See a clash of swords, watching a circus show, or visiting an old west fort can all be a part of a trip to Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, we explored The Strip which includes a Venice look-a-like, saw the Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur along with learning some history of the city. (This is one of our stops on our summer trip to…
A day at Decatur, Ill., Scovill Zoo includes seeing hundreds of animals, riding a train, and spinning around a carousel. My son Andrew enjoyed his time at the zoo which included seeing the animals and touring the zoo by train. Entering the Zoo We first entered through the gift shop where we paid the entry fee. Also, from here we bought our tickets for the…
Find sculptures, flowers, and fountains in an oasis of greenery in downtown St. Louis in the Citygarden. I walked about 1.7 miles around the Citygarden and Kiener Plaza Park up the block from the garden. This is a paved and mostly level walk that can include steps if you go into other areas of the Citygarden. Starting the Walk I parked along the street close…
Walking in an urban landscape near River des Peres that included wildlife viewing was my exploration along a paved path in St. Louis. The River des Peres Greenway is currently 7.5 miles from the confluence of the Mississippi River and the River Des Pere near the River City Casino where it connects to the Mississippi Greenway going south. History of River Des Peres Throughout the…
Walk through the grounds of a historic cemetery and ends at a Tudor-inspired fire station on the Christy Greenway in St. Louis. This is a 5.4 mile out and back walk through an urban area and parks in St. Louis and starts near the River Des Peres. Reached from a lot for the River Des Peres Greenway. River Des Peres Greenway I parked in a…
Hike through forested hills, around numerous ponds, and to an overlook with Illinois River valley views at McCully Heritage Project. Located about an hour and a half north of St. Louis near Kampsville, Ill., in Hardin County, which is on a peninsula between the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. At the Start We parked in the gravel lot near the original farmhouse off Crawford Creek Road….
Gorge area view
A walk through history as you tour mill ruins, historic homes, and a battleground at the Battle of Athens State Historic Site. The site is located about three hours north of St. Louis near the Iowa border. General Store We first stopped at the former Athens, Mo., General Store. The building is open to the outdoors and now serves as a picnic shelter. Inside you…
In Columbus Junction, Iowa, you can walk along a swinging bridge that is 262 feet above a dark ravine shrouded in a jungle-like forest. This was a roadside stop we made on a trip to visit family in Iowa City from St. Louis. The bridge is also known as Lover’s Leap Swinging Bridge based on a tale that a woman who leaped to her death…
Walk around two lakes – even one with waterfalls, baseball and soccer fields, and a large splash pad at O’Fallon Family Sports Park. We walked 1.7 miles on paved trails to check out this 200-acre park in O’Fallon, Ill. The Blacktop Outer Trail I walked a paved trail with my son who rode his dirt bike around the park. We started our adventure near the…
