Oswald’s Bear Ranch — Not far from Tahquamenon Falls, we had lots of fun feeding bears with apples, from viewing platforms above their enclosures at Oswald’s Bear Ranch. We paid extra to get a family picture with an adorable baby bear.

Shalom Zoo — As we drove through Wisconsin, we couldn’t pass up a place called Shalom Zoo (even though it has no Jewish connection). Even better, there were golf carts for rent that we used to drive around the zoo and stay cool on a hot day. We also bought grain for the kids so they could feed the animals.

Mall of America — With almost 6 million square feet of space, the Mall of America has been the largest mall in North America since it was opened in 1992 by the Ghermezian family of Edmonton (who also own American Dream in New Jersey). Fortunately for us, the day before we arrived in town was the reopening of the indoor amusement park, which the kids really enjoyed, and shopping in the stores wasn’t bad either.

Laura Ingalls Wilder house —  Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in 1867 in Pepin, Wisconsin, which is the setting for her first book, Little House in the Big Woods. Since Yosef Meir and Devora Leah are big fans of her books, they were very excited to see the cabin where Laura grew up.

Mississippi River Pontoon — One of our favorite activities on the trip was renting a pontoon to spend a day on the Mississippi River. We had a wonderful time docking and going ashore to swim in a private swimming hole near the river as majestic bald eagles flew overhead. We were initially worried that we’d get bored after just a few hours, but we ended up loving it so much that we were sad when our time was up and we had to return the boat.

Painted Rocks — One of Dr. Alport’s favorite activities on the trip was the cruise we took through Painted Rocks National Lakeshore, a stunning section of seashore that can only be viewed from the water. The highlight is the 15 miles of multicolored cliffs that tower up to 200 feet above the water.

Mississippi River Headwaters — On our way to Fargo, we stopped in Minnesota at Itasca State Park, the headwaters of the Mississippi River, where it starts its 2,300-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. Since it is known as “the mighty Mississippi,” we enjoyed walking “all the way” across the river, where it’s not so mighty at all — only a few feet deep and quite narrow.

George Floyd Square — On May 25, 2020, an African-American man named George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, sparking Black Lives Matter protests across the country. When we were in Minneapolis just a few months later, we took the opportunity to visit George Floyd Square to see the historic site and memorial.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park — Located in remote western North Dakota — more than 300 miles from Fargo — Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established in 1978. Its namesake, Theodore Roosevelt, fell in love with the region when he went there to hunt in 1883. Besides the beautiful scenery of the badlands, we enjoyed watching the numerous bison and adorable prairie dogs that inhabit the park.

Meet you next time!

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 885)