Siouxland Families

It's no secret that I love pumpkin patches! I've reviewed several in the past, and I have an ultimate guide to every pumpkin patch within 2 hours of Sioux City . But until now, I had never been to Vala's, which most people agree is one of the biggest and best pumpkin patches in the Midwest (maybe one of the best anywhere!) Clearly, I needed to fix this.  So, I reached out to Vala's, and they provided free admission so that I could visit and tell you all about it. Based on my research online and on visiting in person with my family, here is what families should know about Vala's Pumpkin Patch:  Where is Vala's Pumpkin Patch?  The official address for Vala's is 12102 South 180th Street in Gretna, Nebraska, about an hour and 45 minutes southwest of Sioux City or about 3 hours north of Kansas City. It's just off of Interstate 80 a few minutes west of Omaha.  Vala's Pumpkin Patch has several huge, free parking lots, and when I went, they had a several emp

The Orpheum is known for hosting high quality live entertainment for all ages, including kids shows. We've seen great shows like Baby Shark's Big Broadwave Tour , Nick Jr. Live , and Disney Princess: the Concert at the Orpheum over the years and every time, these live shows end up providing great entertainment that really captivates the young audience they're there for. And I'm especially excited about the latest show they announced: Wild Kratts Live 2.0: Activating Creature Powers! I'm a huge fan of the Kratt brothers, and I know other local families are too. So here's what Sioux City and Siouxland families should know about this great show:  What is Wild Kratts Live 2.0: Activating Creature Powers? Wild Kratts Live 2.0: Activating Creature Powers is a brand-new stage production from Chris and Martin Kratt. This pair of real-life brothers has been entertaining kids with knowledge and fun about animals for decades with

In honor of the Explorers making the 2024 playoffs, here's my official guide to the Sioux City Explorers baseball team: Sioux City Explorers basics The Sioux City Explorers baseball team is part of the West Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, which is an MLB affiliate league, and they have had dozens of players called up to the majors! The team colors are red and black, and the team mascot is Slider, a black Newfoundland dog. The team nickname is "the Xs" and their team logo is a block letter X with a baseball flying in front of it. Sioux City Explorers Team History The Sioux City Explorers have been in Sioux City since the team started in 1993 (which is why Slider's jersey has a 93 on it!) They played as part of the Northern League from 1993 to 2005 when they joined the AAPB. They have won their division championship several times but have yet to win the league championship. Sioux City Explorers Home Field and Games

It's apple season! Whether you like them sweet or tart, baked into a pie or freshly sliced, apples are one of the quintessential fall flavors. And there's just something extra special about picking your own. Luckily, there are several lovely places near Sioux City and Siouxland where you can do just that:  Apple Orchards in Sioux City Autumn Grove Apple Orchard 1658 180th Street, Sioux City, IA Currently Autumn Grove Apple Orchard is the only you-pick apple orchard I am aware of in Sioux City. Their opening day will be Sunday, September 1st from 11am to 5pm. After that, they will be open on Sundays from 11am to 5pm, probably for the rest of the month or until the apples are gone (watch their Facebook page for updates!) The first weekend, honeycrisp apples are available and all apples cost $45 per half bushel, $25 per peck and $15 for a half peck. Once the honeycrisps are gone, the cost per half bushel will go down to $40 while the other prices stay the same. There is no admissi

As a mom of four, I love a good kids meal, and I'm trying to review as many of them as I can! Once I get a few more done, I'm going to create a post to easily find them all and link from there. But today, I'm excited to kick off this brand-new post series by telling you all about the kids menu options at Scooter's Coffee. The fun kids menu at this coffee chain includes options like "smoothies" (which I'd call milkshakes), berry lemonade, cookies, and pretzel bites. And just for fun (and because I have four kids to split all this between,) we also tried the very-kid-friendly $1 donut bites. Here's my full review of the Scooter's Coffee Kids Menu as of August 2024: Scooter's Coffee is a drive through coffeehouse chain that started in Omaha and has since expanded to hundreds of locations across the US. Along with their adult menu of coffee, tea, and other delicious drinks and snacks, they also have a nice kids menu.  So my

Sioux City's biggest and best art festival is here! I went for the first time as a Morningside student and enjoyed seeing it with my parents, and it's so fun to see this great event continuing even now that I'm a mom of four from toddler to teen. Talk about a long-lasting tradition! Here's what families should know about this annual arts event: What is ArtSplash Caterpillar craft from ArtSplash 2022 ArtSplash is a two-day celebration of primarily visual arts and live music in downtown Sioux City, hosted by the Sioux City Art Center. The festival celebrates artists from a variety of mediums, with a focus on regional and local artists, and includes art you can see, buy, and even make! ArtSplash also includes hands-on projects for all ages, food vendors, and lots of other fun.  Sculptural pieces at a booth at ArtSplash 2022 2024 admission to the festival is FREE for all ages, but food, and any art or other vendor wares you choose to buy are not included with admission. And