Back in 1982, we began our family with the birth of our daughter. By that time, the Precious Moments figurine craze was growing. The bulb-eyed figurines were flying off the shelves as fast as they could be restocked. Artist and creator Sam Butcher was preparing to launch on a journey to find a home for …
Cruising the path of the old Route 66 led us through the heart of Carthage, Missouri. As we pass the normal mix of fast-food restaurants and corporate businesses, we spot a gleaming silver shape ahead. Positioned on a frontage space, which has since been converted to a traffic circle, we spot Iggy’s Diner. The stainless …
Reviving Nostalgia Along The Mother Road – Iggy’s Diner Read More »
Conflict along the Missouri state line had been occurring throughout the second half of the 1850s. Far away in the East, the political battles were raging. After John Brown’s unsuccessful raid on Harper’s Ferry, some believed that signaled the end to the threat from the west. Little would anyone expect that the first significant land …
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 …
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 …
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. …
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. …
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 …
Uranus Sideshow Museum – Throwback To Carnival Days 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 …
Picture yourself cruising down the highway. A warm breeze blowing in the window as the miles of pavement roll by under your tires. Each new town and city brings another chance to explore the wonders of Americana. This is just the kind of experience you get when traveling along the path of the old Route …
For centuries people dreamed of taking flight. Watching the birds soaring through the air seemed to offer the freedom to explore life from a new perspective. While the invention of hot air balloons and gliders allowed glimpses into this new world, it was powered flight that would forever change the way that humans travel. During …
6 Reasons To Visit The Stafford Air & Space Museum Read More »
Cruising along Route 66 will lead you to some unique destinations. While the names on the map roll by like tumbleweeds, the people found in the cities along the way will plant themselves in your memory for years to come. A prime example was our visit with Nedra, who was happy to share a slice …
The Central United States is filled with a mixture of amazing destinations, although there can often be miles between stops. For decades, travelers have cruised the back-roads and highways that crisscross the country. One of the most iconic American highways was Route 66, which carried travelers from Chicago to Santa Monica. We love exploring the …
Calling All Route 66 Lovers – Lucille’s Roadhouse Read More »
Can you imagine visiting a new destination and not trying out some of the local eateries? We always try to uncover those places that draw in the city’s residents, since they usually have some of the best dishes. During our trip to Amarillo, we had plenty of opportunities to sample a wide range of restaurants. …
When we are determining the first city to cover in a new state, we look for a place that offers something for all ages. After all, it’s not a family vacation destination, if it doesn’t appeal to everybody. Crystal and I have family in Texas but decided to start with a city far away from …
Playing In The Panhandle – Amarillo Entertainment Read More »
When we plan out our trips, it seems that breakfast can be some of the most difficult stops to pick. While we enjoy a good down-home breakfast as much as the next person, those types of places don’t make for very interesting articles. Since we want to offer plenty of options, finding an eatery that …
Baseball is often referred to as “America’s Favorite Pastime”. The crack of the bat, roar of the crowd, and feeling of camaraderie that come with a baseball game are hard to match. When we were offered an opportunity to attend a game during our visit to Amarillo, there was no way we were going to …
It seems that our fast-paced travel style can get us burning tons of calories, which is a good thing. Our desire to feature plenty of local dining options always has us on the lookout for unique stops. Amarillo, Texas was filled with choices galore, but we wanted to make sure that we took a little …
High in the Panhandle-Plains of Texas, people carve out a life from the rugged landscape. Driving across this flat terrain reminded us of traveling across the western half of our home state of Kansas. This perspective changed when we arrived at Palo Duro Canyon. Laid out before us we saw only glimpses of the 120-mile …
Palo Duro Canyon – Millions Of Years In The Making Read More »
Everyone knows that they do things bigger in Texas. We discovered this also applies to their outdoor theater located in Palo Duro Canyon. After spending a day exploring the 2nd largest canyon in the United States, we made a visit to Texas Outdoor Musical. This long-running musical has played from June through August for over …
For almost seven decades, Wonderland Park has been bringing fun to the Panhandle. In the early ’50s, Paul and Alethea Roads traveled to Amarillo to look over some potential property where they might develop an amusement park. While their first impression was less than impressive, a second viewing opened their eyes to the potential. That …
Over the course of our travels, we have learned the truth in the saying “Never judge a book by its cover”. This also stands true for many of the restaurants we have found. Sometimes the little hole-in-the-walls offer up some of the best eats around. It is a common practice for us to set our …
When we really think about it, Oklahoma City and Kansas City have a lot in common. Both are located in the heart of the country and filled with welcoming residents. They are located on the I-35 corridor, which bisects our nation. They are both transportation hubs and share a history associated with the cattle industry. …
Who remembers those summer camping trips from your youth? Those are memories that had been stored in a dusty file in the back of my brain. When we were in the planning stages of our Amarillo trip, we were looking for some unusual stops to add to the itinerary. Braley Hand, our contact at the …
Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum – Revisiting Our Childhoods Read More »
Everyone knows that the Grand Canyon is the largest in the United States, but you do you where the second largest is at? You can imagine our surprise, when we discovered that it lies just south of Amarillo, Texas. Yes, the panhandle plains are home to Palo Duro Canyon, which is HUGE! While our visit …
The idea of containing all of the history of a state in one location would be futile. Each one would be overflowing with a wealth of artifacts and information, that just couldn’t be gathered in one place. Of course, many of the state museums do a fantastic job at detailing a wide variety of the …
Longevity is one of the main goals in the restaurant business. Many struggle to make it through the first couple of years, as they fight to build a consistent following. If they make it to five years, then they face the next issue, which is to prevent their menu from becoming stale to their regular …
This was our first visit to the southern High Plains region of Texas. With three days to explore, we planned on learning about the history of the region. The huge mesa that encompasses this portion of the high plains is actually named Llano Estacado. It is often translated as the Staked Plains. Using Amarillo as …
Life In The Staked Plains – Panhandle Plains Historical Museum Read More »
Some like it hot, but we prefer it to be flavor-packed. Amarillo, Texas is chocked full of intriguing dining options, so we knew our trip would be delicious. One of the reasons we chose Amarillo as our first Texas blogging city, was that it lies smack dab on Route 66. There is a section of …
Tex-Mex Fix On Route 66 – Braceros Mexican Grill & Cantina Read More »
Traveling through the Texas Panhandle can bring with it some unusual sights. One of the most popular paths is to follow along the old Route 66, which passes through Amarillo. Just west of the city, we happened upon the Cadillac Ranch. This quirky art installation is visited by thousands of budding artists annually. The open …
How many of you find yourself moving at a faster pace during your vacations? It seems that we feel the clock ticking on our time away, and we want to pack it full of leisurely activities. By the time we return home, we feel like we need a vacation from our vacation. We have found …
Peace In The Panhandle – Amarillo Botanical Gardens Read More »
Don’t you like it when you find a hometown connection when visiting a new destination? This is exactly what happened to us, during our stay in Amarillo, Texas, but we will talk about that in a minute. Part of our focus, on this trip, was finding stops that are perfect for Route 66 travelers. (Here’s …
When we planned our visit to Amarillo, there was an unusual stop that we wanted to catch, which lies north of the city. The Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is the only park in Texas dedicated to preserving the quarries of the native peoples. The admission to the park is FREE and includes the beautiful …
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument – Digging The Past Read More »
In every city we visit, we are able to uncover some amazing eats. Springfield, Illinois kicked it up a level by adding the historic aspect to many of our stops. Being the heart of the “Land of Lincoln”, as well as a Route 66 destination, made this city extra special. Our downtown stay gave us …
Historic Dining Options In Springfield, Illinois Read More »
It’s always a thrill for us when we get to visit the capital city of a state. Even though they all have a dome, each is unique in its own way. Our trip to Springfield, Illinois gave us a chance to find history galore, in this twin domed Midwest city. So many historical paths cross …
A visit to Springfield, Illinois is an opportunity to dive into the long history of this Midwestern region. With only three days to soak in as much as possible, we found ourselves bustling between stops. As we approached the end of our visit, we found ourselves facing our final day of exploration. With daylight burning, …
While we are not experts in architectural design, that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate beautiful designs. Springfield’s Dana-Thomas House gave us a chance to see one of the homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Unlike many of the homes Wright built from scratch, this home was a redesign. That small detail will come in play …
Springfield’s Dana-Thomas House – A Treasure Saved Read More »
A visit to Springfield, Illinois holds something for just about everyone in your travel crew. If you are a fan of road trips, then retracing the Mother Road (Route 66) will lead you straight through the heart of this Midwest city. Along the route, there are a variety of unique stops, like Cozy Dog Drive …
A visit to Springfield, Illinois puts travelers in the heart of the Land of Lincoln. During your visit, you will find that all throughout the city there are reminders of our 16th President of the United States. One of the premier stops is the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. There is no entrance fee for …
Explore The Lincoln Home – A Springfield Treasure Read More »
Each year hundreds of restaurants start and fail. It takes dedication and consistency to build a sustainable dining business. While some of the newcomers have unique menu offerings, we believe that tried and true eateries have developed a taste that appeals to a wide range of diners. Springfield, Illinois is home to a variety of …
Maldaner’s Restaurant – Lunch At A Local Landmark Read More »
Springfield, Illinois is a Midwestern city filled with historic houses. Being the hometown of the Abraham Lincoln family puts it squarely on the map of vacationers and history buffs alike. While some of the homes are available for tours, others can only be viewed from the outside. We found one that crossed the tourism-only line …
When you hear the name Oklahoma, many people immediately think of the namesake musical. While farming and ranching still exists in much of the state, Oklahoma City has grown into a thriving metropolis. Our three day visit was chocked full of fun attractions, delicious dining, and unique shopping districts. This overview article highlights some of …
There are lots of highways that criss-cross the Central U.S. One of our favorites is the old “Route 66”, which is also referred to as the “Mother Road”. This old school road has regained much of its popularity, as people from all over the world choose to travel on it. Running from Illinois to California, …
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 »
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Let’s just face the facts. We like chocolate! There, it has been said, and there is no taking it back. This may be the reason why so many of our trips include a visit to a chocolate shop. We like to think it is just a service we provide for our readers who are looking …
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