WI + MN - Devil's Lake and Twin Cities (June 19 - 23, 2026)
Since moving to Chicago, one of my goals has been to explore the Midwest. On this trip, I discovered the beauty of Wisconsin in Devil's Lake State Park and of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. Paige and I at Minnehaha Falls! DAY 1 (WI) As we drove into Wisconsin on I-90, the landscape began to shift. The straight and flat road morphed into a few rolling hills, complete with some twists and turns - reminding me of family road trips through upstate New York or Pennsylvania. Lesson #1: not all of the Midwest is completely flat! We made a quick dinner stop at Culver's which is my new favorite fast food chain. Previously, I had tried their flavorful, fresh never frozen burgers. This time, I tried one of their ice creams courtesy of a free ice cream coupon that my roommate left in the kitchen drawer. I had their flavor of the day - caramel pecan - topped with complementary banana slices! The ice cream was rich and creamy, unlike your typical nostalgic but watered-down fast food shake, ma...