Disney World at Christmas '09

Our trip to Disney World started bright and early at LEEP. Once we got to Florida we checked into our hotel, Disney Pop Century where we couldn't wait to get settled in!


On our 2nd day in Florida we went to Animal Kingdom where we got to see Finding Nemo the Musical and the 3D Bug's Life Show! In the evening we met Goofy and Donald Duck and watched an amazing firework show over Cinderella’s castle.
On the 3rd day of vacation we stopped on over at the Magic Kingdom and shopped down “Main Street USA!” During our visit we met the “Incredibles” and watched a Monster’s Inc. show.

On Day 4 we ate our hotel and headed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The High School Musical performance and an American Idol Experience were pretty awesome! Later that night we headed over to watch another amazing firework show which was a perfect way to end our visit to Mickey's house.
On our final day in sunny Florida we packed our bags and headed North to Minnesota. Everyone had a terrific time at Disney World and definitely didn't want to return to the blustery Midwest!

Nashville, TN '09

Our southern style vacation to Music City started off with an early morning flight. When we arrived in Nashville, and after we checked into our hotel, we did a little swimming and relaxing poolside before our many adventures started. Our second day started with the Nashville Tour and we finished the day with the "Legends Tour". We ate our dinner at the Orpyland Hotel and enjoyed a nice indoor boat ride!

The next day we went on the Homes of the Stars where we were able to see SO many stars homes! We saw; Carrie Underwood, Trace Adkins, Dolly Parton, Martina McBride, and so many others! During the afternoon we hit up the Sports Hall of Fame where we were able to see tons of jerseys, awards, and lots of older antiques we could check out. On our final day in Nashville we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It was really cool to see all of the Platinum and Gold Records hanging on the wall. There were so many shops around that we took full advantage and shopped till we dropped! Since we were all exhausted we headed back to the hotel and relaxed, packed, and got ready for our trip back home. What a great end to a great vacation!

Duluth, MN '09

Our big trip north began bright and early as we all met at LEEP around 7:00 am. We arrived in Duluth shortly after lunch and got right down to business getting settled into our hotel rooms. Our first big adventure was hitting the Omnimax Theater to watch the "Mysteries of the Great Lakes". Everyone was amazed by how large the screen was! Day 2 was spent at the Lake Superior Zoo where we were able to see all sorts of animals! After a bit of shopping we headed down to Canal Park to do a little more shopping and then watched the Aerial Lift Bridge. Some of the crew was even brave enough to dip their toes in the FREEZING water! We finished our stay down at Canal Park by eating at Grandma's Restaurant.

The next day we woke up and the weather was crappy so we decided to go do some indoor shopping. Our lunch was going to be aboard the Vista Fleet Lunch Cruise and did a nice Duluth Harbor tour. To finish out our day we headed over to Glensheen Mansion where we were able to take in lots of really awesome art and architecture. We were all sad as the day came to a close because we knew we would be heading home. It was a great vacation and we all had an awesome time! We can't wait to

Indianapolis Speedway '09

On this trip traveled to Indianapolis, IN for one of the most exciting races of the NASCAR season! Our trip started with a nice drive across the Midwest en route to our final destination. On our first day in Indianapolis we went to the Brickyard and did a little shopping, ate, and then watched the practice runs. Our group was completely amazed by how fast the cars whipped by! Some of the guys even had their hats blow off in the wind! Day 2 the weather wasn't really cooperating too well so we headed over to the Indianapolis Zoo where the group enjoyed all of the animals and were even brave enough to touch the small sharks in a pool. We also got to watch a few movies in the IMAX theatre which was really cool! On our final day in Indianapolis it was finally time for the big race! We headed over to the Brickyard 500 to see our favorite drivers compete. When the race was over we did a little shopping, took some more pictures, and even kissed the brick finish line like the winning driver does after the race. It was a really great experience and we all agreed we couldn't wait to do something like this again!

San Diego, California '09

Our trip began with a nice long flight out to San Diego. We took off from the Minneapolis Airport at 9:15 am and landed out in California around 11:30 Pacific time. The group headed off to the hotel to see if we could check in early. Unfortunately our rooms weren't quite ready so we decided to head down to Mission Beach for a little rest and relaxation! After soaking up some rays we did a little walk up and down the boardwalk. Everyone was really hot so we enjoyed some ice cream and cooled off with a nice treat. The next morning we got up bright and early and caught the shuttle over to the San Diego Zoo. While we were there we took a bus tour on a double decker bus where we could see the majority of the animals up close and personal. Some of the animals we saw were: elephants, lions, cheetah, giraffes, a giant panda, and SO many others. After we enjoyed a fun filled day at the zoo we headed back to the hotel to jump in the pool and cool off.

The next morning we headed out to Sea World where we got to see the well known Shamu show. It was quite an experience that everyone seemed to enjoy. We were also able to experience a dolphin show where we saw them doing lots of flips and tricks! Some other fun stuff was touching the starfish, touching the sting rays, and getting to see all of the sea creatures the park had to offer! We headed back to the hotel for the night and enjoyed a fun pizza party where we could all relax! On our final day in California we were lucky enough to drive out to the Wild Animal Park about 35 minutes from the city. We were able to see wildlife in their "natural" settings so that was lots of fun! It was sure hot out there but everyone liked it just the same. Before we headed back to the hotel we took the van over a HUGE bridge to do some site seeing over on Coronado Island. Everyone did a little shopping and got some great deals. We grabbed a quick bite and then headed back to the hotel to get packed and ready for the big trip home the next day. Everyone enjoyed their time together and no one could stop talking about how much fun they had!

Madison, WI '09

We hit the road early for Wisconsin this morning. We had so much to do and not a lot of time to get it done. Our first stop was at the Ho Chunic Casino where we had an AMAZING lunch. We even tried our luck at a little gambling, one of the group members even left with a $29 winning! Since we had been traveling all day we decided a pizza party sounded like the perfect way to end the evening. On our second day we went to the Capital Brewery to see how beer was made. That was really cool! Later that afternoon we headed down to State Street for a little shopping. Everyone made out with some really neat things so we headed off to Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant! The next morning the weather was a little questionable so we changed plans and headed to the state capital for a nice tour. We had high hopes for hitting up the winery but unfortunately it was raining so we headed to House on the Rock instead. That was a pretty neat place to check out since there are so many memorable things there. One thing we all were impressed by was the carousel with 20,000 horse heads on it! On our final day out in Madison we headed to the zoo for some much needed animal interaction! We saw rhinos, camels, flamingos, as well as lions, tigers, and BEARS! Before calling it a day we finally got to check out the winery! This was an awesome experience for everyone and we even got to sample a few of the wines. Since it had been such a long day we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed a super fun pool party! The ride back to Mankato was a little sad since we all wanted to stay on vacation but we were thankful for all the fun we had while we were on vacation!

Disneyland 2009

Our trip west was to the great state of California!! We headed to Anaheim to visit Mickey Mouse at his original home along with all of his friends. Our first day of travel included an awesome flight and then some relaxation at our hotel while everyone enjoyed a pizza party in the lobby. The second day included a trip to California Adventures Park where we were able to see SO many exciting things. There were thrill rides for those who love to live on the edge as well as some very cute shows everyone could enjoy. Day 3 was spent on a tour around Los Angeles where we were able to see the Staples Center, Old Los Angeles, the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Hollywood sign. There was so much to see!! We were also able to go to Universal Studios where we did so many awesome things! The group did a back lot tour where we were able to check out some old movie sets. There were lots of exciting things going on during that tour. On our final day in CA we headed back to Disneyland and checked out what it had to offer. There was something for everyone at this park! We took a ride on the "It's a Small World" ride, The Haunted Mansion, Thunder Canyon, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and the "Honey I Shrunk the Audience" show. Before heading back to our hotel we hit up Downtown Disney to do a little shopping. Everyone found a memorable souvenir so we were on our way back to the hotel. After a nice night of relaxing and packing we were ready to head home the next morning. We were sad to leave California because it was so much fun and we can't wait to go again next year!

Stillwater/Taylors Falls 2009

LEEP traveled to Stillwater and Taylors Falls this past week, and got to see and go on many scenic adventures! We started our journey in Stillwater at a restaurant called the "Water Street Inn" located right on the St. Croix River. It was delicious! We spent the afternoon in the gift shops, watching the boats on the river, and checking out Tremblay's candy store, with lots of old fashioned candy and fudge in it! The second day we spent touring historic Stillwater. We started on a tour of Stillwater by a narrated trolley car, where we got to see many historic mansions and other various buildings. We ate lunch at the Freighthouse restaurant, and even got to see the lift bridge in action while we were eating! We hit the courthouse next for a guided tour of the oldest courthouse/jail in Minnesota. There was still old graffiti in the cells from inmates long ago. We spent the evening watching the Twins and playing cards while enjoying dinner from Applebees and Buffalo Wild Wings.

Our third day we traveled to Taylors Falls, MN. We walked along the river walks and thought the views of the cliffs were absolutely beautiful! The highlight of the whole trip was the riverboat ride. We were able to go on an 80-minute paddleboat ride looking at all the beautiful cliffs, islands, and wildlife! After our ride, we ate at a pizza and malt parlor for a late lunch. Although our trip has come to an end, everyone had a great experience and the views and historic sites we got to see made for a lifetime of memories!

Minneapolis '09

The trip to Minneapolis was a great one to be on! We went to three of the major attractions in Minneapolis and had a great time at each one! The first of the three was to the Como Zoo. We spent time watching Sparky the sea lion's show, as well as wandering around the park looking at the lions, tigers, and monkeys, just to name a few. We then had a pizza party and movie night in the hotel to get ready for another fun day! The next day of our trip we went to watch a Minnesota Twins game while they played Cleveland. We were in luck because not only did the Twins win, but they hit four home runs as well!!! We were cheering loudly for our team from start to finish! Our final day in Minneapolis was spent at the Mall of America, the largest mall in the United States! Not only did we do tons of shopping and find many deals, but we also got a behind the scenes tour of Underwater World. We were able to see the kitchen where they made and stored all the fish food, and we got to see the doctor room as well. After our tour we walked through the Underwater World on our own, and got to meet Sharky the mascot. Although this was a short trip, we got to do lots of different things and had a blast!!

Washington D.C. '09

Our trip to Washington DC was sure filled with amazing sites to see! Washington DC was jam-packed with information and history to learn, beautiful monuments, and delicious food to eat!
We visited the United States Capital where we got our very own guided tour. We took our first ride on the Metro Train System over to Interpol which is an agency that works on International Crime and has MANY connections all over the world. We were told that our group was the only civilian group that has ever been given a tour of Interpol; usually only FBI and law enforcement officers are allowed in! Before we headed to the hotel we headed to the White House to see where President Obama lives.

The next day we visited the Washington Monument and then caught a bus tour around Washington. We visited Arlington Cemetery, the Vietnam Memorial wall, the Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson's Memorial, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial. After the tour we headed to the Spy Museum, and then headed over to the Pentagon Memorial. What a great end to the day!

The final day we got to go into the Holocaust Museum where we saw and learned many things about the Holocaust, including "Daniel's Story," a walk through that taught us about the Holocaust from a child's point of view. Later on we went to see the Smithsonian Castle and to the Natural Museum of American History. At this museum we saw Dorothy's red ruby slippers from the movie The Wizard of Oz, and also saw the American flag that inspired the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. This trip was filled with fun and we learned so much about the history of our Nation in the process!! We can't wait to be able to go on this trip again!

Branson 2009

Our trip to Branson, Missouri was sure a fun-filled one!! All the events we attended and shopping we did sure made up for the 12 hour car ride each way. We started out our trip by going to the IMAX theater to watch the show "Under the Sea." It was really neat to see all the underwater creatures swimming around us on the screen! Next we went to see the "Legends in Concert," an entertaining show of impersonators which included: Tina Turner, Elvis, Blue Brothers, Rod Stewart, and Alan Jackson. We got to meet the singers after the show and Kathy even got a kiss on the cheek from Elvis!! The next day of our trip we were very very busy! We went to the Hollywood Wax Museum first, and then took a ride on the Duck Boat, which is a boat that can drive on both land and water! After that we went to the Dixie Stampede, and celebrated Fay's 38th birthday with a pool party! Our final full day of our trip to Branson started off by going to the mall and listening to live bands of many known Branson stars who were singing Country Love and Gospel songs. After that music treat we headed to the "SIX concert," which was a group of 6 brothers who sing and make music without instruments; what a great experience! We ended our awesome trip with another trip to the IMAX theater. This time we saw "Wildlife Safari," which was just as cool as the first show we saw! This trip to Branson was filled with shopping, visiting gift shops, eating delicious meals, and of course, listening to amazing music!! We can't wait to go back next year!

Black Hills '09

Day one of our trip to the Black Hills consisted mostly of traveling to the beautiful city. We did stop at the ever famous Wall Drug where several people bought neat souvenirs!! The next day we spent plenty of time looking at and taking pictures of Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. We finished the day with some shopping and had an awesome pizza/ pool party.
We also visited reptile gardens saw many various types of the scaly creatures! Some time was spent at the Museum of Geology, the Big Thunger Gold Mine, and even the Everything Prehistoric Museum as well. They were all really neat and we learned a lot about the area and what happened here many, many years ago. Another popular destination was Bear Country to get a glimpse of all the elk, buffalo, and everyone's favorite: the baby bears! That night we got to see the film set of Dancing With the Wolves which was really interesting.
The final day we packed up the van and started our journey back to Mankato stopping at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. Then entire outside of the palace was made of corn, so cool!

Arizona Dude Ranch '09

Our fun and exciting trip to the Arizona Dude Ranch began bright and early Monday morning! The owners of the ranch, Dan and Carrie, picked us up from the airport, and our fun began!! The scenery was gorgeous each morning and we spent a lot of time watching the sunrise. Dan and Carrie did an amazing job of cooking us delicious homecooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day we were there! YUM!! We also spent each morning going out for a stroll on the horses at the ranch. This was almost everyone's favorite part of the trip! What was also really neat was that we met a group from Maryland very similar to ours that were staying at the ranch at the same time we were! We became great friends with them and were very sad when having to say goodbye. We spent a whole day in the town of Oatman, which is on the famous Route 66. There we watched an old time gun fight,bought souvenirs from the numerous shops,and fed carrots to the donkey that roamed the streets. We had a small downfall when one of our vans got a flat tire, but it was fixed in no time! Each night we spent some time swimming in the pool, sitting by the hot tub, or hanging out by the fire with our friends from Maryland; it was a blast! It was a sad day when we had to leave the Arizona Dude Ranch, but like the slogan that we kept saying at the ranch said, "you'll come as friends and leave as family." It was incredibly true! Even though our trip was done, we had a great time and can't wait to go back again!