Midwest Vacation Spots #1:
Experience the culture and romance of
San Antonio, Texas. The
Alamo and
Mission Trail are full of the history of our nation.
Market Square is the biggest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico. Spanish, Mexican and Native American heritage and culture blend together in the charming La Villita district. For more modern Texas vacations entertainment there is
Sea World San Antonio and the nearby
Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
Midwest Vacation Spots #2:
The world's only natural population of whooping cranes is located in the
Aranas National Wildlife Refuge along Texas's Gulf Coast. A great Texas vacation ideas is to visit the nesting grounds of these nearly extinct birds. In the summer they are up in Canada, but from November through April they return here to feed, court and reproduce. You can drive through their habitat on a 16 mile loop road. The 40-foot tall observation tower gives a broader view.
But the best way to see the cranes, and all the other assorted refuge wildlife, is to get out and walk. There is a boardwalk through the marsh along with nine walking trails ranging from .3 miles to 1.25 miles. You can also book a guided tour on a shallow-draft boat.
Midwest Vacation Spots #3:
Top vacation ideas in Texas include the seaport city of
Houston. This is the biggest city in the state and that means lots of attractions for vacationers. There is a thriving theater district downtown, lots of top-notch restaurants and excellent shopping. At the
Houston Space Center, the city's number one attraction, you can touch an actual moon rock or experience moon-like gravity. If it's a family vacation, head for the
Children's Museum of Houston where the kids can learn while having a blast.
At the Kemah Boardwalk you will find a huge array of things to do like the amusement rides, shops and eateries. The Kemah Boardwalk Marina is considered the Boating Capital of Texas with the largest number of docks and boats you will see anywhere.
Midwest Vacation Spots #4:
Wisconsin's
Northern Highland-American Legion State Park has 225,000 acres of forest that attracts 2 million visitors every year for scenery and outdoor activities. This huge forest recreational area is up along the northern border with Canada. There are hundreds of lakes that provide plenty of places for swimming, fishing and boating. You can go camping out in the forest or at a park maintained camping site such as Crystal Lake Campground.
In winter the park becomes a playground for vacationers who like to ski, snowshoe or snowmobile. Mountain bikers will love the 50 miles of mountain bike trails and the hundreds of miles of old logging trails. The Northern Highland-American Legion State Park is very popular with bird watchers. The park is home to almost 250 species of birds such as Wood Turtles and Cooper's Hawks.
Midwest Vacation Spots #5:
You can learn about the working life on the iconic Southern plantation with a visit to the
Rural Life Museum at Louisiana State University. This is a 19th century plantation that has been recreated with 27 buildings that show the operation of a sugar cane and cotton plantation. There is no grand mansion but the museum has slave cottages, an overseer's house as well as grist mill, blacksmith's shop, comissary, sick house and other buildings that detail the major activities of life on a 19th century Southern plantation.
The buildings, particulary the Exhibit Barn, house hundreds of tools and artifacts from the period. The Rural Life Museum is considered to be among the "Top 10 Outdoor Museums in the World".
Midwest Vacation Spots #6:
A great outdoor adventure vacation idea is the
Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor. There is a 62-mile long trail that follows the route of the I&M Canal and is an excellent place for hiking, casual walks and also bicycling. The canal was built in the 1840s and was very important to the development of Chicago as an industrial hub. There are two canoe trails. A fifteen-mile canoe trail runs from Channahon State Park and Gebhard Wood and a 5-mile canoe trail runs from Utica and LaSalle.
The complete canal route runs for 97 miles from the Chicago River at Lake Michigan down to the Illinois River near Peru, Illinois. The I&M Corrider makes a great place for a scenic road trip. You can get maps for your driving tour and other activities at the I&M Commission Office in Lockport. The I&M Corrider runs through four state parks - Channahon State Park, William G. Stratton State Park, Gebhard Wood State Park and Buffalo Rock State Park so there is lots of opportunity for outdoor family vacation activities. For a winter vacation idea, the canal towpath provides 62 miles of trail perfect for snowmobiling.
