Nickelodeon Universe

When most Americans think of the Twin Cities, one attraction usually comes to mind, the Mall of America, which is right outside of the cities in Bloomington, MN.  In the very center of the mall is an amusement park, Nickelodeon Universe, which features various rides in the theme of different Nickelodeon shows and characters.

There are various pricing structures for admission to use the park's rides, but the one I'd recommend is the unlimited ride pass.  Otherwise, unless you are only doing one or two rides, you won't be getting your money's worth.  The other option is the combination pass with the SeaLife Aquarium in the basement of the mall.  If you're planning on visiting the aquarium, it's best to get the combo pass.

The rides are much more tame than most theme parks, but the indoor nature of it makes it quite unique.  The "Pepsi Orange Streak" allows you to ride around the entire park area, giving you a nice view of the park and the mall.  The "Fairly Odd Coaster" was my personal favorite as the spinning nature of it was very different than any other roller coaster I've been on before.

Mall of America

If visiting Minneapolis, a must visit is the Mall of America. While the mall itself is like any other mall, except with mall gift shops, there is an aquarium in the basement and an amusement park in the center.

Part of the third floor is called South Street, dedicated to high class restaurants, and it looks like your walking down a neighborhood street.

If you're a Twins fan, or a Vikings fan, there are lots of shops to find jerseys, t-shirts and paraphernalia.

CRAVE, Mall of America

Along South Street in the Mall of America is CRAVE, a local chain that has expanded by the want of locals. The chic atmosphere and variety of the menu makes CRAVE the perfect choice for dining that will please everyone in your party.

When we sat down, we were handed the regular menu, a sushi menu, the wine list, and Monday's are burger night, so there was a burger and shake menu on the table, also.

We ordered the special 1881 Sirloin steak, wrapped in bacon and topped with slabs of herb butter and served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. The sauce, the butter, and the potatoes, were delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly. And, well, its wrapped in bacon. What more can one ask for?

We also ordered the roasted chicken and penne (without the goat cheese). Again, the chef nailed the sauce, it perfectly complimented the dish, and the taste of the pine nuts brightened the dish without making it heavy or adding an additional, unnecessary flavor.

Historic Fort Snelling

Nestled away near the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport is Historic Fort Snelling right on the Mississippi River. The fort was originally built in the 1820's and held its status as an important American fort all the way through World War II.  For the weekend we went, it was World War II weekend, so the staff was all dressed in that era's uniforms and told stories of what the fort's purpose was during the time.

There was also a rifle and gun demonstration with various types of guns being fired with live ammunition on the grounds.  This was done with top-notch safety standards to ensure all spectators weren't in any danger.  There were single bullet rifles fired along with machine guns which pleased the crowd, especially the children.

All in all, it was an enjoyable day at Fort Snelling and for anyone with an interest in American war history, it's definitely worth a visit.  You never know what you may learn.  One thing we learned was that many of the German POW's that were brought back to America were brought here.  Because they liked the region so much, many chose to stay rather than be brought back to Germany.

Black Forest Inn

If you're looking for something different for dinner, try Minneapolis's Black Forest Inn, serving German inspired dishes. The restaurant is decorated in an old world German style, with paintings, and more.

We ordered the Paprika Schnitzel (top), which was a pork chop coated in a sauce with meat and bacon and served with spaetzel, a German tradition. It was so good. The sauce mixed nicely with the spaetzel as well with the pork chop itself.

We also ordered the Wiener Schnitzel, which is veal, breaded and pan fried and served with spaetzel and brightens up with a spritz on lemon.

Black Forest Inn also serves traditional German beers, including seasonal beers. I ordered the Sünner Kölsch, a beer from Cologne, Germany that is light but is not an ale or a lager but is cold brewed like a lager. It's bubbly and refreshing and perfect for summer.


For dessert we ordered the Black Forest Torte, a light and fluffy chocolate cake with a light icing and cream cheese icing filling with cherries that was the perfect ending to a unique dinner.


Everything at Black Forest Inn was delicious and it was much more low key than other restaurants in Minneapolis. There is also outdoor seating and a bar available.

Pick-Your-Own at Johnson's Corner Farm

 Johnson's Corner Farm, in Medford, NJ, is a fun pick-your-own farm that is more than just a pick-your-own farm. The hayride to the various fields is a lot of fun in itself! For the kids there is a Discovery Barnyard, where children can climb on climbing rocks, in a space net and more. There is also a petting zoo.

The pick-your-own farm starts the season with strawberries in early spring and goes through Halloween with pick your own pumpkins. Throughout the year you can pick your own blueberries, sweet corn, apples, peaches and more.

The farm market store sells fresh produce and home made baked goods (if you walk towards the rest rooms, you can smell them in the kitchen), and cider donuts. As well as crafts and home goods, jellies, jams, canned fruits and more.

Disney's Yacht Club Resort

When staying at Disney World, there are numerous options of hotels to stay at.  You can easily filter out many hotels based on the price you're willing to spend.  If you're someone who is willing to pay a decent amount of money for your room, then Disney's Yacht Club is definitely a prime choice.

From the moment you pull up, you're greeted by a host and all of a sudden everyone else you meet along the way knows your name.  Inside the hotel, you're greeted by the Captain of the club, dressed in full uniform.  The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming.

When you get up to your room, you'll find plenty of Mickey Mouse related items, such as the towels on the bed shown below.  The Yacht Club theme is very prevalent throughout the room, as well as the hotel itself, and is very charming.  The rooms are spacious, clean and have extremely comfortable beds.

Outside, the hotel shares a swimming pool area with the Beach Club Resort, which features a slide coming off a "crashed" Pirate ship, which is something children will love.  There are activities in the pool area going on all the time, from sing-a-longs to movies on the "beach".

The hotel is also located across the lagoon from Disney's Boardwalk, making it easy to reach this area either by foot or boat.  In addition, you can take this boat to the back entrance of EPCOT center for a quick way into the park in the International section.

If you have the money for it, this hotel is definitely worth your patronage on a visit to Disney World!