Midwest

Pine Country, Belvidere, Illinois

Come out to Pine Lakes the weekend of June 13-15 and enjoy some good old-fashioned fun and competition as the preserve hosts their own Soap Box Derby. Get in on the competition or simply enjoy the races as a spectator.

Horseshoe Lakes, Clinton, Indiana

You’ll need at least a week to get familiar with the 11 lakes onsite at Horseshoe Lakes. Explore all 11 or find your favorite and drop a line. The lakes at Horseshoe are known for bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill. When you’re done with the fish, take a hike, play a round of mini-golf or a friendly game of horseshoes.

Bear Cave, Buchanan, Michigan

Take a trip to nearby Bridgman when staying at Bear Cave and pick your own blueberries at one of several u-pick-em farms in the area. To find a location that works for you, visit www.pickyourown.org. Onsite, it’s all about the cavern where you can see beautiful stalactites and petrified leaves in the only one of its kind in the Great Lakes area.

Tranquil Timbers, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Explore Door County and learn all about the world of pirates at the “Pirates – Ship to Shore” exhibit at the Door County Maritime Museum. This ongoing exhibit explores the life and times of the buccaneers and scalawags that roamed the east coast of North America and the Caribbean Sea during the golden age of piracy. Tranquil Timbers is located right in Sturgeon Bay – and instead of walking the plank, walk the beautiful wooded trails of adjacent Potawatomi State Park.

The museum exhibit runs through December 2014. Call 920.743.5958 for information.