LEEP Vacations

Nashville, Tennesse 2011

2011-08-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

On August 1st we left for a 5 day vacation to Nashville, Tennesse. We all had our country music knowledge packed in our suitcases with us and could not wait to explore the city and see all of the countrty music tourist attractions.

The group posing in front of the museum they walked by on the first day, and later went back to and toured.

Kenny and Reade being silly and copying the statue.

We were lucky enough to tour the Grand Ole Opry!! We had a blast and learned a lot about country music. We even got an audio tour led by none other than Blake Shelton. In this picture the group is standing on the circle at the Grand Ole Opry. Every performer that has ever performed there (with the exception of one) has stepped onto this circle. How cool is it that we are standing where many of our favorite singers have stood. :)

At night we listened to live bands play, this band was from the best state EVER... Minnesota!!

Fred, Cody and Reade being funny and posing trying to get the locks out of the ground.

This wall of silver and platinum records was found in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

This car was owned by Elvis. We got to look inside, and it had a lot of funny features. The door handles were little revolvers.

We had such a blast in Nashville, it was hard to want to come back to Minnesota, but we have memories that will last forever!

Rodeo/ Iron Mine Northern Minnesota 2011

2011-07-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

This vacation took us up to the Northern part of the great state of Minnesota. We left on this vacation on July 28 and we arrived back in Mankato on July 31.

We toured the birth place and house that Judy Garland grew up in.

We thought it would be fun to pose as the characters from the movie the Wizard of Oz. :)

The group in front of Judy Garland's house.

We also toured the Minnesota Museum of mining in Chisholm, Minnesota.

We went to the rodeo in Effie, Minnesota. We had a lot of fun at the rodeo, we all felt like cowboys and cowgirls in our cowboy hats we bought while shopping at the gift shops.

We made our way to look at trains and machinery that was used to transport iron. We all got a chance to sit in a 220 ton mining truck, walk through train cars, and visit the train gift shop.

We had a succefull and fun trip up north and it was great to see what Minnesota has to offer.

Omaha, Nebraska 2011

2011-07-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

This week we spent our time in Omaha, Nebraska.This vacation was from July 18 thru July 22.

This is the group at Old Market where we did some shopping.

The group crossing the bridge at the zoo.

We spent a day at the Omaha zoo. We had a blast, its such a big zoo.

Omaha was a fun vacation and we got to do a lot of fun activities. One of those activities included dog racing, which none of us had ever seen before. We also spent a lot of time shopping in all of the great shops that Omaha had to offer. This is a trip that we will all cherish and remember forever.

Arrowwood Resort Alexandria, Minnesota 2011

2011-06-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

This trip allowed us to see different things that the great state of Minnesota had to offer. We traveled up to Alexandria on June 20th, and we came home on June 22. We stayed at a beautiful resort called Arrowwood Resort.

The group standing in front of our lodge.

Donna and Dale posing for a picture.

This was our view from our lodge.

We surprised Joyce with a birthday cake and we were able to help her celebrate her big day.

We were able to relax and play some mini golf at our resort as well.

Percy having fun at the Big Splash indoor water park.

This vacation was very relaxing, and it was a fun trip to get us out of Mankato. We were continuously busy so by the final day when we stopped going going going we all slept most of the drive back to Mankato. We will continue to remember and dream about our fun times in Alexandria.

Disneyland, California 2011

2011-06-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

This trip led us to Disneyland, California. We left early June 13 and we arrived back in Mankato on June 17.

We spent our day at Disneyland riding rides and checking out all the fun shops.

This is us at Knott's Berry farm, which was another really fun amusement park in Disneyland.

Greg and Barb riding the rides.

We all had a blast is Disneyland where we were able to feel like kids again. It was hard to say goodbye to Disneyland, but we know that its somwhere we want to go back to someday.

Atlanta Georgia 2011

2011-06-10T12:40:00.000-07:00

This trip took us all the way to Atlanta, Georgia. We left on June 6 and we were gone for a total of 5 days. Come take a glance at our vacation to Georgia.

Our first night in Atlanta after we got settled into our hotel we decided to walk to the great restaurant called Jalapeno Charlie's.

We kicked off our tours the next day by starting at the Coca Cola factory. We got to see a lot of old Coca Cola collectibles, and browse through many different Coca Cola bottle designs.

We even got to see a 4-D show while touring the Coca Cola factory.

We toured the park where the 1996 Olymic games took place. While here the local Weather Channel interviewed us and asked us questions about what we like to do on warm afternoons.

The next day we toured the Atlanta Zoo, where we had a lot of fun seeing and learning new facts about the animals.

We also went to the Atlanta aquarium. Here we got to see many different kinda of colorful fish.

We had a lot of fun in Georgia, and can't wait to make it back to experience more fun.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2011

2011-05-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

This vacation took us to the great state of Wisconsin!!! It began on May 23 and was a five day vacation in Milwaukee.

The first night in Milwaukee after we had dinner as a group we went to Lake Michigan to enjoy the view and to just relax. We spent the night swining, skipping rocks, and patrolling the beach. We even had time to get a group picture by Lake Michigan.

The second day of touring we went to the Milwaukee zoo where we had a blast viewing the animals up close and personal. At the zoo we had the opportunity to see zebras, bears, lions, fish, birds, giraffes, penguins, rhinos, polar bears and many more interesting animals.

The whole group got a chance to watch a sea lion show.The sea lions were named slim and scooter. They both performed amazing tricks and everyone enjoyed watching the show.

Our third day of the trip the group toured the Mitchell Park Domes.

After the domes the group went to Miller Park to watch the Milwaukee Brewers play the Washington Nationals.

Our group at the Brewers baseball game.

It was hard to believe how quickly this trip went by. They group had a blast in Wisconsin and have many memories they will cherish forever.

Black Hills 2011

2011-05-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

During this amazing get away our group enjoyed so many new and fun things! They were able to experience South Dakota in many different ways. The trip started out on Monday, May 16 and was a 5 day trip to the Black Hills.

While we were on our way to the black hills we decided to stop in Mitchell, South Dakota to check out the corn palace.

On the first day of touring the group traveled to the National Monument Mount Rushmore. It was a little chilly that day, but seeing the monument was totally worth standing outside in the cold.

Next stop on our adventure was the Crazy Horse Monument. This is still being built, but we feel special because our donations are helping pay for the construction of this monument.

On our adventure in South Dakota we encountered some icky weather. This picture is of Deb and Phyillis hiding from the rain.

One of our last adventures that we went on was Bear Country USA. We were able to enjoy seeing bears up close and personal while sitting in the safety of our van.

Our trip to South Dakota was a nice 5 day get away from good ol Minnesota, and the group had an amazing time. The group agreed they all wanted to visit South Dakota again in the near future.

Arizona Dude Ranch

2011-03-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

During this amazing get away our group enjoyed so many new and fun things! They were able to experience life on a ranch all while enjoying the relaxation of a much needed vacation. The trip started out on Monday, March 7th and was a 5 day trip to a desert paradise.

The group stayed at the Stagecoach Trails Dude Ranch and everyone loved the scenery!

The group made one day trip to the town of Oakmen about 10 minutes from the ranch. They were able to take part in a re-enactment of an old western shoot out taking place in the middle of the street! Everyone thought that was really neat. The group also go to feed the "local" donkeys wandering about the town, which was a big highlight!

During their stay, the group enjoyed many day trips on horseback out in the desert.

Everyone on the vacation talked about how beautiful the sunrises and sun sets were. One vacationer went so far as to say it was "pretty as a picture".

Our group really enjoyed their get away and all said they can't wait for their next LEEP Vacation experience!

Montego Bay, Jamaica

2011-01-07T07:58:00.000-08:00

When we arrived at LEEP on the cold and snowy morning of January 3rd, our group was MORE than happy to headed to the tropical paradise known as Jamaica! On our little getaway we got to see and do so many fun things!!

Our resort was right on the ocean and our group couldn't get enough of the beautiful water. It was very peaceful to just sit and enjoy the scenery.

Our first night at our resort

The first day of our trip was pretty low key with a trip to a nice mall where we got a lot of shopping done! We found lots of very unique things and everyone was pretty satisfied with their buys. On the following day we took a nice road trip through the countryside on the way to Bob Marley's birthplace. We got to see fields of sugarcane in all stages of growth, bauxite mines, the ocean and so much more. Jamaica is beautiful!

On our last day in Jamaica, we made the best of it! We hopped on the charter bus that took us to Ochos Rios, Jamaica where we were able to hitch a ride up "Mystic Mountain" on a ski lift to take in all the beauty.

View from our ski lift

Our last big adventure was our trip through Dunns River Falls. We did some wading and hung out while watching some adventure seekers climb the falls. Everyone loved it!

Mandy and Lois chillin in the falls

Sadly the next day we headed back to snowy Minnesota. Our group agreed this was a trip they would remember for a lifetime!

Good bye, Jamaica!

Las Vegas, NV

2010-12-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

Our group headed to Vegas in hats, gloves, and winter coats and couldn't wait for warmer weather! During our stay we got to do SO many fun things!

We stayed at the amazing Bally's Resort right on the strip. It was a wonderful place that lots to offer. On our first day we got to see the Bellagio Hotel's famous water show! Everyone loved it.

The next day we did a lot of sightseeing on the city bus. We stopped at Coca Cola World, M&M World, checked out a hotel aquarium, went to the Nathan Burton Show at the Flamingo Hotel. Before the night came to an end we hit up the Freemont Street Light show.

By Day 3 we were all a little exhausted! We had been doing lots of walking to be able to see all the amazing things Vegas has to offer! Our group decided on the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch and that night we went back to the Stratosphere for the "American Superstars" show.

Another exciting highlight was our trip to the Hoover Dam! We got to see the magnificent man-made structure we were all amazed by. On our way back from the Dam we stopped at Ethel's Chocolate Factory where we all tried the delicious treats!

One thing the group couldn't stop talking about was our ride in the hotel limo. We were able to take it up and down the strip with a stop at the Vegas Sign for a photo opportunity.

Part of our group enjoying the limo ride

We did a little more gambling before we had to head back to cold Minnesota but we all enjoyed our time. Everyone agreed this trip was one no one will soon forget!

Minneapolis Trip #2

2010-08-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

Because the Twin Cities vacation was so popular, LEEP was able to offer a second opportunity to those that were unable to attend the first go-round! Like our previous group, this vacation started off with some fun in the van as they rocked out all the way to the cities! The first stop was to the Mall of America where everyone found some great treasures! During our time there we saw lots of things including: the BRAND NEW Twins Stadium, Underwater Adventures Aquarium, and visited Como Zoo.

Hanging out at Nickelodeon Universe

part of our group at the Twins game!

Crew #2

Our view of the new Twin's Stadium

Kansas City Vacation

2010-07-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

This vacation took us to the great state of Missouri!!! We headed just over the Iowa state line into some hilly country which our group REALLY enjoyed! Our visit to Kansas City started with a trip to the zoo where we enjoyed a ride on a carousel. Everyone enjoyed the relaxing ride. We even got to meet Sparky the Sea Lion.

On our 2nd day we headed to the Kansas City Royals Stadium to enjoy them taking on our beloved Twins! Everyone was excited to see how the game would turn out.

The excitement kept mounting!!

What a beautiful view!

Our next day we went to World's of Fun where everyone braved the rides! Some of our group members enjoyed being "stuck" to a wall in one of the fastest spinning rides- EVER!

Time for some grub!

Everyone had a great time getting to know one another and were sad to see the vacation end. It was a great time had by all!

Chicago Vacation

2010-07-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

We headed off to the "Windy City" for this spectacular vacation! We drove the 8+ hours down to Chicago to get our vacation started. Our first stop was Millennium Park where we got our picture taken in the "bean" that is so famous!

Everyone enjoyed seeing their reflections.

To get around town our group used the Trolley system! We had so much fun sight seeing!!

On one of the days we stopped by the Shedd Aquarium and checked out all it had to offer!!!

Ramona braved the cool water and pet a stingray

Our crew outside the aquarium

Another famous hot spot was Navy Pier. Our group did quite a bit of shopping here and enjoyed the beautiful view of the city. There isn't anything better than taking in the cool, fresh air.

"Anchoring" down for a rest!

We saw so many neat things in Chicago. Our group really enjoyed getting to know one another and hope they can all travel together again someday! What a fun trip!

Minneapolis Trip #1

2010-07-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

Our group started this vacation with a trip to the Science Museum of Minnesota! We enjoyed a nice movie in the IMAX theatre and everyone loved it! Little did we know how many more exciting things we would be doing during our 3 day trip!

Day 2 began at Como Zoo where we were all excited to learn about the interesting animals there.

We were ALL very excited to see our first game at Target Field!

our crew

Before our fun vacation ended we headed to the Rainforest Cafe to grab a bite to eat. Everyone agreed they had a great time while on vacation and love that it was such a short drive. We can't wait to go again next year!

New York City Vacation

2010-07-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

Our latest vacation was to the Big Apple! Our group loaded up the LEEP van and headed for the MSP airport bright and early on July 8th. We got in to NYC mid afternoon and got started sightseeing right away! We headed down the block to Time Square where we began our tour.

Clarence and Jeff enjoying the bus ride

yummy lunch at Famous Daves

The "Ball" that drops in Time Square

Group in the middle of Time Square

View on top of the Empire State Building

Lady Liberty

On our final day in NYC we tried to get on the NBC Today show. We actually did make the background of one of the crowd panning shots. The group was really pumped to see Matt Lauer and Anne Curry up close!

Saying farewell to our favorite city out east. The group all had a blast and said they can't wait to get back there again some day!

Okoboji Vacation

2010-07-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

This summer we made another visit to one of our favorite places! We headed down to Okoboji, Iowa where we stayed at Fillenwarth Beach. The cabins are perfect for our group as we all get to relax and just enjoy our time.

Relaxing by the pool!

Missy and Molly enjoying the water on a paddle boat

waiting for dinner

Everyone braved the "Crooked House" at Arnold's Park

cheers!

The group took a nice ride on the Queen Mary out on Lake Okoboji. It was so nice to be out on the water and enjoying the beautiful scenery that Iowa has to offer.

Our day at Arnold's Park ended with a nice train ride through the park. Everyone was sad to see the vacation end but it was sure fun while it lasted.

Green Bay, Wisconsin

2010-06-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

This summer our group took their first ever trip to the "Frozen Tundra" better known as Green Bay, WI. It sounds like they had a blast and saw lots of neat things.

Our trip started with a trip to Lambeau Field where we were able to go on a Stadium Tour! We saw the behind the scenes stuff as well as some of the fancy "boxes" that people pay mega dollars for!

Our whole crew on Lambeau Field

While we were at Lambeau we also did the Hall of Fame tour.This showed the history of the Green Bay Packers and their start up as the A.C.M.E Packers to where they are today. We even got to visit the trophy room!

We also visited the National Railroad Museum. It was something we all really enjoyed!

Another highlight from our trip was our visit to the Green Bay New Zoo. We got to get really close to the animals which was pretty exciting! Everyone had a great time there and especially loved feeding the giraffes. All and all our vacation was a great experience had by all. We can't wait to go back in the future!

Memphis, TN

2010-06-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Our first day in Memphis started with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, then it was off to the Memphis Zoo! After seeing all of the amazing animals, we checked out the gift shop. We soon got tired of shopping and our stomachs were growling so we went to Kooky Canucks for supper.

The next day we explored Graceland, and took an audio tour. It was very interesting to learn about Elvis and his music! After an amazing pizza dinner, we headed back to the hotel and rested up for our final day of vacation.

Our last full day of vacation started bright and early with breakfast at Cockadoos. Then, we saw the Rock and Soul Museum where we got to wear headsets as we learned about musicians who started out in Memphis!

Our last day in Memphis came fast, much to everybody's dismay. We stopped at the Firefighter Museum, where everyone got to try their hands at putting out a virtual fire. Overall, the trip was a blast but we were all happy to get home!

Wisconsin Dells

2010-06-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

Our trip to the Wisconsin Dells started off a little rocky, with lots of detours and traffic jams. But we finally made it to the beautiful Dells! After we unpacked, we headed to the amazing Tommy Bartlett Show, where we saw a man jump through fire on water-skis.

The next day we visited Noah's Ark Waterpark. After a fun day filled with water, sun, and great food, we ventured back to our hotel where we rested up for another exciting day.

Next on the agenda was the House on the Rock, which had so many amazing rooms! We all enjoyed the Infinity Room, even though it made us nervous. We also got the opportunity to see a giant octopus whale, a butterfly room, a circus room, and a ton of cool lights.

Our final day was an exciting one! We stopped in Wabasha, MN and visited the place where the movie Grumpy Old Men was filmed. Then, we learned about our national bird at the National Eagle Center. Once we arrived home, we were all anxious to see our friends and family, and to sleep in our own beds!

Disney World, FL

2010-05-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

Our vacation to Disney World was an exciting one! We had to get up at 4:00a.m. in order to catch our flight. Once we arrived in Florida, we caught the Disney Magical Express which took us straight to our Pop Century Resort. During our 5-day vacation, we managed to see an abundance of major attractions! Our first stop was the Epcot center. Here, everyone enjoyed the variety of rides, and seeing the beautiful underwater creatures. The rest of the trip was packed with amazing shows, restaurants, and parks; such as the Tower of Terror, DINO Land U.S.A., Hollywood Studios, Peco Bill's Tall Tale Inn and Cafe, and Mickey's Toon Town. We all had an amazing vacation, but we were sad to see it end!

On the scene from a movie set!

Pocohantas!

DINOLand, U.S.A.

Epcot Center!

The Seas with Nemo and Friends

Branson

2010-05-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Branson, Missouri started bright and early when we left Mankato at 7a.m. Once we finally arrived, we checked into our hotel, then walked over to Pizza World for supper! The next day, we got to explore the beautiful sites in Branson when we got to Ride the Ducks. Each of us even got to drive the boats! Throughout the next four days we saw tons of amazing things. Some of the major highlights included the Waltzing Waters Show, Dixie Stampede, the Kirby VanBurch Magic Show, Ripley's Believe It or Not, the Brett Family, and the Hamner Barber Variety Show. Overall, the trip was an amazing experience and we all created memories that will last a lifetime!

After the show, we got autographs and a picture with Hamner and Barber!

Richard and Timothy loved quacking their quackers.

Florida Keys & Dolphin Research Center

2010-01-08T07:30:00.000-08:00

Our trip to Key West started off with a smooth plane ride to Miami. Once on the ground, we gathered our stuff and rented a van to drive to Key West arriving to Hanks Cay around 8pm.

On Day 2 we ate breakfast at IHOP and everyone loved it! We went to the Dolphin Research Center only to find out that they were full for the day so we made reservations for tomorrow. Our group was a little bummed but we decided to make the best of it and headed back to the hotel where we spent the afternoon in the hotel pool and relaxing in the hot tub. That night we treated ourselves to dinner at the Barraccuda Grill.

Finally on our third day we got to go swimming with the dolphins! Our dolphin was Talon, the grandson to Flipper, the famous TV dolphin!

We spent the following day at Key West. We took a trolley ride through the Historic Site of American Company. After that we went to the Key West Aquarium and Museum. There we got to pet a shark and some of us even held a baby alligator!

We were all sad that our trip had to come to an end but on our final day we packed our bags and said goodbye to Florida. Even though the weather was as "tropical" as we had hoped, all vacationers agreed that it was an experience they would remember forever.

Disney World at Christmas '09

2009-12-17T07:27:00.000-08:00

Our trip to Disney World started bright and early at LEEP. Once we got to Florida we checked into our hotel, Disney Pop Century where we couldn't wait to get settled in!

On our 2nd day in Florida we went to Animal Kingdom where we got to see Finding Nemo the Musical and the 3D Bug's Life Show! In the evening we met Goofy and Donald Duck and watched an amazing firework show over Cinderella’s castle.
On the 3rd day of vacation we stopped on over at the Magic Kingdom and shopped down “Main Street USA!” During our visit we met the “Incredibles” and watched a Monster’s Inc. show.

On Day 4 we ate our hotel and headed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The High School Musical performance and an American Idol Experience were pretty awesome! Later that night we headed over to watch another amazing firework show which was a perfect way to end our visit to Mickey's house.
On our final day in sunny Florida we packed our bags and headed North to Minnesota. Everyone had a terrific time at Disney World and definitely didn't want to return to the blustery Midwest!

Nashville, TN '09

2009-08-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

Our southern style vacation to Music City started off with an early morning flight. When we arrived in Nashville, and after we checked into our hotel, we did a little swimming and relaxing poolside before our many adventures started. Our second day started with the Nashville Tour and we finished the day with the "Legends Tour". We ate our dinner at the Orpyland Hotel and enjoyed a nice indoor boat ride!

The next day we went on the Homes of the Stars where we were able to see SO many stars homes! We saw; Carrie Underwood, Trace Adkins, Dolly Parton, Martina McBride, and so many others! During the afternoon we hit up the Sports Hall of Fame where we were able to see tons of jerseys, awards, and lots of older antiques we could check out. On our final day in Nashville we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It was really cool to see all of the Platinum and Gold Records hanging on the wall. There were so many shops around that we took full advantage and shopped till we dropped! Since we were all exhausted we headed back to the hotel and relaxed, packed, and got ready for our trip back home. What a great end to a great vacation!

Duluth, MN '09

2009-07-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

Our big trip north began bright and early as we all met at LEEP around 7:00 am. We arrived in Duluth shortly after lunch and got right down to business getting settled into our hotel rooms. Our first big adventure was hitting the Omnimax Theater to watch the "Mysteries of the Great Lakes". Everyone was amazed by how large the screen was! Day 2 was spent at the Lake Superior Zoo where we were able to see all sorts of animals! After a bit of shopping we headed down to Canal Park to do a little more shopping and then watched the Aerial Lift Bridge. Some of the crew was even brave enough to dip their toes in the FREEZING water! We finished our stay down at Canal Park by eating at Grandma's Restaurant.

The next day we woke up and the weather was crappy so we decided to go do some indoor shopping. Our lunch was going to be aboard the Vista Fleet Lunch Cruise and did a nice Duluth Harbor tour. To finish out our day we headed over to Glensheen Mansion where we were able to take in lots of really awesome art and architecture. We were all sad as the day came to a close because we knew we would be heading home. It was a great vacation and we all had an awesome time! We can't wait to

Indianapolis Speedway '09

2009-07-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

On this trip traveled to Indianapolis, IN for one of the most exciting races of the NASCAR season! Our trip started with a nice drive across the Midwest en route to our final destination. On our first day in Indianapolis we went to the Brickyard and did a little shopping, ate, and then watched the practice runs. Our group was completely amazed by how fast the cars whipped by! Some of the guys even had their hats blow off in the wind! Day 2 the weather wasn't really cooperating too well so we headed over to the Indianapolis Zoo where the group enjoyed all of the animals and were even brave enough to touch the small sharks in a pool. We also got to watch a few movies in the IMAX theatre which was really cool! On our final day in Indianapolis it was finally time for the big race! We headed over to the Brickyard 500 to see our favorite drivers compete. When the race was over we did a little shopping, took some more pictures, and even kissed the brick finish line like the winning driver does after the race. It was a really great experience and we all agreed we couldn't wait to do something like this again!

San Diego, California '09

2009-07-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

Our trip began with a nice long flight out to San Diego. We took off from the Minneapolis Airport at 9:15 am and landed out in California around 11:30 Pacific time. The group headed off to the hotel to see if we could check in early. Unfortunately our rooms weren't quite ready so we decided to head down to Mission Beach for a little rest and relaxation! After soaking up some rays we did a little walk up and down the boardwalk. Everyone was really hot so we enjoyed some ice cream and cooled off with a nice treat. The next morning we got up bright and early and caught the shuttle over to the San Diego Zoo. While we were there we took a bus tour on a double decker bus where we could see the majority of the animals up close and personal. Some of the animals we saw were: elephants, lions, cheetah, giraffes, a giant panda, and SO many others. After we enjoyed a fun filled day at the zoo we headed back to the hotel to jump in the pool and cool off.

The next morning we headed out to Sea World where we got to see the well known Shamu show. It was quite an experience that everyone seemed to enjoy. We were also able to experience a dolphin show where we saw them doing lots of flips and tricks! Some other fun stuff was touching the starfish, touching the sting rays, and getting to see all of the sea creatures the park had to offer! We headed back to the hotel for the night and enjoyed a fun pizza party where we could all relax! On our final day in California we were lucky enough to drive out to the Wild Animal Park about 35 minutes from the city. We were able to see wildlife in their "natural" settings so that was lots of fun! It was sure hot out there but everyone liked it just the same. Before we headed back to the hotel we took the van over a HUGE bridge to do some site seeing over on Coronado Island. Everyone did a little shopping and got some great deals. We grabbed a quick bite and then headed back to the hotel to get packed and ready for the big trip home the next day. Everyone enjoyed their time together and no one could stop talking about how much fun they had!

Madison, WI '09

2009-07-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

We hit the road early for Wisconsin this morning. We had so much to do and not a lot of time to get it done. Our first stop was at the Ho Chunic Casino where we had an AMAZING lunch. We even tried our luck at a little gambling, one of the group members even left with a $29 winning! Since we had been traveling all day we decided a pizza party sounded like the perfect way to end the evening. On our second day we went to the Capital Brewery to see how beer was made. That was really cool! Later that afternoon we headed down to State Street for a little shopping. Everyone made out with some really neat things so we headed off to Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant! The next morning the weather was a little questionable so we changed plans and headed to the state capital for a nice tour. We had high hopes for hitting up the winery but unfortunately it was raining so we headed to House on the Rock instead. That was a pretty neat place to check out since there are so many memorable things there. One thing we all were impressed by was the carousel with 20,000 horse heads on it! On our final day out in Madison we headed to the zoo for some much needed animal interaction! We saw rhinos, camels, flamingos, as well as lions, tigers, and BEARS! Before calling it a day we finally got to check out the winery! This was an awesome experience for everyone and we even got to sample a few of the wines. Since it had been such a long day we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed a super fun pool party! The ride back to Mankato was a little sad since we all wanted to stay on vacation but we were thankful for all the fun we had while we were on vacation!

Disneyland 2009

2009-06-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

Our trip west was to the great state of California!! We headed to Anaheim to visit Mickey Mouse at his original home along with all of his friends. Our first day of travel included an awesome flight and then some relaxation at our hotel while everyone enjoyed a pizza party in the lobby. The second day included a trip to California Adventures Park where we were able to see SO many exciting things. There were thrill rides for those who love to live on the edge as well as some very cute shows everyone could enjoy. Day 3 was spent on a tour around Los Angeles where we were able to see the Staples Center, Old Los Angeles, the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Hollywood sign. There was so much to see!! We were also able to go to Universal Studios where we did so many awesome things! The group did a back lot tour where we were able to check out some old movie sets. There were lots of exciting things going on during that tour. On our final day in CA we headed back to Disneyland and checked out what it had to offer. There was something for everyone at this park! We took a ride on the "It's a Small World" ride, The Haunted Mansion, Thunder Canyon, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and the "Honey I Shrunk the Audience" show. Before heading back to our hotel we hit up Downtown Disney to do a little shopping. Everyone found a memorable souvenir so we were on our way back to the hotel. After a nice night of relaxing and packing we were ready to head home the next morning. We were sad to leave California because it was so much fun and we can't wait to go again next year!

Stillwater/Taylors Falls 2009

2009-06-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

LEEP traveled to Stillwater and Taylors Falls this past week, and got to see and go on many scenic adventures! We started our journey in Stillwater at a restaurant called the "Water Street Inn" located right on the St. Croix River. It was delicious! We spent the afternoon in the gift shops, watching the boats on the river, and checking out Tremblay's candy store, with lots of old fashioned candy and fudge in it! The second day we spent touring historic Stillwater. We started on a tour of Stillwater by a narrated trolley car, where we got to see many historic mansions and other various buildings. We ate lunch at the Freighthouse restaurant, and even got to see the lift bridge in action while we were eating! We hit the courthouse next for a guided tour of the oldest courthouse/jail in Minnesota. There was still old graffiti in the cells from inmates long ago. We spent the evening watching the Twins and playing cards while enjoying dinner from Applebees and Buffalo Wild Wings.

Our third day we traveled to Taylors Falls, MN. We walked along the river walks and thought the views of the cliffs were absolutely beautiful! The highlight of the whole trip was the riverboat ride. We were able to go on an 80-minute paddleboat ride looking at all the beautiful cliffs, islands, and wildlife! After our ride, we ate at a pizza and malt parlor for a late lunch. Although our trip has come to an end, everyone had a great experience and the views and historic sites we got to see made for a lifetime of memories!

Minneapolis '09

2009-06-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

The trip to Minneapolis was a great one to be on! We went to three of the major attractions in Minneapolis and had a great time at each one! The first of the three was to the Como Zoo. We spent time watching Sparky the sea lion's show, as well as wandering around the park looking at the lions, tigers, and monkeys, just to name a few. We then had a pizza party and movie night in the hotel to get ready for another fun day! The next day of our trip we went to watch a Minnesota Twins game while they played Cleveland. We were in luck because not only did the Twins win, but they hit four home runs as well!!! We were cheering loudly for our team from start to finish! Our final day in Minneapolis was spent at the Mall of America, the largest mall in the United States! Not only did we do tons of shopping and find many deals, but we also got a behind the scenes tour of Underwater World. We were able to see the kitchen where they made and stored all the fish food, and we got to see the doctor room as well. After our tour we walked through the Underwater World on our own, and got to meet Sharky the mascot. Although this was a short trip, we got to do lots of different things and had a blast!!

Washington D.C. '09

2009-06-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Washington DC was sure filled with amazing sites to see! Washington DC was jam-packed with information and history to learn, beautiful monuments, and delicious food to eat!
We visited the United States Capital where we got our very own guided tour. We took our first ride on the Metro Train System over to Interpol which is an agency that works on International Crime and has MANY connections all over the world. We were told that our group was the only civilian group that has ever been given a tour of Interpol; usually only FBI and law enforcement officers are allowed in! Before we headed to the hotel we headed to the White House to see where President Obama lives.

The next day we visited the Washington Monument and then caught a bus tour around Washington. We visited Arlington Cemetery, the Vietnam Memorial wall, the Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson's Memorial, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial. After the tour we headed to the Spy Museum, and then headed over to the Pentagon Memorial. What a great end to the day!

The final day we got to go into the Holocaust Museum where we saw and learned many things about the Holocaust, including "Daniel's Story," a walk through that taught us about the Holocaust from a child's point of view. Later on we went to see the Smithsonian Castle and to the Natural Museum of American History. At this museum we saw Dorothy's red ruby slippers from the movie The Wizard of Oz, and also saw the American flag that inspired the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. This trip was filled with fun and we learned so much about the history of our Nation in the process!! We can't wait to be able to go on this trip again!

Branson 2009

2009-05-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Branson, Missouri was sure a fun-filled one!! All the events we attended and shopping we did sure made up for the 12 hour car ride each way. We started out our trip by going to the IMAX theater to watch the show "Under the Sea." It was really neat to see all the underwater creatures swimming around us on the screen! Next we went to see the "Legends in Concert," an entertaining show of impersonators which included: Tina Turner, Elvis, Blue Brothers, Rod Stewart, and Alan Jackson. We got to meet the singers after the show and Kathy even got a kiss on the cheek from Elvis!! The next day of our trip we were very very busy! We went to the Hollywood Wax Museum first, and then took a ride on the Duck Boat, which is a boat that can drive on both land and water! After that we went to the Dixie Stampede, and celebrated Fay's 38th birthday with a pool party! Our final full day of our trip to Branson started off by going to the mall and listening to live bands of many known Branson stars who were singing Country Love and Gospel songs. After that music treat we headed to the "SIX concert," which was a group of 6 brothers who sing and make music without instruments; what a great experience! We ended our awesome trip with another trip to the IMAX theater. This time we saw "Wildlife Safari," which was just as cool as the first show we saw! This trip to Branson was filled with shopping, visiting gift shops, eating delicious meals, and of course, listening to amazing music!! We can't wait to go back next year!

Black Hills '09

2009-05-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

Day one of our trip to the Black Hills consisted mostly of traveling to the beautiful city. We did stop at the ever famous Wall Drug where several people bought neat souvenirs!! The next day we spent plenty of time looking at and taking pictures of Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. We finished the day with some shopping and had an awesome pizza/ pool party.
We also visited reptile gardens saw many various types of the scaly creatures! Some time was spent at the Museum of Geology, the Big Thunger Gold Mine, and even the Everything Prehistoric Museum as well. They were all really neat and we learned a lot about the area and what happened here many, many years ago. Another popular destination was Bear Country to get a glimpse of all the elk, buffalo, and everyone's favorite: the baby bears! That night we got to see the film set of Dancing With the Wolves which was really interesting.
The final day we packed up the van and started our journey back to Mankato stopping at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. Then entire outside of the palace was made of corn, so cool!

Arizona Dude Ranch '09

2009-03-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Our fun and exciting trip to the Arizona Dude Ranch began bright and early Monday morning! The owners of the ranch, Dan and Carrie, picked us up from the airport, and our fun began!! The scenery was gorgeous each morning and we spent a lot of time watching the sunrise. Dan and Carrie did an amazing job of cooking us delicious homecooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day we were there! YUM!! We also spent each morning going out for a stroll on the horses at the ranch. This was almost everyone's favorite part of the trip! What was also really neat was that we met a group from Maryland very similar to ours that were staying at the ranch at the same time we were! We became great friends with them and were very sad when having to say goodbye. We spent a whole day in the town of Oatman, which is on the famous Route 66. There we watched an old time gun fight,bought souvenirs from the numerous shops,and fed carrots to the donkey that roamed the streets. We had a small downfall when one of our vans got a flat tire, but it was fixed in no time! Each night we spent some time swimming in the pool, sitting by the hot tub, or hanging out by the fire with our friends from Maryland; it was a blast! It was a sad day when we had to leave the Arizona Dude Ranch, but like the slogan that we kept saying at the ranch said, "you'll come as friends and leave as family." It was incredibly true! Even though our trip was done, we had a great time and can't wait to go back again!

Caribbean Cuise '08

2008-12-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

This vacation started off on a very early and very cold and snowy start! We loaded the van around 3:00 am to head off to the airport. Lucky for us we were heading somewhere warm! We flew from Minneapolis to Miami where we were set to disembark on our cruise ship. We were welcomed aboard with a "Bon Voyage Celebration". Everyone started dancing and we kept our feet moving for as long as we could! Around dinner time we headed down to the main dining room. We enjoyed our first meal on the ship in the fancy dining room.

During our trip we visited 3 ports of call: Nassau, Bahamas, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turks. We did so many fun things while we were on these islands that it is hard to mention them all! Some of the favorites from the group were: lunch at Senor Frogs and Margaritaville, a glass bottom boat tour, shopping at island shops, and enjoying the sun on the sandy beaches!! While aboard this ship we attended several very entertaining Vegas style shows. A favorite of the group was the Jerry Spring style "Love and Marriage" show. We all laughed at how comical the stories were! Our final day aboard the ship everyone enjoyed relaxing and hanging around this ship. We ate lots of great food and enjoyed some wonderful entertainment. We were up bright and early on our final day of vacation and ready to head north. Everyone agreed this was one of the most exciting and fun filled trips they had been on and can't wait to go again!

Alaskan Cruise '08

2008-08-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

This was the trip of a lifetime for many of our vacationers. Not only did we take a tour of of Alaska, we did it aboard a cruise ship. Our group flew into Seattle, Washington where we boarded our Norwegian Cruise ship called the "Norwegian Star". We were amazed at the size of the ship when we first drove up and couldn't believe something that big could float. Once we came on board, we got orientated and explored the different levels of the ship.

We spent our first full day at sea. We enjoyed swimming and hot-tubbing, watched an ice carving demonstration, and enjoyed an evening show of dancing and singing from the Broadway play "Cats". Some other entertainment that we watched aboard our trip included Murray the Magician, the ship's version of "Family Feud", the "White Hot" dance party where we could only wear white, and so many more shows.

Our first land stop was to Ketchikan. We did some sightseeing and of course, a lot of shopping. Our next day was spent in the port of Juno which is surrounded by beautiful mountains. We explored the town and did a little more shopping. We stopped at a famous fudge shop and enjoyed delicious samples. The whole group spent some time taking photos of the amazing scenery. This was a short stop because we were off again to view the Sawyer Glacier next. We enjoyed the sights from the deck of the ship and even spotted a few Orca Whales and three brown bears. We arrived at the glacier and were surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and huge ice chunks. Skagway was our next city to visit. While there, we took the White Pass Railroad which was a 3 1/2 hour train ride in the mountains. We went through tunnels and over bridges and even passed a pool of salmon jumping, waterfalls, and hanging glaciers. When we returned to Skagway, we did a little more sightseeing of the town and bought more souvenirs. The next day we went to Prince Rupert, British Columbia. On our way we spotted a group of 15 Orca Whales and even dolphins. The scenery was breathtaking.

Besides all the unforgettable sights we saw, we have to mention the food! We ate so much during this trip and we give the restaurants aboard the ship four stars, which included our favorite formal dining restaurant called Versailles. We also spent a little time in the casino on the ship as well as the Spinnaker Lounge and the Carousel Lounge where all the chairs were shaped like horses. Everyone agreed that this was the most amazing vacation we had ever been on and want to visit again!

Las Vegas, NV '08

2008-08-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Las Vegas with our eyes wide open and full of excitement. As we were landing, we got a great view from the air of the hotels on the strip. We checked into our hotel called Circus, Circus and were amazed because it really looked like one. On our trip, we visited so many amazing hotels that it is hard to name them all. We really liked the hotel called New York, New York because it was a replica of the 'Big Apple". It even had a cool rollercoaster that some of us braved. Some other stops we made were to The Mirage, Imperial Palace, and Harrah's. Then we toured Caesar's Palace and viewed a show of Zeus and the Greek God's that were statues that came to life. Next it was onto the "Sirens of Treasure Island" show at Treasure Island hotel, the Dancing Waterfalls at the Bellagio, and MGM Grand where we got to see the live lion habitat. In the evening, we took some time out to see the "Legends in Concerts" show which featured famous impersonators such as the Blues Brothers, Jay Leno, and Elvis. We spent another full day on a tour to the Hoover Dam which has been said to be one of the greatest architectural works since the great pyramids. Amongst all the sights, we found time to eat at incredible buffets with a wide variety of foods as well as famous restaurants such as Planet Hollywood and the Harley Davidson Cafe. As we proved on this vacation, Las Vegas is truly "the city that never sleeps".

Milwaukee, WI '08

2008-07-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

This was a jammed packed vacation to the lakefront city of Milwaukee. The group was on the go the whole time because there was so much to see. Upon our arrival we took a walking tour of the area and strolled the lakefront shores that had breath-taking views. We all spent some time taking pictures and then stopped to enjoy a live band that played jazz music where some of us even danced. Our first big destination was to the Milwaukee Zoo, which is the second largest in the nation. Everyone loved the zoo and we all had different favorites when it came to the animals. We then took a sailboat ride on Lake Michigan aboard the "Sea Dog Sailing Ship" which was enormous. We did a sunset cruise and the views of the lake were spectacular. We were all speechless after that cruise. Our next adventure was to the Harley Davidson factory and museum where we all got to sit on fancy motorcycles. Then we were onto the Miller Brewing Factory tour. We were fascinated by the tour and couldn't believe the machines and the process it takes to can beer. Our next stop was to Discovery World and viewed amazing aquariums with many fish and a replica of the Great Lakes. On our last day we visited the Milwaukee County Public Museum where we saw amazing architecture, animals, and traditions of different countries. We then went to the Imax theatre to watch a film on the "Mysteries of the Great Lakes". Our last stop of the vacation was to the Milwaukee Art Museum. As I started out saying, this vacation was jammed packed with events and we didn't slow down for a minute. The group did find time to eat though and most said the highlights were the sailboat ride and Milwaukee County Zoo event.

Treasure Island/Red Wing, MN '08

2008-07-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

The group spent a relaxing three day vacation along the Mississippi River Valley at Treasure Island Resort and Casino which is located near Red Wing, MN. The drive to our destination was incredibly beautiful and we even spotted a bald eagle flying above the cliffs. When we arrived at our hotel, everyone was excited to try their luck at gambling. Most of our group played slot machines and some even got lucky and left with more than they came with. We ate at a variety of restaurants but everyone's favorite was the huge casino buffet. We did some sightseeing of the town and harbor area. Everyone thought it was so cool to walk down by the water and view all the big sail boats. We also spent some time at the Pottery Place Museum which is an old pottery factory that has been turned into a shopping and knick knack mall as well as mini-museum. On our last day, we took a trip down river to Lake City. This is another beautiful city located right on Lake Pepin/Mississippi River. We ate at Skyline on Lake Pepin restaurant which was right on the water, then boarded an authentic paddleboat called "Pearl of the Lake" for a ride up and down the river. This was a highlight for all. The group got along great and definitely had time to relax on this fun vacation!

Omaha, NE '08

2008-06-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

This growing riverfront city has many attractions to offer. Our group toured the Old Market district which is full of fun shops, restaurants and even has different musicians and talents that perform on the sidewalks. We ate at delicious restaurants yet our favorite was our visit to Dave and Buster's, which is more than a restaurant, it is like a huge arcade for adults. We all played numerous interactive video games and had a blast trying all the different games it had to offer. Our group also went for a cool sight-seeing boat ride on the Missouri River which overlooked the city. Then we toured the historic Joslyn Castle which is an old world century castle. The house was amazing and the grounds were even better with beautiful gardens and greenery. The group's favorite part of our vacation was visiting the Henry Doorly Zoo which has over 972 different species on display. Everyone got a kick out of the monkey exhibits and loved watching them swing around. We were always on the go but found time to relax at our hotel and spent some time in the pool and hot tub. Everyone had a blast!

Camp Confidence, MN '08

2008-06-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

This shorter three day trip was jammed packed with fun outdoor activities. Camp Confidence is located near Brainerd on Gull Lake and the drive is spectacular. As we arrived we were greated with a personal counselor who was with us the entire trip. We settled into our own cabin and then headed out fishing on a pontoon boat right away. We had some luck fishing but everyone had a blast because we all got to drive the pontoon. The camp also has a petting zoo and we got to pet a variety of animals each day including rabbits, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and even a calf. The highlight of our trip came when we all attempted to climb "Smitty's Revenge". It is a huge tree and it is an accomplishment just to get to the top of the ladder. Two members of our group even made it to the very top of the tree. Another fun activity we did was to take a boat ride aboard a glass bottom boat. The water was so clear that we could see lots of plant-life and even spotted a couple of fish. The last attraction we went on was the huge slide. We all sat on potato sacks and zoomed down screaming with delight. Besides all the activities, everyone's favorite event was roasting marshmellows by the fire in the evening and sharing stories. Everyone bonded on the vacation and we all came home with more friends than when we left.

Wisconsin Dells, WI '08

2008-06-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

This was a trip to Wisconsin Dells like no other. Due to heavy rains, much of the area was flooded and we viewed fields that were turned into lakes on our drive to our destination. Once our group arrived, we were shocked to see what was left of Lake Delton (where the famous Tommy Bartlett show takes place) which was almost dry due to the dam breaking because of excessive water. Not all was lost though and we still had a blast. The group did some Mini-Golfing at Pirates Cove, took a tour of the area aboard the Duck Boats (which go on land and water), swam at Noah's Arc Waterpark, and visited the Wildlife Exhibit. We ate at some interesting restaurants but decided that Paul Bunyon's Cookout was the best. We even spent one day of our vacation and drove to the unique destination of the "House on a Rock". This is an incredible place that has interesting displays such as a magic chair, a room of dolls, a carousal, and even a platform that you walk out on and it overlooks an amazing cliff. Everyone enjoyed the trip despite the flooding conditions and new that it only added to our memories.

Disney World, FL '08

2008-06-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

Disney World is a magical place where we can all act like kids. When we arrived in Florida the weather was beautiful. We checked into Disney's Pop Century Resort which is themed with Disney characters everywhere and even has a pool shaped like Mickey Mouse. Our group had unlimited passes to the four main theme parks on the vacation which included Disney's Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, and Disney Hollywood Studios. Each day we toured the parks, met all the Disney Characters and went on amazing rides. There are so many fabulous shows that it is hard to name favorites but some popular ones with our group were "the Lion King", "Finding Nemo" and "Beauty and the Beast". The group went on numerous rides like Space Mountain, It's a Small World, Tomorrowland, and the Kali River Rapids. The group was also thrilled with the 4-D Theaters and loved the "Bug's Life Show" at Animal Kingdom. There were fun evening events such as the Spectra Magic parade with all the floats lit up with lights and the fireworks display at Magic Kingdom which topped off the vacation. Everyone had a blast and came home with numerous Disney Souvenirs to remember our trip by. As they say, dreams really do come true at Disney.

Branson, MO '08

2008-05-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Branson is our number one requested destination by LEEP participants and we can't blame them, there is something for everyone in Branson! The group went to numerous shows including "Broadway" which showcased numerous famous plays from Broadway, and "The Legends in Concert" which had impersonators of famous musicians such as Buddy Holly, Marilyn Monroe, the Blues Brothers, and even Elvis. Another famous attraction that we did was riding the "Duck Boats". They drive on land and then turn into boats on the water. Some of our travelers even got to drive and quack their duck whistles which was a highlight for many. The group then went to the Silver Dollar City where they snacked on carnival food and shopped for souvenirs. Another famous stop that they made was a trip to the "Chuck Wagon Dinner Show". While there they ate an incredible display of food, enjoyed the "Sons of the Pioneers" western band, and saw a lumberjack show. On their last full day they went to the Brett Family Singers and were treated like celebrities with front row seats and back stage passes to meet all the singers. In the evening the group went to the Dixie Stampede variety show which featured entertainers who juggled fire and spun 12 plates at once. The main show included horses, songs, and even a friendly competition between the two sides of the arena. This vacation was jammed packed with numerous shows, incredible meals, and shopping. No wonder it is everyone's favorite!

Fort Myers, Florida '08

2008-03-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

This was the perfect spring break vacation for all our Minnesota Twins Fans. LEEP had a group of 12 gentlemen fly to Fort Myers, Florida to partake in the Minnesota Twins Training Camp festivities. The group had a blast and went to three pre-season scrimmages as well as had the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the Twins players. They all got autographs, photos, and souvenirs. When they weren't at the stadium, they were touring the beautiful scenery of Fort Myers and walking along the amazing beaches. They ate at well known restaurants such as Joe's Crab Shack, did some shopping downtown and toured the Fort Myers Historical Museum. They also went on a boat cruise and saw numerous dolphins that were so close, they felt like they could touch them. Everyone had a blast and said it was a great "guys get-away".

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

2008-01-11T13:00:00.000-08:00

The LEEP group was ready to leave this cold Minnesota winter weather and was excited to board our airplane to visit the crystal blue water and white sands of Playa del Carmen, Mexico. We landed in Cancun and took our scenic ride down the Maya Riveria to view miles of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We arrived in Playa del Carmen and were shocked at how beautiful our all-inclusive resort was. We were greated with champagne glasses of orange juice while we checked in. There were numerous pools, scenic overlooks, restaurants and bars. Buffets were available all around the hotel grounds and we sure did our fair share of eating. The food was awesome and there was a huge variety to please all our different tastes.

On our vacation, we did so many exciting activities. Our first stop was to get our feet wet in the ocean. We enjoyed the beautiful weather and sand, while we all took a dip in the salt water. The water was the most amazing, turquiose blue! We explored the oceanside while sipping on strawberry smoothies. We also spent some time at the pools where we enjoyed Mexican music and played pool volleyball. On another day, we took a shore excursion to Xcaret which is a huge ecopark. We snorkeled through underwater caves and down a secluded river. The tropical fish were absolutely amazing and we were so close to them that we could reach out and touch them. We also toured parts of the park to view the manatees, sea turtles, flamingos, and more. Then we took a walking tour through the jungle and finished the day off with a boat tour out to the reef. On our fourth day, we did some authenitic Mexican shopping at their markets. Everyone did some bartering and ended up with great souvenirs. We then boarded a ferry and took a ride over to the island of Cozumel and did more shopping and sightseeing. Mexico is one of the most beautiful and amazing places in this world and we all decided that we want to visit again!