Category Archives: States

Spotlight KY: Columbus-Belmont State Park

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

The Columbus-Belmont State Park combines rich Civil War history with lush Kentucky beauty for an excellent family travel destination. The park is uniquely educational, standing as a National Trail of Tears Site, and featuring a museum highlighting Civil War history. Aside from receiving an intriguing history lesson, visitors can enjoy the natural wonders of Kentucky by camping out at one of the park’s 38 sites and hiking along picturesque bluffs of the Civil War Heritage Trail. There’s plenty to do and see at the Columbus-Belmont State Park.

Contact:
Columbus-Belmont State Park
350 Park Road
Columbus, KY 42032
(270) 677-2327
[email protected]

Spotlight TN: Memphis Barbecue

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Fill up on Memphis BBQ during your Great River Road stop in Tennessee! This style of barbecue is all about pork ribs, usually marinated with a rub made of herbs and spices and basted during the cooking. Rubs can be wet, dry, mild, spicy or sweet, with or without mopping sauces applied periodically. Tennessee hosts a number of barbecue festivals throughout the year, and features excellent Memphis barbecue restaurants that you can dine at year-round.

September is Drive the Great River Road Month

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

American QueenPlan a fun and memorable road trip this September along the Great River Road! This 3,000-mile long byway is one of the oldest, longest and most unique in North America, and along the way you’ll find plenty to explore.  Experience a variety of cultures as you travel down the river, from Midwestern Minnesota and Iowa down to Southern Mississippi and Louisiana and all of the cultural blend in between.

Your trip down the Mississippi should include stops in each of the bordering ten states. Plan to see popular attractions like the Mall of America in Bloomington, Navy Pier in Chicago, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, and more. Experience natural wonders, captivating historical sites and rich agriculture as well. There’s so much to see along the Great River Road! Plan your trip down the river this September.

Spotlight AR: Delta Cultural Center

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Delta Cultural Center music exhibitExplore the rich blues music history of the Arkansas Delta at the Delta Cultural Center, located in historic downtown Helena, AK. Comprised of two locations, the Depot and the Visitors Center, guests can learn Delta history through the museum’s exhibits, programs, events and tours. Visit the Depot’s “A Heritage of Determination” exhibit to learn about Delta history from the time of its earliest inhabitants through the great Mississippi River floods. Then walk a block north to the Visitors Center and see the “Delta Sounds” music exhibit.

Contact: 
Delta Cultural Center
141 Cherry St.
Helena, AR 72342
(870) 338-4350
[email protected]

Agritourism options along the Great River Road

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Blue Sky Vineyard, Makada

Credit: Blue Sky Vineyard

Agritourism encourages travelers to learn about a region by exploring its diverse agricultural landscape. And the Great River Road offers an abundance of agriculture for you to see. Along the Mississippi, you’ll find orchards, cheese factories, gardens, nurseries, tree farms, farmers markets, museums and more. Make sure to pencil in a stop at one of these farm-related attractions when you visit the Great River Road.

Spotlight MO: St. Louis Gateway Arch

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

St. Louis Arch at nightStanding as the nation’s tallest monument, the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch is one of the most impressive highlights along the Great River Road. A commemoration to Thomas Jefferson and St. Louis’ role in westward U.S. expansion, this attraction holds significance beyond its incredible structure. All visitors have free access to the arch entrance and can take the “Journey to the Top” for $10.  From the top of the arch, you’ll see up to 30 miles into the distance, including breathtaking views of downtown St. Louis and the Mississippi River. For an even richer experience, take a riverboat cruise on a replica 19th-century paddle-wheel boat or visit the historic Old Courthouse.

Contact: 
Gateway Arch
707 North 1st St., MS 143 (mailing)
200 Washington Ave. (physical)
St. Louis, MO 63102
(877) 982-1410
[email protected]

Spotlight Illinois: Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Cahokia Mounds Collinsville

Credit: Porter Binks

Witness remains of the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico by visiting the Cahokia Mounds Historic Site. The mystery of this ancient metropolis, which was inhabited from about A.D. 700 to 1400 when the site was abandoned, remains unsolved. 800 acres of the original 2,200-acre site is open for the public to explore, in addition to a World-Class Interpretive Center. Take a guided tour or traverse the mounds yourself.

Contact: 
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
30 Ramey Steret
Collinsville, IL 62234
(618) 346-5160
[email protected]

 

Spotlight Iowa: Pikes Peak State Park

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

The picturesque Pikes Peak State Park in Iowa is a nature-lover’s dream. You can camp, picnic at one of its 77 sites, bike or hike 11.5 miles of trails. Along the trails, you’ll witness Decorah limestone formations, fossil remains and gorgeous wooded bluffs and valleys, including the refreshing Bridal Veil Falls. Peek over the park’s 500-foot bluff and you’ll see the union of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers.

Contact:
Pikes Peak State Park
32264 Pikes Peak Road
McGregor, IA 52157
(563) 873-2341
[email protected]

Spotlight Wisconsin: Stonefield Historic Site

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Discover the agricultural history of Stonefield, a community that helped make Wisconsin become “America’s Dairyland.” The 2000-acre Stonefield estate was originally home to Wisconsin’s First Governor, Nelson Dewey, until it burned down in 1873. Eventually reconstructed and passed among a string of different owners, the land was bought by the state in 1936 and transformed into a village that celebrates Wisconsin’s rich agricultural history. More than 30 buildings, antique farm equipment and Stonefield’s State Farm Museum make up this historic site.

Contact:
Stonefield Historic Site
PO Box 125
12195 Hwy VV
Cassville, WI 53806
(608) 725-5210
[email protected]