USA: Heartland, Secret Family Vacation Places - Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Missouri.
Looking for a new spot or a new family vacation idea? Imagine counting goats on a rooftop; celebrating with a fish boil in Door County; hunting for agates along Lake Superior; fishing on Lake Truman or petting a bearded lizard in Missouri. This is the fun stuff but it's a secret.
Wisconsin: Egg Harbor/Fish Creek - Cherry Picking, Summer Theatre, and a Fish Boil. Door County is amazing. The area offers near perfect summer nights, natural beauty and an artistic energy which is contagious. Imagine days filled with sailing, fishing, biking, horseback riding, golfing, browsing art galleries or picking luscious cherries. Evenings include music concerts, Door Shakespeare, Peninsula Players, and American Folk Theatre under the stars. Glorious sunsets prelude summer nights filled with music. Experience an authentic fish boil at where else but Fish Creek.
Family vacation base: The assortment of cottages easily fits the needs families. Peninsula Park-View is a wonderful place for a family getaway or even a family reunion because there are many amenities and no two units are alike. Onsite you will find an outdoor heated pool, fire pits and grills, a game lodge with ping pong table, free video library, high-speed internet access, complimentary use of bicycles, a discount at the Blue Horse Bistro, and discounts in the photo lab.
Need to know: They have pet-friendly units.
Location on the planet: Peninsula Park-View Resort, 3397 Hwy 42, Fish Creek, WI 54212. (920) 854-2633 or
www.peninsulaparkview.com
Minnesota: Ottertail Country – Fishing, Campfire Talks, and Tubing on the River. 
For an escape guaranteed to relax and rejuvenate every family member Minnesota’s lakes and trees will do the trick. Otter Tail Country is populated with more than 1,000 lakes and streams ideal for fishing, swimming, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, waterskiing, or just relaxing on the beach. Family vacation days are loaded with easy tasks – a game of horse shoes or ping-pong competition. Swim to a raft or tube on a river. Wiggle your toes at a soft sandy beach or catch fish for breakfast. Go bowling or take horseback ride through the woods. Organize of game of golf or challenge your kids at putt-putt golf. Make s’mores by a cozy fire or play flashlight tag.
Bonus points: Each summer Pernham hosts the International Turtle Races and every August Finn Creek Festival delivers fun, entertainment, and traditional Finnish including black pudding with lingonberry sauce and luscious “kalakukko” fish pie. (Otter Tail Country toll-free 1-800-423-4571 or log on to www.ottertailcountry.com)
Family vacation base: East Silent Resort’s 11 cozy cabins and 50 wooded acres nestle up against clean and clear East Silent Lake. The Resort attracts families who are seeking an escape that includes skiing, swimming, pontoon rides, fishing, campfire chats, and free time to relax without feeling guilty.
Bonus points: During the summer months children’s activities include arts and crafts projects, three-legged races, sand castle contests, face painting, and bird house making with s’mores night and ice cream social for everyone.
Location on the planet: Located in West Central Minnesota, just two and a half hours from Minneapolis and St. Paul, East Silent Resort 30424 410th Street Dent, MN. Toll-free 1-800-242-6904, (218) 758-2716 or
www.eastsilentresort.com
Michigan: Houghton/Hancock - Living History, Agate Hunting, and a Canoe Trail. The Upper Peninsula (a.k.a. the U.P.) area fits solidly on the secret places list. The fact is the rugged piney woods region offers plenty for families. Enjoy cool air, plenty of hiking trails, countless waterfalls, uncrowded beaches, and night skies covered with a lacework of stars. What kid doesn’t love finding the perfect smooth round stone and Lake Superior will not disappoint. Even better there is an appropriately named Agate Beach is just west of Toivola. Summertime activities include fishing, mountain biking, boating, golfing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, agate hunting and hiking. The headwaters of the Sturgeon River begin not far from South Range and the Keweenaw Water Trail offers wonderful canoeing and kayaking throughout the region.
Bonus points: During the summer months costumed interpreters recreate 1870 and provide a glimpse of the daily life of men and women stationed at Fort Wilkins and the copper Harbor Lighthouse nearby.
Family Vacation base: Long kept a secret by snowmobiling folks the Wildlife Refuge is a four-season spot with six fully furnished open-style cabins each with a gas fireplace. Each unit has a living area with futon, a dining area, and a kitchenette with a mini refrigerator, small cook top, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, and cooking utensils. Two cabins are "Bunkhouse" style which means there is room to 10 guests. The office has a coffee bar serving coffee, cappuccino and hot chocolate.
Location on the planet: Wildlife Refuge Cabins 101 Wildlife Lane South Range, MI 49963. Toll-free 1-888-510-1001 or (906) 482-1001 or
www.wildliferefugecabins.com
Missouri: Warsaw and Lake Truman – Fishing, Boating, and Huggable Goats. 
Truman Lake, about 125 miles from Branson, is one of Missouri’s secret jewels. With a surface area of about 56,000 acres and is framed by 110,000 acres of public land making it a natural “secret” family vacation escape. This is the spot for crappie, largemouth bass, and both blue and flathead catfish. Water recreation options abound and you will find several well maintained sandy swimming beaches. Trail riders will find almost 25 miles of developed trails to explore and Harry S. Truman Visitor Center located atop Kaysinger Bluff provides powerhouse exhibits and offers a spectacular view of Truman Dam and Reservoir.
Bonus points: Nearby the historic Hooper House and Farm Complex provides a window to the 1840-1850’s in Missouri. Visit a smokehouse, a double pen – barn, and the restored Concord Schoolhouse.
Family vacation base: Fincachivo Lodge is an idyllic spot with easy access to boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, and just relaxing. They have two remote cabins, a bunkhouse that sleeps eight, and two suites with shared kitchen and bath. The community fire pit provides an evening gathering point for guests.
Bonus points: Onsite is a small goat herd, a donkey named Ebony, and a bloodhound called Loony so photo opportunities abound.
Location on the planet: Fincachivo Lodge & Goat Farm 26309 Mack's Camp Ave. Warsaw, MO. 65355. (660) 723-4662 or
www.Fincachivo.com
Missouri: Joplin - Route 66, Bearded Dragons, and a Bison Herd. The place where the American prairie and Ozark mountain hospitality meet, Joplin sits snuggly on the western edge of the Ozark Plateau. Safe, easy-paced and family-friendly, Joplin offers visitors of all ages a chance to chill out and simply have fun enjoying the good stuff and making family vacation memories. It is an excellent family vacation target just about midpoint along historic U.S. HWY Route 66 – “The Mother Road.” Watch (and taste) chocolate dipping; hold a sand snake or pet a bearded dragon; visit a federal fish hatchery; try your luck at fishing with the kids. Within 3700-acre Prairie State Park you may hike along marked trails stretching more than 11 miles and see herds of elk and bison grazing.
Bonus points: The Ozark Chinquapin Nature Center at Roaring River has interpretive displays that showcase the park’s unique natural history. Park naturalists conduct nature programs everyday during the summer months.
Family vacation base: Roaring River State Park has an ideal set up for families. In addition to a vintage stone and timber lodge there are 26 secluded rustic cabins each with a fully equipped kitchen. Each unit is furnished with cooking utensils, pots, pans, dishes, toaster, coffee maker, linens, heating and air conditioning.
Location on the planet: Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau. 602 Main Street Joplin, 64801. Toll-free 1-800-657-2534, 1(417) 625-4789 or
www.visitjoplinmo.com
