Visting Superman’s Hometown

 

Illinois is filled with small towns with their own personality. Even after 17 years of living here, I still have a list of many I have yet to explore. Toward the top of that list was Metropolis, the hometown of the character of Superman.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Metropolis, and it met my expectations. I took along my friends, Amanda and Heather, and my service dog, Teddy.

 

We stayed at Harrah’s Metropolis Hotel & Casino. It’s a large property within walking distance to everything in town. Amanda and Heather shared a room, while Teddy and I had a larger accessible room with two beds and a big bathroom with rails and a chair in the walk-in shower. 

After check-in, we headed downtown to the Superman Museum. The entrance to the museum is filled with photos in the window and something you’d expect the Man of Steel to need—a phone booth. 

You first walk into the store. I can’t imagine there is anything related to Superman you will not find for sale, including clothes of all sizes and kryptonite candy.

Superman Museum is a dream for the superhero lover. It pays homage to every Superman and the actors who played him. A lot of the memorabilia is one of a kind, such as the final script of the first Superman movie with Christopher Reeve, and the original costume worn in Superman III.

 

You’ll see photographs of Reeve, Dean Cain, and all the actors who played Superman, as well as all the actors who played Lois Lane and Supergirl. Branded video games, dolls, and toys are everywhere.

After the museum, they walked and I rolled around the downtown. It’s filled with quirky shops and Superman (and Lois) statues. Metropolis has a uniqueness you certainly can’t match anywhere else.

I found out that you can easily soar through the streets in Metropolis with a wheelchair. The town is also extremely dog friendly and Teddy was welcome everywhere we went. Of course, I had to dress him to fit in.

 
After reading about the restaurants in the town, we settled on Fat Edd’s, for its food reviews and dog friendliness. The food is mostly centered around barbecue, and they have quite a selection.

I cleared with the manager that the shrimp was cooked separately, and I didn’t need to worry about allergy contamination. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, Amanda got the Lava Chicken, and Heather had the BBQ chicken platter. Teddy was happy with scraps, and French fries.

 
Metropolis isn’t just about Superman. We found some relaxing and historic outdoor spots to check out too.

Dorothy Miller Park is on the Ohio River and a perfect place for a picnic or relaxing afternoon. It’s filled with picnic tables and paths to explore. There is a lighthouse and Teddy found plenty of spaces to enjoy while I wheeled around.

 

Fort Massac State Park is also on the river, but an entirely different park. This one is on 1500 acres and includes a visitor’s center with an extensive collection of Native American artifacts, offers camping, trails, forestry, and recreated buildings.

The history of Fort Massac is quite complicated and includes the original Native Americans, the landing of the Europeans back in 1540, the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and Civil War. The park is free to enter, and they have plenty of parking, including handicapped spots.

 

Before leaving Metropolis in the morning, our last stop in downtown was breakfast at Sissy’s, A Sweet Spot. It’s actually more of a bakery than restaurant, but they do have accessible seating. They also have so many treats it was hard to decide to decided what to get.

In the end, we all had breakfast sandwiches for practicality. I also got a pumpkin cream cheese muffin for us to share. It was as delicious as it looked and a great way to end our trip to Metropolis.

I was hosted on this trip by Metropolis, Illinois, but opinions are my own.

Enjoying the Day in Muskegon

I had never been to Muskegon and, honestly, it wasn’t on my radar before. I had started hearing more about it and the representatives of Pure Michigan told me it was a lakefront town making strides in the wheelchair-friendly arena.

Muskegon has had a big resurgence from the cruise industry which has led to growth in the town. In addition to the ferries that go across Lake Michigan (which we would be taking), three cruise lines are now making stops in Muskegon: Pearl Sea Cruises, Victory Cruise Line, and Ponant Great Lake Cruises.

The town was building and improving for the influx of cruise passengers and the feedback on the port stop has been positive. This town would continue to thrive.

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Since we had a late lunch and skipped dinner the night before, we were ready for a big breakfast. Mr. Bs Pancake House was the perfect place. This local favorite has been around over 50 years. The portions were huge and the omelets, pancakes, and hashbrowns we had were delicious.

After breakfast, we went to the Muskegon Museum of Art. I was extremely impressed that this seemingly small town had such a large art museum with extensive collections. In fact, it is in the process of being enlarged even more.

While we were at the museum, we were able to see an exhibition on American artist John Steuart Curry, who was a leader in the Regionalist Art Movement. Although that exhibit was temporary, they do have quite a few pieces that are permanent by the artist as part of its over 4,000 selections.

We spent a few hours at the museum, which was easy to get around in my power chair. (They also had wheelchairs available for those who needed to borrow.)

Another place with wheelchairs to use is Muskegon State Beach. These are track wheelchairs to ride on the sand. Just like the ones at the other state beaches, they were free to use, though I suggest reserving them in advance. We had another clear day for the beach, and I was able to ride a smooth path that went almost to the actual water.

After the full day, we decided not to go back to the Delta Hotel by Marriott and instead went straight to dinner. There were many options in Muskegon, but we had passed the Bear Lake Tavern, and it looked like a popular spot. As soon as we walked in, we could see it was filled with a lot of locals. That’s always a clear sign of a good place to eat.

Lynn ordered the steak sandwich and said it was delicious. I went for their beef stroganoff, which was also incredibly good. I had it with a Cucumber Mule, which Bear Lake Tavern made perfectly.

There was a place in town we hadn’t made it to yet that was on our schedule, and it seemed like the perfect time on this warm evening, Norm’s Ice Cream. They had a wide selection of soft serve flavors, and I had my favorite parfait, with peanut butter and hot fudge!

We headed back to the hotel in time for yet another stunning Muskegon sunset. What a way to end a day.

Recap of the day...

Starting the Fun in Chicago at 21C

 

Lynn and I have been having adventures for many years. We’ve been friends for decades and look forward to our getaways. We had lots of plans for this one, taking us through Michigan, then on to Milwaukee before heading back.

She arrived in Champaign a few days before our trip. We got ready for our first stop, Chicago. We were spending two days there at 21CMuseum Hotel before hitting the road for the rest.

 

One of the things I enjoyed most about the 21C Museum Hotel I stayed in when in Louisville the first time were the penguins. These giant plastic penguins would move around the hotel, surprising you in places such as the elevator. After I mentioned this at check-in, we had one waiting for us in our room.

The 21C Deluxe Accessible Double room worked well for us. It had a nice big bathroom, with a low bathtub, which I love. There was also a chair in it for those who couldn’t climb in or get out of the tub.

 

We had stopped on the road to eat a big lunch. I wanted to have dinner at Lure Fish Bar at 21C, but Lynn and I both have seafood allergies and that made it impractical. Instead, I went there for an early breakfast. I loved the Brioche French Toast with caramelized bananas. (For those who can eat shellfish, the Lobster Frittata sounded amazing.)

I had an appointment in the morning and couldn’t resist Stan’s Donuts for a raspberry filled cronut and chai latte when it was done. I had been there longer than expected and knew it would still be a long time before my lunch. I don’t get the opportunity to have Stan’s very often. I then wheeled back to the hotel.

 

Marketing Director Alex Eden took me on a tour. The artwork at 21C is museum quality and worthy of exploring for an hour or two. The exhibits change a few times a year. I saw unusual pieces, such as a picture put together with subway tokens and a wedding cake made from newspaper.

After some rest, I was out again. I love Afternoon Tea and was especially excited to be doing it at the Ritz Carlton. Starting with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne made it even more special. I soon traded my champagne glass for a teacup as I waited for the well-orchestrated food. I chose the cranberry-apple blend tea and looked forward to it while it began to seep.

 
The tea sandwiches were as creative as they were delicious. My favorite was the zucchini with capers and dill spread. Next were the scones, pumpkin spice and traditional, served with cream, apple butter, and raspberry jam. There was also a Carbonara Quiche, with bucatini, smokey mushroom, and parmesan cheese.

Dessert was just as scrumptious as the rest of the offerings. Even though it was summer, they were themed for Halloween: Poison Apple, green apple Cremieux with graham cracker; Monster Under the Bed, blackberry mousse and pistachio ganache; Jack-O-Cannoli, a cannoli filled with pumpkin spice ricotta and dipped in chocolate; and RIP, a crispy hazelnut chocolate bar.

 

All the desserts were fantastic, but the cannoli was simply perfect. They sent me back to the hotel with extras of everything. Lynn and I decided to indulge in more rather than go out to dinner.

The next morning, we packed up the car and headed to Michigan. Our first stay would be in Holland, a place I’ve wanted to go to for years.

A Special Sunday in Chicago at CDA and Driehaus

 

I live two hours from downtown Chicago, so I almost always stay overnight. Occasionally, the time is too short and the opportunity too great, so I make an exception. This was the case on the day my friend, Kim, and I went for brunch at Sofitel’s CDA and checked out the Driehaus Museum.

The CDA Restaurant at Sofitel Magnificent Mile Hotel in Chicago is the epitome of modern elegance. The decor and service are first class, yet it feels very comfortable with the large windows and white design. 

The brunch menu is most definitely French, though they do have their version of the Mexican breakfast favorite Chilaquiles. Named “Sofitel Chilaquiles Rojos,” they are made with sunny side eggs in a crispy corn tortilla and served with a cilantro yogurt.

It was difficult to decide as everything sounded so good. After my initial excitement at the Ricotta Pancakes, topped with bananas and cocoa nibs, then drizzled with Cinnabon topping, I decided to save my sweet tooth for dessert and order the Chicken and Waffles. These were covered in whipped Boursin cheese and spicy honey. 

Kim picked the Sofitel Breakfast Croissant. It was a fresh baked croissant, filled with gruyere cheese and prosciutto. It was served with herb roasted potatoes. Both our dishes were as good as they were described. We had plenty left to go home with.

Everything on the dessert menu is tempting. We looked it over a few times and couldn’t decide between three. Our waiter encouraged us to get all of them. Why not?

 All of the desserts were presented beautifully. They were (almost) too nice to eat. Within a short time, we had Pecan Sticky Buns with a caramel sauce and crème anglaise, French Macarons, and

Crème Brulee with a berry compote. 

We enjoyed them all, but I would say the Sticky Buns were my favorite, though they were very rich. One was more than enough.

We stopped at the bathroom before leaving Sofitel. I was impressed with how big and wheelchair friendly it was. It was just a short wheel to the museum. The walk and the entrance were also easy to access with my powerchair. 

I always wanted to go to The Richard H. Driehaus Museum, but it never worked out. It probably was best because it wasn’t made completely accessible until just last year.

Driehaus was a Chicago philanthropist who founded the museum in what once was the Nickerson Mansion. It would be five years of renovations before it opened to the public. Then, in 2022, the Museum purchased the John B. Murphy Auditorium next door and expanded the museum campus. 

The museum is filled with art in nearly every form. There are photographs, urns, fireplaces, portraits, sculptures, lamps, tables, stained glass (some from Tiffany’s), chandeliers, candelabras… all you can imagine in precious metals and exquisite design. It is floors of stunning artifacts from the Gilded Age.

It was a too short Chicago trip, but I discovered two places I most definitely want to return to.

 

 

Plenty for Everyone at Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

 

I had planned to go to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis a few times over the years and something always came up at the last minute. I was determined to visit this place I had heard nothing but good things about and I finally made it happen.

 

Kimberly Harms Robinson, the museum’s Director of PR and Media Relations, and I kept in touch, and she helped me plan the day with my friend, Mary, and her granddaughters, Thea and Rowan. We also took my service dog, Teddy, along to his first museum.

 

The Children’s Museum is really two attractions in one. It’s floors of indoor exhibits and experiences, and an outdoor sports complex like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

Kimberly met us at the entrance, and we decided we were all hungry and we’d start with lunch. Instead of the usual cafeteria, this museum has a food court with choices for the whole family, from pizza to sandwiches to coffee drinks and ice cream.

 

After lunch, we headed to Dinosphere. Here you can learn everything you could want to know about dinosaurs. The kids were enthralled, and they found plenty of hands-on experiences. That is a theme throughout. There is no chance to get bored with all the opportunities.

What makes Dinosphere so appealing is its based-on reality. The staff includes paleontologists who have worked with fossils on digs. They are available to answer questions and kids can go into the lab and see real fossils. The museum also partners with universities and centers around the world to make this exhibition as real as possible.

 

Other exhibits to check out include Spaceship Earth, where you can see what astronauts do while they are in space; All Aboard, a 19th-century steam engine you can ride and pretend to operate; and ScienceWorks, a place where everyone has the chance to see how scientists work and ask questions along the way.

 

The Indiana museum also has Playscape, which is set up for those five and under to enjoy. It’s not just a playground as there are learning opportunities here too.

From May until October, The Riley Sports Complex is open outside at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. I was with younger kids who were more interested in the play inside, but I ventured outside and was impressed with the setup.

 

Throughout the complex you will see tributes to many of the state’s most famous athletes, such as basketball’s Oscar Robertson, hockey’s Wayne Gretsky, football's Reggy Wayne, and tennis player Barbara Wynne. These sports stars all have bronze statues.

Just like the indoors, the sports complex is filled with experiences guests can partake in. In this case it’s the actual sports. Among the dozen options you will find baseball, football, and soccer fields; basketball and tennis courts; a hockey rink, and a racing track. As you can imagine, older kids can spend hours going from sport to sport.

 

I was in my scooter and tempted to play myself. Had I wanted to, it probably could have been arranged as the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis takes accessibility seriously. I found the entire museum to be wheelchair friendly. They also have accommodations for those with neurodivergent issues, and there are sign language interpreters and hearing devices available.

We didn’t get to the museum until the afternoon so we couldn’t see and do everything we wanted to before closure. I recommend arriving early and spending the entire day there to get to see and do more. I will definitely be back someday.

I received some complimentary experiences on this trip, but opinions are my own.

Cradle of Aviation in New York

I had been enjoying some down time with friends and family in New York. That wasn’t going to change on day four, but I added in some discovery as I took my daughter and son-in-law to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.

Even though I had lived 15 minutes from this museum for 20 years, I had never been there. It had been in the back of my mind, and when I would occasionally pass it, I would remind myself. It just never happened.

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This Long Island trip was planned to include checking out new places, and with this museum close to the Viana Hotel and Spa where I was staying, I decided to include it. The ILoveNY team helped me make the arrangements.

I had breakfast at the hotel before Sam and Matt picked me up for the museum. I was happy to see immediately that it was extremely wheelchair accessible.

 

 

We were met at the entrance by Joe Pobliner. I soon learned he was a wonderful expert on Long Island’s history in aviation and everything the Cradle of Aviation has to offer. There is even more than I had ever imagined.

The location of the museum has a lot of meaning. Charles Lindbergh’s first solo trans-Atlantic flight started at Roosevelt Field, right next to where the museum is. Long Island is also known for its Mitchel Field Military Base and military engineering powerhouses, such as Grumman.

 

Charles Lindbergh and his history of flying is just part of what this museum offers. In relics, replicas, movies, writings, and photographs, you will see aviation beginning with balloons in 19th century France, and continuing to modern day Space X.

Mitchell Field was used for soldiers all over to learn how to fly. There is a copy of the Avenger Fighter Plane that Grumman released to fight against the Japanese planes, as well as those used in Korea and Vietnam.

 

The museum is definitely worthwhile for all ages. We saw kids enjoying some of the hands-on experiences, as well as marveling at the planes and spaceships. As three adults, we also found endless things to see and read, and Joe Pobliner’s anecdotes were captivating.

There was a Pan Am Museum next to the Cradle of Aviation, but it’s being reimagined and the contents were moved here. It was fascinating looking at the history of that famous airline, including the 707, which was the first jetliner created by Boeing.

 

Before we left, we saw the lunar module Grumman made for Apollo, the first trip to the moon. It is one of three. The other two are at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC,  and the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. There is also the parachute used in the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.

I strongly suggest planning a trip here if you are in New York. Allow a few hours to properly explore the Cradle of Aviation. Educational programs are also available at the museum. Visit their website for details.

 

After the museum, we went back to the Viana Hotel & Spa for dinner at the Marco Polo Restaurant. It was my third night having dinner there and I was still excited about it. Everything eaten there had been so good. It was definitely a restaurant I wanted to be back to.

On this night, our dinner at this Asian-Italian eatery included Ginger Chicken Milanese with wonton noodles, Crab Cake, Pan Seared Tuna with wasabi potatoes, and Egg Roll Sampler (chicken parmigiana, Philly cheese steak & Mongolian mozzarella sticks).

 

After dinner, I said goodbye and headed to my room at Viana Hotel & Spa for the last time. I was leaving the next day for a very special location I had looked forward to checking out for a long time. It ironically also had an aviation theme.

 

 

I was hosted for some of this part of the trip, but opinions are my own.