Most weeks I do a great job of planning out meals, hitting the grocery (or using Shipt) and making a healthy, tasty dinner. Then there are the other weeks …

You know, the weeks where there is something going on every night, where the weekend was so packed you couldn’t get to the grocery or even get your online order placed, even the weeks where you just don’t feel like menu planning.

Those are the weeks I depend upon EveryPlate. EveryPlate isn’t the first home delivery service I’ve tried. I’ve also given Hello Fresh and Blue Plate a try, but I couldn’t stomach the prices and I found myself forgetting to cancel a week and therefore ending up with meals I didn’t really want or need.

Pros of EveryPlate

EveryPlate is really affordable. I have a family of four, but I use the 2-3 serving meal plan and it’s currently only $38.93 per week (including shipping). That gives me 3 meals and since my daughter doesn’t eat meat I’ve found by adding a salad, a piece of fish or veggie burger for her, or just adding extra rice or pasta to the meal we have more than enough. To be fair, none of us are big eaters, but you could certainly start with the smaller plan like we did and move up if needed.

The food is delivered fresh and nicely packaged. I really like the way the meat is on the bottom surrounded by recyclable freezer packs and the other ingredients are on top of it in a cardboard box. I have to admit more than one of those boxes has ended up in my pantry as a storage container!

The meals are simple to prepare and very tasty. Often when I fix an EveryPlate meal, I get compliments from every member of the family. And it is so nice to know what we will have for dinner without me planning it, making a shopping list and going to the grocery. What a timesaver!

It’s easy to cancel a week or change your meal choices. Every Thursday I receive an email from EveryPlate. I log on and I can switch between nine different options – only one has an extra cost of $2.99 per person. I love that I can also make my meal choices for the next two weeks so I can plan ahead if I don’t want a week or if I want to go ahead and make the meal changes early so I don’t have to think about it. I probably use the service once or twice a month, and that has worked out perfectly for us.

It’s wonderful for really busy weeks. This week is a perfect example. I’m traveling for work, so when I return I won’t want to go to the grocery or even think about dinner. Lucky for me, there will be no need to. I’ll have meals ready to go for the weekend. Easy, peasy. Next week is Thanksgiving, so I’ll probably cancel as we’ll be out and about.

Cons of EveryPlate

The meals do get a bit repetitive. There is a pretty big selection, but I do see the same meals every few weeks. There are some we really love so I’m excited to see those, but some weeks I can’t find three that we love. Those are often the weeks I don’t use the service.

They aren’t always fast meals. Some take 20 minutes to prepare but others take up to 45 minutes, so if you are rushed it can be a bit challenging.

You do have to cancel a few days ahead of time. Since I can plan a few weeks in advance on the website, I haven’t run into any issues here, but I can see where you could accidentally order a box a week you didn’t need it. So you do have to remember that you are signed up for this service.

Not all the ingredients are organic. Since I don’t use all organic food, that’s okay with me, but for some people, it might be an issue. The food has always been fresh – I’ve never had a complaint, but be aware it’s not an organic or local service.

In Summary

I’m a huge fan of EveryPlate. It’s not my main source for dinners, but it is an excellent tool in my homemaking belt for busy weeks. For me, it’s been a great way to continue to easily reach my goal of eating dinner at home as a family.

Want to try it out for yourself? Click on this link and you’ll receive $20 off your first box. If you love it, fantastic. If you don’t, feel free to cancel. If you do decide to try it out, I’d love to know what you think!

*This post contains affiliate links, so I do earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase*

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One of my favorite parts of visiting caves is that they are weather resistant. The cave stays at 52 degrees year-round. A hot summer day? Why not visit a cave? Too cold to be outside in the winter? A caving trip is a fun activity. The day I visited, it was pouring down rain. Although that did limit my photography options, it didn’t limit my fun in checking out the underground cave system.

We started the day with a dash to the gift shop and to get acclimated to the location. The gift shop is extensive with plenty of options guaranteed to get your kids asking for souvenirs. There is also a small concession area next to it with tables and machines for sodas and snacks. We packed a lunch so food wasn’t an issue. After this short detour, it was on to the main event.

There are two standard cave tours: Crystal Palace and the Dripstone Trail. You can do one or both. The Crystal Palace tour is about 40 minutes and the Dripstone Trail is an hour so it would be very possible to enjoy both in an afternoon.

Insider Tip: The combined cave tour ticket will save you money over purchasing them individually.

Luckily for me, I was a part of a school field trip with my son, so we did an interesting hybrid where we got to see the best of both trails.

It is incredibly easy to navigate the cave trails. The paths are clearly marked and very well-maintained. Our guide shared with us many interesting historical facts and information about the different formations we encountered. It was quite fascinating.

The caves were discovered in 1883 by two children who snuck out of their house in the middle of the night to check out a sinkhole they had heard some kids at school talking about. Imagine their surprise when they found an enormous cave instead! They kept their find a secret for a few days, but once they shared it, the landowner immediately opened it up for tours.

There are lots of other fun historical facts you’ll discover while on the tour, but suffice it to say that the caves have had their share of mystery, feuds, commercialization, and restoration. Since I love learning personal stories, I gobbled these up!

If the weather permits, in addition to the cave tours, Marengo Cave offers additional fun experiences. The kids on our tour had the opportunity to do some gem mining and since a portion of that area is covered, it is an activity that can be done even in the rain. Other fun options include pedal karts, an outdoor maze, and a small playground.

I don’t think there are a lot of options nearby for food, so you might want to do what we did and pack a lunch. I checked out Yelp and the pickings were pretty slim. If the weather is nice, the area outside the caves is beautiful and would make for a lovely picnic spot.

Have you ever visited a cave? I’ve only been to a few so far and every time I visit one I remember how interesting I find them and remind myself to plan more cave adventures! Luckily for me, there are several more in Indiana, so I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity to check them out as I finish exploring the state!

Marengo Cave, 400 East State Road 64, Marengo, IN 812-365-2705

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For the Gals:

Travel Yoga Mat – I’ve mentioned this one several times but it’s just that awesome! This is such a great thing to take on vacations even if you aren’t a big-time yogi. I use mine for morning Pilates and just general stretching. It’s lightweight, pretty and cleans easily.

A membership to The Sisterhood. This pilates program is the one I enjoy every morning. I use the ap on my phone and each morning I get a new workout (10 to 30 minutes). It’s perfect for at home or when I’m traveling. I really can’t recommend it enough if you are looking for a low impact daily workout that can be done from anywhere.

Even if I just head out for a quick overnight, I ALWAYS pack my travel diffuser and a few oils. Diffusing lavender or thieves in my room makes such a difference in how well I rest. I get rid of that stuffy smell and feel and it’s just such a simple way to improve my stay. As a bonus, these small diffusers are super affordable. A lovely gift would be one of these along with a bottle of essential oils.

Speaking of heading out overnight, the Vera Bradley Grand Weekender is the bag I always use. It’s perfect for a quick weekend getaway and also fits under the seat on an airplane. It’s expensive but they last for years and I love all the pockets! You can select from tons of patterns – I like the darker ones as they look cleaner longer.

For the Guys:

A strong phone case. This one is tough enough to handle being on the go! We actually all use this case in our family and it’s been a good choice!

A great toiletry bag. Why not help keep your guy organized for the next trip he takes. I love this one from Amazon and it has excellent ratings too!

The Yeti travel mug is perfect for keeping coffee hot in the morning and water cold in the afternoon. There are tons of colors to choose from so I’m sure you can find the perfect one for your guy!

For the Kids:

I absolutely love the Daring Book for Girls and the Dangerous Book for Boys as gifts for kids. My kiddos would always pack these for a road trip as they are chock full of interesting ideas, songs (that we’d learn and sing as driving) and simple projects. Once thanks to the book, we made peach pit rings on the sidewalk outside our Florida condo. They are creative and the kids get a real kick out of reading them. There are new ones out this year and even though my kids are a bit older now, I will pick them up as a fun extra gift! I’m pretty sure they will still enjoy reading them.

Things to do in the car or on a plane. I always make my kids pack a backpack of things to keep them busy. These days it often contains an electronic device as well a book or two, but if you are looking for other ideas, here a few that have gone over well in our family through the years:

Family Gifts:

Games are my favorite holiday gifts for the family. Every year we add to our collection and these are excellent choices to pack for your next trip (or just play at home by the fire!).

Travel books – I LOVE these for inspiration! My favorites are ones that highlight a specific state or region – I’ve shown a few below, but simply do a search on Amazon for your state and “day trips” or “weekend getaways”.

How about something to start the family saving for their next trip? This travel bank would be a fun family gift – I love that it’s clear so you can see how the savings are coming along!

I’ve got quite a few of these on order already for my own gift-giving, but since it’s early in the season, I’ll add to the list as I find more options. What are you planning on buying for others this season?

Are you looking for some more gift ideas? Check out last year’s gift guide for a few different but still amazing gifts!

*Some of these gift ideas are affiliate links which means that I get compensated at no additional cost to you, and some of these items are just things I use and love*

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Don’t let that ever happen to you again!

With this simple Everyday Adventure Essentials list, you’ll be ready for whatever comes your way. Print out the .pdf and then spend 20 minutes creating your own bag for the car. You probably already have most of these items around the house. I guarantee that someday in the future you’ll be so glad you were prepared!

I use a simple tote as my bag and find it fits well in the back of the van, and also can be easily grabbed and transferred to the Jeep if we decide to drive it for the day. The bag I use is no longer available, but here are some terrific options:

All Year Round

I always have the following in the bag:

• A deck of cards, Uno, six dice, a notepad, and a pen. These come in handy when visiting a winery, brewery or local restaurant. It’s a fun way to pass the time and keep everyone involved and off their phones.
• Bug spray and sunblock. Regardless of the time of the year, these two items come in super handy.
• A growler and a half-growler. Just in case we find a beer or even rootbeer on tap that we love!
• An outdoor blanket. Perfect for picnics in the summer and wrapping up in if you get cold. This is a great one to add to your bag:

• Socks. Sounds weird but if it’s summer you may very well be in sandals and there are some activities (bowling, ice skating, roller skating, jump houses, etc.) that require socks. So keep a pair for each of you in the car. They also come in useful if you get cold or wet feet!
• A beach towel. This one is great if you get wet or muddy – so nice to be able to dry off!
• A few disposable bags – think plastic grocery bags. Ideal for wet or muddy shoes.
• Frisbee and/or soccer ball
• Umbrellas

Summer Extras

In the summer I also add the following:

• Water shoes (perfect for exploring creeks and rivers)!
• Sunglasses – who wants to be out in the sunshine with them?
• Water bottles

Winter Extras

In the Fall, I take out the summer extras and add the following:

• Gloves for everyone – just the little stretchy ones so they don’t take up much room.
• Hats for everyone – just like your mama always told you, keep your head warm!
• A blanket – we are very partial to these amazingly soft Vera Bradley blankets!!!
• Snow boots – honestly these I don’t have in the car all the time but if I think there’s a chance we might go walking outside I throw them in at the last minute.

What do you think? Is there anything I missed that you like to have on hand? If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments so I can add it to my bag!

Please download this Everyday Essentials List and create your own Everyday Adventures Essentials bag – and then use it to create fun and memories for your family!

*This post contains affiliate links*

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It’s a non-park day, so you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn (unless of course, you want to). When I’m traveling with the family, I do like to get up about an hour before them (usually about 7:00) so that I can slowly get ready, do a short pilates routine (using my all-time favorite program – The Sisterhood and my travel yoga mat), and then have some time to enjoy a cup of coffee and a book on the balcony. Heaven.

After such a leisurely start, I’ll put breakfast together for the family while they get ready. Since we’ll be eating out much of the day, it saves money to eat breakfast in the room – and we are all fine with not hitting a restaurant in the morning. If we just have a studio, breakfast will be something simple like fresh fruit and peanut butter toast, bagels or some type of breakfast bar. If we are staying in a one-bedroom, I might do eggs and hashbrowns – depends upon our mood.

Insider Tip: Don’t have a car? You can easily get groceries delivered to your hotel using Shipt. We used it on our recent trip and within an hour and a half of ordering had everything we needed delivered right to the front door. And, if you won’t be in the room, the groceries can be left with the bell desk. All orders over $35 are FREE shipping. Use THIS CODE to save $50 on your annual membership – that makes it only $49 which you’ll easily save on your first order! Think about it this way – breakfast in the room versus $30 at a restaurant. Just two breakfasts have paid for an entire year of Shipt (and you can use it at home too!). We also purchase a case of water, some fun sodas for the kids and perhaps some adult beverages for us – Shipt delivers it all!

Now is the best time to hit the pool. It’s Florida, so it’s probably warm enough even late morning and if you get down there before noon you’ll have a better chance of getting chairs in a spot you prefer. The Disney pools are wonderful and it’s easy to spend a few hours relaxing and having fun.

Insider Tip: If you don’t care about waterslides and such, the quiet pools can be very relaxing. We’ve found that splitting our time between the main pool and the quiet pools can make it feel like a totally different pool experience.

After pool time, it’s time to clean up and explore! Some of the resorts have activities going on and if so, be sure to check those out and participate. The cast members do a great job of interacting and making sure guests are having fun. When my kiddos were elementary age they LOVED these different programs, especially the ones at Animal Kingdom Lodge, but even now as teens they still enjoy participating in many of the activities.

If you don’t want to participate in activities at your resort, hitting Disney Springs or doing some resort hopping can be a lot of fun. Disney Springs is the perfect place to pick up your souvenirs, do a little shopping and even listen to some live music. We enjoy grabbing a drink from one of the many vendors (the wine slushies at Amorette’s are divine) and wandering around. If it’s time for that frequent afternoon thunderstorm, spend a few hours watching a movie at the AMC Theater or bowling at Splitsville.

Insider Tip: Don’t forget to stop by the Ghiradelli store. As you walk in they will be passing out a free chocolate square. Yum!

Resort hopping is another family favorite. We’ll head over to the monorail and hop on and off at each of the monorail resorts (The Contemporary, The Polynesian and The Grand Floridian). Check out the shops, enjoy a snack and just check out the vibe. Each of these three resorts is VERY different so it’s a lot of fun to spend time at each one.

Insider Tip: If your kids (or you) like to trade pins, make sure and bring them along. All the stores in the resorts as well as the front desk will have pinboards and since you aren’t trying to rush from ride to ride you can take your time!

Since you spent such a fun day relaxing, tonight is the perfect time for a special dinner at one of the resorts or at Disney Springs. Saana at the Animal Kingdom Lodge is our personal favorite, but there are many wonderful choices.

End your night enjoying the Electric Water Pageant on the Seven Seas Lagoon – you can view it easily from Disney’s Polynesian Resort on the beach area. So grab a Dole Whip from the Pineapple Lanai stand and then walk over to check out this water show. You can see it from there every evening at about 9:00 PM. (The times have been known to change, so you might want to ask at the front desk to confirm).

Sounds like the perfect day right? If you are spending a week or more at Disney a day like this will make your trip so much more relaxing and give you some different memories. I recommend at least one non-park day per trip. Your vacation will be all the better for it!

Starting to think about your next Disney Trip? As a Magical Vacation Planner, I can help you plan the perfect vacation. Be sure to jump on my special Disney Fun Newsletter if you are at all interested in travel to Disney. At least once a month I’ll be sending out all the best deals and promotions for Disney – if you want to be in the know, sign up HERE.

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After making your way around the World Showcase and checking out the various food booths, be sure to take some time to do some of the other fun festival activities.

Enjoy live music. The concerts at Epcot are so much fun! They are located at the American Pavilion. Every few nights there is a different artist and they put on three nightly shows – each one lasting about 30 minutes. Seating is limited, but even if you don’t get a seat, you can still enjoy the music by standing along the sides or just outside the amphitheater. We’ve seen Rick Springfield, 38 Special and many other great shows. Grab a margarita at nearby Italy or Mexico and enjoy some live music!

Insider Tip: If you want to be sure to have a seat, you can book an Eat to the Beat Dining Package. You can book a meal at one of 14 restaurants in Epcot and you’ll have a guaranteed seat on the same day. It is a little pricey but includes a full meal, so if you want to eat at one of the selected restaurants anyway might be a perfect solution. Details can be found HERE.

Play with your food. A fun and affordable event occurs in the Land Pavilion every day at 3:30 and 5:30. For only $10 per person, you can learn to make candy sushi. Kids especially love this one – it holds their attention and they leave with candy. It’s also a nice break from the heat and the crowds around the world showcase.

Learn something new. There are many seminars going on daily during the Food & Wine Festival. Some of them are VERY pricey, but there are a few that are a little more reasonable. For example, on most Fridays and Saturdays at 12:30, there are 45-minute culinary demonstrations for $19.00. There are also food & beverage pairings many days at 2:30 for $29.00. The seminars are located in the World Showcase Events Pavilion between Canada and the United Kingdom. They can sell out so if there is something you really want to do, sign up ahead of time. Otherwise, take a few moments to walk by the venue and see what’s offered the day you are there and decide if it sounds like one you’d enjoy. Check out everything that is offered HERE.

Insider Tip: Many of these seminars include tastes of alcoholic drinks but of course they only serve to those 21 and over – so keep that in mind if there are kids in your group.

Go on a scavenger hunt. Each year the festival offers some type of scavenger hunt. This year, the search is on for Remy. There are multiple statues of him located throughout the World Showcase. When you find all of them, take your card to Disney Traders to get a prize. It does cost $6.99 to purchase a map and participate, but it’s a fun way to add some excitement to your day. Plus, in the end, you turn in your completed map and get a prize! This year they are cute little tumblers.

Enjoy a special meal. During the festival, you can participate in a variety of unique food & drink pairings in multiple countries. For instance a tequila lunch in Mexico or a Parisian Breakfast in France. There is an additional cost for these and they are only offered on specific days, but it could be a different way to enjoy the festival and a nice change from the typical Disney restaurant.

So what do you want to try at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival? I encourage you to try something new the next time you visit – it will change your entire experience!

If you are looking to book a Disney vacation (during a festival or anytime), be sure to sign up for my FREE monthly Disney Fun newsletter. Each issue will contain the BEST Disney deals in order to help you plan your next trip! As a Magical Vacation Planner, I have access to all the best ways to plan your Disney vacation!

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The day was a lovely, crisp, clear fall day. Our 90-degree heat-wave had finally broken and we were treated to a perfect 65 and sunny day. As we headed south, the flat land and cornfields gave way to the rolling hills and treelines of southern Indiana. So beautiful!

Indiana’s First State Park

The first stop was McCormick’s Creek State Park. McCormick’s Creek is considered Indiana’s first state park. The land was dedicated as such on July 4th, 1916. The park is full of wonderful hikes, interesting landscapes, recreation, and a historic Inn.

The Canyon Inn is a lovely historic building built on and around an 1880’s sanitarium that was marketed as a place for the wealthy to relax and rejuvenate. Sanitariums and mineral springs were all the rage during that time period. Canyon Inn has expanded and remodeled multiple times since then, but the inn is still located on the original sanitarium foundations.

The inn has a rustic charm and houses a small gift shop, restaurant, several conference rooms and a comfortable lobby/ lounge area with a fireplace. We were able to check out one of the rooms, and although older, they appeared to be comfortable and clean. With such a gorgeous setting, I think this would be a very relaxing place to stay.

Behind the inn is a recreation center adjacent to a swimming pool, shuffleboard, basketball and racquetball courts. You can also pick up several trails right from the inn and its parking lot. We began our hiking on trail 3 as it went to a waterfall. It was a short and easy walk, and we were rewarded with a beautiful view of this small waterfall. We were able to see it from above and then walk down a set of stairs to the creekbed.

After this short hike, we headed to the Nature Center which is a short drive from the Inn. On the way, we stopped at the stables although they weren’t open yet for horseback riding. The Nature Center is very well done with plenty of information on local habitats and the history of the area. While there we discovered another interesting spot in the park, Wolf Cave.

Wolf Cave can be accessed by taking trail 5 about 15 minutes into the woods. The story behind the cave is that an early settler was returning home after selling butter and eggs and as she passed the cave, wolves emerged. She threw down her hat and bonnet and was able to run away to safety. The cave has not been altered and you are welcome to explore it as much as you’d like. We chatted with two grad students from a nearby University and one of them said he had grown up in the area, and it was possible to enter the cave at this spot and exit quite a distance away. They decided to go for it, but as it involved crawling and we had plans for the rest of the day, we wished them luck and headed back to the car. Perhaps another time.

Downtown Spencer

After all that hiking in the fresh air, we were hungry, so we headed to downtown Spencer, IN to look for lunch. Spencer’s population is 2,217 but the downtown is currently undergoing revitalization. I love it when this happens in these small downtown areas.

We stopped at a new brewery (opened in March) called Civilian Brewing Corps. The industrial/ rustic interior and busy atmosphere had us instantly intrigued. Our friendly server let us try a few of the brews but we settled upon something a little bit different. Their homemade grape soda! It was amazing. After speaking to the gentleman who brewed it, we discovered why it was so tasty. He used grapes from the nearby Owen Valley Winery and added no additional sugar. So it had a perfect balance of sweet and tart. Very refreshing and tasted more like a kombucha than a typical grape soda. Thanks to our server’s recommendation, we also ordered a basket of their fries. The fries are battered in Civilian Brewing Corp beer and served with three different dipping sauces, a beer cheese, a garlic aioli, and spicy mustard. They were perfection!

We spent a bit of time talking to our server and the grape soda creator and discovered that the brewery name is based upon the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) who made significant improvements to McCormick’s Creek State Park in the 1930s. Some of the interior pillars at the brewery were actually sourced from the park itself. I love the tie into the nearby park!

The rest of downtown is definitely on it’s way to becoming a once again vibrant square. There are several interesting stores, a tasty-sounding Thai restaurant, and a few delicious coffee shops. We stopped at Main Street Coffee because we saw this interesting contraption outside the door and discovered it is a steamer for their homemade tamales! They keep the tamales in here at the perfect temperature and serve them warm and ready to go. Ingenious, right? Of course, we had to split one and it was delicious.

A Winery is Always the Perfect End to a Fun Day

Our last stop before heading home was Owen Valley Winery. The winery has a lovely setting with plenty of outdoor seating perfect for relaxing with a glass of wine and enjoying the countryside. The tasting room is cozy with a bar for tasting along with a few tables to sit and enjoy a glass of wine and snacks.

We opted for a tasting as we’d never tried Owen Valley Wines before (aside from that delicious grape soda made from their grapes!). The winery offers a generous selection with everything from a dry white to a very sweet red wine. They also have a nice variety of fruit wines if that’s your preference.

A newer option for the winery is ciders. Right now they have three on tap, but it’s still a little bit experimental so they may or may not be available when you visit.

We ended up liking a few of the wines enough to purchase several bottles, so it’ll be fun to enjoy them in the next few months and remember our perfect day trip to Spencer!

If you are in the mood for a fun and relaxing day trip from the Indianapolis area, I can’t recommend checking out Owen County enough. This county has the perfect mix of outdoor fun thanks to McCormick’s Creek State Park, delicious food and enjoyable wine. Definitely a winner!

McCormick’s Creek State Park, 250 McCormick’s Creek Park Road (812) 829-2235

Civilian Brewing Corps, 14 N. Washington St. 812.652.5072

Main Street Coffee, 1 N. Main, (812) 821-6169

Owen Valley Winery 491 Timber Ridge Rd. 812.828.0883

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I may be Traveling Tanya, but I also enjoy staying close to home. Especially in the fall. I think one of the thing best things about living in the Midwest is FALL! 

Temperatures cool down. We break out our comfy sweatshirts and favorite jeans. Everything comes in a pumpkin-spiced variety. And there are tons of fun activities to enjoy before the inevitable hibernation of winter begins.

Fall is the perfect time for a day trip in Indiana. Even if you don’t have a ton of time, you can still enjoy the short escape of a day trip.

These are my top 5 Fabulously Fun Fall Day Trip Ideas! Complete with my recommendations for where to experience some seasonal fun in Indiana.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch or Apple Orchard

Hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin picking, apple cider, farm animals. Kids of all ages as well as adults will find plenty of fall fun at a pumpkin patch or apple orchard.

Check google, the local town newspaper, or your tourism board to find plenty of pumpkin patches or apple orchards that seem to have sprung up overnight. (Trust me, they have been working hard for several months as they look forward to their fall festivities!)

Indiana Recommendation:

Indiana has tons of pumpkin patches and orchards to choose from, but one of my favorites is Beasley’s Orchard in Danville. They sell plenty of fall fruits and veggies in their Farm Market all season long and they host the Heartland Apple Festival every October.  I’ll admit to getting lost in the gigantic corn maze a few years ago!

Go Hiking

A great way to enjoy the glorious beauty of fall is on a hike in nature. See the beautiful red, yellow, and orange leaves as they gracefully fall from the trees.  Hear the crunch of the brittle leaves under your feet. Feel the crisp fall air on your face.

Find a new park or trail and make a day of it with a picnic. And don’t forget the apple cider for a refreshing fall drink. If you are not up for hiking, a long drive through a wooded area with the windows down will also do the trick!

Indiana Recommendation: 

Indiana is fortunate to have some amazing state parks with hiking trails suitable for all skill levels.  Turkey Run State Park is just one of our favorites, and fall is the perfect time to explore all it has to offer.

Enjoy a Wine Tasting Tour

This one is just for the adults! I’m not sure there is a season when wine tasting isn’t a good idea. But something about the fall weather just brings out the aroma and woody taste of a good red wine. And who doesn’t love some mulled wine around a bonfire as the weather chills?

Look for a wine trail in your area or create your own.  Google wineries in your state and select 3 or 4 that are about 20-30 minutes apart. Grab your significant other or a few friends and hit the road. Be sure to select a designated driver or have Uber on standby, and let the wine tasting begin!

Indiana Recommendation:

There are so many amazing wineries in Indiana, and I haven’t even tried them all yet!  A few of my favorites include:

• Oliver Winery in Bloomington
• Hooker Corner Winery in Pine Village
• Easley Winery in Indianapolis
• Cedar Creek Winery, Distillery, and Brewery in Martinsville
• Fruit Hills Winery in Bristol
• Mallow Run Winery in Bargersville
• Blackhawk Winery in Sheridan

Don’t forget to also check out this post on the Wineries of Hamilton County for more wine tasting fun!

Check out a Fall Festival

Festivals abound in the Midwest in fall.  You can find a festival celebrating just about anything, including maple syrup, cranberries, popcorn, James Dean, Oktoberfest, Italy, and the War of 1812…just to name a few!

Festivals are a great way to learn about a local culture and meet people who love their town. You can also try some new cuisine, shop for crafty creations, and keep the kids entertained all day long.

For help in finding the perfect festival for you, check out this post: Find a Fall Festival

Indiana Recommendation: 

You can find a festival (or 3!) in Indiana just about any weekend in the fall.  One of the most well-known is the Covered Bridge Festival, which takes place across 9 communities in southern Indiana’s Parke County. The festival celebrates the county’s 31 covered bridges and welcomes over 2 million people each year!

Take in a Football Game and do some Tailgaiting

Fall is synonymous with Football in the Midwest. If your city has an NFL team, enjoy a day taking in all the football hoopla. Or enjoy a long standing rivalry among two big Universities in your home state.

Just as much fun and quite a bit less expensive, you can experience Friday night lights at a local high school or even a pee-wee football league. Don’t worry if you don’t know anyone on the team. Just head to a neighboring town, pick a team to root for, and cheer your heart out!

Whichever age range of football you choose to watch, make it even more fun with a pre-game tailgate. Burgers and hotdogs, buffalo chicken dip, pizza or subs.  So many options! YUM!!

Indiana Recommendation:

I don’t know any rivalry bigger than Indiana University and Purdue University. The series includes 74 wins for Purdue, 41 wins for IU and 6 ties.  Since 1925 these two schools have battled on the football field to claim the coveted Old Oaken Bucket Trophy. If you see Traveling Tanya on the sidelines you can bet I’ll be in gold and black supporting my alma mater. Go Boilers!

Looking for that perfect place to eat when visiting Purdue? Hit one of the Best Places to Eat Near Purdue University

Looking for some more fun fall ideas? Check out my post on Five Fun Fall Adventures in Hamilton County and my post on Mompreneurs on 3 Don’t Miss Fall Events near Indy.

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While searching on TripAdvisor for attractions in Clinton County, I stumbled across a beautifully restored covered bridge. As I love looking for covered bridges, I figured I’d start the day there as it was the furthest point from home and work my way back. Well, not only did I not find the bridge, but I also found myself on several gravel roads in the middle of cornfields. Welcome to rural Indiana I guess.

With plenty of time left to explore Clinton County, I eventually gave up and headed back to Frankfort, IN. Things began to look up immediately.

Frankfort has a zoo?

Well, a petting zoo. Still, not something you find often in small Indiana towns. TPA Park includes a cute little petting zoo and aviary with llamas, pigs, peacocks, goats, and many other animals and birds. It is only open on the weekends once school starts, but I was still able to see the animals wandering around. Several locals were sitting on benches enjoying their lunch break and watching the animals as it was such a lovely day.

TPA Park also has a fun playground, plenty of space to walk, and a very interesting log cabin. It was built in 1859 and was the original home of the Gettingsville Telephone Company. It was moved to the park in 1933. I love stumbling across interesting historical buildings like this. They were also setting up lights across several of the roads in preparation for the holiday season. In past years, they’ve had over a million lights at this park – we might have to head back in a few months one evening to check it out!

After walking around the park a bit and soaking up the gorgeous fall weather, I headed downtown.

Downtown Frankfort Fun

Downtown Frankfort is set up like most typical Indiana towns with a large courthouse in the center of a square. Luckily, the town of Frankfort appears to be doing well. There were a handful of interesting boutiques to shop as well as some delicious restaurants. I also noticed a coffee shop coming soon and a corner building that had been revitalized into downtown lofts.

After poking around the boutiques (and picking up a very cute bracelet), I had to decide where to have lunch. Growing up in West Lafayette, IN, there are several local chains that I love, and Frankfort had THREE of them right there on the square. So I had to pick between Arni’s, Greek’s and Pepe’s. Very tough choice for me. Since I had enjoyed Greek’s a few weeks ago when visiting Boone County, I opted for Pepe’s. Part of the draw was the beautifully restored building with an open garage door leading to outdoor seating. I was able to sit right inside with an open-air view of the courthouse.

Pepe’s is actually a small chain out of Chicago, and as the name implies, it’s Mexican food. It is definitely a different kind of Mexican than you’ll find in your standard Mexican-American places and definitely not TexMex. Since I grew up eating it, it holds a lot of fond memories for me. Plus, I couldn’t beat the $5.99 lunch special. Just look at all the food! More than half of it came home with me.

On my way home, I made two more stops. One was at the local ice cream stand (I ALWAYS check these out) for a small dish of peach sherbet. The second was at Shoup’s. Shoup’s is a local family-owned business that creates amazing sauces and seasonings. Their traditional Shoup’s seasoning is my absolute favorite flavoring for pork tenderloin. The shop also had a wide variety of Midwest made products and I picked up a few tasty-sounding treats to enjoy at home.

What a fun outing in Frankfort. In addition to what I found, Frankfort hosts several festivals each year, the biggest being the Hot Dog Festival. If you love hot dogs or just unique festivals, I suspect you’d want to put this one on your list of must-dos. In addition to hot dogs, they have live music, vendors and all kinds of family fun. It’s held the last full weekend of July. Why a hot dog festival? Because the Frankfort Schools mascot is the Hot Dog. Seriously. Only in Indiana!

TPA Park, 1 Adrian Marks Drive; (765) 659-3422

Pepe’s, 59 E. Clinton; (765) 654-9654

Shoup’s, 2048 South State Road 39; 765.654.6071

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Things to do with TripAdvisor

The site I ALWAYS start with is TripAdvisor. Although I do most of my TripAdvisor research on my computer, when I’m on the road, I’ll use the TripAdvisor app to help me with directions, ideas, etc. I open it up, type in the city where I’m interested in going and start digging. I’ll check out top attractions first which will give me a list of the top things to do in the area. Then I can click on the individual attractions that look interesting to me. It’s also easy to narrow down your search by selecting categories such as “Nature & Parks”, “Museums”, etc. We like a wide variety of activities, so I rarely go into specific categories, but if you were researching a very large city or for a specific type of event it would be very useful.

Once I find things I’m interested in, I will tag them (click on the little heart on the picture), create a trip with the name of that city and add them to that group. Then, later when I’m ready to visit, I can just pull up that trip (click on trips on the top menu bar on your computer or the bottom menu bar on the app) and see exactly what I tagged. I’ll also use the map view to see if there is anything nearby that I’d like to check out. If so, I tag it and add it to that trip.

I find that there aren’t as many reviews on TripAdvisor for smaller locations, so when that’s the case, I make sure to read the reviews that are posted to see exactly what they say. I’ll also check the date of the last review to ensure that it’s fairly recent.

The only downside of TripAdvisor is that it can become quite a rabbit hole if you love research as much as I do. So I try to limit myself to checking out one city or area at a time. Otherwise, before I know it, it’s the end of the day and I’m now researching a trip I’ve thought about taking someday, but not the one I started planning!

Finding Food with Yelp

Once I’ve nailed down the types of things we are going to do with TripAdvisor, I head over to my all-time favorite app, Yelp. I can’t tell you how many amazing restaurants we’ve found through the years thanks to Yelp. Although I do a quick check on Yelp for things to do in the area we are visiting, I mostly concentrate on restaurants.

Since we love trying new foods and going out to eat when we are off on a vacation or even just a day trip, Yelp is my best friend. I open up the app, type in “restaurants” and then below that the name of the city to see what pops up. Sometimes I’ll do a pre-visit check for fun and to narrow down a list of possibilities, but more often I use Yelp on the fly.

If it’s a small town we are visiting, I use the map view to see what’s located closet to the town. This view is also extremely helpful when we are on a road trip and looking for a place to eat along the way.

We try to stick to restaurants that have 4.5 to 5 stars with a decent number of reviews. If none of those are available, we’ll move to a 4-star choice. It’s so important when using Yelp to look at how many reviews a place has as well as the content of some of the best and some of the worst reviews. If a place is 4.5 stars with several hundred reviews, I’ll feel more confident of it than if it’s 5 stars with 3 reviews. Sometimes you’ll find that the bad reviews are related to something you don’t care about (a particular ambiance, type of cuisine, location, etc.) or the reviewer is pickier than you might be. When you look at the reviews, you can also see how many reviews the reviewer has done as well as if they are “rated” by Yelp. This can help you determine the legitimacy of the review.

Personally I love an in-depth review and if it contains pictures, even better! In addition to looking up reviews, I always leave a review for our favorite places – it’s helped me share great restaurants and find them again if we return to an area a few years later.

It’s also smart to take a moment and open up the restaurant’s website to peek at the menu. This way you won’t end up with sticker shock and/or a menu no one is interested in trying.

Play Around a Bit on Pinterest

Finally, if you have extra time, head over to Pinterest and type in the city name of the place you are planning on visiting. If someone has done a blog post on the area, you can get some really interesting information about where you are headed, potential ideas for unique things to do, and often an “insiders” viewpoint.

Pinterest is especially useful if you are heading to a frequently visited vacation spot. For instance, there are literally thousands of pins that link to blog posts on Disney, but for smaller areas, you’ll probably only find a few relevant pins.

If you decide to use Pinterest to search, I’d suggest setting a timer – otherwise, you’ll definitely end up spending more time that you want to reading blog posts – and probably get off on some weird tangent that has nothing to do with travel. Just speaking from experience here …

Have any other travel review sites you swear by? I’d love to hear about them, so please share in the comments.

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