Disney on Ice’s “Magic in the Stars” is a Stunning Celebration of 100 Years (Review)
If you’ve seen a Disney on Ice show before, you know it will be magical. But Disney On Ice’s “Magic in the Stars” show tops them all with special effects, acrobatics, audience interaction, stunts and so much more.
Our family was invited by Disney on Ice to see their “Magic in the Stars” show in Minneapolis and we were wowed – including my teenagers who have seen many Disney on Ice shows growing up.
Minnesota Children’s Museum: Wild Kratts: Creature Power! (Ticket Giveaway)
Wild Kratts®: Creature Power!® is open at the Minnesota Children’s Museum!
It’s open now through May 12th, 2024. It’s on the fourth floor and it is super popular.
It’s not the first time it’s been at the Minnesota Children’s Museum but was so fun they had to bring it back!
This exhibit is an interactive, hands-on experience that brings Wild Kratts to life! Learn about animal habitats and animals within them, and complete missions and challenges.
We visited on a Saturday and it was super busy. The museum was packed! But kids were thrilled about all the fun things they could do and explore.
Wild Kratts Exhibit
When you first walk in you see the Tortuga, which is home base of the Wild Kratts crew and is how they get around. It also looks like a turtle! It has all the crew’s supplies too.
Kids can explore it and even play “drive” it.
6 Reasons Gulf Shores, Alabama is the Perfect Honeymoon Destination
My husband Marc and I had the most amazing honeymoon in Gulf Shores, Alabama!
If you’re looking for a place for a honeymoon, or any romantic getaway, Gulf Shores is the perfect destination for anyone wanting white sand beaches, pink sunsets, and palm trees, and is less expensive than many other similar destinations. It has so much to offer everyone!
How did we choose Gulf Shores?
Marc and I were married in August 2023 here in Minnesota. We knew we wanted a honeymoon somewhere warm, and we had heard about Gulf Shores from some friends who visited there regularly. It looked perfect for us, but we decided to wait until January, when Minnesota is its coldest. Temperatures are in the 50s and 60s in Gulf Shores at this time of year, but average in the warm 80s in the summer, so it’s ideal year-round. The beaches and the views are breathtaking, it was romantic in so many ways, and it was everything we expected it to be. Though this was our first visit, we knew it was going to be our “hidden gem” budget-friendly getaway.
“The Carp Who Would Not Quit” at Children’s Theatre Company is Imaginative Fun
The Children’s Theatre Company never disappoints!
myHappyCamper Eases Summer Camp Planning Stress
I’m excited to announce a new website from local mom and entrepreneur rock star, Aneela Kumar! I met Aneela in the kid biz space a few years ago and she’s got a great new resource that Twin Cities families will love. I signed up for free and I hope you do too!
What’s this new site?
Introducing myHappyCamper, a new (& free) online tool to ease the burden of summer camp planning.
We’ve all been there –
- Not being able to find the right camps, at the right time for your child
- Not being able to secure a spot in coveted camps that start registration in the early morning, or while you are at work
- And your child not liking the camps because of the theme, or attending alone
myHappyCamper hopes to eliminate all that by helping families sort through the endless details of camp sessions to find the ones that are right for your kids, AND coordinate with their friends’ parents. Their user-friendly Discover page allows you to search by age, location, interest and more.
What makes myHappyCamper unique is that it is highly specific to YOUR kids – AND they have two things no one else has. The first is an interactive calendar that allows you to narrow your choices down. The second is the ability to connect and see the schedule planning details of family friends.
In this way, myHappyCamper is solving two problems in one: the stress of summer camp planning and the difficulty of building strong relationships with other families.
You’ll still have to ultimately register on the camp’s website, but myHappyCamper is making the planning process a breeze. And new features are continuing to roll out! So head over to myHappyCamper.com to start planning your 13 weeks of bliss and building your village one happy camper at a time!
Our Purrfect Visits to Cafe Meow in Roseville and New Hope
Cats and coffee. Furballs and caffeine. What could go together better?
We visited both locations of Cafe Meow in the Twin Cities – Roseville and New Hope. Both are similar in most ways. They’re in a shopping center, they have a cafe side and a cat room side with a couple dozen cats, and the experience is the same.
Both times we visited, we were celebrating my daughter’s birthday with her friends. What a purrfect way to celebrate a birthday!
The Cafe Meow is full of cuddly cats – some that are actively playing, some are sleeping, and some are just exploring. The cats are available for adoption and love the attention from everyone.
Enjoy Luxury on a Budget at Cambria Hotel Quad Cities
We visited the Quad Cities recently and had a wonderful stay at the newer Cambria Hotel – Quad Cities!
The Quad Cities is made up of 5+ cities along the Iowa and Illinois border, and are located about 6 hours from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. We visited the area for the first time in October 2023, and discovered there is so much to see and do there. It’s definitely a midwest destination to explore with your kids, as a couple, with friends or even solo.
And of course there are numerous hotels, but we stayed at one just outside all the busyness, in Bettendorf, Iowa. It’s the Cambria Hotel, and it’s located just off of I-80, which runs along the north side of the Quad Cities area.
(This stay is part of a hosted visit to the Quad Cities. All opinions are 100% mine.)
Though the Cambria Hotel is located in a newer, less populated area, there are many things to do within walking distance. We didn’t realize how much there was until we got here!
18 Unique Things for Families to Do in the Quad Cities
Our family had a fabulous weekend in the Quad Cities!
Have you been there? It was our first visit, and was the perfect getaway from the Twin Cities. It’s a half day’s drive away, with many unique things to see in 4 cities between Iowa and Illinois along the Mississippi River.
We went during MEA weekend, which is typically the third Thursday and Friday of October, when kids in Minnesota have no school. Kids in the Quad Cities did have school so we had many places to ourselves! However, I could tell that anytime is a good time to visit.
We did SO much in the area, yet there was so much more we wanted to do.
PLUS – it’s a frugal family’s dream. There are many free things to do, and they have unique free passes you can sign up for to get discounts on everything from museums to coffee.
What are the Quad Cities?
It’s pretty easy to figure out that the Quad Cities are probably 4 cities. But which ones, and where?
The Quad Cities are actually a region of not four but five neighboring cities on the Mississippi River between Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. The cities are Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline and East Moline in Illinois.
Here’s a map:
SAVE ON FUN IN THE QUAD CITIES
What sets apart the Quad Cities is that not only is there a lot to do for free, but they have several free passes you can sign up for that give you discounts and rewards when you use them!
QC Family Pass
The QC Family Pass helps families find fun at a discount! You just sign up online for the free pass – which works like a passport – and show it at each location to get a discount! And the discounts are really good!
The Quad Cities’ website states that each location included represents some of the best attractions in the Quad Cities. You can use the pass as a guide to your adventure while saving along the way. Each discount is good for one-time use. Just show the discount at the location and save!
I HIGHLY recommend signing up for this pass as chances are, you’ll be visiting several places on the pass. We definitely did! It includes:
- Celebration River Cruises – Buy One/get One 1 ½ Hour Narrated Sightseeing Cruise.
- Elevate Trampoline Park (2 locations) – 50% OFF Jump Time
- Family Museum – BOGO admission
- German American Heritage Center & Museum – BOGO Admission
- Putnam Museum And Science Center – several discounts
- Quad City Botanical Center – $1 Off Admission
- TBK Bank Sports Complex and Entertainment Center – Buy One, Get One 30-Minute Arcade Card
-
AND MANY MORE!
QC Coffee Trail Pass
If you love coffee like I do, sign up for the free QC Coffee Trail Pass! It gets you discounts for many coffee shops, as well as rewards for visiting.
I love this. It supports local coffee shops while helping people save money and earn prizes doing so.
There are dozens of coffee shops with deals like:
- Caffeine and Carbs – 50% Off A Scone With A Coffee Purchase
- Coffee House – 15% Off Your Purchase
- Iron & Grain Coffee House – 20% Off
- Milltown Coffee (2 locations) – 10% Off
- T&L’s Java Joint Drive-Thru – $5 Baked Latte
- And many more!
18 Unique Things for Families to Do in the Quad Cities
There are many unique things for families to do in the Quad Cities, starting with these attractions we recommend!
Note: These are all teen-approved things to do. My kids are teenagers so we had to choose things that were appropriate for their ages and they liked it all! But I do mention some other things for families with younger kids below.
Putnam Museum and Science Center
There are many interactive exhibits here, from astronomy to weather and one with a mummy! And you can share your story in their interesting CommonGround exhibit.
You can learn about local geology in the Black Earth/Big River exhibit, plus see a movie on the biggest movie screen in the entire state at 57 by 70 feet.
They have MANY great discounts for admission too! Check these out:
- Get the FREE QC Family Pass and get several discounts including Buy One, Get One FREE Admission
- If you have an EBT card, your household gets admission for only $1 through Museums for All
- Free admission for mothers on Mother’s Day, fathers on Father’s Day, and grandparents for Grandparents Day, with paid child admission.
- Free admission for active duty military and veterans on Independence Day and for veterans on Veterans Day.
- College students gets discounted admission with their student ID
Rock Island Arsenal
We had never heard of Rock Island Arsenal before visiting the Quad Cities, and am surprised we hadn’t. This is a military base on an island! It is the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal with over 6000 military, civilian and contractor employees. It’s located on the Mississippi River between Iowa and Illinois.
Here we got a free private Lock & Dam Tour on the Mississippi River! Anyone can do this – just visit the Mississippi River Visitors Center on Rock Island Arsenal in the Quad Cities and ask!
You have to get a visitor pass to visit Rock Island Arsenal which is easy to get when you arrive. Just have your driver’s license and fill out the visitor form. Then the personnel will run a background check and give you a visitor pass that’s good for a year. We went in the middle of the day and there was a line, so expect a possible wait. But the process is simple and only adults need to get visitors passes. (The Moline Gate Visitor Welcome Center is open daily 7:00am – 3:00pm.)
The private tour was so interesting and led by a Park Ranger who brought us as close to the dam as possible. They suggest you call 2 days ahead to request the tour to make sure they have the staff available. Park rangers at the Corps’ Mississippi River Visitor Center can be contact at 309-794-5338 to inquire about their tours or activities. They are super nice, and it was fascinating! And free!
Nearby, you can explore their newly updated Rock Island Arsenal Museum, which shows the history of the Arsenal and the types of weapons and other products made here. And you can tour the Davenport House.
QC Channel Cat River Taxi rides on the Mississippi
The Channel Cat Water Taxi is a fun, cheap way to explore the Mighty Mississippi! It’s only $8 to ride all day. There are 4 stops between Iowa and Illinois and it takes one hour to do the full circle. The scenery is beautiful and it’s a relaxing ride.
It’s only $8 to ride all day long!
It’s only open Memorial Day to Labor Day, plus weekends until October, weather permitting. We rode in October on a Friday when the fall colors were vibrant and there were no crowds.
Check it out! https://www.metroqc.com/231/Channel-Cat
John Deere Pavilion
Near one of the Channel Cat Water Taxi stops is downtown Moline, Illinois where you’ll find the John Deere Pavilion.
The John Deere Pavilion is free to visit with great photo opportunities. You can climb into giant John Deere tractors and other machines used for various purposes.
There are actually a variety of John Deere attractions throughout the state and they are all free to visit.
(See my recap of our visit to Waterloo, Iowa and the John Deere Museum there!)
German American Heritage Center & Museum
We learned so much about our own German heritage at the German American Heritage Center & Museum.
It was originally built in the 1860s in the heart of downtown Davenport. Davenport was a big hub for those moving west, and this building was used as a hotel for German immigrants arriving here. It really was a community building for German immigrants. On the first floor was a bar and barbershop, the second and third floors were hotel rooms, and the fourth floor was an event space.
It was a hotel until 1990, then it was renovated and turned into this museum. and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Now, the first floor is used for exhibits and a gift shop, the second floor is used for collections and offices, the third floor is the main exhibit space, and the fourth floor is still used as an event space. And it has great views of the city.
Be sure to check out the Visit Quad Cities website for all the info!
Unique Dining Experiences in the Quad Cities
Try the local pizza!
The Quad Cities actually have their own style of pizza, not surprisingly called QC Style Pizza. It’s found at popular places like Clint’s in Moline, Illinois and Frank’s Pizzeria in Silvis, Illinois.
We tried a local favorite, Rock Island recipe deep dish pizza at The Original Huckleberry’s Great Pizza & Calzones! It’s located in Rock Island, Illinois and it’s a family-friendly restaurant with traditional hand-spun dough pizza and an “Old Rock Island Style” Deep Dish that we had. The Old Rock Island Style is a Thick & Lite deep dish made with a cornmeal crust.
We had this:
- Old Rock Island Style Spaghetti Pizza
- Half Taco and Half Greek on a regular crust
- Salad and breadsticks
It was good – and a lot for our family – so we had leftovers in our hotel room the next day!
Have a Plentiful Breakfast at Flip’s Pancake House – Bettendorf
Flip’s Pancake House is a cozy, quaint restaurant with 3 locations in the Quad Cities. We ate at the Bettendorf location close to I-80, as it was right by our hotel. We enjoyed the bright and cheery atmosphere. They have pancakes and breakfast of course, plus they have expresso drinks and mimosas! I almost had a mimosa but decided on a tasty caramel macchiato.
Watch my Reel featuring our breakfast:
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Try a spooky dinner at Igor’s Bistro
Even though we visited the Quad Cities in October when we expected to see Halloween decorations everywhere, at Igor’s Bistro it’s Halloween year-round!
Igor’s Bistro is UNIQUE. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten at a place like this, or heard of anything like it in the Twin Cities.
At Igor’s, they have spooky decorations throughout the restaurant, and on some nights including the night we visited – blacklight dining! This was so fun – everything was glowing. The tables, the food, our clothes, the decorations. And there was spooky music playing too. It was immersive – and fun.
The food includes burgers, sandwiches, salads, breakfast and more. They had spooky names too. For example, the burgers include “The Famous Gremlin” and “The Goblin.” And who wouldn’t want a “Batwing Sandwitch?”
Have Breakfast & Coffee at Milltown Coffee – with a view of the Mississippi!
I found my favorite coffee shop! It’s called Milltown Coffee and they have 2 locations in the Quad Cities – one in Bettendorf, Iowa, and one in Moline, Illinois. We visited the one in Moline which has a beautiful view of the Mississippi River. They also have various breakfast options – enough to please my whole, picky family! My kids had a breakfast sandwich and a cinnamon roll, my hubby had a Cajun Sausage Wrap, and I had yummy oatmeal with strawberries. And of course, I had a fancy coffee drink – a Bananas Foster Latte! So good…
Enjoy tasty sandwiches and more at Cafe Express Deli
For lunch on our last day in the Quad Cities, we enjoyed sandwiches at Cafe Express Deli, made with the best homemade bread ever! We even took home a loaf of their homemade bread.
Cafe Express Deli is a hidden gem in the Quad Cities. It’s a simple cafe located in Davenport, but the food is amazing. Plus they do a great job on social media and in their email newsletter. I signed up and they have a lot of great deals if you subscribe!
BONUS for the parents – have a Date night out
There is plenty of nightlife in the Quad Cities, for any occasion. And there are rooftop bars with beautiful views of the Mississippi, including the River Room at the Hyatt House Quad Cities in East Moline, and the Up Skybar in Davenport.
My husband and I enjoyed a date night outing in Davenport. We went to visit the Up Skybar in Davenport, which is at the Current hotel, but the Skybar was closed for a private event, so we just enjoyed the bar on the first floor.
Check out this interactive Virtual Tour of the Skybar and other nearby locations!
More to mention:
One thing I love about visiting other areas of the country is exploring the stores they have that we don’t have at home. In the Quad Cities, my kids wanted to go to two stores – Books a Million, and Ross: Dress for Less. I have to admit that I enjoyed these stores and bought things there myself! I do wish we had these in the Twin Cities.
Where we stayed: Cambria Hotel Bettendorf – Quad Cities
We enjoyed a a luxurious stay in a nice, affordable hotel – the Cambria Hotel Bettendorf – Quad Cities.
It’s located right off of I-80 in Bettendorf, Iowa, just north of the Quad Cities. It’s a fairly new hotel with many upscale amenities but for a budget-friendly price.
Our room was huge – definitely larger and more spacious than other hotels we’ve been to.
And the amenities were WOW. The whole hotel is elegant and upscale, with a beautiful lobby, a bar, and a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Unfortunately there isn’t a free breakfast but they do offer breakfast onsite.)
They have a pool that’s WARM (a big requirement for me because I’m always cold!), a large fitness center that has everything – ellipticals, treadmills, weights, TVs, towels, and other fitness equipment. And it overlooks the beautiful patio that has pretty lights at night.
Don’t mind my tired face in this picture – I did workouts every morning in the fitness center before my family woke up! The workouts helped me wake up…
Some tips for traveling here:
- Plan at least 3 full days from the Twin Cities, or any other major metro area. It took us about 6 hours to get there, and 6 hours back. That gives you 2 full days, 2 nights in the Quad Cities which is the minimum I recommend.
- If you drive through Iowa to get here, like through Cedar Rapids, be aware that they have speed cameras on the highway. In Cedar Rapids, the highways are curvy through the city, and the speed drops from 70 to 55. If you drive at least 10 miles over the limit, you’ll get a citation in the mail. Be aware! We used an app called “Maps” that warned us of speed traps and cameras along the way.
- In Iowa, stop in Waterloo along the way to see the John Deere Tractor Museum and Lost Island Waterpark and Theme Park!
- Also, the New Day Dairy Guestbarn that we love is in Clarksville, Iowa, which is along the way as well. If you have an extra night or two, consider staying here! Read about our visit and use my discount!
Plan your own visit to the Quad Cities!
Learn about the area at https://visitquadcities.com/.
(Disclosure: Our accommodations and some expenses were covered by Visit Quad Cities. All opinions are 100% mine.)
Our Spooky Behind-the-Scenes Experience at Onionhead’s Revenge (& a Discount!)
One mom, three teenage girls, and dozens of monsters spent a lovely, terrifying evening together at Onionhead’s Revenge at the Mall of America.
Yes, I took my 15-year-old daughter and two of her friends and wow, it was a thrill! Onionhead’s Revenge is a must-see for anyone who loves a scare. It’s 45,000 square feet of immersive, movie-quality sets and props, filled with talented actors in full costume and character.
We got the full experience, including the Monster Pass, and even a backstage tour with the owner, Charlotte Huggins! We chatted with Charlotte and learned how Onionhead’s Revenge came about.
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