Tag Archives: fit and fare

Would You Let Your Teen Run for Governor?

I wouldn’t let my teen run across a busy highway, so I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t okay his bid for public office. Of course, I’m not Jared Christiansen’s mom (a fact I’m sure he is quite happy about), so there’s no telling how far the 17-year-old could go in his quest to be governor of Wisconsin. Though, as a voter in the Badger State, I will have some say in the teen’s future political career. The outgoing high school senior is not even legally eligible to cast a ballot in Wisconsin, yet he is determined to run the state. The … Continue reading →

Family Travel: Something for Mom

While dads do their fair share of loading the van, schlepping luggage and strollers in and out of the hotel and helping to round up the troops, in most families it’s mom who takes on the larger tasks of planning, packing and executing the family vacation. At the same time it is very rare for a mom to plan any part of a family vacation around her own interests. Generally the trip to the amusement park, waterpark, campsite, etc. is designed around the children’s interests. (Yes, most moms would say that they are happy just getting to spend time with … Continue reading →

Sunday Travel Funnies: It’s All How You Look at It

What would you think if you were driving down a suburban street and found yourself at the end of a radar gun… being held by an 11-year-old? Would you slow down? Drivers in Louisville, Kentucky have. In fact, so many motorists have laid off the gas pedal when they see young Landon Wilburn that he has made front page news across the country. Since police can’t be everywhere, the enterprising boy took matters into his own hands. According to Wilburn, speeding motorists were out of control in his Louisville subdivision and when he shouts to drivers to slow down didn’t … Continue reading →

Where to Wave Your Flag this Fourth of July

Nothing says Fourth of July quite like a patriotic holiday parade. If you are hitting the highway to enjoy a family vacation this weekend you might consider stopping in one of the following cities to take in the sights and sounds of some of our nation’s most festive Independence Day parades. Grab the kids, a few lawn chairs and your miniature-sized flags and watch as Old Glory marches down Main Street. WISCONSIN—-Racine Fourth Fest Parade It’s billed as the largest Fourth of July parade in the Midwest and it takes place in tiny Racine, Wisconsin, which is nestled along the … Continue reading →

Wisconsin’s Newest Tourist Hot Spot—Drained Lake

In a previous blog I told you about the unthinkable events that recently took place at tourist hot spot Lake Delton, Wisconsin. Earlier this month the area was deluged with several inches of rain in a 3-hour period. The rain caused flooding that broke through the banks of the 267-acre lake causing the entire lake to drain into the nearby Wisconsin River. The video shot of the chasm that broke massive homes in half and sent them toppling into raging waters was broadcast around the world. One scene of an entire home tumbling into the water and being carried by … Continue reading →

Super Summer Fun: Wet and Wild Waterparks (Midwest)

In a previous blog I briefly described the devastating toll the recent Midwest floods took on tourist hot spots such as the Wisconsin Dells. At the time I wrote that entry managers at the resort’s largest waterparks were desperately trying to get the word out that they were still open for business and looking to entertain the legions of families that flock to the Dells on an annual basis. I’ll have more details on the impact the floods are having on the region in a future blog, but in this post I want to continue with my series on the … Continue reading →

How the Midwestern Floods are Affecting Summer Travel Plans

I live in a state that has been ravaged by floods. More than 15 counties here in Wisconsin have been declared disaster areas and FEMA workers continue to assess the damage to homes and businesses. Mother Nature’s wrath has already exceeded the $20 million mark and is expected to rise in the coming days. The devastation may not be as widespread as it is in Iowa, but residents here are still reeling from the destruction left behind from last week’s torrential rain and severe floods. This month’s deluges have also soaked several Midwestern tourist spots, most of which rely on … Continue reading →

Going Hog Wild in Milwaukee and Revving it up in Philly

The city known for its beer and brats is going hog wild next month when it opens a new Harley-Davidson Museum. The iconic company’s hometown of Milwaukee is the site of a massive building that will house more than 400 bikes. The grand opening takes place on July 12th and will include a slew of festivities that highlight Harleys that once belonged to celebrities like Evel Knievel and Elvis Presley. Also scheduled to be on display is a motorcycle built in 1903. That was the year that two young friends from Milwaukee, William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, first made … Continue reading →

Family-Friendly Summer Travel Bargains

Whether you’re interested in spending quality family time getting up close to an endangered Amur leopard or you prefer ferrying around the waterways around the beautiful state of Maine these next summer travel deals will allow you to do so without going broke in the process. Take a look: MAINE Casco, Maine is known by the locals as the world’s most charming city by the bay. And during the summer months it becomes a haven for families who love to explore in the great outdoors. You can start in Portland’s historic downtown with its fascinating side streets; browse for local … Continue reading →

Travel Tidbits: Road Block—Oreos, Pigs, and Veggies, Oh My!

In what some motorists in Morris, Illinois would consider an inconvenience my young daughter would see as a dream come true. Last week a trailer loaded with 14 tons of double-stuffed Oreos overturned on an Illinois highway spilling the cookies (which by the way were still in their plastic sleeves and therefore still edible in my book) into the median and roadway. According to police, the truck’s driver was traveling from Chicago to Morris on Interstate 80 around 4 a.m. when he fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into the median. The end result: a virtual Oreo downpour… and … Continue reading →