Some of these fall outside the boundaries of Indiana, but here’s a fun post about what I love and hate about gas stations and travel plazas……
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Do you like Gummy Bears?
Who doesn’t like Gummy Bears? Oh, I’m sure there’s someone out there, but it is not this girl. Take a trip with me to the Albanese Candy Factory Store in Merrillville, Indiana.
Located 3 miles east of I65 off of Exit 253 you will find the Albanese Candy Factory Store. I remember the first time we ventured north to the Candy Factory store, it was a family trip with my mom, sister and nieces. I was trying to remember what year we discovered it – maybe 2006 or 2007? There have been several family trips to Merrillville with the only purpose to visit Albanese – which is a 2 1/2 hour drive (roughly 140ish miles) from Indianapolis. Yes, I also know I’m a candy addict.
The front of the Candy Factory Store is a Queen Anne style home with an attached retail store that seamlessly merges into a GIANT factory. Back in the day you could take a self guided tour of the factory, but that is no longer available. The factory has nearly quadrupled in size since we first started visiting. Back to the entrance… it does look like you are entering a lovely old Victorian era home, but…. if it were me I would have capitalized more on the candy theme. What I mean is, the house is painted white, with just a few Victorian details. I think I would have embraced a more Hansel and Gretel look – but I don’t own a multimillion dollar candy company – so what do I know?
Originally a retail candy store that opened in 1982, Albanese eventually started selling their own chocolate covered confections and nuts. In the early 90’s the owner started experimenting with gummy bear production and came up with the company’s 12 Flavor Gummi Bears. The 12 flavors are: cherry, pink grapefruit, watermelon, strawberry, orange, blue raspberry, lime, grape, green apple, mango, pineapple and lemon. The Albanese gummi bears are definitely packed with flavor and they are chewy and squishy like what gummy candy should be. I’ve tasted other brands of gummy bears that are tacky and not squishy — if that makes sense? (Insert Dory saying “I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine and he shall be my Squishy” in my head, Finding Nemo)
The Gummi Bears have also expanded to gummi worms, gummi butterflies, gummi soldiers, gummi sharks… OK I’m starting to sound like Forrest Gump. And of course there are sour versions, low sugar versions, no sugar versions and Natural Flavor that contain no artificialities. There’s also chocolate covered Gummi Bears. At the store you can also buy them by the pound in your favorite flavor.
And if Albanese only sold Gummi Bears, I’d 100% still visit… but wait there’s more! Before the Gummi Bears, they were famous for chocolate confections – specifically hand roasted and dipped nuts. And yes, I found a new “TO DIE FOR” chocolate on this trip:
DARK CHOCOLATE AMARETTO PECANS
These are life altering chocolate covered nuts. Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous. They are THAT good. My husband doesn’t like dark chocolate – ever. And he has eaten half the bag. Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever had a chocolate covered pecan before. If it’s a nut, or fruit, or pretzel, or animal cracker – they have it chocolate covered. And you have both milk and dark chocolate varieties. And some yogurt covered items as well. I found the dark chocolate amaretto pecans by accident, I was looking for chocolate nonpareils – which is the one thing they don’t have.
The store also has a huge 3lb. bag of “Gummi mistakes” for $10. I got two – one was gummi bear mistakes and the other was their Halloween gummi mistakes (ghosts, pumpkins and bats). They taste fine, they just didn’t make the cut because the bat only has one wing or the ghost wasn’t exactly the right shape.
If you can’t visit in person, you can order on their website and they ship. Most of the chocolate comes in 1 lb. or 10 lb. options and the gummies come in various package sizes. You need a pound for sure…. 10 lbs. seems a bit much – even for me.
I was lucky enough this visit coincided with all the holiday decorations and the special holiday candy. You can get boxed sets in all different sizes and all different kinds of candies. They even have some that is half gummi, half chocolate. Check out how cute the holiday decorations and gift sets are:
There are a few more confectionaries in Indiana that I haven’t visited. And I found a few new ones I didn’t know about thanks to the Visit Indiana website. For those of you who travel south for the winter:
It’s 3 hours and 44 minutes from Albanese to Schimpff’s on I-65. I mean that seems like a reasonable set of stops for yummy goodness. 😁
OK this episode had zero barns, zero brews and zero back roads – I’ll work on that for the next blog. But it had bears ….. 🐻❄️🧸🐻
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Combining two of my favorite things: Travel & Football!
Join me on a fun trip to watch football in the “Cathedral of College Football” – The Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Quick history: my first trip to Notre Dame was my junior year in high school for a college visit with my mom. I fell in LOVE❤️🍀with Notre Dame. We went the week of the Fisher Regatta – which is an annual tradition where students race homemade rafts on St. Mary’s Lake. The campus was full of activity and somewhere I have a picture of a group of students dressed as Vikings marching their cardboard and Styrofoam “longship” around the campus. Okay enough “me” history, and we’ll skip the “why didn’t you go there?”😔
In the last two blogs I forgot to use movie quotes as headlines, but since there’s so many football movies………
“You had me at hello…” Dorothy – Jerry Maguire
From the Golden Dome on the main building which was built in 1879 to the Hesburgh Library with its world famous “The Word of Life” mural (aka “Touchdown Jesus”) and the stunning Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame is a spectacular campus filled with historic Indiana limestone buildings. Not that Indiana limestone buildings are unique to Notre Dame, most college campuses in Indiana have them, but for some reason Notre Dame captured my heart. Not that it matters, but I should mention that I’m not Catholic. Or Irish (maybe a smidge on my maternal grandfathers side, but mostly no). I think because it’s a Catholic school that people just assume the only people who love Notre Dame are also Catholic, or Irish.
Beyond the campus, South Bend and nearby Mishawaka have a lot to offer. There’s the Studebaker National Museum (201 Chapin Street, South Bend, IN), The Potawatomi Zoo (500 S. Greenlawn Ave.
South Bend, IN). and multiple golf courses, Burke Golf Course is right off campus. There’s also the Four Winds Casino, (3000 Prairie Ave South Bend, IN and no post in Barns, Brews and Backroads would be complete without a shoutout to the nearest Indiana State Park: Potato Creek State Park, (25601 State Road 4, New Liberty, IN). Potato Creek has fishing and boating on Worster Lake, along with cabins, camping, hiking, biking and a horseman’s camp.“Win one for the Gipper” Knute Rockne – Knute Rockne All American
Seriously, in a post about Notre Dame football you didn’t think I’d use this 1940 classic movie quote? By the way, the quote is from a movie, not Regan’s campaign speeches. The movie did star young Ronald Regan as George Gipp, the ill fated football player who died his senior year due to pneumonia and strep infection. Which lead to the famous Knute Rockne quote. But, let’s talk about Knute. After playing football and graduating Notre Dame, he became the head football coach in 1918 and led the Irish to three national championships, five undefeated seasons, and a win at the Rose Bowl in 1925. This football success lead to unprecedented growth at the University and set into history the legacy of the Fighting Irish football team. While Notre Dame is a world class University known for national research and economics, many people only know it as a “football school.”
As you approach Notre Dame stadium the north entrance is named after Knute Rockne, and all through the stadium there are banners that remind you exactly how dominate the Irish have been in football throughout history. I don’t technically have a “bucket list” but one thing I’ve always wanted to do is go to a Notre Dame football game. So let’s get into GAME DAY AT NOTRE DAME!
“A team with better character can beat a team with better talent” Dick Vermeil – Invincible
I know every college and university has football traditions. Things like running down the hill at Clemson (seems dangerous to me – to have your entire team run down a hill – but who am I ..), the Iowa wave (yes, I cry if for some reason I’m watching Iowa play… every time), and the White Out at Penn State. There’s a lot more – too many to list here, including the crazy amount of live mascots like Bevo the longhorn, Mike the tiger, Boomer and Sooner the horses that pull the schooner, UGA the bulldog and the War Eagle. I mean technically Notre Dame also has a live mascot – a leprechaun.
Anyway… Notre Dame has traditions too, starting on Friday night including the Tunnel Walk where for a small fee you can experience the walk down the iconic Notre Dame tunnel and touch the “Play Like a Champion Today” sign. The sign came from the Lou Holtz coaching years (1986-1996). Tailgating begins at 8AM Saturday morning and you have to have a valid parking pass for one of the lots. You can obtain parking passes on the Notre Dame website or through Stub Hub and Park Mobile. Parking is expensive on campus (“Show me the money!” – Jerry Maguire), but there are several locations like churches and businesses and even residences that offer parking for $20-$50 off campus. A tip from my favorite ND alum – “set your GPS to 415 St. Vincent Street, South Bend, IN. Parking on the street is allowed in this old neighborhood – work north and east from 415 St. Vincent. Watch for marked curbs that prohibit parking.”
The marching band performs at various locations on Saturday starting 2 hours before game time, including their march to the stadium from the Main Building (Golden Dome) 45 minutes before game time.
The Victory March – starts at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart two and a half hours before game time. The team walks to the stadium past the Main Building, Washington Hall and Hesburgh Library being led the by the Notre Dame Bagpipe Band.
I didn’t go to the bookstore on this trip, but trust me it’s impressive – I might have stopped by on a work trip or two. And it’s the only location where you can get “The Shirt.” Every football season a shirt design is created as “The Shirt.” Proceeds from this shirt go to The Shirt Charity Fund, which supports students who suffer from severe medical conditions and can’t afford treatment. It was started in 1990 (which would have been my first year there) and has helped countless students over the years.
“We have the rest of our lives to be mediocre, but we have the opportunity to play like gods for the next half of football.” Mox – Varsity Blues
You have made it to the game…. congrats! Oh wait, before you go in the stadium, you are required to take a picture at one of the “most instragramable places on earth” :
Touchdown Jesus and the reflecting pool.
Okay, now you can enter the stadium. Wait…. My daughter in law reminded me – go to the south side of the stadium and find the Nelson’s Catering truck. They have great food, she recommends the chicken. For those wondering why the IU grad knows their way around up here, she grew up nearby. Okay real quick explanation – if you don’t follow football religiously (ha!) – the reason the mural is known as Touchdown Jesus, is because from the south end of the stadium, looking north, you can see the Word of Life Mural and it lines up nearly perfectly with the goal post in the Home end zone and it appears Jesus is signaling a touchdown. For reference ⬇️
Welcome to the Cathedral of College Football. The stadium is fairly easy to navigate, they have auto ticket scanners and if you bring a bag make sure its clear. Our tickets were on the upper deck, so we used the ramp system and walked up – yay no stairs! There are a lot of food options from traditional football food to tacos and ribs. There’s even several self service food and drink stations – you won’t go hungry or thirsty. Since Brews is in the title of the blog – Coors Light and Miller Light were at every concession, along with High Noon’s. Of course there’s Guinness -proof I have zero Irish blood because – who can drink that??!? – and my favorite, Blue Moon.
Make sure you’re in your seat about 30 minutes before kick off, you don’t want to miss the band marching in, saying the Lords prayer with the team in the locker room and the team running out on the field.to “Notre Dame Victory March.” And my favorite part, right before kickoff the stadium is rocking to Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphy’s. If you’ve never heard that song you need to listen – it’s Celtic punk rock – yeah you just have to listen to understand it. You’re also in the sixth loudest college football stadium in America – and if the refs make a bad call you’ll experience it. Yes, they made two back to back really bad calls and the crowd is unforgiving. It’s AWESOME!
Push ups for points – in the first half you really only see the Leprechaun doing push ups – 1 for every point scored after touchdowns. However by the 3rd Quarter, there are pushups happening just about everywhere in the stands.
Okay, the picture doesn’t really show it very well, but trust me there are kids, babies, co-eds, all doing “push ups.” Look for the feet in the picture.
At the end of every game, win or lose, the team gathers near the endzone, locks arms and sways while singing Notre Dame, Our Mother – the whole stadium joins the singing. This tradition started in 1931 after the shocking death of Knute Rockne in a plane crash.
Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory… lasts forever. Shane Falco – The Replacements
Football is by far my favorite sport. College football though is more than just a game, it’s years and years of traditions, pageantry, pride and unmatched rivalries. If you don’t believe me, consider this: the largest football stadium in the United States is a college stadium – Michigan Stadium atUniversity of Michigan holds 107.600 people. It pains me to give the University of Michigan any compliments, so this is technically just statistics. In case you’re wondering the next 13 largest stadiums are also college stadiums. The first NFL stadium comes in at #15 – Met Life Stadium home of the New York Jets and New York Giants (holds 82,500 people). Notre Dame stadium ranks 18th. If you’ve never been to a college football game, I suggest you go – just once. And it doesn’t have to be Notre Dame, that’s just my favorite.
Why is the “pitchfork” in the title of the blog? Well, the Notre Dame game happened to overlap with the Indiana University vs University of Oregon game and we had two IU fans with us. My son was checking updates on his phone regularly, as was the lady sitting in front of me. They bonded over the Hoosiers ups and downs in between Notre Dame running away with the 2nd half. Indiana University has newfound life in its’ football program, they went from the bottom of the BIG10 in 2023-24 at 1 win, 8 losses to #2 in 2024-25 season (8-1) and are currently ranked #3 in the nation. My son begrudgingly wore a Notre Dame shirt, but insisted he had to wear his IU sweatpants to the game. Did I forget to mention that IUs one loss last year was to Notre Dame? 😁 It makes for a fun family rivalry. And IU’s symbol is a trident – not a pitchfork, however my father in law, a lifelong Purdue fan, referred to the IU symbol as the devil’s pitchfork. When the Irish had a rough start to this season I got this text:
“You Complete me…” Jerry Maguire – Jerry Maguire
Leaving South Bend wasn’t too bad either, traffic is restricted to flow one way out of the campus and we got through town fairly quickly. There is mass at the Basilica after the game, but we passed because it’s a three hour trip home. One other beautiful part of the campus behind the Basilica you’ll find the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is a smaller replica of the one in France. I’ve never seen it at night, but it’s spectacular in the daytime so I imagine the candles glowing at night is divine.
That concludes our trip to Notre Dame. I had so much fun – but I’m the Notre Dame fan. Everyone else enjoyed themselves, even the IU fan – probably because IU defeated Oregon, but I’ll take it! You can spend the day just at the game and tailgating, or spend the weekend in South Bend. There’s also a train from South Bend to Chicago if you want to explore the city.
If you’re wondering why I picked the quotes I did, over the heartfelt speeches from Remember the Titans or We Are Marshall or even Friday Night Lights — many of those inspirational movie moments aren’t just quotes.. they are soliloquies – and way to long for a headline!
GO IRISH!
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It’s fall in the Midwest which means there is an unlimited amount of festivals in Indiana. Forty-one throughout the state today. And we haven’t hit October yet, when the Germanfests and Oktoberfest’s fire up. Today we went just a smidge southwest from central Indiana to the Anderson Orchard Applefest (369 East Greencastle Rd., Mooresville, IN)
There are roughly 69 orchards in Indiana, which does not compare to our northern neighbor – Michigan – where there are over 170. I think we’ve been to the Anderson Orchard once before, but not during the Applefest. In addition to the normal U-Pick apples, farm store and concession stand that is always in operation, there were 80+ craft vendors, food trucks, a pumpkin patch and fall mum sale.
We got there early – about 20 minutes after they opened and they had us parking out in the orchard because the parking lot was already completely full. As weird as it was to roll over a few stray apples and turn down a row of apple trees, we still got fairly decent parking considering as we were leaving there was a line of about 100 cars attempting to get in. We walked the craft fair first, which is always a good time to find unique crafted things. That’s also the reason we went – my nieces mother-in-law had a craft booth. Peep her adorable crocheted pumpkins 👀
There were a lot of booths with hand sewn items like book bags and stove towels (aka hand towels but Theo calls them stove towels). A few other crochet booths had cute little animals. There was some beautiful handmade silver jewelry and as always a lady selling Mary Kay cosmetics. There were a lot of hand baked muffins, cakes, cupcakes, pies too. Next to the crocheted pumpkin booth was Hoosier Sugar Daddy syrup, I sampled several flavors – strawberry, blueberry, vanilla bourbon, maple bourbon…. $11/each or 3 for $30 ($28 if you pay cash). I had cash. But the realistic side of me took over so we spilt the 3/for with my nieces. We got Butterscotch.
The U-Pick apples required us to get back in the car and drive to the other side of the orchard, so we decided the pre-bagged apples would do just fine. The kids played on the playground for awhile then we hit up the BBQ food truck, while everyone else went to the concession stand for elephant ears, fried biscuits with apple butter, roasted corn on the cob and cider slushies. The BBQ was okay, but not super – I kinda wish we would’ve just got corn and hot dogs and cider slushies. Oh yeah- and Funyuns, Addie had to have her Funyuns.
Our last stop was the apple barn where they sell preserves of all flavors, honey, syrup, fresh veggies, caramel apples, apple cider, popcorn and………. RED HOTS!! If you are new here, I have driven an hour and a half and wrote a whole blog centered around red hots. And my other two faves, candy corn and candy pumpkins. The best part about the apple barn is that you can taste an apple before you buy it. Since they sell nearly 28 varieties of apples that’s handy. Apples are $32 bushel, $18 1/2 bushel, $10 peck, $6 1/2 peck.
Of all the things I bought today at the Apple Festival – what is the one thing I did not buy?
Apples…..
I probably should have, so I can make an apple pie – not to brag but I do make a mean apple pie. And now I found a recipe for candy apples, which I thought looked complicated, but actually doesn’t seem too bad. I’m not sure why I didn’t get any, they had Honeycrisp and Gala which are some of my favorites. But I really like Fuji, Granny Smith and Pink Lady’s and they aren’t ripe until mid October.
This is fall in Indiana – endless festivals from now basically until Christmas if you count the Christkindlmarkt which starts after Thanksgiving. The weather today (81F) did not give off “hey it’s almost October” vibes. And it will be in the 80’s most of next week. 🫤
The easiest way to see what festivals are coming up is here: https://indianafestivals.org/
Some highlights include:
- Shipshewana Autumn Adventures in Amish Country, Shipshewana and Middlebury, IN (every weekend until October 25)
- Feast of the Hunters’ Moon, West Lafayette, IN (Oct 11-12)
- Seymour Oktoberfest, Seymour, IN (Oct 2-4)
- Riley Festival, Greenfield, IN (Oct 2-4)
All leading up to the massive Parke County Covered Bridge Festival (Oct 10-19). One county, ten days, nine different festival locations, 31 covered bridges (Covered Bridge Capital of the World) and hundreds of craft and food vendors in every location. We usually go to Bridgeton or Mansfield. Bridgeton is famous for their grist mill, and the bridge has a waterfall to one side of it. Mansfield has a roller mill and a lot of vendors. At Bridgeton the volunteer fire department always has a bean supper (ham, beans and cornbread), and Amish ladies selling whoopie pies. You haven’t lived if you haven’t had an Amish whoopie pie.
My advice if you’ve never been to Indiana and want to experience the true “fall festival” would be to visit during the Covered Bridge Festival or Shipshewana. Shipshewana is in the heart of Amish country – well northern Indiana’s Amish country, we also have a lot of Amish farms in the south. I can 100% recommend Das Dutchman Essenhaus (240 US 20, Middlebury, IN 46540). I can’t even describe how good the food is. They also have shops and a hotel. And Sam loves the Heritage Ridge Creamery (11275 W 250 N., Middlebury, IN), which is a collective of local dairy farmers who specialize in amazing cheese. They have samples 😏.
Here’s my shopping haul for today – minus the red hots, candy corn and Dave’s sugar pecans:
The pumpkins are adorable aren’t they? And here’s where they went:
HINT: Candles and holders all came from Dollar Tree – $29 for all. The pumpkins will stay up through Thanksgiving and then I’ll switch to Christmas trees and snowmen. The one Christmas tree on the left stays up year round – my mom made it – for Dave and my first anniversary, it’s firefighter themed.
So there you have it—your quick start guide to making the most of Indiana’s autumn abundance. Whether you’re in it for the hayrides, the handmade goods, or the apple cider slushies you’re bound to find something fantastic (even Funyuns 😁). Grab your calendar, plot your route, and get ready to enjoy the best of Hoosier hospitality and crisp autumn air. Okay it’s supposed to be sweatshirt weather – I don’t even know anymore!?!?
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Never underestimate where a candy addiction can take you
Yes, this whole trip started because of Red Hots. Technically – Cinnamon Imperials, the name Red Hots is specific to Ferrara Candy of Chicago. And now I know more about Red Hots than I had planned. Anyway, how do you end up in Jeffersonville, Indiana on a Saturday in search of one of the oldest family owned candy businesses in the United States? TikTok. On Friday morning I happened to catch a TikTok from Logan’s Candies in Ontario, CA and they were collaborating with Schimpff’s Candies in Indiana to make chocolate candy canes. Like any good travel blogger with a candy addiction, I clicked over to Schimpff’s TikTok and they we’re making red hots. And that was all it took for me to drive an hour and half south and explore Jeffersonville.
I’ve been to Jeffersonville before, multiple times actually – but mostly in the area just off of I65 and Veterans Pkwy (home to Torchy’s Taco’s and Wawa – damnit I should have stopped for mint mocha). I had never been to the Riverfront though.
The first thing I noticed once I was on Spring St was the Vintage Fire Museum (706 Spring St). I didn’t stop but it does look like it houses a very large collection of antique fire trucks and equipment. If you have a kid who likes all thing firetrucks (aka Dawson) this would be a cool stop. I made it to Schimpff’s and started looking for parking, which was fairly easy to find, there are several Public Parking lots (free 😁) and street parking. Schimpff’s is definitely an anchor store in the downtown/riverfront area.
What I knew going in:
- They are one of the oldest family run candy stores in the United States and have been in business since 1891.
- They are famous for red hots, hard candy fish and Modjeskas (caramel covered marshmallows).
- They have a lunch room/soda fountain that is open 11a-3p and a candy museum and tour that includes a candy demonstration.
What I walked in to:
- Wall to wall candy.
- At least 150 people shopping or in line at the chocolate counter.
- A case of hand dipped chocolate any and everything you could want – that was half the length of the store.
I finally made my way to the back where the lunch room was located, it had already closed though. What caught my eye on the menu board was Deviled Eggs. It reminded me of a 1960’s era lunch counter; sandwiches (ham, turkey, egg salad, ham salad, chicken salad, pimento), soup and sides like deviled eggs, cottage cheese & tomato. I never made it to the soda fountain side. I got two tins of red hots and a tin of the hard candy fish and made it through the craziness to the cash register. They also sell Jelly Belly’s in bulk by the flavor or in specialty packages – but I resisted. The Modjeskas, I did want to try them but in all the chaos by the chocolate counter, I’m not sure where they were. Luckily, at work we have a lot of trainings coming up this fall in New Albany which is handily located close to Jeffersonville – along the riverfront.
Why do I love Red Hots? And Jelly Belly’s? Other than being a total candy addict since before I can even remember… my mom loved Red Hots and Jelly Belly. Not together of course. For Valentines Day my mom would get a giant bag of Red Hots and mix them with peanuts. And now that fall is arriving, I’ll be mixing candy corn with peanuts – another one of mom staples. She bought Jelly Belly’s anytime she was at a store that sold them.
Since most travelers aren’t obsessed with candy like I am – what else is there to do? The riverfront area is scattered with boutiques, restaurants, art, ice cream and pubs. I explored an antique store, Sugar Maples (109 W Maple) that was having a Labor Day sidewalk sale. There is also a riverfront park and trail. Which brings us to the next big adventure: The Big 4 pedestrian bridge. From the riverfront I was trying to get a good picture of Louisville, but all you can see are the bridges. The Big 4 Bridge, The Abraham Lincoln Bridge (northbound I65), The John F Kennedy Bridge (southbound I65) and the Clark Memorial Bridge (US31).
Yep, she’s tall. She’s an abandoned railroad bridge turned hiking/biking trail that connects Jeffersonville IN to Louisville KY. The middle tower is 53 feet above the water level of the Ohio River. I contemplated walking the bridge, it was the only way I was going to get a good picture, but my bridge anxiety is real. I walked past the flood gates toward the Big 4 Station Park to access the bridge. The park is a very nice, open park with a huge pavilion area for picnics. Stalling, I hit up Pearl Street Treats (301 Pearl St) for a Diet Coke before biting the bullet and starting up ramp, how bad could it be? The entry ramp is long (nearly 1/4 mile) and goes up very gradually. The walk up wasn’t too bad, but my calves were starting to wonder when the last time we had done any form of exercise. I surprised myself – I walked onto the bridge and didn’t immediately freak out. Technically I was still over land at that point. I made it out to the first truss and was still feeling pretty good so I kept going. Honestly, I was hoping there would be a state line marker so I could be in two places at once (A Walk to Remember, Nicholas Sparks). Proof I made it half way:
See the Mary M. Miller Riverboat? That’s when my bravery of walking on a bridge failed. I thought I’d be sassy and stand on one of the bottom rails to get a better picture of the boat. At 5’2″ I couldn’t really see over the railing, once I got up a bit higher and I could see the water directly below me I was done. Luckily there are benches along the bridge so I was able to stop and catch my breath and then walk back. Also, the state line is literally before you even get to the first truss.
Heading back to Spring St I passed a few more restaurants, Parlour Pizza, La Catrina Tacos and Tequila, and Union Restaurant and Gameyard. Honestly they all looked amazing, and it was nice out and their outdoor seating was full. The Gameyard looked like a great place to hang out or have a party. There’s a huge outdoor adult play yard with trash can pong, cornhole, darts and ping pong.
I can’t talk about Jeffersonville without mentioning Kingfish (601 W Riverside Dr.). It is a staple for the radio technicians I work with. I’ve never been, because it’s all seafood, and when your husband doesn’t like seafood….. Anyway, one of the biggest events of the year in Jeffersonville is Thunder Over Louisville. It’s a huge air show with jets, helicopters, and parachuters followed by one of North America’s largest fireworks displays over the Ohio River, and it is the opening event for the Kentucky Derby Festival. Every year the techs who are assigned to work Thunder have a meal at Kingfish.
What else is there to do? Umm ….the question is really what isn’t there? Jeffersonville is one of three river towns all puzzle pieced together along the Ohio River. And, like most places in Indiana, if there’s a DNR park nearby, I’ve been there and highly recommend it. The Falls of the Ohio state park is no exception. It’s a beautiful park. The Falls aren’t really what most people think of when you say Falls, it’s an area of the Ohio river that has a series of rapids caused by water flowing over ledges of hard limestone. It also features 390-million-year-old fossil beds that are among the largest exposed Devonian fossil beds in the world.
I love visiting Indiana “river towns.” Jeffersonville is one of the larger ones, but just about any town along the Ohio River in Indiana has a lot to offer. Another one I want to revisit soon for this blog is Madison. You could spend a day, a weekend or a week in Jeffersonville and have plenty of things to see and do. Pro tip: if you want to attend Thunder Over Louisville I would start looking to book a hotel or Airbnb soon.
Also, I was wearing a Beatles concert shirt (reproduction – I’m not that old!) and I got several compliments on my shirt. Which I thought was nice – I mean there are a lot of Beatles fans. But when I was looking for other festivals that happen in Jeffersonville I found out that the city hosts: Abbey Road on the River, a massive festival celebrating all things Beatles (the largest of its kind in the world). May 21-26, 2026, 5 days, 5 stages, 50 Bands, in the Big 4 Park.
Things I learned writing this blog:
- The Red Hots they make at Schimpff’s are actually larger cinnamon hard candies and not true cinnamon imperials. But still tasty.
- Red Hots were introduced in 1932 by Ferrara Pan Candy Company in Chicago. Ferrara also introduced the Atomic Fireball in 1954 (also one of my favorite candies).
- Ferrara candy is home to A LOT of the candies I love. In addition to Red Hots and Atomic Fireballs, they own Jelly Belly, Runts, Spree, Laffy Taffy, Nerds, Everlasting Gobstopper, Bottlecaps and all of Brach’s (candy corn, pumpkins, candy hearts etc.).
- Modjeskas are named after Madam Helena Modjeska a Polish actress who, in the late 1800s, became very famous in the United States, especially the Louisville area.
- I knew my grandmothers parents were originally from Jeffersonville. My great grandfather and grandmother (Großvater and Gróßmama as my mom called them) are buried in Walnut Ridge Cemetery which is about 10 minutes north of the Big 4 Park. Apparently a lot of my relatives are buried all throughout Clark County – maybe another trip.
- The Big 4 Bridge was constructed in 1895 as a railroad bridge for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St Louis (nickname Big 4) Railroad and was decommissioned and abandoned in 1969. In 2013/2014 the bridge reopened to pedestrians and bicyclists as part of the Louisville Waterfront development.
- From the Big 4 Park ramp to the end of the ramp in Louisville Waterfront park is roughly 1 mile.
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Technically this destination was in Illinois but we did end up on some Indiana backroads returning from CHICAGO. I know the blog is supposed to be all about Indiana but when you live 3 hours away from the 3rd largest city in the United States, it’s hard not to include it – occasionally. And since I like to incorporate movie quotes into my blogs as heading, we’ll be using “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory” quotes.
“What is so great about plans? I never had a plan!” – Dory
Theo and Lauren flew home to Indiana for Theo’s 23rd birthday with a simple request: go to an aquarium. One problem, Indiana doesn’t have any aquariums. Not to worry though, there are two in driving distance. First, and closest to where we live, is Newport Aquarium (1 Aquarium Way Newport, KY). Newport is a nice aquarium – we visited when it first opened when Dawson was not quite 2 years old. We also went with Isaiah and Addie to visit “Scuba Santa” in December – which is a pretty cool opportunity for kids to tell scuba diving Santa what they want for Christmas through a special microphone that is connected to his scuba gear. There is also an elf who guards Scuba Santa from the sharks with a candy cane – I wonder what the job description for that looks like? It also has an impressive Coral Reef Tunnel where sharks swim over your head.
But, since it’s Lauren’s second time visiting Indiana and she had never been to Chicago, we picked John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL. Because some describe it as being “old” you should know Shedd Aquarium first opened May 30th, 1930 and was built in classical Greek architecture with large white columns and and a huge dome. Its architecture matches the other buildings in The Museum Campus, including The Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, and Soldier Field (before the controversial 2003 addition of the second deck “spaceship”). It is the third largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere and eleventh largest in the World, and is included in multiple “Best Aquariums” lists from various sources.
“Have you seen a clown fish swim by? It looks just like him.” Dory
In the Wonder of Water area (pictured above) there is both a freshwater and saltwater display. It’s located in the middle of the original octagon shaped area with the lit overhead dome. One of the amazing things throughout the whole aquarium is small attention to detail like the custom made ceramic tiles featuring all types of sea creatures. There are hidden sea life details, like the tiles, all over the aquarium.
There are roughly 32,000 animals in the aquarium. In addition to the yen-yang Wonder of Water exhibit, there is Amazon Rising, Wild Reef, Oceans, At Home on the Great Lake, Abbot Oceanarium, Polar Play Zone and a Stingray Touch pool. So where do you start? Good question, we started at the Wonder of Water and then starting weaving in/out of the spokes from under the octagon dome to see everything else.
“All drains lead to the ocean.” Gill
So the unique thing about the Main Level is you walk through both the Great Lakes and the Oceans exhibits, so you see sharks, octopus and moray eels, then move to sturgeon, catfish and snapping turtles. Theo liked the Great Lakes area because it showcased what was close by. Of course it also makes you think twice about swimming in the lake. Dawson however was greatly concerned in the Amazon Rising area. Snakes are not his thing, and they have a whole area dedicated to an anaconda. Including what you look like to an anaconda – which kind of looks like a scene from “Predator.” But what had Dawson freaking out was that in this huge anaconda exhibit, you couldn’t actually see the anaconda. Her name is Beatrix and she’s an 11 foot green anaconda. Dawson is still convinced that Beatrix was loose somewhere in the building.
“No! No kids! Kids grab things! And I’m not losing another tentacle for you.” Hank
We bypassed the sting ray petting pool as well as a few other “touch” experiences because there were a lot of kids there. In the Great Lakes area you can touch a sturgeon and in the Polar Play area you can touch starfish. There are also three 4D Experiences – Penguins 4D, BBC Earth’s Shark 4D Experience and Octopus: Blue Planet II 4D. In the amphitheater you can watch the dolphin show. There are also additional encounters you can pay extra for including: sea lions, sea otters, penguins, beluga whales, and a shark feeding tour. There is a specialized “Must See” tour where you go with a group and are provided a lot of behind the scenes looks and information. If you book one of the experiences ahead of time online, your admission to the aquarium is included. Now would be a good time to mention it’s best to buy tickets online ahead of time. Ticket prices change based on the day of the week and how busy they expect to be. Also there are discounts for Chicago residents, Chicago Police and Firefighters, Teachers and Foster families.
“Fish are friends, not food.” – Bruce the shark
If you get hungry while you’re inside, there are several vending areas as well as the Surroundings Cafe, Bubble Net Food Court and the Deep Ocean Cafe. We grabbed some snacks and drinks at the Deep Ocean Cafe, which provides excellent floor to ceiling viewing of the Abbott Oceanarium below the water line. Mostly we saw the pacific white sided dolphins who were gearing up for their next show. But also on the lower lever you can see the sea lions, sea otters and beluga whales. And then around the corner from the cafe, there is the Polar Play area which is home to Rockhopper and Magellanic penguins. The penguins were very fun to watch, and I think they enjoy putting on a show as they like to swim up by the window and try and attract attention. The oldest Rockhopper penguin, named Wellington, is 35 years old – more than double the life expectancy of a penguin in the wild. Oh, but back to food… on the way into the aquarium there is a series of food trucks set up with some nice picnic areas in the Museum Campus and overlooking Lake Michigan.
Front: Shedd Aquarium 
Back: Abbot Oceanarium “THE DROP OFF? THEY’RE GOING TO THE DROP OFF? WHAT ARE YOU, INSANE?” Marlin
It’s Chicago so I feel like we need to discuss parking. The Museum Campus is HUGE and there are several parking garages close to each of the attractions. Those parking garages charge around $30ish dollars but can be much higher if there are special events going on – like NFL football games and concerts. Adler Planetarium has an “early bird” special before 9:30AM for $13. We used the parking app “Spot Hero” – which is what I use anytime I need to park in Chicago. I pre-paid for a spot, less than a mile away from the aquarium, it cost $10.99 and it was in a garage. Now, we are all able bodied individuals who are capable of walking the .06 mile to the aquarium. If you have special mobility needs I would recommend the Museum Campus garages. Side note: parking space in Chicago can garner top dollar, so most parking spots are as small as legally possible – just know if you drive a larger SUV, minivan or full size truck you will need to squeeze into tiny spots. Like the six passenger Hyundai Palisades we rented…
‘Cause we were like, “woaaaah.”, and I was like, “woaaaah.” and you were like, “woaaahh…” Crush
What was everyone’s favorite attraction/animal?
Sam
- The black stingrays with the white spots snuggling for a nap
- Beluga whales & dolphins
- Watching the dolphin show from underwater
Dawson
- The Amazon
- “Sam took all the other good parts.”
Theo
- Fishes of the Great Lakes
- Also the Beluga whales
Lauren
- The penguins
Dave
- Also the dolphins and Beluga whales
Andi
- The sea otters
- The Beluga whales
- The octopus (who was hiding)
One thing I love about Shedd is that’s it’s right on Lake Michigan, and from the Abbot Oceanarium – while you’re watching the beloved whales and dolphins – you’re also overlooking the Lake.
“Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.” – Dory
We drove from the southside of Indianapolis to Chicago and it took just over 3 hours – traffic gets bad right at the Indiana/Illinois border heading both in to and out of Chicago. Sam pointed out that you can park at the South Bend Airport and ride the South Shore rail line and it drops off at the Museum Campus. “Where was that information yesterday Sam?” – agitated-stuck-in-traffic-Dave asked 🤭Unfortunately it was also rainy most of the day so sight seeing wasn’t going well. But we had fun! If you’re planning a trip to Chicago the Museum Campus is a bucket list item – you won’t be disappointed by any of the museums. We’ve done a ton of day or quickie overnight trips to Chicago and we’ve visited Shedd and The Field Museum. But there are THOUSANDS of things to see and do in Chicago so I can’t even begin to list them, but some of my favorites are: Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, Lincoln Park Zoo, Museum of Scene & Industry, Field Museum, Garfield Park Conservatory, Riverwalk (I’ve always wanted to take the architectural boat tour), Water Tower Place and the AMAZING views from the John Hancock building. I’ve never been to Wrigley Field, but we have been to a White Sox game. So much to do.
“Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine” – Seagulls
Since it was Theo’s birthday I was content with letting them pick a restaurant, but ever so graciously Theo picked one of my favorites – Ricobene’s (252 W 26th St, Chicago, IL). How do you describe it -old school (since 1946) Italian with a famous and iconic breaded steak sandwich – my favorite (see below). Theo and Lauren got chicken parmesan sandwiches and Sam got a meatball sub and there were zero complaints! Dave even ate cannoli’s – he doesn’t like ricotta cheese and had zero idea that’s the filling. 😉They also serve Chicago style pizza by the slice and Italian beef and sausage.
In case you’re confused at what you’re looking at – that is a breaded skirt steak, marinara sauce, mozzarella, giardiniera, and is served on a Turano French roll. We watched one of the employees hauling in massive bags of bread as we were leaving. Trust me -it’s worth a 3 hour trip to eat this sandwich.
Driving back we were diverted from I65 to US41 to head south and once we were out of Highland and Schererville we got to see some Indiana backroads. And, we drove by The Shrine of Christs Passion (10630 Wicker Ave. (U.S. 41), St. John, IN). I’ve seen multiple signs for it on I65 but never driven by it. That might have to make the list of places to visit – I’m intrigued. It’s an half-mile winding Prayer Trail that depicts the last days of Jesus Christ’s life, with over 40 bronze statues. Like I said, intriguing for sure.
Does this cloud look like a dog jumping? I think so….
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This isn’t supposed to be a foodie blog, but …. this episode is totally foodie. First of all I had a lot of unexpected travel in June (none of it planned and all of it out of state) so I was riding the struggle bus to weekend travel for the blog.
But I did go back to one of my favorite farmers markets in Bloomington, Indiana (401 N Morton St.). And it’s not one of my favorites because it’s held in “Fernandez Plaza” – I promise. Overall it’s just a nice market, with a unique fountain/splash area for kiddies and tons of fresh fruit, veggies, meat and my favorite… coffee. I had run out of Brown County Coffee so once again when Dawson text on Friday night, “Wanna go to the farmers market tomorrow?” I replied ABSOLUTELY! When we arrived we hit up Brown County Coffee which is always popular and usually has a long line, and I was disappointed they were out of Java Mocha Blend, but I bought Breakfast Blend and it is tasty! We also hit up Hunters Honey Farm after Dave told me the honey situation was low at home. Hunters Honey Farm also offers a variety of farm tours including one where you make your own beeswax candle. They are located in Martinsville and should definitely be a destination for the blog. We went to one of the Amish farms (there’s a couple and I don’t remember which one) for some blueberries and peaches to make an out of this world cobbler.
I’d post the cobbler recipe but it would take up a lot of space, it’s got a lot of steps and ingredients – you have to grate cold butter, but totally worth the work (Hint: add a package of apple flavored instant oatmeal to the crumble!). Once again Dawson’s favorite taco truck Pili Party Taco wasn’t at the market and we were hungry so we headed to Kirkwood St. for food. I would have gone for Bloomington Bagel Company (113 N Dunn St.) because they have a special called “The Jackie” (Asiago Bagel, Tomato, Egg, Cheddar, Chive Schmear, Hashbrown, Avocado) that is to die for! But Mr. B (a.k.a. Dave) wanted to go to FARMbloomington (108 E. Kirkwood).
Since I do go to Bloomington a lot and I know I write about it a lot – I’m sure I’ve said before there are over 200 restaurants in Bloomington to choose from. FARM is among one of my favorites because it’s so unique. First, for anyone who thinks Indiana only has fast food and pancake houses I will tell you that you are absolutely wrong. To be fair, we do have a fair share of fast food and pancake houses … but we have a lot of restaurants with imaginative chefs who bring a lot of creativity and energy to the food scene.
When you walk into the restaurant it looks like what I imagine my dream house to look like – vintage boho chic meets modern farmhouse. The location is the former “Oddfellows Building” – the Oddfellows being an organization similar to the Freemasons – and they revived a lot of the antiques to use as decor. Including several antique enameled stoves – one might have been a Roper brand but they were all different. And there’s a giant Humpty Dumpty.
I honestly thought I took pictures of the food, which I normally do, but I didn’t.🤔We ate during brunch – I had the Worlds Greatest BLT, Dave had the Hoosier Legacy Beef Burger and Dawson had Babe Ruth Steak and Eggs. This would be a good time to mention that FARM is committed to being sustainable and sources all their food locally and grows their own herbs which they use to make sauces. Deciding what to eat was the hardest part because everything sounded amazing, so I asked the waiter what would he get and he went we the BLT. Not your average BLT as it had peppered bacon, capriole goat cheese, arugula, wasabi mayo, avocado, and tomato. I wasn’t sure about the goat cheese or wasabi mayo because they didn’t seem to fit in the taste profile, but it worked. I’m picky about BLT’s and picky about the bacon on BLT’s – in my opinion it should be crispy – not burnt but crispy. That was my only complaint, the bacon was chewy.
Dave enjoyed the burger which is dressed with cheddar cheese, bacon jam, tomato and pickled red onions. Dawson enjoyed the steak and eggs – he asked me what red pepper coulis was and I didn’t know so he googled it and found it’s pureed red peppers with garlic, onions, olive oil and spices. Dawson is not big on trying new food, but he liked it. Oh – and the “potato salad” isn’t your mustard/mayo type, it’s red potatoes tossed with a light vinaigrette and oregano (maybe). Other menu items that peaked my interest were 4th Generation Biscuits, Hoosier Poutine and the French Toast Casserole. They also have brunch pizzas including the Bacon & Egg which Dave got last time we were there which is poached eggs, smoked bacon, baby spinach and smoked gouda.
During lunch they have FARMtacos which sound incredible and they have nightly dinner specials including Friday Night: Firehouse Catfish Fry and Monday Night: “Not-yo-mama’s” Meatloaf. They also have the Root Cellar Lounge which is open Wednesday – Sunday nights and has karaoke and DJ’s. I didn’t get a good picture but they have a huge bar area and and EXTENSIVE list of wine, beer and cocktails. If you’re a foodie and your kid goes to IU or you’re going to a football or basketball game this is a great place to eat. I joke, because – Dawson and I were trying to come up with why someone would visit Bloomington and pretty much that’s what we came up with. It’s a college town – plain & simple – but it is listed as one of the Top College Town’s in the US.
Next up – FoxGardin (215 S Main St.) in Fortville, Indiana. I would not have known about this place had I not had a meeting nearby and the guys in the meeting kept talking about wanting to get Bone Marrow Fries for lunch. Since I was at work, I can’t write about that trip but I totally brought home leftovers and Dave said “we’re going there for dinner.” I didn’t know that Main St. in Fortville had so many restaurants! And on the trip I can’t talk about I was with one of the local residents who kept pointing out all of the restaurants and how good the food was. So, let’s get to the trip I can talk about.
OK, for starters you have to get the Bone Marrow Fries. Like these things are unreal! Shoestring fries topped with bone marrow, arugula, balsamic redux and truffle parmesan. The appetizer is enough for four people so when there’s only two of us we take half home and have them for lunch the next day. I also wanted Table Bread – which comes with Wee Mac Pub Cheese (Wee Mac is a local SunKing craft beer), butter and lemon butter. Did we need the bread? Absolutely not, but should you 100% get it anyway- yes! Ummm… lemon butter, not sure I’ve ever had it, but WOW – it’s just the right mix of sweet and salty-creamy. I also ordered a Watermelon Mojito which was different (I’m not sure when a Mojito stops being a Mojito technically and just becomes another rum cocktail) – but then inspired me to buy more watermelon flavored alcohol later in the evening.😏
On to the main course – I had a hard time deciding between fish tacos and the beef Manhattan, so I totally ordered the steak special – which was steak (I can’t remember if it was ribeye, or NY strip) smothered with cheese, onions and peppers and a side of house mashed potatoes. Like a Philly cheesesteak but on a real steak. Dave ordered the Cubano with a side of southern style greens – which may have been exactly what I brought home as leftovers from my first trip. The greens are phenomenal – like better than I’ve had in the actual south phenomenal. And I don’t usually order greens as they aren’t one of my favorite side dishes. I also saw the mac-n-cheese get served to the table next to us and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need to go back. Ok, the Cubano… is not a traditional Cuban sandwich. It’s made with mojo pork belly and not lechon asado. Dave enjoyed it – very much! But, A) I don’t care for pork belly B) I’m Cuban and C) I’ve had way too many EXCELLENT Cuban sandwiches to let this pass as a Cuban sandwich. It’s Cuban sandwich adjacent – like Hoosier Cuban. Hmmm… that could be thing.
And yes, they have a tenderloin sandwich (note: FARM does not have a tenderloin). Other things on the menu that I might know about, would be the smoked pork chop – which is like 3 inches thick and the size of the plate. Like where are they getting these pigs from? Our waitress was the sweetest and offered her opinions on all the food and checked in on us regularly. While we were sitting there, Dave said he didn’t even feel like he was in a restaurant in Indiana. He said he easily could have pictured this somewhere in South Carolina by a beach.
PS – Ole Smokey Salted Watermelon moonshine and ginger ale over ice is top notch! Lainey Wilson’s song Watermelon Moonshine may have inspired me. Along with the watermelon mojito.
OK travelers, sorry for the temporary foodie blog but truly some amazing places to eat. Also, check out downtown Fortville, their Main St. has tons of restaurants and shops. Travel tip: stop in random small towns – this message is brought to you by someone who has to travel to random small towns for work then drags her hubby and/or kids back to the locations on the weekends to explore more.
In this blog: Barns – yes (there is a poster of Hoosier Barns in the bathroom at Farm). Brews – yes (SunKing Wee Mac [in the cheese] and Brown County Coffee). Backroads – yes… I mean kind of… getting to Fortville is slightly backroads-y.
Next up – Chicago (it’s Indiana adjacent).
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One thing I probably forgot to mention in my introduction to BB&B is that my husband is a retired firefighter and an amateur barbeque grillmaster. That leads us to a lot of BBQ places around the state and especially ones that are firefighter owned/operated or – like Firehouse BBQ & Blues – located in an old remodeled fire station.
This adventure takes us to Richmond, Indiana and to be honest, I need to go back because I saw a lot of other locations I’d like to explore but didn’t have time. I enjoyed finding movie quotes for the headings of my last two blogs, so I’m going to continue this time using quotes from the movie “Backdraft.”
“You go, We go” Lt. Steven McCaffrey
Always bring friends with you on your adventures! Seriously though it’s the best way to explore restaurants because everyone usually gets something different off the menu. And, one trick I learned from my co-worker (and fellow travel enthusiast) Erin is to ask the waiter “What is your best seller?” or “What is your favorite?” That worked well at Firehouse BBQ & Blues, (400 N 8th St., Richmond) as we explored many of the tasty options including pulled pork, brisket and the Mojo sandwich. We started out with an order of Jaimie’s Jalapenos which are cream cheese, cheddar cheese and bacon stuffed jalapeño peppers which were amazing because they are fresh made, not some janky frozen version. I actually wanted to try one of their Texas Taters – a giant baked potato stuffed with pork or brisket or chili and topped with cheese, onion and BBQ sauce. But, sadly they had run out of potatoes. I ended up with a BBQ chicken dinner with baked beans and macaroni and cheese. For me, sides are just as important at a BBQ spot as the meat, because when Dave is the grillmaster – I make the sides. Mac & Cheese is my make it or break it for a BBQ place by the way. Mac & Cheese should be creamy and cheesy – those are my only two requirements. I’m not big on crunchy (like a breadcrumb topping) or baked (because it tends to get burnt 😐). This was top notch Mac & Cheese! The baked beans were also good, southern style slow cooked for sure. The green beans looked like they were also slow cooked and southern (insert bacon, onion & garlic!). The coleslaw, I wish I would have tried it – that’s another make it or break it for me. Theirs looked suspiciously close to the recipe I make which uses both vinegar and mayonnaise. Normally I also try the brisket at a BBQ place because Dave has 100% spoiled me with his home smoked brisket, but I didn’t this time. It did look perfectly cooked though, as did the pork. How do you know? Look for the smoke line – it shows that the meat was slow cooked at the proper temperature – “low and slow.” The chicken was tasty and the BBQ sauces were on point – they have a mild, spicy and sweet & spicy. Things we didn’t try but really would like to go back for – the pizzas looked incredible, the sandwiches were unique – they have basic BBQ sammies but also some creative twists, and those Texas Taters – I need to go back!
This was an amazing restaurant in a fun atmosphere – they embraced the old fire station vibe wholeheartedly and kept a lot of the interior fire department structure. They also have a stage and feature live music Thursday – Saturday nights. Music is a big part of the atmosphere at the restaurant including hand painted music themed tables. My favorite was “Yellow Submarine” even though we ate at a Rolling Stones table. And on the wall is the Gennett Records logo – Gennett records was a record company and label in Richmond that thrived in the 1920s publishing famous jazz, country, blues and gospel artists like Louis Armstrong, Hoagie Carmichael, Gene Autry and Lawrence Welk. There is a Gennett Records Walk of Fame on South 1st Street in Richmond at the Starr Piano Company which is now maintained by Richmond Parks – along the Cardinal Greenway. Another site to visit – when I go back for the Texas Taters!
Parking for Firehouse BBQ is limited to street parking and a few nearby parking lots for other businesses. I parked at the Model T Museum (309 N 8th St) which is probably frowned upon – I don’t know. If I was into cars – the museum seemed like an interesting history trip. My grandma once told me her first car was a Model T. The Model T has a lot of history as it was the first mass produced automobile with pricing affordable to the middle class. I imagine the museum is a cool trip back to the 1920’s.
While I was assessing the parking situation, I did have to drive around the block which is known as “The Depot District” and there were some cute stores and a few other places I’d like to check out – first and foremost is Roscoe’s Coffee & Tap Room (416 N 10th St). That spells Brews & Brews for sure! And I glanced at their menu online and saw that they offer a “Quad on the Rocks” which is described as quad cubano shots of espresso over ice topped with half & half. Umm is that even legal?!?! Yes, its high on my “to do” list!
“Well, when the doors open, if it’s hot, don’t get out.” Lt. Steven McCaffrey
Okay so that quote is a stretch, because I realized for my next location I needed to switch movie quotes to “Men in Black.” But if it’s hot – you definitely need ice cream. And some of the best ice cream in Indiana is located at Uranus Fudge Factory (6400 National Road East, Richmond). Yes, this is the second Indiana location for Uranus and it features one of my other travel obsessions – giant white cross by the interstate (110 ft. tall to be exact since “giant” is not an accepted measurement). But back to the ice cream – I thought I snapped a picture but I didn’t. You really have to see it to believe it, but if you get the ice cream in a sugar cone (the ONLY acceptable way to eat ice cream) their idea of 1 scoop feels like it’s an entire pint. I got the coffee ice cream this time, which when I was checking out the clerk told me it was the best option. But I’m sure they say that to everyone. I also got a quarter lb. of salted caramel fudge – I’m not sure I should “rank” fudge because I’m pretty sure I’ve never had bad fudge. Oh wait – I did attempt to make fudge once and messed up – so there’s that. But again, I don’t know how to quantify fudge for you. I did see that for the summer Uranus has a limited time “Life’s a beach” fudge – which is salted caramel and coconut flavored and features a white chocolate candy shell on top.
Since my last visit (to the one in Anderson) they have added some new merchandise including a lot of branded items featuring their mascot Rex Uranus. This location seems bigger, but it may just be because it’s more open overall. They have all the fudge flavors, all the ice cream flavors and rows and rows of candy. They also have a vortex tunnel – which is harder to navigate through than I’m willing to admit. And they now have a “Uranus Crop Dusters” shirt to add to the clever collection of “occupations” in Uranus.
Is it cheeky? – okay nope that was not supposed to be a pun. Yes, they have found a niche and are cashing in on your ability to revert to your giggly 10 year old self after learning about a planet called Uranus. Which by the way, some Fanny Funsucker left them a review that said “You should be ashamed. Uranus isn’t pronounced that way. You need to get your perverted minds out of the gutter and change the name!” Sometime there are no words. Also her one star review is proudly displayed on the first page of their website. I can confirm, this location is just as fun and outstanding as the one in Anderson – and not a one star rating unless your heads up Uranus. Okay, I’ll stop now. Oh hey look, it’s decorated like a barn (Barns!)
“You see that glow flashing in the corner of your eye? That’s your career dissipation light. It just went into high gear.” Brian McCaffrey
The glow you see flashing is not your career dissipation light, but the Warm Glow Candle Outlet (2131 N Centerville Rd, Centerville, Indiana). Roughly 10 miles east of Uranus, this outlet, sits right on I-70 and I have passed it countless times – okay maybe 20 times – but never stopped. The building sticks out because it’s shaped like a giant candle. No joke:
What I expected: a Yankee Candle store on steroids.
What it was: an enormous building full of everything home decor your could ever want, plus their brand – Warm Glow candles – in hundreds of scents, an entire silk floral section and a giant selection of Indiana craft beers and Indiana wines (Brews!).
I started in the Home Decor & More section which is a collective of local sellers with a few antique furniture pieces, multiple hand sewn items including quilts and a lot of modern farmhouse decor. There were several unique pieces I pondered buying like birds made from recycled license plates. I resisted because they didn’t have a cardinal which is the only bird I actually “collect.”
They have a large selection of candle scents and sizes. There are roughly 36 “year round” fragrances and multiple seasonal selections. For the sizes and flameless fragrances there are:
- Hearth $17.95
- Mini Hearth $6.95
- 3pack Votive $5.95
- Giant 3 wick $41.95
- Mini 3 wick $24.95
- 2 wick loaf $14.95
- Scented Melts $3.95
- Atomizer Oils $6.95
- Room Spray $6.95
I have a candle limit I had to impose on myself to do this travel blog. My limit is 4 small candles – not votive. I bought the Mini Hearth in Lemon Blueberry (year round), Peony (spring/summer seasonal), Pink Champagne (spring/summer seasonal) and Creamy Vanilla Bean (year round). Disclaimer – in the era of candles in a jar – these are not candles in a jar. They are free standing large “hand dipped” candles and to burn them you need to set them on a tray or tin – the reason you need to do this is because if you don’t pay attention while one is burning, you get a wax waterfall. Exhibit A:
They come with instructions on best burning techniques – one of which is to re-shape it by “hugging” it with your fingers while warm to ensure the sides don’t burn uneven, causing said wax waterfall. They also come with a matchbook – which is another one of my odd collections. Stick with this blog long enough and you’ll see I have many.
The biggest surprise though was the whole area dedicated to Indiana wineries and breweries. Twenty two wineries are featured – yes their are twenty two wineries in Indiana – including two of my favorites of Mallow Run and Oliver. There are twelve Indiana craft breweries highlighted – and that is just a tiny sample of the nearly 200 breweries here. But several of my favorites are Quaff On, Oaken Barrel and Sun King. The beers are mostly single can mix & match 12 oz. $2.99 and 16 oz. $3.99. It’s a great way to sample some of the different beers you might want to try.
Overall a fun trip. And I’m always amazed when I travel to a town for something specific and find at least 10 other things I didn’t know were there. Also, Richmond is larger than I remember – or maybe I’ve only been to the east side. And this was a fun excuse to use my top three favorite quotes from the movie “Backdraft.” Anyway, more fun stops along the highways in Indiana to come!
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Day 2 of Holiday World with the whole family!
We started the day in my favorite area of Holiday World – Thanksgiving. Before the trip I excitedly told Dave “The Perky Turkey has a Pecan Pie Latte!!” If you’ve ever seen a dog with a confused head tilt — that was Dave’s reaction. My niece had sent a text message with several “deals” at Holiday World and one of them involved the Pecan Pie Latte at the Perky Turkey coffee shop in the Thanksgiving area. But I understand his confusion as I sprung that information on him while he was brushing his teeth.
“Save the neck for me Clark” – Cousin Eddie
With the kids Phone Finder bands and height designated wrist bands in place we passed through Halloween and headed to Thanksgiving. Why is Thanksgiving my favorite? Well, besides the latte’s at the Perky Turkey (Brews 😏), you can also get a full Thanksgiving meal at Plymouth Rock Cafe and loaded fries at the SnackHouse. Rides – most people go to an amusement park for rides not food. In Thanksgiving you will find two massive roller coasters, The Voyage and Thunderbird. Thunderbird is America’s first launched wing coaster and it launches you from 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds. It also has a 14 story loop and takes you through woods and a barn (oh hey! Our first Barn in Barns, Brews and Backroads). The Voyage is one of the worlds longest wooden roller coasters (1.2 miles long) and also has one of the steepest drops of any wooden coasters. If you are looking for my opinion on them – umm that would be stay on the ground. I was never a big roller coaster rider – even when I was younger. But, I have ridden the other coaster in Thanksgiving – the Good Gravy! (The exclamation point is part of the ride’s name).
Good Gravy! is a pegged as a family coaster where you jump in gravy boat shaped cars which pulls you up a 7-story spike then launches you through 1500 ft of obstacles like the cranberry sauce can, the milk bottle, a whisk and the chicken shaped kitchen timer – then backwards on the same track. Fun Fact: 7 stories doesn’t look that tall when it’s sitting in the shadows of the Voyage and the Thunderbird but it’s pretty tall. There is also a swinging ship – the Mayflower (of course), the Crows Nest which is a 65 ft vertical swing and the interactive “shooting” ride Gobbler Getaway where you use a turkey caller to find the hiding turkeys.
Thanksgiving is a really fun area for everyone and also home to all the brews, the Perky Turkey and Plymouth on the Rocks – where you can get seltzers, wine, craft beer and cocktails ($11.99-$14.99). There was also a new option, the chicken & fries cup with Good Gravy! on the side. Just a tip: don’t eat the full Thanksgiving dinner before you go on all the roller coasters and spinny rides.
The Voyage 
“Last season he was a pixie dust spreader on the Tilt-A-Whirl” Cousin Eddie
The 4th of July area has the most rides. This area reminds me of a county fair because there are county fair type rides, fair food like funnel cakes (and a funnel cake flight!) plus tons of games to win stuffed animals – like a giant turkey. It also has Holidog’s Fun Town which is another area designed just for kids. You can ride the Holidog Express train which takes you on a ride through classic nursery rhymes while the conductor recites the rhymes. The train is a nod to one of the original rides from when Santa Claus Land first opened in 1946.
Halloween is where you find two more award winning wooden roller coasters, The Legend and The Raven. The Legend races you through the woods like you’re being chased by the Headless Horseman. The Raven, named from Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem, is a fan favorite and is on a lot of coaster enthusiast’s “Top 10” list. Kitty Claws suggests if you are new to roller coasters or wooden coasters to start with the The Raven, then head to the The Legend and end with The Voyage. Towards the end of the day and after a few trips on Good Gravy! the great niece and nephew got braver and decided to ride the The Legend. I’m not sure they loved it, but they were excited to tell everyone and take pictures.
“It’s a Beaut Clark!” Clark Griswold Sr.
Overall I have nothing but WONDERFUL reviews for Holiday World. There are plenty of rides for all shapes and sizes, a big concentration on the kids having fun, and unique and yummy food and FREE soft drinks. Disney really needs to look into that free stuff 😁. It’s not the biggest amusement park I’ve been to, it may not have quite as many rides as others nearby, but it’s super clean, the rides are unique, the staff are nice – especially the lifeguard lady who helped me get band aids when we had a slight mishap in in the wave pool and it’s just fun to go to a town named Santa Claus.
What was everyone’s favorite part?
- Sam (age 24) – Taking the giant stuffed turkey on the Gobbler Getaway or Addie telling her that The Legend “scared her pants off” but she’d go again.
- Sara (age 32) – The “Perky Turkey Dancers” (actual show name is Plymouth Rocks! on the Cranberry Jam stage) and Isaiah crying on the Mayflower but then asking to ride again. And once again Addie saying the Mayflower “scared her pants off.”
- Kim (age… well more than 40😏) – The Cheetah Chaser and trying to get out of the raft after the ride while laughing hysterically
- Isaiah (age 7) – The Legend -“I was a lot of excited and only a little scared.” Also driving Dave and Dawson on the Lewis & Clark trail cars
- T (age 22) Also the “Perky Turkey Dancers” and favorite rides were the Crows Nest, HallowSwings and the Scarecrow Scrambler
- Dave (also +40😉) Spending time with the family, the matching Tajin! t-shirts and Santa’s Pool Party.
- B (age 38) Finally winning the giant stuffed turkey (2 years of trying)!!
- Addie (age 5) – still contemplating her favorite part – but her reaction to all the big rides was it “sacred my pants off!”
- Dawson (age 26) – The Gobbler Getaway (he beat everyone’s score) and spending time with everyone.
- Me (slightly over 40 👑) I had a lot of fun at Santa’s Pool Party and the Bahari Wave Pool but also HallowSwings and the Star Spangled Carousel (I’m such a speed demon – I love and will always ride carousels or Ferris wheels!)
For clarification, the Plymouth Rocks! show on the Cranberry Jam stage features 3 dancers dressed in orange cheerleader type skirts with silver shirts and orange cowgirl hats doing several pop dances to rock n roll and country songs. I’m not sure who said “Perky Turkey Dancers” first, but it became a thing and then everyone was saying it. And yes, the Cranberry Jam stage is just outside the Perky Turkey.
Where’s Eddie? Doesn’t he usually eat these things? – Clark Griswold
Food outside the park is pretty top notch as well. We didn’t eat there on this trip, but in past trips I’ve been to S&S BBQ and Pizzeria – “Home of the Grinch.” (21 N. Kringle Plaza). I’ve had their pizza and breadsticks, but I haven’t had their famous Grinch Pizza – pulled pork, sweet Thai chili sauce, onion, green pepper & cheese – but it looks amazing! And the whole restaurant is decorated and dedicated to all things Grinch.
After the park we headed back to our hotel in Tell City and found a local restaurant called Pour Haus, 706 Humbolt St. When you first walk up it says over 21 only, but that’s just for the bar part, they have a restaurant and a kids menu. I forget how many beers they have on tap, but it’s a lot (Brews!) as well as a full bar and wine menu. When there’s 12 of us everyone gets something different – usually. Nobody had any complaints about the food, and they had a sirloin special that was like$18.99. And of course they have a breaded tenderloin sandwich.
When we left the Pour Haus, we saw a coffee shop we decided to hit on our way out of town in the morning Behind The Times Bakery, 411 Main St. They had a lot of baked goodies like muffins, cookies scones and rolls as well as breakfast goodies like biscuits and gravy. And they have lattes, mochas and cappuccinos with fun flavors (Brews!).
From the coffee shop in Tell City we headed back to Santa Claus to hit up Santa’s Candy Castle, 15499 North State Road 245. Quick history of Santa Claus, kids would often write letters to Santa Claus and somehow they always ended up at the Santa Claus post office. The original Santa Claus postmaster decided that the town needed an attraction and envisioned Santa Claus Town (which was actually separate from Santa Claus Land). The first building of Santa Claus Town was the Candy Castle which opened in 1935. Sadly most of Santa Claus Town closed after World War II and some of the buildings were torn down, but in 2005 a family bought the castle and in 2006 re-opened Santa’s Candy Castle. They have 100’s of types of candy and a lot of retro candy. And the frozen hot chocolate is to die for.
Last stop in Santa Claus was to mail a post card with the famous Santa Claus post mark. Kids can write letters to Santa addressed to Santa Claus Indiana and a group of volunteer elves answers the letters.
OK – last food stop on the way home is Schnitzelbank, 393 3rd Ave, Jasper, IN, This is German food at it’s finest. The appetizer sampler says it feeds 4 people, so we got two – and between 12 of us we took stuff home from the sampler. Once again, I’m not sure that there is anything bad on the menu. The only thing that is bad is that the portions are so BIG that you take more than 1/2 your meal home, Highlights were the kraut balls and the Reuben egg rolls and the escargot stuffed mushrooms. Always check their hours because they are family run and close on major holidays and have employee appreciation days.
“Clark that’s the gift that keeps on giving the whole year round.” Cousin Eddie
That’s a wrap on Holiday World and Santa Claus, Indiana. The best part about this area is you can make it a day trip (could be a long day depending on where you’re from) or a two-day trip or you could stay for a week. There’s a lot of nice lakes, hiking and exploring, and nearby river towns and also towns with a lot of rich German history to explore. You won’t be disappointed.
When ever anyone asks what my favorite season is – I always say summer. Now, if your from the Midwest I think you’re required to say Fall. And I love me a Pumpkin Spice Latte, but I’m summer super fan. If you watch families in the summer you see them having fun at the lake, or the beach, or the amusement park. And if you ask your adult kids about memories, they usually start talking about something we did on summer vacation. Which leads to another story and another story.
Go make those summer memories!
https://www.schnitzelbank.com/
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Welcome to Santa Claus, Indiana – home of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari (452 E. Christmas Blvd., Santa Claus, IN 47579) the #1 Water Park in nation voted by USA Today. This was a 2-Day adventure with the whole family and there is so much to cover! Since it’s Holiday World and since it’s in Santa Claus, all the headings for this blog will be Christmas Vacation quotes – because that is probably my favorite Christmas movie.
“Hey Kids Look A Deer!” – Clark Griswold
My favorite part about going to Holiday World is that it’s in a small town – population 2,609. And as you are approaching the town and park you see this:
The picture doesn’t really do it justice – there’s a lot of open fields and then these massive roller coaster tops on the horizon as you pass a deer crossing sign. And yes, if you read my personal blog Pinkbook Diary, this is the same picture from last years family trip to Holiday World.
Our journey begins on a Wednesday morning and about a 2 1/2 hour trip south from central Indiana. NOTE: Holiday World is located in one of the 12 counties in Indiana that are on Central Time. Central Time is my nemesis when travelling. One hour should not mess with my head as much as it does. My family likes going on a Wednesday/Thursday in June because it’s less crowded. Tickets vary in price from $61.99 (pick a day), $71.99 (any day), $86.99 (two day consecutive) and $99.99 (three day consecutive). If you want to do both the water park and the amusement park I’d pick the two day ticket for sure. You can buy tickets online and they offer discounts for Military, First Responders and Nurses. You can also get a free Pre-K kids pass for kids born between 2019-2021, but you have to get that at guest services when you arrive. They also have a Foster Family Program – children in foster care are eligible for free admission for one visit a year, and family members get discounted tickets.
Other add ons you can buy include a digital photo pass for $29.99 – I’d recommend it, my nephew bought one last year and then again this year and it is fun to have unlimited ride photos to share. My co-worker with three small children (under age 10) recommends renting a Cabana in the Splashin’ Safari water park. The cabanas have a ceiling fan, lockable cabinet, chairs/table for 8 people and a mini fridge stocked with water bottles. Cabana’s range in price from $299-$439 depending on the day of the week/location. We didn’t reserve one – and if you don’t reserve them ahead of time you likely won’t be able to get one when you arrive at the park. We arrived about 45 minutes after opening and all the cabanas were sold out. There are also discounts if you stay at one of the Holiday World Lodging partners.
FREE.99 (it’s a really bad joke we use at work) – FREE parking, FREE sunscreen and FREE unlimited soft drinks – nope not kidding you can caffeinate yourself all day with FREE Pepsi products throughout the park.
Holiday World originally was known as Santa Claus Land and was the worlds first theme park when it opened in 1946. Santa Claus Land focused mainly on kiddie attractions themed around Santa and Christmas because of it’s location in a small town with a unique name. In 1984 the named changed to Holiday World as they expanded and added Thanksgiving, Halloween and 4th of July themed areas with bigger rides and some of the worlds best wooden roller coaters.
All of this information is on the website: https://holidayworld.com/tickets-passes/
“And why is the carpet wet, Toooddd?” – Margo Chester
We made the decision to go to the Splashin’ Safari water park on Wednesday because it was sunny and hot and that’s the best time to go to any water park. We stopped first and got the kids Phone Find Bands, and had them measured so they got colored wristbands that let ride operators know what they are tall enough for. This year, they all tall enough for ALL the rides!
We rented a locker ($20/day) and changed into our swimmies and headed for Safari Sam’s Splashland which is one of 4 splash pad/kiddie slide areas. Some of the “big kids” rode the waterslides and my 5 year old grand niece braved the Jungle Racer. As everyone was heading to the big slides I was happy to stay with my grand nephew in the Muziki Bay which is home to Santa’s Pool Party. This is a zero-entry pool with a total depth of maybe 1 1/2 – 2ft. Parents can relax in poolside lounge chairs while DJ Sprinkle and DJ Jingle put on a show with music and games. Highlights for my nephew included them playing red light/green light in the water and freeze dance to “Shake It Off” – it’s his favorite song!
After the swim party, the “big kids” were headed to the Wildebeest – the #1 Water Coaster (Amusement Today) for 10 years until it was surpassed by Mammoth in 2023 which is conveniently located right next to it. The less adventurous of the group stayed at the Bahari Wave Pool (one of two wave pools). Unfortunately the Wildebeest was experiencing some technical difficulties so they headed to the Cheetah Chase – the parks third water coaster.
Best thing about the water park: it’s fun for all ages and sizes. There are multiple kiddie areas, moderate water slides and wave pools and a lazy river for less adrenaline charged family members and the worlds best (and longest) water coasters for the thrill seekers.
I glossed over lunch, mostly because I think all I had for lunch was a strawberry/pineapple Dole whip 🤭. Oh wait, I had breadsticks too. The breadsticks and pizza (Dave got pizza but I grabbed a bite) smelled amazing while we were at Santa’s Pool Party and we’re really yummy. Everybody in my family also agrees that the loaded fries are the best food in the park, they are only available in Splashin’ Safari and in Thanksgiving.
PS that’s Sam’s Strawberry/Dole Whip in a cup…
Ice Cream should always be in a sugar cone🍦“Where do you think you’re going? Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas.” Clark Griswold
We’re going to the Louisville Muhammad Ali airport to pick up T so they can join us on Day 2 of the Family adventure. If you’re flying to Indiana specifically to go to Holiday World, there are two small regional airports close by, Evansville Regional Airport and Owensboro/Daviess County Regional Airport (in Kentucky). Those are each 40-45 minutes away, and do offer direct flights to/from Tampa, FL. Once again getting to/from Ft. Myers, FL was a bit challenging but we made it happen. Louisville Muhammad Ali airport is about a 1 hour 15 minute drive from Santa Claus – but you cross the cursed time zone line. T coming was supposed to be a surprise for the family, but most had figured it out when T turned off their Life 360 location sharing app.
One caution of going to Holiday World, it’s built in a small hollow (or dip, or basin, or depression – depending on your level of topographic and geologic education). Where you enter the park the elevation is 155 meters and at the very northern end of the park it’s as high as 163 meters, in between it those two points it dips down to about 133 meters at the lowest spot. The point of all that craziness is to explain that from the water park (at the very lowest part) back to the entrance/exit you have to climb a very large hill. If you are pushing a stroller/wagon – you will get a workout. If you’re waiting to find out if your kid whose original flight was delayed 2 hours and weren’t sure they would make the connecting flight before you leave the park to pick them up at the airport – and now you have 1 hour to make an hour and 15 minute trip and you have to speed walk up that hill – you will get a workout. And an asthma attack. And shin splints. This would be a good time to let you know you can also rent strollers, wagons, wheelchairs and electric scooters.
We made it to the airport though without much traffic along I-64. We got to go across the Sherman Minton bridge, which is a double decker twin arch bridge – that’s fun (and not mildly terrifying for someone who doesn’t like single deck bridges). I can’t comment much on the airport because we didn’t even park we just snagged T at the Arrivals part of the terminal and drove back to Indiana.
“Would it be indecent to ask the grandparents to stay at a hotel?” Audrey Griswold
Where do you stay if you want to enjoy the 2-Day or 3-Day park pass? There are a lot of options. First, if you want to stay in Santa Claus, know that there are no chain hotel options there. There is Santa’s Lodge (91 W. Christmas Blvd) that offers rooms and suites, Sun Outdoors on Rudolph Lake (78 N. Holiday Blvd) that offers RV and Tent camping as well as cabin/cottage rentals, Santa’s Cottages (1405 W Christmas Blvd.) which offers lakefront cottage rentals and Lincoln Pines Lakefront Resort (3862 E SR 162, Lincoln City) which offers 1-2 bedroom lakefront cabins. And of course I have to highlight another one of my favorite state parks: Lincoln State Park, (County Rd 300E/Ind 162) which is about a 10 minute drive from Holiday World and offers camp sites, cabins and boat ramps for Lake Lincoln.
But if you feel more comfortable staying in a chain hotel because you like certain creature comforts like the automatic pancake maker at breakfast, or knowing they have Dove soap, there are several hotels in nearby towns. We have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express (310 Orchard Hill Drive, Tell City, Indiana) for the last two trips. Other options include a Motel 6 and Baymont by Wyndham in Dale, IN and a Quality Inn and a Comfort Inn in Ferdinand, IN. One note, I’ve stayed at the Comfort Inn and it sits on the time zone line. Literally half the hotel is in CDT and the other half is EDT depending on your phones location settings. Just as a forewarning. Tell City is about a 30 minute drive from Santa Claus, and it’s a quaint little river town. Also about a 30 minute drive is Jasper, Indiana which is one of the largest towns in the region and has several hotel options.
Once we met up with the rest of the family at the hotel, we decided on various options for dinner, including door dashing Wendy’s (who doesn’t need a frosty?!?) and ordering a mix of Papa Johns and Pizza Hut – both super close to the hotel.
Stay tuned for Day 2 – we tried a lot more food on Day 2 including inside and outside of the park!
Barns Brews & Back Roads 