If you are as old as me, you will remember the commercial, "Ho, Ho, Ho...Green Giant!" That…read morecommercial worked on me as a kid, I used to beg my mom to buy Green Giant Vegetables. To assure my consumption, my mother always showed me the Green Giant label when she was cooking. It opened my world to vegetables! Today, I actually collect Green Giant ads and other paraphernalia as part of my pop icon collection. You will see some of my ads in the photos and also some photos of my visit to the Land of Giants several years ago.

Stopping in Blue Earth feels like wandering into an old time tv commercial with a sense of humor…read more The Jolly Green Giant stands tall and watchful, a quirky landmark that manages to be both kitschy and oddly comforting. What makes the park especially memorable is its musical instrument park--a pocket of creativity where kids and adults alike can strike giant chimes, tap on outdoor drums, and strum oversized metal harps. It's playful enough to bring out anyone's inner child, yet beautiful in a way that makes you want to linger. And yes, travelers rejoice: there are clean, well-kept bathrooms nearby, the kind you'd actually recommend to fellow road-trippers. That, combined with the friendliness of the place, makes Green Earth not just a stopover but a small adventure--quirky enough to be fun, wholesome enough to restore a little faith in community.

We rented the Red Rock Center for the Arts, in Fairmont, Minnesota, for my daughters graduation…read moreparty. The staff were 100% professional, and 100% helpful. The venue was amazing and beautiful!!!

Beautifully restored historic building dedicated to the arts. Always clean and very well kept…read more Great variety of musical performances, an ever changing art exhibits, and art classes for adults and youth. The facility is also available to rent -- great for receptions, reunions, graduations, anniversary birthday and more. The lower level conference room is perfect for small gatherings and meeting.

This is the Emmet County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa counties is…read moresomething my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county... A lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up! When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

This is the Palo Alto County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa…read morecounties is something my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county, but a lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up. When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

This is the Clay County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa counties is…read moresomething my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county... A lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up! When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

This is the Dickinson County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa…read morecounties is something my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county... A lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up! When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

Dickinson County, the smallest Iowa county in land area, is named in honor of Daniel S. Dickinson,…read morea lawyer and senator from New York. Starting with Rowland Gardner, this area was first settled in 1856. The first courthouse was partially completed in 1860. At that point it was used as a barracks for Civil War troops, was completed in 1868, and destroyed by fire 1872. A second courthouse was constructed using the salvageable bricks of the first courthouse. However, it was soon deemed unsatisfactory and condemned in 1880. In September 1889 a $15,000 bond issue was passed for the construction of a 3rd courthouse that was completed in 1891. This Courthouse (including the 1957, 1976, and 1978 additions) was the one I saw when I was growing up at the Lake and coming back during my College summers. But all good things must come to an end, as and old and tired Courthouse III was eventually condemned. Courthouse IV is now just a few years old and during our last trip to Spirit Lake, Gayle and I walked from the Cabin to take a look. Actually the Building itself was closed, so we admired the Veteran's Plaza that honors those who served (and returned) and the others who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Country. There's also a Tower in front of the Main Building which honors the previous 3 Courthouses, and features an interior that tastefully provides Lakes Area information for visitors. It's a beauty of a place and Gayle and I were both impressed. Later on we obtained a booklet commemorating the grand opening of the new Courthouse. We'll be back to finish our tour with an interior walk. Now if the good folks in Spirit Lake could work on restoring that lovely old Carnegie Library across the Street?

This is the Kossuth County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa counties…read moreis something my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county... A lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up! When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

This is the Humbolt County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa counties…read moreis something my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county, but a lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up. When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

Pleasantly surprised! This self-guided tour made our pit stop well worth the trip! The amount of…read moreartifacts and historical items blew my mind. They literally created a village which was able to take us back in time. The $6 for adults was well worth the price. The volunteers were friendly and informative. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend you stop by.

What a delightful Village, showing life on the prairie. So many events there on 4th of July…read more Wonderful! I will go back.