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Across the Fence:  What to see between Pa and NE  |
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Suzan
True Blue Farmgirl
659 Posts
suzanne
duncannon
pa
USA
659 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 20 2008 : 7:18:06 PM
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| We are driving to Nebraska to visit some friends who have a farm near Hildreth in a couple weeks - does anyone have any suggestions of what to "see" on the way? We will be traveling thru Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa to Omaha, and then down to their farm. |
Edited by - Suzan on Aug 20 2008 7:19:46 PM |
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sleepless reader
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
CA
USA
1022 Posts |
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Summerstead
True Blue Farmgirl
119 Posts
Heather
Roseland
Nebraska
USA
119 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2008 : 05:06:07 AM
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The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha is always fun and there's the Lauritzen Gardens, Joslyn Art Museum, and Old Market (one of my favorite places to go in Omaha). About 45 minutes south of Omaha is Nebraska City, and I highly recommend it. When I was little, we used to go there a couple times a year including going to their AppleJack Festival (it's Sept 20-21 this year). It's such a beautiful place, definitely worth a look. Here's their website http://www.nebraskacity.com/
Lincoln has their historic Haymarket district that I always enjoy walking around. In Grand Island, there's the Stuhr Museum and Minden has Pioneer Village. If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know!
If you're going to Hildreth, you'll be right in my neck of the woods - Hildreth is only about an hour south and a little west from me!
*Heather*
www.summerstead.blogspot.com
www.summerstead.etsy.com |
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Summerstead
True Blue Farmgirl
119 Posts
Heather
Roseland
Nebraska
USA
119 Posts |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2008 : 06:25:14 AM
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I would deffinately go to St Louis! See the Arch! And the st louis zoo!
The best places to eat in my opinion are, Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel, and Dennys.
I will warn there is a bad Cracker Barrel on the Mo side of Ill! though! We went there twice once on the way to MO and once on the way back (we live in NYC), and both times we went around 5 pm! (so early enough in the day not to get the last of the scraps) and both times we got cold food! I will admit the first time we went there, I thought I would try something new since we eat at Cracker Barrel a lot on our vacations, so I thought I would go for the beef stew. I had never had beef stew at a cracker barrel. Well this stuff, I swear came from a denty moore can! And was COLD! I mean ice cold, like it had literally came from the refrigerater! That cold! Not even oh it's been sitting in the kitchen not heating cold, more like they opened the fridge and brought it to me! And the meat was like that fake texture that's in the canned stuff! UHG! It was literally the first time I have been highly disapointed in a cracker barrel. Well, I thought hmmm, maybe it was a bad day for stew. And maybe Cracker Barrel just don't make good stew. Every thing else I've ever had has been good. Well, then we went there on the way home too, (by coincedence it was dinner time when we passed that town again on the way home). Well, I had forgotten that was where I got the bad stew, till my husband ordered the vegetable beef soup. Well his was COLD too! And just not tasty at all! And we HAVE had the vegetable beef soup at other cracker barrels and it was always hot and tastey! So I don't know if the chef there just is out on vacation and not in a cooking mood (these trips were 3 weeks apart), and they are just opening cans back there and putting them in cold bowls or what! But, I would avoid any on the IL border! Pick Bob Evans or Denny's or something! lol
There was a really good Denny's in Terre Huate! I mean exceptional. Usually I think Denny's is average, not bad food, but not exceptional, but fills us and is a good price, always open etc. Well that one in Terre Haute was the best I had ever been to. And the most wonderful waitress I ever had any where! We will go there again! My husband went to the car to change our daughter, then he was walking with her a little while waiting for our meal to come. When she brought out our meal she asked me, if I wanted her to go get my husband and daughter and tell them their food was ready! I couldn't believe that! I have never had a waitress be so lovely. Of course I told her no, I would do it myself. But, just the thoughtfulness of that!
There was one bad Bob Evan's too, but sorry can't remember what town that was in either. The waitress was clueless and wanted to charge me a arm and a leg to have broccoli over corn bread stuffing, for a side! When no other Bob Evans have ever charged me extra to trade broccoli over corn bread stuffing. (I'm a diabetic and corn bread stuffing is too many carbs! Especially if I am not going to exercise but sit in a car for a long car drive like we were doing! So I wanted broccoli.) I finally just stood up and said, no, we would be leaving. I wasn't going to pay 4 dollars extra to have broccoli instead of corn bread stuffing. I was a diabetic, and if I wanted to pay for two meals, I would go some where else. Then she decided she could all the sudden give me broccoli instead. That Bob Evans was also eerily barren of people! There was one old lady there, and they tried to over charge her for something too. I heard her on the way out arguing with them about what they had "charged" her for, and she was saying like me, no other bob evans has ever charged her for such and such. etc.
Any way......lol Ohio was fun, Mc Donald's has baby cones for children that are free. And also chocolate dipped ice cream cones!!!!!!! I loved their dip cones! I don't know if they are test marketing the chocolate dipped cones at Mc D's there in Ohio or what. But, that was fun. And I hope it goes nation wide soon!
http://www.wolfprncez.blogspot.com |
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City_Chick
True Blue Farmgirl
509 Posts
Christina
Omaha
Nebraska
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2008 : 06:50:13 AM
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Well the spots that I will reccomend are not all that touristy. Maybe the few in Iowa are a tad bit though. I know when I travel I like to see things I may not have normal stopped by to see or do and we love stopping for lunch and taking it somewhere to picnic at.
*Walnut Iowa is a nice little side stop. It is a very small town filled with antique shops.
*Pella Iowa has a beautiful Danish Windmill that was taken apart peice by peice and moved from Denmark.
*Amana Iowa has those great Colonies. You can pick up some great Amish Items there. Although, being from PA you may not be too excited.
*Ponca State Park~If you will be here Sept. 20-21 you may want to visit http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks/poncaexpo/home.asp
*Blair Nebraska has Desoto Bend Wildlife Refuge and Visitor Center.http://www.stateparks.com/de_soto_pottawattamie.html
*Omaha Nebraska has the Durham Western Heritage Museum but really i just love walking with the family downtown the most. The Gene Leahy park has 2 side by side huge slides and a pond to walk around. A short walk from there is Heartland of America Park which is relaxing to walk around.
*Nebraska City has the Arbor Day Lodge and apple orchards.http://www.arbordayfarm.org/liedlodge.cfm
*Brownville Nebraska has Indian Cave State Park http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks/guides/parksearch/showpark.asp?Area_No=91
*Brownville Nebraska also has a gorgeous historic vineyard http://www.whiskeyruncreek.com/
*Omaha has the huge zoo. Although, I would only venture there on a weekday if you truly want to enjoy it. The weekends are packed.
You can always give me advance notice of your arrival and I would be happy to fix you all up a quick lunch, snack or wahtever. I live in Omaha!
Christina
Farmgirl Sister #195
http://justacitychick.blogspot.com/
Although no one can go back and make a brand new start; anyone can start from now
and make a brand new end.
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2008 : 07:42:36 AM
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Depending which way your coming through Ohio, theres Dresden, home of Longaberger (middle southern part, theres Amish Country (Berlin)you can go on a guided buggy ride, hit some fabulous bakeries and of course, the shopping! Up North theres Wooster, home of the Smuckers Company (yummy stuff!, Way up North is the lake front, Vermillion is a cottage town off hte lake thats frrozen in time, beautiful and excellent walleye! Columbus has Easton and Polaris (huge shopping meccas)oh! And hocking hills is very south (near WV) but hosts the only Ohio zip line and amazing national parks and forestry.
Dawn M. Sista #279 (big grin!)
www.harvestthymefarm.com
"I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one!"...Calamity Jane |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2008 : 07:45:21 AM
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PS! Go see Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. I love Chicago, its got a very nice atmosphere and the people are genuine mideastern americans. The Mile is chock full of stuff a farmgirl normally doenst get to see, but its worth a look! I can never afford anything, but its still neat just the same!
Dawn M. Sista #279 (big grin!)
www.harvestthymefarm.com
"I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one!"...Calamity Jane |
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Suzan
True Blue Farmgirl
659 Posts
suzanne
duncannon
pa
USA
659 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2008 : 6:10:36 PM
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| Thanks so much for all the suggestions. Now I just need to sit down and make some plans! |
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ranchmama
True Blue Farmgirl
360 Posts
Elise
Rosebud
MT
USA
360 Posts |
Posted - Aug 22 2008 : 07:04:23 AM
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A few more in Iowa...
In Williamsburg, which is right on I-80 ther is a big Outlet Store. It's a nice break from the driving. I like the VF store, everything in there is 1/2 off the sticker price. They have everything there, clothes I mean..
Then down the road is Amana.. which isn't Amish. If you want to see the Amish communities, go south to Kalona. There are a few shops there. The Amana Colony is it's own thing and they do have some nice shops a resturants and wineries (sp)
Then farther west is Madison County with the covered bridges. Winterset is just a short drive west of Des Moines, also near Pella as someone else mentioned,and it's pretty country. In that same area is Indinola and aroud this time of year (I think) they have hot air balloons. There is a museum there too. We took the kids there and it was a lot of fun.
I grew up in IA and live in Madison county for a year :)
Have fun on your trip!
Elise
Every Child Deserves Our Love &
A Bear of Their Own
http://ATeddyForKeeps.org
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ranchmama/ |
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Across the Fence: What to see between Pa and NE |
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What to see between Pa and NE
