Midwest travel recommmendations

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J

jemz

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We want to plan a two or three RV trips that are 1 week or less this year.  We prefer to travel during school times since we home school and can avoid crowds...so thinking May and September for any major travel with short weekend trips in the summer. 

Any recommendations?  We live in Northern IL and already spend a lot of time in Northern WI and an occasional trip the the Dells.  We especially enjoy places with museums, theme parks, stuff to learn and entertain us and the kids (five kids ages 2 to 10 who are well behaved and well traveled.)

Last year we went to Springfield IL, Memphis TN, and Branson MO (in one trip a little over a week long.)  I think we'd enjoy going to St. Louis since we skipped that on the last trip.  A few years ago we circled Lake Erie which took 2 weeks and went to MI to the Ford Factory and Greenfield Village, drove through Canada and stayed at Niagara Falls, Hershey PA, Lancaster County PA, went to Idyllwild and Cedar Point theme parks.  That was an awesome trip!    Perhaps we will take a short trip to King's Island this year?
We also went to the RV Hal of Fame and on to Shipshewana and the Jellystoone Park in Fremont IN.  We do like Jellystone Parks especially the one in Warrens WI.

We definitely want to go to Yellowstone some day, but don't have the time or budget for that this year.  We need places that we can do in a week or less on a smaller budget. 
 
The kids would enjoy Discovery World in Milwaukee, and all of you might enjoy the art museum across the street, both right on the lake.
 
That's a good idea. Isn't Milwaukee where the state fair is too?  We do enjoy going there.  Maybe we'll make it a trip for both.
That reminds me, maybe we'll include the IL state fair into our St. Louis trip.  It's on the way and we could use another day in Springfield to see what we missed last time.
 
Yep, the WI State Fair is in West Allis, a suburb of Milwaukee.  Aug. 6-16 this year.
 
If you decide you want head towards Kings Island there are a lot of things to do in the surrounding area as well.

Dayton - National Museum of the Air Force, Carrilon Historical Park, National Aviation Hall of Fame, Hawthorne Hill - Wright Brothers house designed by Orville Wright, Packard museum, Sunwatch Indian Village, Paul Lawrence Dunbar House.

Cincinnati - Cincy Zoo, Museum at Union Station, Great American Ball Park,Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Coney Island Water Park, Harrriet Beecher Stowe House, Piatt Castles, College football Hall of Fame.

Winton Woods is a county Campground on the edge on Cininnati and would make a good central spot if you bring a towed and want to just park the RV.

School starts in Ohio in August so a September visit would mean smaller crowds at Kings Island and usually dryer weather than May.


 
you could go the House on the Rock in Spring Green, WI- we had a blast there, stayed at Devils Lake State Park and drove to the House. there are closer campgrounds.
Prophetstown State Park in West Lafayette, IN  has water park, a neat farm and great bike trails, also check out Delphi, IN.  and wolf park in Battleground, IN.
 
We've been to House on the Rock a few times.  IN is a good idea.  Haven't spent much time there.  Maybe we have been to that farm if it's the one I'm thinking of, but would go back.  Thanks!
 
56safari said:
If you decide you want head towards Kings Island there are a lot of things to do in the surrounding area as well.

Dayton - National Museum of the Air Force, Carrilon Historical Park, National Aviation Hall of Fame, Hawthorne Hill - Wright Brothers house designed by Orville Wright, Packard museum, Sunwatch Indian Village, Paul Lawrence Dunbar House.

Cincinnati - Cincy Zoo, Museum at Union Station, Great American Ball Park,Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Coney Island Water Park, Harrriet Beecher Stowe House, Piatt Castles, College football Hall of Fame.

Winton Woods is a county Campground on the edge on Cininnati and would make a good central spot if you bring a towed and want to just park the RV. 


School starts in Ohio in August so a September visit would mean smaller crowds at Kings Island and usually dryer weather than May.
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Second The Air Force Museum in Dayton...  it will take several days to really see it.  Price, very affordable, FREE. However any food or beverage including water has to be purchased at their cafe.  I think there is outside picnic area.  Lots of things things to see and do in the area. Spent a week there last fall and didn't get it all in.  Planning on another week this year.

WildBill
 
Have you spent time along the Mississippi? Lovely old river towns. I would specifically recommend Rock Island Arsenal. My kids loved the hands-on museum there, and there is a lot of history. Another option is to take a week to follow,the Great River Road. It alternates which side of the river it is on, and here are numerous historical sites along the way. The entire thing is a thousand plus miles, but you can do whatever you have time for. There are so great trips along the shores of the Great Lakes with lots of light houses, rivers, waterfals, and historic towns.
 
This may be out of your time frame and I don't know the age of your children, but Washington, DC is one of the most interested and educational trips one could take. We have taken our children twice and grandchildren once. One can get a weekly metro pass and be able to see all the important sights in DC without ever using your car. The only location that we used our car was when we visited the National Cathedral. Cost while in DC are minimal. Paid for guided tour of Arlington Cemetery and a guided night bus tour of DC.  All the Smithsonian Museum are open at no cost. 

Frank 
 
Frank Hurst said:
This may be out of your time frame and I don't know the age of your children, but Washington, DC is one of the most interested and educational trips one could take. We have taken our children twice and grandchildren once. One can get a weekly metro pass and be able to see all the important sights in DC without ever using your car. The only location that we used our car was when we visited the National Cathedral. Cost while in DC are minimal. Paid for guided tour of Arlington Cemetery and a guided night bus tour of DC.  All the Smithsonian Museum are open at no cost. 

Frank
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Love DC!  It is too far for us for this summer, but we will definitely get back there again.  I think we could take 10 trips there and still not see everything we'd want to!  I think we'll shoot for Yellowstone in 2016 and DC and East Coast in 2017... although Alaska is on our bucket list and can't wait too much longer either.  A month or more long trip to Alaska is what originally prompted us to buy an RV.
 
This may be a bit of a stretch, but look at Hutchinson, KS.  The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is a world class space museum with an unbelievable collection of US and Soviet spacecraft and hardware, along with interactive exhibits for the kids.

Then you can go across town to the Strataca salt mine museum and go 650 ft. underground to tour the massive caverns of the only salt mine in the US open to the public.

Time it right and you can also attend the Kansas State Fair in September.
 
Have you been to Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville?  Its close to St Louis. It was a village of over 10000 people in 1250 AD.
 
Here is a great place to stay and visit on your way to Branson... It is just six miles south off I44 at the Leasburg Mo exit. There camp grounds are RV /pet friendly also has free internet inside the camp sites.. It sits right on a great river to float and fish....  Check ahead for opening as well as sometimes they might have sites open if you just pop in.  http://mostateparks.com/park/onondaga-cave-state-park
 
UTTransplant said:
Have you spent time along the Mississippi? Lovely old river towns. I would specifically recommend Rock Island Arsenal. My kids loved the hands-on museum there, and there is a lot of history.
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Also in the Quad Cities area are the John Deere Pavilion, the Buffalo Bill Museum and the American Pickers guys.
 
Frank Hurst said:
Plan at least 2 months for an Alaska trip...Better yet plan for 3 months.
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Wow!  We certainly haven't started researching yet and I sure we'll do that a year or so before we actually plan to go, but that would be great to have that much time to do it.  We'll really have to plan ahead!  I know it's off topic but do you have any suggested itinerary for such a trip.
 
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