If you’re planning to fly to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh – which runs July 24-30 this year – we’ve rounded up three suggestions of destinations to explore on your way to or from Wisconsin. Whatever direction you’re traveling, consider diverting to one of these worthy stops.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Visitors come to the largest city in a state nicknamed “Land of 10,000 Lakes” for easy access to those famous bodies of water (there are actually 11,842 according to state officials) while also enjoying the mix of arts, culture, sports, entertainment and dining that the city of nearly 4 million offers. Minneapolis has 180 parks, 22 lakes, 12 gardens and seven golf courses within city limits, plus the Mississippi River. Outfitters make it easy to bicycle or kayak around the area.
Outdoor highlights include the St. Anthony Falls, the only natural waterfall on the Mississippi River’s 2,300-plus miles from Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to the Gulf of Mexico; the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi River; and the more than 40 artworks in the 11-acre Minneapolis Sculpture Garden outside the Walker Art Center.
If you’re looking for cooler indoor activities, there are more than 50 museums. Music fans will want to explore Paisley Park, the private estate, studio and creative sanctuary for the late artist Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson in 1958 in Minneapolis. Aviation museums in the area include the Minnesota Air Guard Museum and the Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing Museum.
Check the Minnesota Twins schedule for a game at Target Field or opt for a tour of the $545 million ballpark that opened in 2010 and has been rated a Top 10 Major League Baseball Stadium Experience by ESPN the Magazine. Or visit the St. Paul Saints, the Triple-A affiliate of the Twins.
Aviation enthusiasts shouldn’t miss staying at Rand Tower Hotel, which opened in late 2020 in one of Minneapolis’ oldest skyscrapers. The 262-room hotel is part of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio of independent hotels and has an aviation theme honoring Rufus R. Rand Jr., who commissioned the building that was completed in 1929 and integrated his love of aviation into the building’s exterior and interior design. Rand’s obituary, published in The New York Times in October 1971, said he was the last surviving member of the Lafayette Escadrille, a group of volunteer American aviators who formed a separate fighting unit in France’s air force in 1916 before the U.S. entered the war.
Plan your trip: Minneapolis.org
Quad Cities, Iowa/Illinois
The Quad Cities region, a collection of communities straddling the Mississippi River and the Iowa/Illinois state border, has an interesting array of attractions that are easily drivable once on the ground. Catch minor league baseball at Modern Woodmen Park, home of the Quad Cities River Bandits; see impressive collections of Haitian, Colonial Mexican and Midwestern artworks at the Figge Art Museum; visit the Mississippi River Visitors Center, home to the largest roller dam in the world; and explore the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, the Army’s second oldest museum (the museum is on the 946-acre Rock Island Arsenal, an active U.S. Army facility, so plan ahead for access).
The main cities are considered Rock Island and Moline in Illinois and Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, though you’ll likely find yourself in some of the other 15 surrounding smaller towns. If you’re a fan of the History Channel’s “American Pickers,” don’t miss a detour to LeClaire, Iowa, to see Antique Archaeology, the store that Iowa native Mike Wolfe opened a decade before television viewers got to know him. LeClaire is considered the home base for the show, the 24th season of which aired this spring.
Also in LeClaire, history and aviation buffs will want to visit the Buffalo Bill Museum. Infamous frontiersman and showman William “Buffalo Bill” Cody was born in LeClaire in 1846 and despite its name, the museum covers wide-ranging local history. That includes an exhibit with original artifacts on James J. Ryan II, the man credited with patenting the first U.S. design for a flight data recorder, or black box.
Another interesting aviation connection hangs in the atrium at Quad Cities International Airport (KMLI): a restored 1928 Velie Monocoupe. A Davenport-based company operated by John Deere descendants first purchased a company that developed airplane motors and eventually bought the company that had been manufacturing the Monocoupe.
It’s hard to miss the influences of John Deere in this area – both the blacksmith who developed the first commercially successful, self-scouring steel plow in 1837 and the company he started and moved to Moline in 1848 for river and railroad access. Deere & Co. still has its world headquarters in Moline; visitors can see and climb in new and vintage equipment while learning more about the company history and evolution through interactive and immersive exhibits at the free John Deere Pavilion.
Plan your trip: VisitQuadCities.com
Grand Rapids, Michigan
The namesake rapids are no longer flowing in the portion of the Grand River that runs through the state’s second largest city, but Grand Rapids offers plenty of other activities to keep you busy, especially if you’re interested in history, art or craft beer.
The city’s most visited museum is the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, which takes you through the life of the 38th U.S. president from moving to Grand Rapids as an infant to practicing law there and becoming president when Richard Nixon resigned in August 1974. Also downtown on the west bank of the river, visit the Grand Rapids Public Museum to see historic and cultural regional artifacts on display, including iconic furniture pieces showcasing the city’s history in designing and manufacturing residential and commercial furniture as well as a 1931 Driggs Skylark biplane said to be the last remaining of 21 produced.
Six miles east of downtown, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a 158-acre campus with indoor and outdoor themed gardens, a five-story tropical conservatory and a permanent collection of nearly 300 sculptures that includes major works by artists such as Edgar Degas and Ai Weiwei. It is among the world’s 100 most-visited art museums.
You can’t come to Grand Rapids without exploring why it’s nicknamed Beer City USA. Sip your way through the self-guided Beer City Ale Trail, which includes more than 40 craft breweries within a 30-minute drive, or take an organized tour by trolley or bicycle. There are options for other craft beverages, including non-alcoholic options, and the city has great food options to pair with its drinks.
Plan your trip: ExperienceGR.com