Mainstream Adventures

West Lake Park Beach will reopen this summer after being closed the last few seasons. The reopening comes with some exciting news, the beach is getting a much needed make over! West Lake Park is located at 14910-110th Avenue in Davenport, Iowa. For more information, click here.

West Lake Park is a 620 acre facility offering four lakes for fishing and/or swimming. A boat dock, parking lot, handicap fishing dock, beach area, and paddle boat rentals are available for the water enthusiast.

For the landlubbers – the park offers picnic facilities, playground areas, modern restrooms and two campground areas with electrical, water, and/or sewer hook-ups. Both camping areas have handicap accessible comfort stations.

West Lake Park Beach is expected to reopen Memorial Day Weekend of 2023. The  reopening is the end of a multi year restoration project. The inflatable water-park is made up of two large floating playgrounds. These structures can hold up to 40 kids at a time!

Picture for illustrative purposes only.

As mentioned above there are two campgrounds at West Lake Park. The Park Terrace Campground is open year-round during seasonal park hours. The Summit Campground is open mid April to mid October (weather dependent). Amenities and water are available when campground is open.

West Lake Park is a popular destination for its wide variety of attractions, the park has four lakes, two campgrounds, cabin rentals, kayaking, fishing, a beautiful beach, hiking trails, a playground and more. Its also located just a short drive from Davenport Iowa or Wildcat Den State Park. Wildcat Den has some of the best hiking in the state, and a gorgeous Grist Mill.

For more great campgrounds and lodging options in Iowa, click here. For the best parks and Amazing Locations in Iowa, click here. For a listing of nearby family activities, click here.

Located on the side of Lookout Mountain, just minutes away from downtown Chattanooga, Treetop Hideaways is a boutique treehouse hotel, providing a nostalgic experience resting comfortably in the treetops. The old growth forest on the side of Lookout Mountain just below Rock City Gardens provides visitors with the beauty of nature and a quick drive to any of the nearby attractions. The owner’s desire is that you leave feeling rested, renewed, and energized. Treetop Hideaways is located at 576 Chattanooga Valley Rd, in Flintstone, Georgia. For more information, or to check prices and availability, click here.

From luxurious to rustic, Treetop Hideaways has a treehouse for any occasion.  Who said treehouses are only for children? We believe treehouses can be prefect for grownups too! They built two treehouses to get started, ranging from a luxurious spa in the sky to a reclaimed rustic-style haven!

The Elements Treehouse is one of the most luxurious treehouses out there, complete with heated floors, and a walk-in rain-head shower with a glassed in tree growing through it!

The Luna Loft Treehouse was built with care in an old fashioned barn-raising style. Every part of this treehouse has a story, like the reclaimed 1860’s barn wood, the impressive 16′ tall windows from an old warehouse, and the penny floor in the bathroom.

Five to thirty minutes in any direction you can rock climb, hike, kayak, paddleboard, bicycle, explore caves, enjoy five star cuisine, tour museums and galleries, see national and local bands perform live, find artisan goods or shop major brands like J.Crew and Anthropologie, sip cocktails by expert mixologists, or enjoy a locally made craft beer or whiskey. Treetop Hideaways’ hosts are more than happy to share their favorite destinations as you plan your upcoming adventure. Outside Magazine recently recognized Chattanooga as the nation’s “Best Town Ever”, alongside many other publications praising the region’s recent cultural renaissance.

For more of the best lodging and campgrounds in the area, click here. For the best parks and Amazing locations, click here. For the best family activities in Georgia, click here.

Experience a Smoky Mountains vacation at Sun Outdoors Pigeon Forge with amazing amenities that create the perfect recipe for a fun family getaway. 1004 Parkway, in Sevierville, Tennessee. For more information, or to make a reservation visit their website by clicking here.

Enjoy gorgeous scenery with warm Southern hospitality for a great family vacation at one of the best resorts in the Pigeon Forge area. The campground offers numerous ways to stay including multiple RV sites and a variety of cabins and cottages as well.

Get an adrenaline rush at the aerial adventure park or have some fun in the sun at the swimming pool complex that includes a pool, splash pad, and lazy river. There are also plenty of other outdoor activities, plus a bark park for your four-legged family members.

Sun Outdoors Pigeon Forge offers an outstanding location near exciting local attractions and wonderful accommodations and amenities to complete your getaway to the great outdoors. Enjoy an exciting day at the aerial adventure park, offering five zip lines and 56 obstacle courses. Cool off on a hot summer day in our swimming pool with a lazy river and splash pad. Play a game of basketball, let the kids enjoy the playground, or let your pooch roam in the fenced-in bark park.

Sun Outdoors Pigeon Forge offers an enhanced camping experience in the Great Smoky Mountains. Purchase add-ons to the Aerial Adventure Park at checkout to test out your skills. Relax and take a dip in the pool, play basketball with the kids, or float by the lazy river.

The campground also hosts several themed events each year. Including: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, and 4th of July! This is in addition to the lazy river, the splash pad, the aerial park, and the swimming pool. There is so much to do you can plan your entire vacation right here at the campground.

For more great lodging options and campgrounds in Tennessee, click here. For the best family activities in the area, click here. For the best parks and amazing locations in Tennessee, click here.

The Shedd Aquarium has been around for a long time serving the Chicagoland area since the 1930’s. I remember visiting back in the 1980’s and being so impressed with everything. Now in 2023 a lot has changed, but the Shedd Aquarium continues to be a family favorite.

The Shedd Aquarium is an Illinois ICON and is located at 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, click here. This is a perfect place for adventure, and is a popular destination during the cold winter months.

Closing in on 100 years old, the Shedd Aquarium is still year after year one of Chicago’s most popular attractions. The Shedd’s appeal is due to several things. Children of all ages will marvel over the world class exhibits on display! Pictures used in this article are owned by The Shedd Aquarium.

Each exhibit leads visitors through all the worlds different ecosystems. You can expect to see creatures and habitats from all over the globe. The aquarium even features local exhibits from the Great Lakes and other Midwest Rivers.

One program I thought was really cool, was the Asleep With The Fishies‘ experience. This interactive program allows families to spend the night in the aquarium! This fun experience gives kids a chance to see marine life like never before and is much cheaper than most Chicago Hotels.

Another fun experience is the Beluga Encounter, this program allows guests to meet the belugas where they live! Standing side by side with a trainer on an underwater ledge, in this 75 minute experience you’ll step into chest-deep water and come face to face with a beluga whale.

For more great family activities in Illinois, click here. For the best nearby lodging and campgrounds, click here. For the best parks and Amazing Locations in Illinois, click here.

There is an amazing creek-side tee-pee village, that is almost to beautiful for words! Geronimo Creek Retreat is located at 2050 Laubach Road, in Seguin, Texas. Right along the gorgeous Geronimo Creek. To check prices and availability, click here.

Whether you are looking for a couples or friends getaway or a family vacation Geronimo Creek Retreat has a perfect Tee-Pee for you! Each Tee-Pee is secluded and private and sits along a beautiful Creekside Oasis.

Each Creekside Tee-Pee comfortably sleeps up to 6 guests, has a Kitchenette: Mini Frig, Microwave, 12 Cup Coffee Pot, Blender, Portable Electric Cook Top with Pots & Pans, WiFi, Smart TVs, Large Deck. All Tee-Pees have Spacious Outdoor cooking and Entertainment area with Personal Charcoal BBQ pit, Firepit, Hammock, Picnic Table, and Chairs. There is even a Private Detached Restroom.

Guests at the property can enjoy numerous activities, including: swimming, kayaking, paddle boards, a rope swing, fishing, a huge game room, and your own fire-pit and sitting area. There is also a hot-tub onsite!

This is an incredible area to relax and enjoy yourself. A true paradise, in every sense of the word. The Tee-Pees are Insulated & Temperature Controlled for year round Comfort!

For more great lodging and campground options in Texas, click here. For the best parks and Amazing Locations in the area, click here. For nearby family activities, click here.

There is an amazing creek-side cabin rental resort, that is almost to beautiful for words! Geronimo Creek Retreat is located at 2050 Laubach Road, in Seguin, Texas. Right along the gorgeous Geronimo Creek. To check prices and availability, click here.

Whether you are looking for a couples or friends getaway or a family vacation Geronimo Creek Retreat has a perfect cabin rental for you! Each cabin is secluded and private and sits along a beautiful Creekside Oasis.

Geronimo Creek Retreat has 10 different glamping cabins to choose from! Each Cabin can comfortably accommodate up to 5 adults. All units are temperature controlled and are available year round. Cabins come with a kitchenette, WIFI, Smart TVs, a large private porch. All cabins have their own Fire Pits, BBQ Pit, Hammock, Picnic Table, and Seating down below.

Guests at the property can enjoy numerous activities, including: swimming, kayaking, paddle boards, a rope swing, fishing, a huge game room, and your own fire-pit and sitting area. There is also a large hot-tub onsite!

Down below each Glamping Cabin is a personal charcoal bbq pit, fire pit, picnic table, riverside hammock, and comfortable seating area. This is an incredible area to relax and enjoy yourself. A true paradise, in every sense of the word.

For more great lodging and campground options in Texas, click here. For the best parks and Amazing Locations in the area, click here. For nearby family activities, click here.

Barney Creek Retreat offers pet friendly glamping next to next to the Mark Twain National Forest. Two Unique glamping yurts nestled 3/4 of a mile off the road on private property, next to the Mark Twain National Forest. Located 18 miles outside of Salem, Missouri, in the beautiful Ozark Mountains! For more information, or to check availability, click here.

Pet friendly glamping in 1 of 2 private yurts next to the Mark Twain National Forest, is the perfect place to escape! Relax to all the sounds of nature the Mark Twain National Forest has to offer. Take in the stunning 360° views & peaceful surroundings from the 30’X30′ wraparound deck!

Spend your days hiking, kayaking, & all the things the area has to offer & your evenings around the campfire, watching the sunset & star gazing. If you love camping & modern amenities, you will love this place.

These glamping units are located close to local attractions such as Montauk State Park, Current River, Rocky Falls, Johnson Shut-ins, Elephant Rock, Meramec Caverns, Trail of Tears, or Bonne Terre Mines to name a few.

For more nearby lodging options, click here. For a list of Missouri’s best parks and locations, click here. For a list of nearby family activities, click here.

Bond Falls is a scenic and popular waterfall in southern Ontonagon County, Michigan. The falls are created as the middle branch of the Ontonagon River tumbles over a thick belt of fractured rock, dividing it into numerous small cascades. Bond Falls Scenic Site is located on Bond Falls Road in Paulding Michigan. For more information, click here.

Total drop of the falls is approximately 50 feet. An accessible boardwalk with six viewing locations, roadside parking and picnic tables are available.

Depending on weather conditions, the site is typically open for vehicle access mid-May through mid-October. Access via the hiking trail is open year-round; however, trails and boardwalks are not monitored or groomed for snow and ice.

The campground and lands at Bond Falls Flowage are administered for recreational use by Upper Peninsula Power Company.

The boardwalk trail is completely handicap accessible. Pictures used in this article are the property of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

For more of the best parks and Amazing Locations in Michigan, click here. For the best nearby lodging and campgrounds, click here. For a listing of family activities, click here.

Wilderness State Park, located near Mackinaw City, is home to 26 miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline, a vast trail system and unique camping opportunities. Wilderness State Park address is 903 Wilderness Park Drive in Carp Lake Michigan. For more information, click here.

Wilderness State Park has 20-plus miles of trails, a designated swimming and pet-friendly beach and unique camping opportunities.

The park is also a designated dark sky preserve offering stellar views of the sky and is just 9 miles from Headlands Dark Sky Park. Pictures used in this article are owned by the Michigan Parks Service.

From some areas of the park, you can see the 170-year-old Waugoshance Lighthouse (looking west) near the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge (looking east).

The terrain is a mixture of dense coniferous forest and mature hardwood forest, with pockets of open meadows and carpets of wildflowers in the spring. There is an abundance of small ponds mixed in with coniferous wetlands. Please pay attention to trail signage and carry a map.

The park has 11 different named trails, and several different ways to stay including hike in cabin and campsites! You can also enjoy 26 miles of sandy shoreline stretching along Lake Michigan, including Temperance and Waugoshance islands located off the tip of Waugoshance Point.

There is a designated swim area near the picnic area (just east of the headquarters building) that includes an accessible parking area, vault toilet and walkway to the water. An additional designated swim area is found in the modern campground’s west loop. A beach wheelchair is available to borrow from the campground host (campsite #416). Wilderness State Park, located just 11 miles west of Mackinaw City Michigan, is home to 26 miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline.

For more of the best parks and Amazing Locations in Michigan, click here. For the best nearby lodging and campgrounds, click here. For a listing of family activities, click here.

Warren Dunes State Park provides 1,952 acres of recreational opportunities along the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan. This state park is located at 12032 Red Arrow Highway, in Sawyer, Michigan. For more information, click here.

The park is known for its rugged dune formation, rising 260 feet above the lake, offers spectacular views and is excellent for hang gliding (permit is required). Warren Dunes State Park is home to 3 miles of shoreline, 6 miles of hiking trails and two popular campgrounds.

Warren Dunes State Park is known as the unofficial gateway to Michigan’s state park system from the west, the park is home to an extensive network of richly forested dunes, large open dunes and interdunal wetlands. It also features significant bird diversity because it is a stopover location on a bird migration route.

During the summer months there is a designated swim area is located along the day-use area on Lake Michigan. There are three 100-foot, accessible walkways between the day-use sidewalk and the water. There are also two beach/aqua wheelchairs available to borrow at the ranger station.

Third Coast Surf rents stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and paddleboats at the north end of beach parking lot 2. Open Monday-Friday 1 to 6 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday noon to 6 p.m., mid-May through Labor Day. During the summer there are food trucks located in the beach parking lot. If you are interested in camping there are 4 different campgrounds around the park.

For more of the best parks and Amazing Locations in Michigan, click here. For the best nearby lodging and campgrounds, click here. For a listing of family activities, click here.