Spend a day (or two) in South Bend

I took a day trip with my husband this past week to South Bend with the purpose of visiting Copshaholm for a tour. Copshaholm is a 38-room mansion that was built for J.D. Oliver and his family. His father was the founder of the Oliver Chilled Plow Works.

See my Northwest Indiana Times article on Copshaholm here -
http://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/travel/article_b9617d7d-b969-5734-90af-e4e3bee5b8f3.html

On the grounds next to the mansion is the Center for History, which houses exhibits on local history along with a children's museum. The Studebaker Museum also relocated in recent years to a new home attached to the center. Anyone who loves automobiles will love the Studebaker Museum. And even if you're not particularly enthusiastic about automobiles, it's a neat history lesson told through vehicles of all kinds. Here's an article I wrote last fall on the Studebaker Museum for the Times -
http://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/travel/article_dc105b3e-75a4-508b-b9fe-0c5b7bc6cc70.html

and another I did recently on auto museum in  Indiana that mentions the Studebaker Museum -
http://www.nwitimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/article_ddb5b7c0-d86b-5ca8-b852-bf18e9565165.html

Another fun stop if you're town is the South Bend Chocolate Company's Chocolate Museum. Here's an old article about the South Bend Chocolate Factory, which has seen more growth since this article appeared -
http://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/article_94b27310-c975-512f-a476-cf9540c4f156.html

On our a trip there last fall, we went downtown for lunch and stumbled across Chicory Cafe, a cute New Orleans-style cafe and coffee house with awesome Po' Boy sandwiches, gumbo, jambalaya and more. So on this past trip, we re-visited for lunch. Try the roast beef with cheddar po' boy -- sooo good! We walked down a few doors for chocolates at the Chocolate Cafe and then a couple blocks the other way for some treats from Dainty Maid Bake Shop.

Among the other attractions are the College Football Hall of Fame, Potawatomi Zoo and tours of the University of Notre Dame. For more on South Bend, visit exploresouthbend.org.

As we were heading back to the car for the trip home, I realized I had never even gotten my camera out. So, I pulled it out as we passed this gorilla on the sidewalk and my husband snapped a shot. I have no idea what he's doing there. I'll have to check into that.

Gerald Ford Museum offers a look at American history

As our nation observes Presidents Day, there's a big focus on Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, both great leaders who happened to be born during the month of February. While both Illinois and Indiana have several Lincoln related attractions to explore, Michigan also has an impressive museum to honor another past president, Gerald Ford.

Last year my family and I visited Grand Rapids for the first time and among all the places we saw and things we did, my favorite was our visit to the Ford Museum. As much as I enjoyed the natural surroundings of Meijer Gardens and the John Ball Zoo, the excitement of a professional hockey game and the exhibits of the children's museum and public museum, the Ford Museum was the place I didn't really want to leave.

We had a nice surprise when we arrived, finding out that there was free admission that day in honor of Betty Ford's birthday. The exhibits cover Ford's childhood and road to the white house and give a glimpse into what was going on in the country throughout his presidency.

Opened in 1981, the museum is part of the Presidential Libraries system, with a Gerald Ford Presidential Library located off-site in Ann Arbor. There are six permanent exhibit galleries and additional space for temporary exhibits. Currently, a temporary exhibit is running on the life of Betty Ford. The site along the river is a lovely place for a walk outdoors. Behind the museum you'll find Ford's final resting place. If you're heading to the Grand Rapids area, I'd definitely add this museum to your list of places to see while in town. Find out more at FORDLIBRARYMUSEUM.GOV.

Indianapolis has a wealth of family attractions and entertainment

A visit to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis

If the cold winter weather is getting to you and you'd love to get away for a weekend, Indianapolis is one of my top pics for a fun and budget-friendly weekend trip with the family. There's so much to do that a weekend isn't even close to enough time to check it all out. However, it's enough time to get a taste of what this capital city has to offer. With a top-notch zoo, the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, historical sites galore, sporting arenas and a mammoth children's museum, it may be hard to narrow down the list for your weekend itinerary.

Stay at one of the downtown hotels that connects to City Center via skyway (we stayed at the Omni on our most recent visit) and you have access to over 100 shops, a dozen restaurants, theatres and more. To find out more about what to do in Indy, go to VISITINDY.COM.