McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park – Scottsdale, Arizona
The McCormick Stillman Railroad Park was built on land that originally was part of land owned by Anne and Fowler McCormick (grandson of John D. Rockefeller.)
when Anne died in 1969 the ranch covered nearly 7 squre miles. The horse operations of the ranch were located in Scottsdale. In 1967 the Fowler McCormick’s donated 100 acres of the ranch to the City of Scottsdale to be used as a park for everyone to enjoy.
Biosphere 2 – Oracle, Arizona
Biosphere 2 is a project of the Unviersity of Arizona which serves as a tool to support research already underway by UA scientists. It will enable the college to perform key experiments aimed at quantifying some of the consequences of global climate change.
Arizona Wing CAF Flying Museum – Mesa, Arizona
The purpose and goal of the museum is to complete collection of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of the USA in WW II. To provide protection and display of these aircraft as a tribute to those that served with them.
Meteor Crater Center – Flagstaff, Arizona
Formerly the Museum of Astrogeology this Meteor Crater Vistior Center shows new displays on the never-ending process of impacts and collisions in our solar systm by the Meteors. The learning center includes twenty-four exciting exhibits, making it the most extensie and informative museum of it’s kind on earth. There are also two interactive computer displays at the Learning Center that contain information and high-tech graphics on space, meterorites and asteroids, the solar system, and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet that impacted Jupiter.
Rawhide Western Town – Wild Horse Pass, Arizona
Situated in the Gila River Indian Community Rawhide is a western frontier town welcoming you to come and share some adventure. The town of Rawhide has a wonderful history of the Native American tribes that lived in the area long before the settlers came west. It was due to the kindness of the Indians to one traveler from Savannah, GA that the community got it’s name and became, in fact, a town. With the arrival of different people that were necessary to make the community survive the town grew and remains in touch with it’s history today.
There are some places that you go on vacation that just makes the whole trip worth while and Rube’s Steakhouse is one of them. With two locations to choose from you can be in different areas and still go out for a great steak and take the memory of the cook it yourself restaurant experience home with you.
Here’s the story of how it all began. Rube’s was started by a man names Glen Rubenbauer in 1973 in a tavern in the little town of Montour, Iowa. In the 2000 census Montour had a population of 285 people, not a thriving city by any means, but a friendly small town in Iowa with a great steakhouse serving large steaks for people from all over the country. [Read more...]
Let’s Play Ball! In the movie Field of Dreams Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) hears a voice telling him “If you build it, he will come.” He believes this message is an instruction for him to build a baseball field on his farm. After many difficulties, and struggles the field is built and on it appear the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) and the other seven Chicago White Sox players banned from the game for throwing the 1919 World Series.
Ray’s wife, Anne, supports his desire to build the field although she is skeptical she knows that this is a family that depends on each other to get through the rough times, just like in real life, this family has dreams. In the end, Ray finds his father and they play catch as the long line of cars begin approaching the baseball field with people to watch the game.
The Lansing family farm, with its quaint, and oh so recognizable house (because of the movie) has opened up an opportunity for families to share a dream and enjoy an outing together.
The movie was released in 1989 and has become a classic in many ways. It has all the necessary triggers to bring you into the emotion of the time, the dreams and desires, the satisfaction of success and the joy of family. The movie was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Music, Original Score, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. (W. P. Kinsella’s novel Shoeless Joe)
The Lansing family farm has left the field for you to bat a few balls, play a game of catch, run around the bases or sit and watch from the bleachers.
Since the family feels the property is best serviced in its original and pristine condition they do not rent out the Field for any organized activities, individuals or events. That means that when you visit the Field of Dreams you will see it as it was for the movie, not covered with tents trying to sell stuff or filled with corporate teams, it will just be the field, waiting for you to share your dreams on and maybe play a little ball.
The location is: 28995 Lansing Road, Dyersville, Iowa 52040
Phone number: 1-888-875-8404
The La Quinta in Clive is that place to stay when you are traveling on Interstates 80 or 35 in Des Moines. This friendly hotel offers affordable rates, a free breakfast buffet, work out room and pool and hot tub. Of course they offer free wireless internet too!
The access off the interstate is easy and the property is close to a number of restaurants preventing you having to drive forever to get something for dinner or lunch.
Whether you are in Iowa for a family vacation or are visitng central iowa for business the La Quinta will provide you with a safe, comfortable place to enjoy while you are in the area. You will have easy access to all that Des Moines has to offer from the great sports events to the wonderful art center. You will be just minutes from shopping malls to satisfy everyones desire to spend a little time looking at the latest fashions or picking up a book to read at the nearby bookstores.
When you want to find what is available to see and do in the area just check out www.iowabeautiful.com and look in the central Iowa listings. With all that is available to do you could spend a long time in the area and not see everything or try all the great restaurants.
Have you ever been to a conference where the setting just blew you away? Has it left you wondering who in the world could be so creative, get everything just right and have things go off without a hitch? You probably have been to an event that was put together by InnovativeEvents, Inc! The talent, the style, the creativity (the genius) is just the thing needed to make any event a pleasant memory for everyone from the organizers in the company hosting the event to the guests that attend. [Read more...]
Ottumwa is the only city in the United States with this name. The town was first settled in 1843 near three Indian villages, Chief Wapello’s village, Chief Keokuk’s village and Chief Apponoosa’s village. Chief Wapello was second in command to Chief Keokuk of the Sac and Fox nation.
There are several possible meanings of the Sac Indian word “Ottumwa.” Two commonly accepted meanings are “place of perseverance or self will” and “land of rippling waters.” Either of them probably sums up the area quite well. [Read more...]
