Up the Mississippi, Minneapolis, Apostle Islands, and the Wisconsin Dells.

 

A two week summer vacation from St. Louis.

 

Night 1.  Louisiana, Missouri

Night 2. Keokuk, Iowa

Night 3. Muscatine, Iowa

Night 4. Dubuque, Iowa

Night 5. Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin

Night 6. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Night 7. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Night 8. Duluth, Minnesota

Night 9. Bayfield, Wisconsin

Night 10. Bayfield, Wisconsin

Night 11. Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

Night 12. Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Night 13. Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Night 14. Chicago, Illinois

 

 

 

Day 1. Up from St. Louis to Louisiana, Missouri

 

Stay at the River’s Edge Motel

201 Mansion St.  Louisiana, MO 63353     (573) 754-4522

Louisiana is a lovely small town along the Mississippi River. There should be some nice walks to take around the town.  We could visit the Louisiana Area Historical Museum and look at antique stores. The first day allows a late start.

 

Day 2.

From Louisiana it’s about 40 miles (1hour) north to Hannibal, Missouri. In Hannibal one must see Mark Twain’s boyhood home and the museum there.  It would also be good to take a tour of Mark Twain’s Cave.  After a morning in Hannibal we drive about 45 minutes (25 miles) to Quincy, Illinois.  There we can visit the Quincy Museum and perhaps the All-Wars Museum.  Quincy is supposed to be a lovely city with interesting homes and history.  We would certainly want to see the Villa Kathrine.  After the attractions in Quincy have closed we drive about an hour (40 miles) up to Keokuk, Iowa.  Keokuk has many interesting things to see during our visit. We’ll spend the night there, We might possibly camp at Hickory Haven Campground or Sugar Valley Campground, or maybe we will stay at the Hotel Iowa or the Chief Motel.

 

Day 3.

After a morning looking around Keokuk we drive 9 miles (15 minutes to Nauvoo, Illinois. There we visit Nauvoo State Park.  After lunch in Nauvoo we drive 15  miles (30 minutes) to Fort Madison, Iowa.  We will certainly want to visit the old fort there.  Probably we will also drive about 20 minute east (12 miles) to the Fort Madison, Farmington & Western Railroad.  After a ride on the railroad and the visit to the fort we can drive north about 21 miles (40 minutes) to Burlington, Iowa.  Around 4 or 5 in the afternoon we might make a 10 mile excursion to Geode State Park, which is supposed to be delightful.  We could have a picnic dinner in Delabar State Park (about 20 miles/35 minutes north of Burlington) on our way north to Muscatine, Iowa. Muscatine is about 40 miles north of Delabar State Park, but it takes over an hour to cover the 40 miles.  We spend the night in Muscatine if we don’t camp in Delabar State Park.

 

Day 4.

The morning we look around Muscatine, as we arrive here rather late the previous day if not the morning of this fourth day of the trip.  From Muscatine we need about an hour and 15 minutes to drive the 50 miles north to the Moline, one of the Quad Cities. In the Quad Cities we might visit the Family Museum or the Grant Wood paintings in the Davenport Museum of Art.  We need to leave on our way north by 1:30 p.m. on our 60-miles (90 minute) drive up to Mississippi Palisades State Park, as we may make some scenic stops along the way. From the state park we drive another 25miles north to Galena, Illinois  where we want to see the President Grant State Historic Site in the last hour before it closes for the day.  When we’re finished in Galena we continue a final 18 miles (30 minutes) to Dubuque, Iowa where we spend the night.

 

Day 5.

In Dubuque there are many things to see, and I’d like to ride on the river boat. Around mid-day or in the early afternoon we go about 20 minutes (11 miles) into Wisconsin to Dickeyville to see the grotto there.  After the grotto we have a 90 minute (55 mile) drive up to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.   There are many attractions in the area around Prairie du Chien. I’d like to see one of these, the Kickapoo Indian Caverns (about 13 miles / 25 minutes from Prairie du Chien). We’ll spend the night in the area near Prairie du Chien, perhaps camping and perhaps in a motel.

 

Day 6.

From the Kickapoo Caverns it’s 59 miles (90 minutes) driving to La Crosse, Wisconsin.   In La Crosse I’d like to visit the Children’s Museum and the Museum of Modern Technology and the Myrick Park Zoo.  That leaves us with just over three hours of driving on up to Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.  We spend the night there.

 

Day 7.

A day to see things in Minneapolis and St. Paul.  A second night there.

 

Day 8.

Morning again in Minneapolis and St. Paul.  Afternoon drive 90 minutes (65 miles) to St. Croix Falls in Wisconsin, and then take another hour and 15 minutes to drive the 45 miles north to Yellow Lake.  Hang out in that area for an hour or two (from about 3:30 to 6 p.m.), and then drive two hours (70 miles) to Duluth, MN where we spend the night.

 

Day 9.

Day in Duluth.  If this is a Saturday or Sunday we can ride the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad. We can always go to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and ride the North Shore train.   Around 4 or 5 p.m. we should drive the 80 miles (allow 2 hours and 15 minutes) east to Bayfield, Wisconsin.

 

Day 10.

We take a cruise tour of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Possibly camp on Madeline Island.

 

Day 11.

Morning we drive 2 hours and 30 minutes south to Hayward, WI (about 90 miles south of Bayfield).  In Hayward we visit the Freshwater Fishing museum.  After about an hour there we continue south for two hours (70 miles) to Cameron, where we visit the Pioneer Village Museum. Another 50 minutes (42 miles) south we come to Chippewa Falls where we want to stop and visit Irvine Park. We spend the night in Chippewa Falls.

 

Day 12. 

We may want to see Irvine Park in the morning.  Also in the morning we should go to Eau Claire (14 miles south from Chippewa Falls) where we should see the Chippewa Valley Museum.  By early afternoon we should be on our way to the Wisconsin Dells, (130 miles / 2 hours and 15 minutes driving).  We should arrive there around 4:00 p.m. and check into the campground or motel where we will stay.

 

Day 13.

Day in Wisconsin Dells.  Second night there.

 

Day 14.

During mid-day we drive the 200 miles to Chicago (3hours and 45 minutes), arriving around 2:30 p.m.  In Chicago we could visit one museum before closing time.  We spend the night in Chicago.

 

Day 15.  A morning visit to a museum in Chicago, and the rest of the day driving home.