Siouxland Families

The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center in Sioux City is one of the cutest nature centers in Iowa and has a particular focus on the natural environment of the Loess Hills and Siouxland. It's totally FREE to visit, and a fun place to spend a day in any season, offering activities both indoors and outside. And it's one of my personal favorites. My kids and I have had so much fun at the nature center over the years! Here's what you should know about the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center: Where is the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center? The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center is located at 4500 Sioux River Road in Sioux City, Iowa. There is ample free parking in their parking lot, but there is a gate that closes each afternoon. If you are planning to leave after it's closed, park in the small lot between the road and the gate instead of in the large lot near the nature center itself so you aren't trapped! The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center includes the nature ce...

Nebraska City, Nebraska's unique Arbor Lodge State Historical Park is centered around the beautiful Arbor Lodge mansion, making it one of the only state parks in the US where a holiday was invented! This former home of J. Sterling Morton, founder of Arbor Day now serves as a museum and event venue, while the grounds provide relaxing opportunities for walking amidst trees galore, some more than a century old. Here's what families should know about Nebraska's Arbor Lodge State Historical Park.  Disclosure: park admission is free, but there is usually a cost to tour inside the lodge, and I received free admission from the Arbor Day Foundation to facilitate the writing of an article for Living Here Midwest magazine's Spring 2024 issue about the history of Arbor Day. I was not required to also write about it for my blog, but this place is awesome, and I really wanted to share more about it! Where is Arbor Lod...

If you've driven into Nebraska, you may have seen signs proclaiming it "the home of Arbor Day" and wondered what that meant. Arbor Day was started in Nebraska in 1872, and since then, millions of trees are planted each year all around the world as part of Arbor Day celebrations! The Arbor Day Foundation plays a huge role in making this happen, and in preserving the history of Arbor Day. So, I was super excited to work with them to write an article for  Living Here Midwest  magazine about the history of Arbor Day, and to find out more about how Arbor Day started and about what the foundation does now to continue their mission into the future. And spoiler alert: they do this largely through tons of fun at their spectacular Arbor Day Farm and attractions including the Tree Adventure, Porter's BBQ and the Apple Market, the Arbor Lodge State Historical Park, and the Lied Lodge Hotel. Thank you to the Arbor Day Foundation for covering my admission to...