Midwest Vacation Spots: 1001 Vacation Ideas

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.

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.

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".

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.

Midwest Vacation Spots #7:Contributed by Jessica Waytenick - Quad Cities is in the Midwest heartland along the Mississippi River. The Quad Cities is comprised of Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa; Rock Island and Moline/East Moline, Illinois; and surrounding communities. The population of the area is nearly a half-million people. The Quad Cities is an easy 2½-hour drive west from Chicago, Illinois, or flight in to the Quad City International Airport.

Don't miss the awesome site of the mighty Mississippi River with a trip on the Channel Cat Water Taxi to the different cities or a cruise on the non-gaming Celebration Belle. Being out on the water is a great way for families to get together.

The new Figge Art Museum just opened in August 2005. This $46.9 million building has renowned permanent collections of Mexican Colonial and Haitian art, and traveling exhibitions. They have a children's gallery and programming and events almost every weekend.

The Quad Cities is a great arts/culture area with performances, festivals, events, concerts, galleries, studios and more that both adults and kids can enjoy.

Moline is the world headquarters for Deere and Co. and John Deere Commons in downtown Moline is a wonderful place to learn about the history and future of farming. There are hands-on exhibits and an array of machinery to climb on and sit in the cab of a real combine. The rest of the downtown is filled with shops to browse through and restaurants to eat at. It's all right along the river and the bike path follows it.

The locks and dams on the river are also an interesting thing to experience. The museum is a good watch point to see Lock and Dam 15 at work, the world's largest roller dam. In the winter the bald eagles flock to the open water near the dams. Bald Eagle Days in January celebrates these marvelous birds in the Quad Cities.

Plus, the Quad Cities has several museums, a family museum, an IMAX 3D Theatre, art galleries, shops, malls, great restaurants, professional sports teams, and the Quad City Botanical Center houses a tropical garden throughout the year.