Black sand, pebble beaches, and cliffside views were part of our second day along the North Shore of Lake Superior. (This was part of our trip to explore part of the North Shore in Minnesota and the Apostle Islands.) BLACK SAND BEACH The Black Beach Inn is, of course, not far from the Black Sand Beach. We drove to the right of the hotel along…
Going Up to the North Shore of Lake Superior
As we headed to the North Shore of Lake Superior to spend the night, we saw spectacular waterfalls, rapids, and a cliffside lighthouse. (This was our second day on our trip to explore part of the North Shore in Minnesota and the Apostle Islands.) Leaving Minneapolis, we stopped at two state parks before reaching the North Shore of Lake Superior. BANNING STATE PARK First, we…
Exploring the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Seeing the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture highlights a visit to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The sculpture garden has over 40 works from the Walker Art Center’s collections. (This was our first stop on our family trip to explore part of the North Shore in Minnesota and the Apostle Islands.) East Side Walk We first checked out the Spoonbridge and Cherry created by Claes Oldenburg…
Go to the Top of the Gateway Arch
Go to the pinnacle of the 630-foot Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis where you can have far-off views of Missouri and Illinois. It is the smallest national park in the U.S. and is located in downtown St. Louis, Mo. My son and I spent the morning exploring this amazing feat of architecture. About the Arch The Arch commemorates St. Louis’ role in the westward…
Lon Sanders Canyon: My Favorite Shut-Ins Short Hike
Waterfalls and shut-ins in a rocky gorge are what you will find at Lon Sanders Canyon Conservation Area in the Missouri Ozarks.
Horner Recreational Park Walk
Walk a paved path around a five-acre lake that winds through old-growth trees at Horner Recreational Park in Lebanon, Illinois. This one-mile walk has some small hills and an elevation gain of 44 feet. The route goes along the side of a lightly used park road, which is two-way, until near Horner Park Hall, where it becomes one-way. I came here with my son, who…
Giant City State Park Hikes
While exploring Giant City State Park, I marveled at the massive boulders, cascading waterfalls, and the majestic Devil’s Standtable. The park is a little over two hours south of St. Louis near Carbondale, Ill. Our family explored three trails each with different amazing sites to see. DEVIL’S STANDSTABLE NATURE TRAIL The 1/3-mile Devil’s Standstable Nature Trail is a natural surface loop trail that starts flat…
Dad Hikes: Illinois Mississippi River Bluffs
My journey today was to explore two trails along the bluffs on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River just south of St. Louis.
The Double Descent of Burden Creek Falls
Bottom of the falls with a small pool
Take a Walk and Play at Jaycee Park
Take the children to play at Discovery Playground and then explore Jaycee Park on a paved path in St. Charles, Missouri.