 THIS WEEK'S HEADLINES
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| Visit Quad Cities |
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| AUGUST EDITION OF LEISURE GROUP TRAVEL MAGAZINE |
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RESOURCES & TOOLS
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Close-to-Home Surprises
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It’s amazing the discoveries that await in our own backyards. I just got back from a day trip to McHenry County, Ill. and found a lot to write home about. Located near the Wisconsin border, about 50 miles from my suburban Chicago office, the county abounds with group tour possibilities, many of them based on agritourism.
Touring the area as a guest of the McHenry County CVB, I explored cozy towns like Woodstock and Richmond and visited an apple orchard near Harvard. Groups love the historic Woodstock Square, an idyllic town square with brick streets, boutique shopping, a French creperie housed in the old county jail (shown above) and a restored 1889 opera house that gives free tours.
My favorite find was Place de la Musique, a mind-boggling showcase of antique music machines at the Barrington Hills estate of the Sanfilippo family, founders of the Fisher Nut Co. This tucked-away treasure welcomes group tours but is not open to the general public. I’ll write more about this hidden gem in a future online article about McHenry County.
Happy traveling,
Randy Mink, Managing Editor
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Cozy Iowa Town Offers Peek into the Past
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Antique shopping, Mississippi River lore and heady doses of nostalgia make little LeClaire, Iowa an ideal half-day stop for groups in the Quad Cities area.
LeClaire’s chief claim to fame has always been its ties to William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, but there’s much more to this quaint, hilly town just off I-80, north of Bettendorf, Iowa.
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Milwaukee on Tap
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Tourists can get an inside glimpse of Milwaukee’s best-known industry on tours of breweries and a beer baron’s mansion.
Names like Miller, Pabst, Schlitz and Blatz hold a revered place in the history of this Wisconsin city settled by immigrants from Germany and other parts of Europe. Though Milwaukee counts only a fraction of the breweries that it did 100 or even 50 years ago, beer is the product that made Milwaukee famous and still shapes its popular image.Read Full Article
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Holiday Trips Involve More Than Lights and Carolers
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Over the past 30 years, many destinations have created special holiday-themed events in order to generate demand in a typically soft time of the year. By hanging over a million lights, decorating boats, conducting parades, and providing carolers and hot chocolate, they were able to draw tour groups to see all the spectacular creations. In today’s competitive and economically fragile environment, however, this might not be enough.
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Midwest Rail & Cruise Options
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Virtually every group tour involves a motorcoach, and motorcoaches are convenient and outfitted for sightseeing and comfort. But you should consider getting off the coach and exploring other means of getting your passengers around. The Midwest offers many great options on the water and rails.
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