Tag: family-fun

Santa Claus Museum and Village, Santa Claus, Indiana

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Indiana has the nickname of being the ‘Hoosier State’.  How does the state get that name?  There is no real known answer to the question, but there is a theory being that Indiana is not one of those states that comes first to many people’s mind that the word ‘Hoosier’ comes from the phrase ‘who’s there’.  The definition is simply a resident of the state of Indiana.  Many travel experts would tell you that there is nothing to the state of Indiana.  Sadly, they are mistaken not knowing that the state is the home of one of sports hallowed grounds known by many racing fans as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which hosts the Indianapolis 500, the greatest Indy Car race in the world.  The southern part of the state in the Louisville, Kentucky metropolis, and horse racing fans are fully aware of another hallowed ground known as Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, the longest continuously running sporting event in the world, and it is part of what is known as ‘The Triple Crown’.  It is also a big basketball state, and South Bend is home to the University of Notre Dame, a university famous for its football team.  Then you have the city of Indianapolis has the second largest number of monuments of any city in the world?  (Washington D.C. is number one.)  The three longest routes in the United States (U.S. 6, U.S. 20, and U.S. 30) all pass through Indiana, and the longest interstate route (Interstate 90) passes through Indiana.  If that is not enough, the city of Elkhart is called the Recreational Vehicle Capital of the World.  How?  Many recreational vehicles are manufactured here, and it is the home of the RV Hall of Fame.

With all of this in a U.S. state that many people consider a boring state, you have the town of Santa Claus.  Yes, there is a Santa Claus.  That is Santa Claus, Indiana.  Located in the southwestern region of the state, it is a town built around the man himself.  Well, it was not originally called Santa Claus but Santa Fe, but there was another Santa Fe in the state.  The name was then changed to Santa Claus, and it has kept this name since.  What is here?  Well, you have an amusement park called Holiday World, and then you have the Santa Claus Museum and Village.  The Santa Claus Museum and Village featured some of the original structures of the original post office where you can mail a letter to Santa, a church from 1880 that has its original furnishings, and a statue of the man himself.  If you believe in Santa Claus, you will enjoy the Santa Claus Museum and Village.

Some of you are saying, “This is nice.  There is a Santa Claus after all.  Well, there is a town called Santa Claus in Indiana.  The man himself would be proud.  There is a very big problem.  This town and this museum and village is about Santa Claus.  There is no railroad here.  Therefore, I will not be going down Santa Claus Lane or visit this town.”

So, you are not going to pay a visit to the town of Santa Claus, Indiana or the Santa Claus Museum and Village because it is not a railroad site.  It is not a railroad museum, and, as far as it is known, there has never been a railroad in this town.  Why would you want to visit the Santa Claus Museum and Village?

As you arrive at the Santa Claus Museum and Village, you will see the museum building.  You will see the original post office.  You will see a church that was built in 1880.  You will see a tall statue of Santa Claus.  What you will not see is an old train station, a locomotive, or a caboose.

Some of you are saying, “See.  There is no railroad here.  Therefore, I have no reason to visit this place.”

This is called the Santa Claus Museum and Village.  You see the village.  Now you enter the museum.  The very first thing you see is the gift shop.  Of course, you have a gift shop.  Then you enter into the various rooms where you see the history of the town.  Then you see the model trains.  Yes, the Christmas holiday has long been associated with model trains particularly around the Christmas tree, and they are on display here at the museum.  From the model trains on display to the model train displays.

Are you still refusing to visit this museum?  If you enjoy model trains to include the old Lionel Trains, the Santa Claus Museum and Village is a must see.  You may not see the man himself, but you still will have a good time.

The Santa Claus Museum and Village is located at 69 Indiana State Route 245 just south of Indiana Route 162 and minutes from Holiday World, Interstate 64 and U.S. Route 231.  Parking is on site.  Admission museum is free, but they will gladly accept donations.  The museum is open year round, but the hours do vary throughout the year.  You can get more information about the museum and village at https://santaclausmuseum.org/.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.  Well, there is the Santa Claus Museum and Village in Santa Claus, Indiana.  You can visit any time of the year.  You will have a jolly old time.

Wildlife Prairie Park, Hanna City, Illinois

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Illinois is commonly called ‘The Land of Lincoln’ became it was this state where Abraham Lincoln’s rise to fame took place.  The state is also famous for the city of Chicago, but it is also a state with much farmland and open space.  West of the city of Peoria is an open space where you can watch animals roam free.  Well, there are in enclosed spaces, but they are not stuck in a case.  The Wildlife Prairie Park is a place where you can feel like you are on an open plain, but you really are in a wildlife park.  You can ride a hay ride with benches known as Adventure Trek where you can ride through the bison and elk pasture.  If that is not enough, you can even spend the night here.  Ladies and gentlemen, they do not call this place a jewel of the North American Midwest for nothing.  When you visit here, you will truly see how the park gets that name.  If you enjoy seeing wildlife in large and natural habitats, you will enjoy a day, and a night, at Wildlife Prairie Park.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  This place sounds like it is a jewel.  I love animals, and I enjoy seeing them at the zoo.  There is a big problem.  As you can see.  This is a wildlife park.  This park is about wildlife.  This is not a railroad park.  Therefore, I will not be paying a visit to this place.”

Well, Wildlife Prairie Park is a park that specializes in wildlife and not trains.  Why visit this place?  Yes, it is a jewel of a park and a place worth your time.  As you enter the park, you will see why you want to visit.

As soon as you pay your admission, the very first thing that you will see is a railroad crossing.

Some of you are saying, “I have been to many places where you have to cross train tracks to get to the attraction.  Many railroads run alongside of parks and historic sites.”

This is true, but if you are fortunate enough, you may be stopped by a train, it is not an ordinary train.  The train is the Prairie Zephyr.  You have read correctly.  This is the Prairie Zephyr, and the train station is to your right.  Well, one of the stations is to your right.  There are three stops on this line.  What are you going to do?  Well, of course, you are going to ride the train.

You enter the station, and you board the train.  The train leaves the station.  You pass by trees and see animals along the way, and then you stop at the Pioneer Homestead.  From here, you return on the same track, and you arrive back at the station.  It is the end of the ride, but it is not.  Remember.  There are three stops, and you only have been to two of them.  The passengers board and deboard, and the train continues on.  You pass by the train yard and pass through a tunnel.  You pass by more animals, and you arrive at a playground, and you have an opportunity to go down a big slide known as the Gollywhopper Slide.  After a short stop, you return to the station, and you get off the train.  By the way, your train ticket allows you to ride the train all day long.

Some of you are saying, “Well, that is it.  No more trains at the wildlife park.”

Ladies and gentlemen, you are wrong.  While at the main train station, you can visit the railroad museum.  Yes, there is a railroad museum here.  The museum has a collection of toy trains.  How often do you get to visit a wildlife park that is about wildlife that has a railroad museum?

Some of you are saying, “Well, you have a point.  I do not know of any wildlife park or zoo that has a railroad museum.  Anyway, I guess that is all of the railroads that we will see at this park.”

Not exactly.

As mentioned.  You can spend a night, or many nights, at this park.  Yes.  There are other wildlife parks that allow you to spend a night there, but how many wildlife parks let you spend a night… in a caboose.  Yes.  You have the option to spend a night in a Santa Fe Railroad Caboose.

If you think that you do not have a reason to visit Wildlife Prairie Park, you now have many.  Along with the train, the railroad museum, and the cabooses, you have a variety of wildlife you see.  There is also laser tag, hiking and biking trails, fishing, disc golf, kayaking, and events throughout the year.

Wildlife Prairie Park is located at 3826 N. Taylor Road in Hanna City, Illinois south of Illinois Route 8, Interstate 74, and U.S. Route 150.  Although the park is open year-round (open 361 days and closed only four days of the year) from 9:00am to 4:30pm (9:00am to 6:30pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day), the Prairie Zephyr runs only at certain times of the year.  Although much of the park is wheelchair accessible to include the Prairie Zephyr, there are some steep paths.  You can information about admission, lodging, activities, the history of the park, to look at the map of the park, and read more into their conservation efforts at https://wildlifeprairiepark.org/.

Wildlife Prairie Park in Hanna City, Illinois is a great place to visit.  When you visit, you will see why.  You will see why they call this place a jewel.

A special thanks to Cody Miyler, Lelonie Luft, and Calli Dicks of Wildlife Prairie Park for the pictures of the recently painted cabooses.

City Island Railroad, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Harrisburg, the capital city of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, is not known a city that is on many lists of cities to visit, but it should be.  One of the city’s famous suburbs is Hershey which is known as the Chocolate Capital of the World and is where the Hershey Chocolate Company was founded by Milton Hershey, and the company is still headquartered there today.  What about the city itself?  Of course, the State Capitol is here, but it also has great museums like the National Civil War Museum and the Pennsylvania Fire Museum.  The downtown area rests along the Susquehanna River, the longest unnavigable river in the United States of America with its beginnings in the U.S. state of New York passing through the east central region of Pennsylvania past Harrisburg before it continues into the U.S. state of Maryland and into the Chesapeake Bay.  South of the city, there are four dams which forms the scenery around Harrisburg today.  One of the things formed by the four dams is City Island located in the middle of the river.  What is special about City Island?  Well, it is a playground for the city, and the Harrisburg Senators, a professional minor league baseball team affiliated with the Washington Nationals, have their stadium here.  If you visit Harrisburg, you will be totally amazed  with a visit to City Island.

Some of you are saying, “This is wonderful.  I love chocolate.  The city of Harrisburg is probably a great city.  As for City Island, it is just an island in the river that is just another tourist destination.  Therefore, I will not bother visiting this island.”

What is special about City Island in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania?

When you arrive in the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, particularly if you arrived crossing the Susquehanna River, the very first thing you will notice is that many railroads pass through here.  The electrified section of Amtrak has a terminus here.  There are many railroad arch bridges across the river, and the famous Rockville Bridge, located in the suburb of Rockville, is just north of the downtown area.

This brings us to City Island.  What is special about City Island?  As mentioned, the baseball stadium home of the Harrisburg Senators is on the island.  The Walnut Street Bridge, an old steel truss street bridge that is now a pedestrian bridge, connects people with downtown and the western suburbs.  It is the home of the ‘Pride of the Susquehanna’, a riverboat that is a pleasure to ride as you get great views of the river as well as the downtown region.  It has a miniature golf course, a carousel, and it is the home of the Harrisburg Beach Club.  As you enter City Island, there is an important crossing you must make.  What is that crossing?  The first thing you will see is the City Island Railroad.

City Island is walkable for most people and is mostly wheelchair accessible, but the City Island Railroad is a great way to see the island.  It is a miniature train pulled by a replica of an American Civil War era steam locomotive.  A ride on the train takes you around the stadium.  It takes you past the miniature golf course and beach club.  You pass by the dock of the Pride of Susquehanna.  Most important, you get great views of the river during your entire ride.

The City Island Railroad begins at the Walnut Street Station which is a short walk from the parking lot and Walnut Street Bridge.  If you visit City Island, it will be a great compliment to your visit.

The City Island Railroad runs mainly in the summer months.  It is located on City Island which is accessible from the Market Street Bridge which crosses the river between downtown and the western side of the river.  Admission is required to ride the train.  There is parking available.  It is mainly free, but you may pay for parking during stadium events.

The city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has many great places to see.  The City Island Railroad is worth your visit.  You will be glad you did.