-Indian Center, in Wichita, is the only facility solely dedicated to the culture of the American Indians, located in the state of Kansas. Situated on the point of land that overlooks the Arkansas River, a visit to this unique museum was a chance to explore the cultural history of the people who first
We were certainly looking forward to our first visit in Philadelphia. I am an amateur history buff, and find the Revolutionary War period to be especially interesting. Crystal is not so much about the battles, as she is about the personal stories. Our hopes were that Philly would provide plenty of things for both of
Being natives of Kansas City, we believe we know a little about barbeque. The opportunity to add Delano Barbeque Company to our itinerary meant a chance to sample one of our favorite cuisines. This restaurant has only been around for a little over a decade, but it has certainly established itself as a Wichita staple in
One of our main goals is to uncover those almost hidden places like Public. The hunt can be tantalizing, and the rewards are often far above our expectations. Many times it is the background story that adds an extra layer of mystique to one of our destinations. We want to thank Public for their hospitality. Rest assured
One of our first stops in Wichita, was the Sedgwick Historical Museum. We know that a good way to get a quick understanding of a city you are visiting, is by making a trip to the local historical museum. Our arrival was on a bad weather day, so it made for a perfect indoor treat. Palace of
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Our last morning in Wichita brought us to Jimmie’s Diner for breakfast. The owners of the restaurant happened to be there that morning, and we had the pleasure of visiting with them for a while. They made us feel like a couple of the locals, and filled us in on the interesting history of this
Visits to places like Cocoa Dolce can be very hard on us. Being travel bloggers means that we spend lots of time testing a wide variety of foods. When it comes to sweets, we try to locate the really good ones, so a small portion will suffice. Of course, If it’s really good chocolate who can
The Sedgwick County Zoo has a history of continuous improvements. Since it’s early days in 1971, this Midwestern zoo has had big dreams, which it strives to fulfill. With almost 300 species, this zoological park has blossomed into a major attraction. We want to thank the Sedgwick County Zoo for their hospitality. Rest assured that all opinions
Our choice of Monarch for dinner one evening was made based on a single menu item. When I saw they served up a Cuban sandwich, it sealed the deal. The only thing left was to hope it was a good one. Eclectic Decor The restaurant sits on the edge of a roundabout in the Delano section
Although we usually shy away from showcasing chains, Il Vicino Wood Fired Pizza is one of those exceptions. While the idea of wood fired pizza is no longer a rare occurrence, toss in that the recipes are all determined by a gourmet chef, and now that’s something special. We visited their Bradley Fair location in Wichita, Kansas
Egg Crate Cafe was a great find on our visit to Wichita. An early morning appointment at the Sedgwick County Zoo meant that we needed to find a breakfast spot on the west side of the city. Most of what we found in this area were chain spots, and we wanted something more local. Buried Treasure The
In the Delano area of Wichita, we stumbled upon Milkfloat. This interesting dessert shop is only about six months old, but is already creating a lot of buzz around town. We had just finished walking off a magnificent dinner at a nearby restaurant, and decided it was fate that landed us at the doorstep. Why Milkfloat?
When we started looking for breakfast locations in Wichita, the Beacon Restaurant kept rising to the top. After hearing all of the repetition, it was obvious that this was a place to try. Since it was close to our hotel, it seemed that a breakfast run would fit perfectly. We visited on a Tuesday morning,
Tanganyika Wildlife Park is not exactly what we think of when we hear the word zoo. Although visitors can have a zoo-like experience, they can also choose to dive deeper into the world of animals. The owners wanted to help guests gain a more personal interaction with the wonderful creatures, that the zoo cares for on
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Our original research identified TJ’s Burger House as a good option for one of the locally-owned restaurants to visit. Sadly, time restraints forced us to cut it from our final list. When the day to head out arrived, unseasonably low temperatures in Wichita forced us to make a last minute itinerary change. We quickly reinserted TJ’s
For too long travelers have looked at Springfield, Missouri as the last rest stop before Branson. We decided to schedule a trip to showcase some of the “hidden gems” in this Oasis. The plan was to fill a three day weekend with as many places as possible, without total exhaustion. Come along as we highlight some of
Trail Ridge Road is the name of the heavily traveled highway that passes through Rocky Mountain National Park. Aptly nicknamed “Highway to the Sky”, this oversized two lane road covers 48 miles between Estes Park and Grand Lake in Colorado. This road includes more than 10 miles of drive above the tree line (about 11,500
Making a lodging selection is usually one of the hardest parts of planning a trip. For Springfield, we quickly determined that the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center would be our first choice. Its location along the original Route 66 was certainly a key point. Their location also offered convenient access to the main arteries for travel throughout
Creative Escape Glass has developed a unique niche in Springfield, Missouri. Over the past few years there has been a resurgence of places offering visitors a chance to create their own art. Most of these have involved painting of some sort. It seems to have started with shops that allowed customers to paint ceramics. Lately, there
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