Travel

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum offers fresh exhibits to try to lure locals back for another visit. PHOTO BY DAVID CARSON/TNS May 1-7 is National Travel and Tourism Week, and Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Gina Gemberling wants Springfield-area residents to join in the fun right here at home. “We are […]

Phoebe Pryce as Jessica and Jonathan Pryce as Shylock in the Shakespeare’s Globe production of The Merchant of Venice, directed by Jonathan Munby, featured at Chicago Shakespeare Theater as part of Shakespeare 400 Chicago, Aug. 4–14. Photo by Manuel Harlan. William Shakespeare comes alive this year in Chicago, as the city celebrates the poet and […]

Hungry visitors to the Do-Drop In Cafe in Mason City get a warm smile, a full stomach and a trip to nostalgia. The wall clocks have been a feature of several Mason City restaurants for decades. PHOTOS BY Brent Bohlen. When I was in seventh grade, my friends and I got our parents to drop […]

Tables and booths surround the dance floor at the legendary Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Countless well-known musicians make a point of performing at the venue, which hosted the last concert of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper before t PHOTO BY Brent Bohlen Readers of a certain (ahem) age know the […]

Woodstock Willie and his mascot make their appearance in the Woodstock Band Stand, with the assistance of Brian Szafran, a member of the organizing committee. PHOTO BY RICK BELLAIRS “It’s always Feb. 2nd and there’s nothing I can do about it,” complains Phil Connors, the character Bill Murray plays in the 1993 comedy Groundhog Day. […]

Christa Downing bakes cookies in preparation for the Bishop Hill Julmarknad (Christmas market), held annually in the Swedish settlement in Henry County. This year’s market will be Nov. 27-29 and Dec. 5-6. Photo courtesy of Bishop Hill State Historic Site When Swedish seekers of religious freedom spent their first winter huddled in shelters dug into […]

Swiss-style architecture with colorful window boxes are found throughout New Glarus. Photo by John Camper. Do you ever daydream of hiking or biking through Europe but have just a weekend to spare? Then plan a trip to New Glarus, Wisconsin, known as “America’s Little Switzerland,” where you can enjoy scenic trails, indulge your taste for […]

The Missouri River runs along the town of Hermann, a German settlement west of St. Louis known for winemaking and German food. The bicycling and walking Katy Trail, part of a 240-mile state park across Missouri, is on the north side of the river. PHOTO BY HERMANN TOURISM OFFICE The bachelorette party was in full […]

Wright was just 21 when he designed the house he would use as a living laboratory for 20 years. COURTESY OF THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT TRUST. Oak Park attracts thousands of visitors every year to view the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses in the world and to tour the birthplace of writer Ernest […]

Soldiers representing the army of George Rogers Clark and other militia reenact battle scenarios using 18th century military tactics during the annual rendezvous held Memorial Day weekend in Vincennes, Indiana. The rendezvous takes place at the national h PHOTO COURTESY SPIRIT OF VINCENNES, INC. Red Skelton and George Rogers Clark are far apart on the […]

Avery Simpson plays doctor in the Tot Spot’s veterinary clinic at the Discovery Center. PHOTO BY JOHN CAMPER As soon as they arrived, our grandsons Ryan and Evan headed straight to the Simple Machines, a colorful interactive exhibit of pulleys, inclined planes, levers, balls, screws, wheels and axles. They were hooked, and so were their […]

Visitors to the John Deere Pavilion in Moline can climb aboard several pieces of machinery, including a massive combine, to experience the feel of handling the company’s showcase pieces. The pavilion also houses a collection of antique tractors and PHOTO BY BRENT BOHLEN Trivia question: Where can you find links to General Custer, the U.S. […]