Check out some great Midwest-related stories I found online this past month:
There's nothing like a cheesy tourist stop to start off our Midwest travel link love list this month, so without further ado, here's our list of fun stops around the Web for Midwest travel info!
Say Cheese! A Frankenmuth Roadside Attraction-This place in downtown Frankenmuth, Michigan always puts a smile on my face when we stop by! We're big cheese fans, and we've found that the cheese spread at this place is pretty darn decent as well! I'm thinking we may have to head on back here later on during the winter for a cheese-in-the-snow shot! Check out Tonya's story about this cheese store at The Traveling Praters blog.

3 MUST Visit Holiday Destinations in the Midwest-Tonya takes advantage of her proximity to one of the largest holiday themed travel stops in Frankenmuth, Michigan to visit and help readers get into the holiday spirit! We're within an hour of Frankenmuth, so we are more partial to visiting for the novelty of Christmas in July, but there's really no time like the present to check out this town, plus two other places in Indiana and Ohio to enjoy Christmas. Check it out at The Traveling Praters blog.
Unique Midwest Holiday Events-Wondering where to find some seasonal fun in the Midwest? Melissa gives readers a half-dozen ideas for holiday travel in the Heartland, which, or course, includes a stop in Michigan's Frankenmuth! Get in the holiday spirit with these attractions in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin. Check it out at A Little Time and a Keyboard blog.
Halloween 2016: Half Pint-I know I'm not the only one among my readers who loved the "Little House" books as a child, and I found this particular story of a child with parents who loved helping her make her dreams of playing "Half Pint" come true! Check out Jim's story about the adventures of "Laura" and "Pa" in suburban Detroit at the Sweet Juniper blog.
#VisitASuffragist in Michigan this election season-Amy started out with the idea of paying a respectful visit to the gravesite of a particular suffragist in Michigan, and found the idea quickly spiraling into an idea to locate many more such sites and map them for future reference. While this year's election is past, Amy is already looking forward to working on expanding the map through the election in 2020, which is, incidentally, the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment...you know, the one that gave women the vote! Read about Amy's project and a follow-up post (Two weeks and nearly 40 suffragists later...) about her progress in finding and acknowledging these political pioneers at The Night Train blog. Makes me want to pin on my Jeanette Rankin button once again (yes, I have one from Rankin's second go-round in 1940 and found it in among my political souvenirs just before November's contest).
Through the eyes of an Educator: Rapids City, South Dakota-Stacey always appreciated coastal states with their close proximity to water, but this tour of South Dakota might change your mind about the charms of a Midwestern prairie state as it did hers. I appreciate the wide, open spaces (especially with the highways that sometimes allow you to rip along at 80mph!), but make sure you slow down and take in the unique scenery, culture and history Stacey discovered in South Dakota. Check out here story at the Wandering Educators blog.

Needles, South Dakota
Setting Out for a Road Trip Through Nebraska-Join Jenna and Micah as they embark on their first road trip through the Cornhusker State. Discover what a runza is...and more!...as the couple explores an eclectic mix of urban and outdoor adventures while traveling through the state. Check it out at the Wander the Map blog. Be sure to check out A Photo Essay: Road Trip Through Nebraska for a more detailed review of their trip!
5 Reasons Nebraska Needs to be on Your Travel Radar-Check out Kirsten's story at the Kids are a Trip blog for another take on traveling through Nebraska. Check out the state's abundance of natural wonders like its sand hills cranes and badlands, as well as things like great foodie scenes and its famous National Monuments geological parks and cool fossil formations.
Can You Believe that Iowa Looks Like THIS?-Kylie is making all sorts of new discoveries as a British expat currently living in Iowa! Here, Kylie considers Iowa's wealth of scenic foot trails and sees some of the early autumn colors as they kiss the landscape. Check it out at the Between England & Iowa blog.
Wilstem Ranch: How to Bathe an Elephant-On thing you should know when traveling around the Midwest is that you should expect to find the unexpected. Connie proves this to be the point as she learns that giving an elephant a bath is a lot like washing a car. Learn a little more about these majestic creatures and participate in one of the most unusual "spa" experiences in, wait for it, Indiana! that you'll ever find at the Midwest Wanderer blog.
A Behind the Scenes Tour of the Toledo Zoo-We're fairly close to the Ohio state line, so visiting the Toledo Zoo is a nice was to make a day trip for us. I find the WPA-era architecture and history of the zoo particularly fascinating, and I appreciate the thoughtful upgrades and renovations they've made at their campus without sacrificing the vintage vibe of the buildings. We visited the Zoo a few years ago just as they were adding the Penguin Beach and Flamingo Key and saw a lot of the early work done as they prepared to renovate the historic aquarium there, so I particularly enjoyed seeing Nedra's post that included images of the now-completed project. Check it out at the Adventure Mom blog.

South Bend: History and Happenings-Check out Amy's post for a tour of South Bend, Indiana. We loved seeing the architectural wonders on campus of the University of Notre Dame and checking out the cool vintage cars at the Studebaker National Museum which are also South Bend sites Amy recommends for visitors. Check out her report at the Indiana Insider blog.
Meanwhile, I always like to hear about any other favorite Midwest stories or blogs you think I might like to check out!
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