My wife and I took a weekend romantic get away to Duluth, MN and stayed at the South Pier Inn on the Canal. Our stay was simply perfect. This hotel is perfect. If you stay here request a view on the canal side. It is a little more but the view is worth it. We had a room on the canal side and had a beautiful view of the Aerial Light Bridge. We sat out on the balcony and watch the ships pass thro...

My wife and I decided to check out this Zoo while in Duluth, Minnesota. This is a very small and quiet zoo. When we went there was not many other people. That was nice as sometimes it felt like it was just us walking around. I feel they have a decent selection of animals for its size. We enjoyed seeing the kangaroos. They also have a nocturnal area which is neat to walk through. I enjoyed the h...

Big Idea studios created an excellent alternative for those who look for cartoons that offer fun without violence and that simultaneously teaches to the children Christian values. Veggie Tales are vegetables cartoons who narrate Biblical histories in a very entertaining form and offer solutions for the situations and problems the children are facing. We acquire some Veggie Tales DVD's for...

As part of a Lake Superior North Shore vacation, the many sites along the Brule River are well worth the trip.Judge Magney State Park is in the northern Minnesota arrowhead, about 15 miles north of Grand Marais on paved Route 61.  (About 125 miles north of Duluth) The North Shore is a fairly high end tourist area for outdoor recreation with hiking, bicycling and boating opportunities. ...

I have been attending baseball games at the Rock Cats stadium in New Britain Ct for quite a few years now. It has always been an enjoyable experience for my family and friends whenever we have gone to a game there. With the prices of today that are charged to attend a major league game , it makes minor league baseball prices look like a treasure. Try taking your family to a major league game fo...

Growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota I went to this local zoo a lot. As I got older I did not care for it. I felt it was very small and the animals were poorly kept in small cages with no room to roam. I remember as a child watching this tiger in a small cage walk back and forth and back and forth. I felt sorry for the tiger. For years I avoid this zoo because of my past experience. I was told Com...

The Gunflint Lodge Resort in the Minnesota Arrowhead has the facilities for any type of northwoods adventure you might want, whether you’d like to stay in luxury with some outdoor activities, stay in a bunkhouse, or head into the Boundary Waters for a canoe trip.The northern Minnesota Arrowhead is one of the wildest areas of the midwest United States.  A large portion of the area has...

When we moved into our new house, we decided to buy life insurance policies for each of us.  Our plan was to have enough insurance to pay off our mortgage in case one of us met with an untimely death.  We didn't have any problem getting insured, except the policy wouldn't cover my husband if he died while flying a helicopter.  You might say, "So what?  How many ...

My family does not stay at hotels very often. When we do, it is a rare treat. In January 2008 we attended my father-in-law's funeral in St. Cloud, Minnesota, a four hour drive from our home. Our dilemma was to find a pet-friendly hotel within our budget and close to the church where the service was to be held. The Best Western Americanna Inn and Conference Center of St. Cloud was the perfec...

I have been to the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN many times. When it first opened I enjoyed the Mall. I could do all my Christmas shopping in one trip. They had many unique stores that I could find that perfect gift. Recently though I have noticed that those small unique stores have been closing and stores like Dell, Gap, Old Navy, Sharper Image, etc., are moving in. I am disappointed in t...

Not all head nets are created equal.  If you can find this style, it is far superior to the ones that fasten around your neck.First of all, let me say that I am not sure you can purchase this exact product any more.  The Safesport company was sold several years ago, and I am not sure what happened to their product line.  But I am reviewing this net anyway because it is so much be...

Big Papi (AKA David Ortiz) is one of my favorite Red Sox players… Well, to be honest I have a lot of favorites, but who can help that with such a talented crew of athletes?Anywho, when I heard that Big Papi was writing a novel I just had to have one! When I began reading the book I knew that it was different from most biographies. For one, Big Papi’s words come off the page just as...

Spicer Castle in Spicer, MN, is my favorite spot for a romantic getaway. It is a bed & breakfast located on a hill overlooking Green Lake. It is a beautiful old home which is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. It is an ideal spot for lovers looking for romance. They offer themed getaways such as holiday dinners by candlelight, dinner cruises o...

If you are looking for a relaxing getaway look no further than Grand Superior Lodge on the northern shores of Lake Superior in Two Harbors, Minnesota.  I just enjoyed a week there and wish I could have made it a longer trip. There are so many things to see and do not only in the resort  itself but in the immediate surroundings.  You can walk along the pebble beach on the resort, ...

Wildwoods Water Park in Otsego, MN is a great day vacation for the whole family.  It is attached to a beautiful hotel, which is reasonably priced.  Plus, if you stay overnight at the hotel you will receive four complementary tickets into the waterpark.  Individual tickets are $20 a piece, so it is an $80 value.  The nice thing about this waterpark is that it is indoors. Minn...

Of all the trail guides I’ve used, the format of this one is one of the best, and the information in it is up-to-date and accurate. I am referring to the 5th Edition, published in 2007.The Superior Hiking Trail goes along the north shore of Lake Superior from Jay Cooke State Park south of Duluth to a connection with the Border Route Trail nearly at the Canadian Border, north of Grand Mara...