Tell me about the nifty attractions, museums, sights, etc. in your area

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Fanatic #3965

posted: 3/21/2007 at 6:47 PM
modified: 3/21/2007 at 6:47 PM

Today we finally did something we should have done years ago...bought a one-year family membership to the Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, MI. This is my very favorite place to visit in all of West MI. 3 visits and we will more than have paid for this membership, and we almost always go at least 2x/year. Now we can go whenever we want for free. It is amazing. We could easily spend an entire day there and it's a great place for nature and art lovers of all ages...and every time we go there is something new and fantastic. I HIGHLY recommend a visit to the place to anyone visiting this area. Last Summer we took my mom and nephew (he was about 5 at the time) and were there for most of the day. We spent at least an hour in the childrens' garden, alone. As it was we had to drag my son and nephew away when we got hungry for dinner. Today we spent at least an hour in the live butterfly exhibit (have never seen them so active, or so many at once, including clearwinged butterflies--way cool). Now that we have the membership I plan to take my son back next week, as the spring break crowds will not yet have descended (Andrea...Joni...wanna join us?). Where do you love to go where you live?

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

Jill_B

I fly.

posted: 3/21/2007 at 9:12 PM

We are at the Nashville Zoo almost weekly. My son loves the animals and the play area (which is awesome!). Plus it's close, so we can just pop over for an hour or two.

Bring it on.

AbbaSnail

posted: 3/21/2007 at 9:22 PM
modified: 3/21/2007 at 9:26 PM

I love the DC zoo - it was about a mile from my house, and I would spend many Sat afternoons wandering around looking at the nanimals. My favorite are the little red pandas. My (former) boyfriend always liked the bird house (hot and boring!!!). Always completely empty in the winter. The best was the day after it snowed and seeing the baby cheetahs playing in it!

How I feel these days... This helps too!

Crabby

Dog-Love

posted: 3/21/2007 at 10:02 PM

Well its all about natural beauty here! In wintertime folks come to ski and at the Mendenhall Glacier for the past 4 years there has been a resident wolf. In the warm season, there are whales and salmon and too many tourists for me. There is a great State Museaum with alot of Native Art. the big attraction is the Glacier that comes right into town.

Run like you are on fire! 5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34) 10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45) HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02) Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)

jEfFgObLuE

More Cowbell!

posted: 3/22/2007 at 12:02 PM
modified: 3/22/2007 at 12:04 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 3/21/2007 at 6:47 PM:

Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, MI.

I went to Meijer Gardens when I was a kid. I don't remember a thing about them, but they must have made an impression b/c seeing the words in print filled me with a good feeling... We've been here in Huntsville AL for less than a year, so we're still trying to figure out where our special places are. We have a membership to the Botanical Gardens, and it's nice, but doesn't stir my soul (nice new butterfly house, though.) Any recommendations from North AL and South TN folks? When we lived near Sacramento, we thought of all of Northern CA as our playground, hitting San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and the wine country regularly. (Hmm, why did I move again?) Maybe the Smokies -- I remember going there a few times when I was a kid, and aside from the drive from Michigan with my family, I had a good impression of them. Cheers, Jeff

When you're on your deathbed, you won't be wishing that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will be wishing that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

zoom-zoom

Fanatic #3965

posted: 3/22/2007 at 12:21 PM

Quote from jEfFgObLuE on 3/22/2007 at 12:02 PM:

I went to Meijer Gardens when I was a kid. I don't remember a thing about them, but they must have made an impression b/c seeing the words in print filled me with a good feeling...

Jeff, if you get back to this part of MI you HAVE to go back! First time I was ever there was probably a decade or more ago--boy, has it ever changed just in that time! And every time we go there's something new. The scupltures they have aquired over the years are really fantastic. And a few years back they had the most amazing Dale Chihuly exhibit (he has the stained glass stuff on the ceiling of the Bellagio hotel in LV). k

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

shyrunner07

posted: 3/22/2007 at 1:01 PM

omg, k! how could you have forgotten about the Musical Toilet??? You simply can not be a west michigander and not list that jewel in michigan's crown!! lmao Clowning around

jEfFgObLuE

More Cowbell!

posted: 3/22/2007 at 1:06 PM
modified: 3/22/2007 at 1:10 PM

Is the "toilet" in Grand Haven? If so, I can tell you from experience that it gets more spectacular with each passing drink... Big grin

When you're on your deathbed, you won't be wishing that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will be wishing that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

zoom-zoom

Fanatic #3965

posted: 3/22/2007 at 1:33 PM

Quote from jEfFgObLuE on 3/22/2007 at 1:06 PM:

Is the "toilet" in Grand Haven? If so, I can tell you from experience that it gets more spectacular with each passing drink...

You know, I've never actually been drunk to watch that--perhaps I need to change that! Heh, the Coast Guard 5k/10k race is terribly organized, but Coast Guard Fest sure would be a good excuse for a RA gathering! Big grin

k

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

Peke98

posted: 3/22/2007 at 1:42 PM

I'm not sure that it qualifies as "nifty" but, there's a plastics museum in my town. Leominster, Ma is supposedly known as "Plastic City" and is the birthplace of the plastic, pink flamingo. Leominster's also the birthplace of Johnny Appleseed. I think that rates a rest stop out on Rte 2.

Take your protein pill and put your helmet on.

Tell me about the nifty attractions, museums, sights, etc. in your area (Read 635 times)

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