WATERLOO, IOWA BRING YOUR TOUR TO LIFE: DISCOVER WATERLOO HIGHLIGHTS arts and crafts created by Midwest I Take a free trolley artists. Just steps away, it’s time for tour through the a fresh and innovative lunch at the John Deere Tractor ArtHouse Café . Following lunch, take Assembly Plant a behind-the-scenes tour of a third- generation business, Petersen & Tietz I Enjoy a meal Florist and Greenhouses . Wrap up the below the breath - afternoon with a tour of Kenny Kass’ taking Sistine Chapel Private Tractor Collection , the ceiling at the fifth largest in the United States. In Galleria De Paco the evening, head downtown to Hope Martin Theatre , home of the I Learn about life Waterloo Community Playhouse/ on the home front Black Hawk Children’s Theatre . Sit at the Five Sullivan back, relax and enjoy one of their Brothers Iowa outstanding performances! Veterans Museum DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY Waterloo Day I Experience Enter a world of discovery at the National dining, gaming and Waterloo Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Day 3 entertainment at the Begin your tour of Waterloo at the John Museum . The museum preserves the history Isle Casino Hotel 1 Deere Tractor Assembly Plant and take a of mankind’s oldest sport through historic artifacts, Waterloo free trolley ride through the factory to see exhibits and a library. The Hall of Fame completes the first-hand how the large green tractors are manufactured. tribute to some of the most memorable wrestlers in I Engage in arts Afterwards, stop by Deere Crossing to pick up your American history. Step back in time with a visit to Waterloo’s and culture at the John Deere merchandise and souvenirs. Next, travel a oldest Victorian mansion, the Rensselaer Russell House . Waterloo Center for short distance to the world-famous Galleria De Paco , Next, travel down the road to the RiverLoop Public the Arts and Phelps and enjoy a tour and meal below the breathtaking Market Co-op and Café for lunch. This year-round Youth Pavilion Sistine Chapel ceiling. The artist, Paco Rosic, created market and café sells fresh and locally-grown food items. this masterpiece with 5,200 cans of Krylon spray paint After lunch, enjoy a hands-on farm experience at I See historic arti - as he worked on scaffolding for 4 months. A few blocks Hansen’s Dairy Farm . See the process of getting milk facts and exhibits at away is the Grout Museum District , where you can from the farm to your table, feed a calf, milk a cow, the National Wrestling “Touch, See, and Feel” the history. Then on to the or perhaps pet a wallaby. Top your day off with a Hall of Fame Dan Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum , which horse-drawn wagon ride and home-cooked meal at Gable Museum honors Waterloo’s military heroes – The Fighting Sullivans, Heritage Farm . five brothers who perished on the same ship during I WWII. This museum features interactive exhibits, displays Waterloo Buy fresh and Day locally-grown and oral histories for all conflicts from the Civil War to Start your final day with a visit to the food items at the present day. Check into the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo , 4 Historic Church Row Neighborhood . RiverLoop Public where you’ll enjoy luxurious accommodations as well Tour up to seven of these 100-year-old Market Co-op and as dining, gaming and entertainment. churches all located within a two-block area. Complete Café your tour of Waterloo with a group luncheon at the Waterloo historic Snowden House . Day Enjoy a delicious breakfast at the Isle OTHER 2 Buffet before you begin your fun-filled ITINERARIES day in Waterloo. Artistry at its best! The Waterloo Center for the Arts presents a full program I Show Me the Green of exhibitions and works from its permanent collection, I This Land was as well as temporary exhibits of works by regional and CONTACT: Waterloo CVB Made for You and Me international artists. Your group can get creative with a ® Lonnie Elmore www.travelwaterloo.com hands-on workshop or class in drawing, pottery, jewelry I Gardener’s Delight 500 Jefferson St., Waterloo, IA 50701 making, digital photography, or video editing! Be sure Phone: 800-728-8431 I August Ag-venture to check out their Gift Store , which sells original fine Email: [email protected] 80 June 2012 special section LeisureGroupTravel.com COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA CATCH OUR SPIRIT from Illinois to Iowa and on to Utah, HIGHLIGHTS see the pioneer clothing, hand I An historic carts, and more. Then travel on to the character will relate Lewis and Clark Monument over - stories of the Lewis looking rail yards, the Missouri River & Clark expedition. Valley, and Eppley Airport in Omaha. I Historic character, The Old Lincoln Highway will take Mary Marks, will tell you to Loess Hills Winery for a tast - of her “girls” and her ing and relaxing conclusion to the day. husband who ran a gambling house. Begin your day at Day I Historic characters RailsWest Railroad tell of hardship 2 Museum where a mail endured on the river, sorter will relay amazing as a pioneer wife and stories of a time gone by. Lettie as a woman who Dodge, daughter of General Dodge , ran a Harvey House will welcome you to her spectacular for the railroaders. Victorian Mansion , and tell of her dad, “the greatest railroad builder” I Hear from a mail DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY and Civil War General, and life in early Council Bluffs. sorter the story of Then make a brief stop at Haymarket Square that still how a 4 year old girl Experience Council Bluffs in a whole new way as has the fountain where horses drank and people mingled. was “mailed” to her costumed characters take you on a journey, telling grandparents. stories, revealing secrets and making you laugh. Step A visit to our Victorian Block you’ll see turn-of-the- I Historic character, on board your bus to “Catch Our Spirit!” century postcards reproduced in brickwork. Then step inside the renovated 1917 Hughes Irons Building for Lettie Dodge, will At Western Historic Trails Center , meet lunch at Dixie Quicks restaurant. The Union Pacific talk about her dad, Day William Clark or advance scout George Museum downtown will vividly tell more about our General Grenville Shannon of the Lewis & Clark expedition railroad history. At the unique three story rotary Historic Dodge, dubbed as 1 and hear amazing stories of that experience. Squirrel Cage Jail , built in 1885, you’ll hear from an the greatest railroad Then, enjoy vistas lakeside as you circle Lake Manawa escapee as to the conditions there. Bayliss Park , 2.5 builder. State Park , known in the early 1900’s as the “Coney acres of beautiful green space, provide a great photo I An escapee from Island” of the Midwest. Hear from one of the town’s opportunity. Then, views from the Lincoln Monument the Historic Squirrel elite citizens who camped at the lake all summer and the beautiful homes on Oakland Avenue transport Cage Jail will relate bringing servants, chauffeurs and fine articles of furniture. you back to the turn of the century. the conditions Travel on to Ben and Mary Marks “Hog Ranch” , their experienced while home and popular casino. Mary, a successful madam End the day at Ditmar’s Orchard with an orchard tour, incarcerated. and a considerable character in her own right, will tell “fried apple pie or donut”, and a wine tasting. her side of things. As you travel to downtown Council I Ditmars Orchard Bluffs for lunch, you’ll pass by Wabash Trace and will take you on a Mormon Trail markers. tour; you can even eat a fried apple Costumed characters will tell of hardship endured on pie or a donut and the river, as a pioneer wife, and as a woman who ran sample wine. one of the Harvey Houses for the railroaders during your lunch at one of our hometown favorites – Tish’s OTHER Restaurant. ITINERARIES At Kanesville Tabernacle , tour the recreated log I Soar & Explore structure where Brigham Young was elected as CONTACT: Council Bluffs CVB I On, In, Up and Down President of the church. Hear the stories of migration ® Diane Hestness www.councilbluffscvb.com I Living Loess 149 W Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 Phone: 800-228-6878, ext 130 or Direct 712-256-5652 I Don’t Get Wet – Get Tanked Email: [email protected] LeisureGroupTravel.com special section June 2012 81 AURORA, BATAVIA, SANDWICH, PLANO, BIG ROCK, YORKVILLE – JUST BEYOND CHICAGO THE AURORA AREA: THE BEST MIX OF URBAN & SUBURBAN HIGHLIGHTS night for a variety of live entertainment options. Next, enjoy lunch inside a 1890s Columbian Exposition din - I Experience ing car attached to Bull Moose Bar & Grill and learn an international all about “Isabella.” Travel next to the Farnsworth architectural icon & House , Mies van der Rohe’s minimalist masterpiece learn the back-story and 20th Century architectural icon known as “The buzz. Glass House.” Visit “Smallville” (aka Plano) and tour the Superman Museum filled with props while hearing I Delve into the tales about the filming of the upcoming epic Mary Todd Lincoln’s motion picture and how Plano will never be the same. sanitarium stay in Big Rock & Yorkville, Illinois Batavia. Day Start your day with a guided group I Dig into the 3 kayak/canoe in Yorkville’s Cat 2 whitewater deep-rooted history, on the Fox River. Transform into a fiber artist art & architecture of at Esther’s Place Fiber Arts Studio via felting, spinning the Fox River Valley. and knitting workshops.