Milwaukee, WI '08

This was a jammed packed vacation to the lakefront city of Milwaukee. The group was on the go the whole time because there was so much to see. Upon our arrival we took a walking tour of the area and strolled the lakefront shores that had breath-taking views. We all spent some time taking pictures and then stopped to enjoy a live band that played jazz music where some of us even danced. Our first big destination was to the Milwaukee Zoo, which is the second largest in the nation. Everyone loved the zoo and we all had different favorites when it came to the animals. We then took a sailboat ride on Lake Michigan aboard the "Sea Dog Sailing Ship" which was enormous. We did a sunset cruise and the views of the lake were spectacular. We were all speechless after that cruise. Our next adventure was to the Harley Davidson factory and museum where we all got to sit on fancy motorcycles. Then we were onto the Miller Brewing Factory tour. We were fascinated by the tour and couldn't believe the machines and the process it takes to can beer. Our next stop was to Discovery World and viewed amazing aquariums with many fish and a replica of the Great Lakes. On our last day we visited the Milwaukee County Public Museum where we saw amazing architecture, animals, and traditions of different countries. We then went to the Imax theatre to watch a film on the "Mysteries of the Great Lakes". Our last stop of the vacation was to the Milwaukee Art Museum. As I started out saying, this vacation was jammed packed with events and we didn't slow down for a minute. The group did find time to eat though and most said the highlights were the sailboat ride and Milwaukee County Zoo event.

Treasure Island/Red Wing, MN '08

The group spent a relaxing three day vacation along the Mississippi River Valley at Treasure Island Resort and Casino which is located near Red Wing, MN. The drive to our destination was incredibly beautiful and we even spotted a bald eagle flying above the cliffs. When we arrived at our hotel, everyone was excited to try their luck at gambling. Most of our group played slot machines and some even got lucky and left with more than they came with. We ate at a variety of restaurants but everyone's favorite was the huge casino buffet. We did some sightseeing of the town and harbor area. Everyone thought it was so cool to walk down by the water and view all the big sail boats. We also spent some time at the Pottery Place Museum which is an old pottery factory that has been turned into a shopping and knick knack mall as well as mini-museum. On our last day, we took a trip down river to Lake City. This is another beautiful city located right on Lake Pepin/Mississippi River. We ate at Skyline on Lake Pepin restaurant which was right on the water, then boarded an authentic paddleboat called "Pearl of the Lake" for a ride up and down the river. This was a highlight for all. The group got along great and definitely had time to relax on this fun vacation!