Oak Leaves

Midwest trips for fall

 

By Rashmi Thapliyal Swain | Oak Park Public Library September 14, 2012 2:12PM

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Updated: October 21, 2012 1:14PM

Oak Park

The leaves will fall soon. Are you motivated to take a trip?

If so, check out some of these library resources to help plan your activities.

Camping Illinois contains a comprehensive list of the best campgrounds. The photo of the 50-foot statue of a Native American overlooking Rock River at Lowden State Park might inspire you to camp there.

Tim Bewer’s Minnesota might lead you to southern Fillmore County to learn about the Amish way of living.

Michigan by Laura Martone suggests plenty of attractions. It will rouse you to hike and kayak at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Plus you’ll learn the Ojibwa legend behind its name. This book also covers Mackinac Island, which has tons of sights, such as the Original Mackinac Butterfly House & Insect World, Fort Mackinac and Mackinac Island State Park.

Kids Love Wisconsin contains information on the Wisconsin Dells, including the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, which preserves the legacy of the Ringling Brothers. If you decide to travel near Spring Green, visit the House on the Rock built by Alex Jordan in the early 1940s. It sits atop a 60-foot chimney of rocks and is full of curiosities. While in the area, stop to visit Taliesin built by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Iowa: Off the Beaten Path by Lori Erikson offers plenty of unique suggestions for your travels. 50 Hikes in Ohio by Ralph Ramey is a great resource if you’re heading east. Traveler’s Guide to the Best Places to Visit in Indiana by Natasha Holt lists many places besides Indiana Dunes.

Before you head out of town, check out a few DVDs, such as “Iowa, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin,” which are part of “Discoveries — America series.”

To get ready to enjoy the great outdoors, check out the ebook Seeing Trees from the library’s Media On Demand collection. Or take a free online bird watching course through Universal Class. To get started, go to oppl.org/research/online-tools. Click on Media On Demand (for ebooks) or Universal Class (for free courses). Enter your Oak Park Public Library card number and PIN.

Rashmi Thapliyal Swain, is a librarian for Adult and Teen Services at the Oak Park Public Library




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