Weekend trips in the midwest?

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Jbybee

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Jbybee
I am new to the site and just got my light sport license last Friday. I was wondering if anyone could direct me to where I could learn about places I could fly and spend the night in a cabin or hotel. I once went to a place on the White river called gaskins? Not sure if that's the right name. I live in the midwest so was wanting to take my wife on a few adventures around this area next year.
 
3M0 Gaston's.

You can also look at two hearted airstrip in the UP of WI. 6Y5 they have cabins for rent in the area.

Welcome to PoA!
 
Gastons*. Literally tons of places to fly. Even more if you're willing to land on a grass strip and camp in a tent.
 
Might have to be slightly more descriptive about what constitutes the "Midwest". I've seen it describe everything between the Rockies and the Appalachians!
 
Sikeston has Lamberts. They'll pick you up... or would before the plague. Idk about now.
 
Try French Lick, IN (FRH). Resort with spa, casino, and golfing. And they will pick u up at airport.
 
These will take you north:

Lacrosse (KLSE) / Winona (KONA?) area are nice along the Mississippi river - great scenery when flying, lots of great restaurants, hotels all by the river.

If you can make it up to Lake Superior (DLH,TWM,SUP, Sky Harbor?) exploring around the north shore is pretty fun and the wife would like this unless the longer flight isn't her thing.

The submarine museum in Manitowoc (KMTW) is on my short list. Plus looks like a lot more to explore in that area and to the north.
 
Jbybee said:
I am new to the site and just got my light sport license last Friday. I was wondering if anyone could direct me to where I could learn about places I could fly and spend the night in a cabin or hotel. I once went to a place on the White river called gaskins? Not sure if that's the right name. I live in the midwest so was wanting to take my wife on a few adventures around this area next year.
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Congratulations on earning your ticket! Door county is littered with great places - 2P2, 3D2, KSUE. You can do hotels, cabins, bnbs, or camping quite easily.
 
6d6 in greenville, well talk Old planes for several hours, ill drive ya to the AmericInn or you can crash my couch and we do pilots breakfast Saturday and Sunday at the airport, eat with us and fly off to your next adventure!
 
Sinistar said:
These will take you north:

Lacrosse (KLSE) / Winona (KONA?) area are nice along the Mississippi river - great scenery when flying, lots of great restaurants, hotels all by the river.

If you can make it up to Lake Superior (DLH,TWM,SUP, Sky Harbor?) exploring around the north shore is pretty fun and the wife would like this unless the longer flight isn't her thing.

The submarine museum in Manitowoc (KMTW) is on my short list. Plus looks like a lot more to explore in that area and to the north.
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Duluth is fantastic, and heading up along the North Shore is beautiful.

When you're done in Duluth, or maybe before; Madeline Island sounds like something interesting. Looks like it has cabins; but I believe there is a ferry that runs if you are more of a hotel kind of guy.

https://goo.gl/maps/e8fT9QkTk81M7hVH9

https://goo.gl/maps/2uigTbCBRuf5DWzd9
 
CONGRATULATIONS!!

As asked before, where in the Midwest? I've lived in Chicago area, grew up around St Louis, lived in Cincinnati, etc.

If you're up in Chicago area, you have Michigan (fly the shore, not the lake LOL) Traverse City and of course the UP. Of course you could always fly into Oshkosh and spend the day in their museum, etc.
 
I am in Burlington Iowa. This is the Southeast section of Iowa.
 
ktup-flyer said:
Sikeston has Lamberts. They'll pick you up... or would before the plague. Idk about now.
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Okay, Lambert's is...ummmm...

...nevermind...

KEYE (NW Indy area)...then walk across the street to Rick's Cafe Boatyard. You can thank me later.
 
Jbybee said:
I am in Burlington Iowa. This is the Southeast section of Iowa.
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I did my PPL and IR checkrides at BRL with the late Tommy Tomkins.

I can only assume it's still there - but have you been to the Amana Colonies (C11)? Used to be able to walk from the grass strip into the little 'town' and they had some good home cooked food places and touristy shops there. Not sure what the status is now with CV-19.

There's the Casino+Hotel in Osceola, IA. I would call ahead to make sure they'll shuttle you to/from the airport. Don't get your hopes up too much - it's pretty much what you would expect from a casino in Osceola.

Petit Jean, AR (KMPJ) is a state park with a nice paved runway on-property. They have primitive campsites and a hotel-style lodge. Plenty of hiking trails in the park. The airport is across the valley from the lodge, but when you land you call them up and they'll send a van over to pick you up.
 
Rcmutz said:
Try French Lick, IN (FRH). Resort with spa, casino, and golfing. And they will pick u up at airport.
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This is a good suggestion. The City of French Lick leaders really see their local airport as a key to fostering economic activity. They spent a bunch of money to upgrade the road to get from the airport to the their two resort hotels (French Lick and West Baden Springs) and golf courses. They run a free shuttle to the airport and back to try to encourage people to fly in and stay. The two hotels are pretty close to each other, and share a shuttle service. The casino is attached to the French Lick Hotel, so stay in that one if proximity to the casino is important to you. You can also walk or ride the free shuttle to get to the casino from West Baden, without much difficulty. It's probably a 15 minute walk from one hotel to the other. I would recommend West Baden because the grounds and the hotel itself are just nicer than French Lick, in my opinion. West Baden is built with a massive dome roof, with a resulting really impressive indoor atrium. It kind of reminds a bit of the Greenbrier in that is a throw-back to the same time period, although its not quite up to the Greenbrier standards. Still, it's pretty impressive and worth checking out.
 
this info is actually helpful if you're a newbie, so thanks for your suggestions
 
Amana - C11. 2600' grass strip (no fuel). Just a couple block walk to some great German restaurants. Plenty of places for your wife to do some shopping. I've been there a couple times and will be going back.

Just did a trip with my wife up to Washington Island, WI (2P2). Small island on the tip of the UP. We took our bikes, but you can rent bikes or atv's. We stayed at Dor Cros Inn. Nice little rustic cabins.

You could make a short hop to Muscatine and go for a glider flight on a nice weekend.

Pella is on my list (tulip festival in the spring) and great pastries in town (courtesy car).

Rochelle, IL - RPJ. Great food at the on field restaurant (Flight Deck). You can sit inside or outside and watch the skydiving company from your seat. Get the nachos.

Haven't been here yet, but plan to this fall. Merkle Field - private field at apple orchard. Can land and go through shop when they are open (Orchard Landing - www.orchardlandingfarm.com)

I'm at Geneseo (3G8) if you want a nice 1/2 mile grass runway to play on.
 
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