1

Waterpark Capital of the World, Wisconsin Dells

Image: Kenny Eliason

Waterparks are a funny thing. Adults go there almost exclusively to take their kids, but end up enjoying themselves, sometimes even more than the younger ones. Self-proclaimed as the " Waterpark Capital of the World ," Wisconsin Dells offers fun and adventure for kids and the aforementioned kids at heart.

Its multiple resorts include Noah’s Ark, the largest outdoor waterpark in the world, The Wilderness Resort, which has the largest indoor-outdoor combination, Bigfoot Ziplining, The Original Wisconsin Ducks, Devil’s Lake State Park, boat tours, spas, golf courses, casinos and much more.

2

City of Big Shoulders, Chicago

Image: Sawyer Bengtson

The Windy City needs no introduction but no Midwestern treasures list would be complete without mentioning it. As the Midwest's largest metropolitan area, Chicago is a popular option for a weekend getaway. It houses numerous parks, including ones with lakefront beaches, or iconic sculptures like "The Bean."

Its incredible architecture is best viewed from the water during a river cruise or while boating on Lake Michigan. Its virtually i nfinite food options , ranging from Greek to Mexican to Polish, and its world-class museums , make for a must-visit.

3

Museum City, Kansas City

Image: gilber franco

Sitting on the state line between Missouri and Kansas, the City of Fountains has a vast assembly of museums ready to be discovered by visitors from all over the world.

From local landmarks like the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, boasting an impressive collection of over 34,000 pieces and 5,000 years , the National WWI Museum and Memorial, The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, to the newly renovated Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, this city has it all.

4

Ozarks Lake, Missouri

Image: K. Mitch Hodge

Long before the TV series of the same name, the Ozarks was a region famous for its natural beauties, entertainment opportunities, and multiple cuisine options. This expansive reservoir with more than 1,100 miles of shoreline has spots like Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Bridal Cave, and various restaurants and resorts.

And if the water activities are not your thing, you can visit the links at one of several golf courses or enjoy a day of wine tasting on the Lake of the Ozarks Wine Trail.

5

Wining and dining, Traverse City

Image: Pablo Merchán Montes

Traverse City may be famous for its slices of pie and tart cherries, which can be found at farm stands across the Up North region through late summer. But it has much more to offer its visitors.

Acres of wineries and orchards all along the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas' rolling hills are complimented by the Lake Michigan scenery and the nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. And, when the summer season is over, the Traverse City area also boasts enviable skiing terrain, fat-tire bike trails, and snowmobile routes , making it an attractive destination for winter recreation.

6

Hiking paradise, Duluth

Image: Tom Gainor

This Minnesotan city located on the shores of Lake Superior is an ideal spot for a weekend getaway. Visitors of the Canal Park area can bike or walk along the Lakeway , a nearly 8-mile path that follows the shoreline, take pictures of the Aerial Lift Bridge , and explore local art galleries .

Travelers can also tour all 39 rooms at Glensheen, a historic estate built in the early 1900s, or book a first-class ticket in a domed train car on the North Shore Scenic Railroad. And, when hunger strikes, Duluth boasts a generous selection of lakeside eateries and breweries.

7

Family trip favorite, Omaha

Image: Andrew Seaman

Whether you are into history, nature, arts, or the food scene, Omaha has it all. And, with attractions like the Omaha Children's Museum and the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium , this city is a great choice for a family trip.

The Durham Museum is a great place for history buffs, the Lauritzen Gardens Botanical Center has an impressive collection of plants flowers, and trees, and its noteworthy restaurants and bars attract culinary visitors from around the world.

8

Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota

Image: Frank Thiemonge

The amazing Black Hills National Forest can be found at the western edge of South Dakota, where a small mountain range is surrounded by 1.2 million acres of protected wilderness, making it a haven for outdoor activities.

Visitors of the Black Hills can hike, bike, ride horses, rock climb, and visit the Mount Rushmore National Memorial , which features giant mountainside busts of four American presidents.

9

Small-town charm, Mackinac Island

Image: leah hetteberg

If you are looking for a holiday destination with no cars or chain hotels and, instead, horse-drawn carriages and bed and breakfast accommodations in family-owned hotels , Mackinac Island might be the place you are looking for. Located between Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas, this Lake Huron island beckons to visitors who want to relax and unwind.

Mackinac Island State Park occupies most of the island, providing visitors with countless opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking, horseback riding , and a variety of eateries serving everything from American classics to its famous fudge.

10

Prince’s legendary Paisley Park Studios, Minneapolis

Image: DJ Johnson

The former home and recording studio of the "Purple Rain" composer is located outside of Minneapolis in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Prince built Paisley Park back in 1987 and lived here until he died in 2016.

His Royal Badness himself requested that his home be open to the public after his death and now fans can tour the complex and see the studio where he recorded some of his biggest hits and the soundstage where he rehearsed for tours.

1

Music

Image: Jamakassi

Back in the day, the gift of music used to mean something. It was a connection between the person who made the gift and the one who received it . It was a beautiful object, to be played on a music player and stored at home. Nowadays, music is something much more abstract that is streamed from online services and is not given as a gift of discovery anymore.

2

Movies

Image: Delaney Van

Movies have experienced a fate similar to the one suffered by music. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and the rest, movies are available to watch online, and no one owns a VHS, DVD, or Blu-Ray player anymore . It used to be a fun thing to give as a gift. "You are going to love this movie". Not anymore. Nowadays, we just recommend things from HBO or Disney to each other.

3

Preserves

Image: Rob Wicks

Since the dawn of time, preparing a meal with care and dedication for somebody else has always been a way to show affection. Until not so long ago, gifting preserves used to be a common practice and a way to express love from a distance . Nowadays, if you want strawberry jam, you can just go to the store.

4

Knitted clothes

Image: Liana S

The many hours invested in knitting a clothing item are an integral part of the gift that the person who created it is giving . The warm embrace of a knitted sweater, scarf, socks, or any other item created similarly cannot be replaced by store-bought clothes.

5

Fresh flowers

Image: Annie Spratt

Giving someone a fresh bouquet, especially harvested from one’s own garden, used to be a thing in the past, at least for people who had gardens. It was meant as a kind gesture that said "I thought about you when I picked these flowers" and embellished the home of the one who received it.

6

Homemade cooking

Image: Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦

A delicious homemade pie or a nice dessert used to be a common thing for house guests to bring to their hosts. While it still happens from time to time, it used to be much more common. These days, the usual drill involves stopping by the deli to get a packaged item, at best.

7

House plants

Image: Lasma Balode

Plants can really upgrade a room, and people used to know this, at least to a larger extent than today. Bringing a small house plant to a new home is a great gift , and it used to be a much more common practice than it is these days.

8

Framed artwork

Image: Jonny Caspari

Paintings have the reputation of being expensive things. And in some cases, they are. But beautiful artwork by unknown artists can be found for low and reasonable prices everywhere . People used to know this and bought paintings to decorate their walls and, taking into consideration the personal taste of the receiver, to give as gifts.

9

Maps

Image: Hutomo Abrianto

In the age of smartphones, paper maps have become somewhat irrelevant and cumbersome. But they make for beautiful objects and can be framed into beautiful works of art . Gifting maps depicting places that are relevant to the gift receiver is a habit that should come back.

10

Greeting cards

Image: Annie Spratt

Be it of the Hallmark kind or any other, greeting cards used to be given for many different occasions throughout the year. Since the Internet came around with emails, social media, and WhatsApp messages, these cards have all but faded into oblivion.

Even if you only kept them for a couple of months before throwing them away, it was fun to receive those cards as a reminder of the fact that someone cared about you enough to buy, write, and mail the card.

11

Handwritten postcards

Image: Ireland Rogers

Somewhat similar to greeting cards but not quite the same are postcards. These lovely reminders of a friend or a relative’s trip brought the comfort of knowing that whoever wrote the postcard was thinking about you .

Again, the internet has rendered postcards obsolete, but that does not mean that, even to this day, receiving one would be a very nice gesture.

12

Framed pictures

Image: Natalia Rüdisüli

Giving someone a framed picture of a significant moment can be a great gift, and it used to be much more common. Just like in the case of the framed artwork, it is important to understand the personal taste of the person who is receiving this gift . But if this is understood and taken into account, there is no reason why this shouldn’t come back as a great gift idea.

1

Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Image: Wes Hicks

Yes, the entire Appalachian Trail is extremely long. Actually, it is over 2,190 miles long. But, the Shenandoah National Park, 75 miles from Washington, D.C., has over 500 miles of hiking trails, including more than 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail ; You can tackle a small section in a day’s hike.

The park is the perfect place to explore the great outdoors in Virginia and it consists of 200,000 acres of protected land that are home to animals like deer and songbirds.

2

Burroughs Mountain Trail, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Image: Scott Longerbeam

More than 260 miles of maintained trails lead visitors through peaceful old-growth forests, river valleys, and subalpine meadows on the Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state.

The park is home to one of the most iconic mountains in the world: Mount Rainier rises 14,410 feet above sea level straight into the clouds. Check out the Burroughs Mountain Trail for stunning views of mountain peaks and the alpine landscape.

3

Rim Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Image: Tim Golder

Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is home to the largest collection of odd-shaped pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion, known as hoodoos. Many of them can be viewed from the 5.5-mile Rim Trail .

The park also offers hikes for all levels, including backcountry options for those looking for a little added adventure and guided Full Moon Hikes for night-owl explorers.

4

Upper Emerald Pools Trail, Zion National Park, Utah

Image: Jamie Hagan

A park filled with hiking trails for all experience levels, Zion National Park, Utah's first national park , is famous for its massive cream, pink, and red sandstone cliffs, and freestanding arches.

Hikers should attempt to visit at sunrise and sunset to enjoy the breathtaking views of sunlight splashing off the cliffs and into the rivers below. And if it is an approachable trail they’re looking for, the Upper Emerald Pools Trail is an easy hike leading to sparkling waterfalls.

5

Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana

Image: Aaron Clinard

Over 700 miles of hiking trails, including more than a dozen options around the Many Glacier area , like the popular Grinnell Glacier Trail , can be found at the Glacier National Park.

Lucky visitors can spot some of the park's varied wildlife, including 71 species of mammals, from the tiny pygmy shrew to one of the largest remaining grizzly bear populations in the country.

6

Charlies Bunion Hike, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

Image: Leslie Cross

The Great Smoky Mountains are world-renowned for its animal and plant life diversity, as well as for its miles of official and backcountry trails with views of waterfalls and old-growth forests.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park spreads across two states and offers plenty of activities for hikers. For a particularly breathtaking vista, hike to Charlies Bunion, a popular outcropping along the Appalachian Trail.

7

Billy Goat Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland

Image: Eduardo Gutierrez

Considered a moderate-difficulty trail, Maryland's Billy Goat Trail has three sections totaling eight miles, though portions are strenuous and challenging . Outdoor enthusiasts can experience the raging Potomac River and the rocky crags of Great Falls. The hike is very popular, so early hours are advisable to beat the crowds.

8

Chautauqua Trail, Chautauqua Park, Colorado

Image: Leslie Cross

An old park, Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado, has been around since 1898. The 80-acre park has miles of hiking, much of which are uphill . But there are less strenuous hikes, too, like the Chautauqua Trail, which offers views of the Flatiron mountains and Boulder.

9

Canyon to Rim Loop, Smith Rock State Park, Oregon

Image: Alex Diaz

Hikers of every level can find an appropriate trail at Smith Rock State Park, in Oregon. These vary in length and difficulty, but they all offer beautiful views of the Central Oregon landscape**.**

The park offers hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, and visitors may spot golden eagles, prairie falcons, river otters, and beavers throughout the day.

10

Petroglyph Wall Trail, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada

Image: Kristin Melville

As visitors to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area can testify, not all short-distance hikes are the same. Many are labeled difficult, and it can take four to five hours to complete a five-mile hike.

Along the different routes, desert wildlife can be spotted, including lizards, toads, and hawks. One of the park's most beginner-friendly hikes is the 0.2-mile Petroglyph Wall Trail , where centuries-old rock art can be appreciated.