Sunny Light of Summer: The Northern Central States

The Northern Central States consist of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. These states offer beautiful summer vacations, as the winters can be quite harsh. They feature beautiful fields of green and a climate that is warm but not too hot. The weather in these states at this time of the year offer amazing summer vacations with a variety of parks and activities available. From visiting world famous ballparks to world famous lakes, your RV vacation can be as unique as you are.

Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" and offers great summer stays for RVers. Most of Minnesota's inhabitants live in the Twin Cities area and that area is very heavily populated with industries. Greater Minnesota consists of beautiful prairies and forests. Most of the prairie lands are used for agriculture. There are two main types of forest in Minnesota. These forests are the deciduous forests and the boreal forests. The eastern deciduous forests are more heavily populated than the northern boreal forests. There are several lakes and forest for RV camping. The state also has several State Parks that offer campsites for RVs as well. The state is known for their population of wolves, black bear, moose and whitetail deer. Minnesota has the largest pack of timber wolves in the country. The state has used this wolf as an icon and the wolf is the mascot for their NBA basketball team. Minneapolis, Minnesota is home to an odd museum that is a must see. The Museum of Questionable Medical Devices explores the deceit and deception that many Americans sold to unsuspecting consumers. This museum houses many medical devices that have been deemed illegal and dangerous for use by the FDA. Grand Rapids is a great community to visit while RVing in Minnesota. There are a variety of attractions including the Blandin Paper Mill, Chippewa national Forest, Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway and the Forest History Center.

Wisconsin is a very rural economy. The economy is more focused on mining, lumber, farming, dairy and tourism. The state is bordered by the Montreal River, Lake Superior and the Mississippi River. The landscape of Wisconsin is varied and is very popular for outdoor recreation. The summers are green and warm but there is always a cool breeze off the water. This climate makes for an excellent summer RV vacation. Door County is one of the state's most popular tourist attractions. There are quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and fish boils. There are several national parks including the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Ice Age National Scenic Trail and Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway. The Wisconsin State Fair is held annually in August in West Allis, Wisconsin. In a suburb of Milwaukee, the fair lasts for eleven days. In 2005, the fair saw the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales as well as many other interesting exhibits. Wisconsin is a very large agricultural community and they feature several agricultural exhibits at the fair. In 2004, the fair began â€œThe Birthing Barâ€ and fairgoers area able to witness the births of several farm animals. Near the end of the summer, you may be able to catch a Green Bay Packers football game and experience some of the best RV tailgating in the country.

Iowa sees its extremes of both heat and cold. Iowa summers are known for their heat and humidity, but this doesn't mean that you can't have an enjoyable RV vacation in Iowa. Iowa has a large and varied wildlife including whitetail deer, peasant, quail, mink, muskrat, beaver and coyote. There are also several natural and man-made lakes including Lake Odessa, Spirit Lake, Lake Red Rock, Saylorville Lake, West and East Okoboji Lakes. These lakes offer excellent camping areas for RVers and campers in the humid summers of Iowa. RVers can spend the summer swimming and fishing in Iowa's natural lakes. Iowa also has a unique area along the Mississippi River called the Driftless Zone. In this area of Iowa, there are low and rugged hills covered in conifer trees. Iowa also offers several areas that are protected by the National Park Service. These parks include Effigy Mounds National Monument near Harpers Ferry Herbert Hoover National Historical Site in West Branch Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail and Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. Des Moines, Iowa has an internationally acclaimed art museum that houses the workds of Georgia O Keefe, Edward Hopper, and Henri Matisse. Des Moines is also home to the Blank Park Zoo. The zoo has over 800 animals on twenty-two acres. The zoo offers great experiences for children such as crawling through simulated priarie dog tunnels and a feeding and petting zoo. These sites will help keep the kids occupied on your RV trip through Iowa.

Illinois is known for its beautiful rural areas that combine with vas suburbs. The state also has a few small industrial cities as well. Illinois has a varying climate because the state is so large. The summers are warm and they generally get about 35-48 inches of rain fall every year. Illinois has several museums and a large state park system. The Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford is home of a T-Rex fossil named Jane of Rockford. The Fort Massac State park was the first park in the system and is now comprised of over 60 parks. There are several areas under protection fo the National Park Service including the Illinois and Michigan Canal and Heritage Corridor near Lockport, Illinois, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, the Mormon Pioneer Historic Trail and the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. There are several parks in the system and their use ranges from small day use to large parks with lodges, canyons, lakes and other activities. RVers should explore these parks as options when traveling through Illinois. Chicago is a large and bustling city, but if you can find a place to park you must spend a hot summer day at Wrigley Field. The Chicago Cubs have the best fans in Major League Baseball and Wrigley Field is a unique experience for any baseball fan.

Indiana features Lake Michigan on the north border of the state. Lake Michigan is known for its beautiful beaches and is often referred to as the Third Coast. The sand is soft and white and has a high quartz content. There are sand dunes covered in green beach grass ans sand cherries. The water is clear and cold, even in the summer. Lake Michigan offers many opportunities for RVers to enjoy the view or watersports on Lake Michigan. There are also several parks located on the lakeshore that include the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The Hiawatha National Fores and the Manistee National Forest are also a part of this area. Indiana also offers unique lighthouses for exploring. Southern Indiana offers a mix of forest and farmland that RVers will find most interesting in the summer months. The Hoosier National Fores is a nature preserve consisting of 200,000 acres in Central Indiana. The Hoosier National Forest is located amongst the hills of Indiana and features many great experiences for RVers. There are rolling hills, trails, and rural communities. The forest is a favorite amongst tourists and RVers. There are several National Parks in this area including the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes, the Indian Dunes National Lakeshore near Porter, the Lincold Boyhood National Memorial in Lincoln City and the Hoosier National Forest in Bedford.

Michigan is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes including Lake Saint Clair. Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the country and has the longest shoreline after Alaska. Michigan also has a large boating community with more recreational boats than any other state in the country. Michigan is an RVers paradise for those who like water sports and boating. Michigan is also the only bi-peninsular state in the country. The Upper Peninsula has been critical in attracting tourism in the state. In addition to the Great Lakes, Michigan is home to more than 11,000 lakes and has over 130 lighthouses. Michigan also features more public golf courses than any other state. Michigan is an RV paradise for those who love to boondock on lakes or visit all of the golf courses they can. Detroit, Michigan also has a varied culture. Detroit is home to the Motown Historical Musuem and features exhibits of photos, artwork, costumes, music and memorabilia of Motown. Detroit is also home to Comerica Park and the Detroit Tigers. Comerica Park is a combination theme park, ballpark and baseball museum. Catch a game and a tailgait at a Detroit Tigers game as you RV through Michigan in the summer. Michigan is considered the birthplace as the automobile. Automobile makers include General Motors, Ford and Daimler-Chrysler. There are also a number of other large companies in the state including Kellogg's, Amway, Compuware, IBM, Pfizer, Stryker, Quicken Loans, Comerica, La-Z-Boy and even Google.

These Northern Central states offer a cool relief for the summer months. The southern states are too hot for this time of year and many other tourists flock to the major cities in the U.S. In the northern central states you will find lakes and rivers to spend your days relaxing with a cool breeze off the Great Lakes. Every community in these states have an interesting history and you may choose to explore them a little more. Illinois is full of corn fields and small communities here and there. While Minnesota is full of lakes and wildlife. There is sure to be something for everyone from baseball and football fans to wilderness hikers and boaters. These state offer fantastic RV vacations for seniors or young families. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you are a business owner get listed at Best Travel Site, part of Localwin Network.