The Midwest, which is also known as “America’s heartland,” is an expansive region of the country that is known for its agriculture, friendly people and beautiful natural landscapes.
The Midwest is home to great music and food, interesting architecture and wonderful museums.
Midwest States:
The Midwest consists of 12 states:
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Ohio
North Dakota
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Midwest Geography:
The Midwest is bordered by Pennsylvania and West Virginia to the East, by Canada to the North, by Montana, Wyoming and Colorado to the West and by Kentucky, Arkansas and Oklahoma to the South.
Major geographical features of the Midwest include the Great Lakes, Great Plains and the Mississippi River.
The region measures 750,536.6 square miles in size and is home to many lakes, dense woodlands and open prairies.
Midwest Weather and Climate:
The Midwest has a humid continental climate throughout most of the region. Snowstorms are common during the winter, especially in the northern areas, and tornadoes typically occur between March and June, which is considered ?tornado season.?
The average temperature in the Midwest during the winter is between 12 degrees F ( – 6 degrees C) and 32 degrees F (0 degrees C). The coldest month of the winter is January while February is the second coldest.
The average temperature in the Midwest during the spring is between 41 degrees F (5 degrees C) and 54 degrees F (12 degrees C).
The average temperature in the Midwest during the summer is between 66 degrees F (19 degrees C) and 76 degrees F (24 degrees C). The hottest month of the summer is July while August is the second hottest.
The average temperature in the Midwest during the fall is between 42 degrees F (5 degrees C) and 56 degrees F (13 degrees C).
Midwest Sightseeing:
Popular tourist attractions in the Midwest:
Iowa:
Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, Iowa
Maquoketa Caves State Park in Maquoketa, Iowa
Illinois:
Legoland Discovery Center in Schaumburg, Illinois
The Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois
DuPage Children’s Museum in Naperville, Illinois
Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby, Ilinois
Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois
Indiana:
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana
Santa Claus, Indiana
Amish Acres House and Farm Tour in Nappanee, Indiana
Indianapolis 500 in Speedway, Indiana
Missouri:
Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri
Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park in Middle Brook, Missouri
Fantastic Caverns in Springfield, Missouri
Jesse James Birthplace Museum in Kearney, Missouri
Jesse James Bank Museum in Liberty, Missouri
Sea Life Aquarium in Kansas City, Missouri
Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri
Saint Louis Zoo, in Saint Louis, Missouri
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri
Michigan:
Isle Royale National Park in Houghton, Michigan
The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, Michigan
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Empire, Michigan
Minnesota:
Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota
Brainerd Lake in Brainerd, Minnesota
North and South Dakota:
Enchanted Highway in North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, North Dakota
Badlands National Park in South Dakota
Mount Rushmore in Rapid City, South Dakota
Custer State Park in Custer, South Dakota
Crazy Horse Memorial in Custer, South Dakota
The Wildler Trail in Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota
Ohio:
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Brecksville, Ohio
Kansas:
Wizard of Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas
Boot Hill Museum in Dodge City, Kansas
Nebraska:
Scotts Bluff National Monument in Gering, Nebraska
Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska
Wisconsin:
Bavarian Village in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Taliesin East in Spring Green, Wisconsin
The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Popular Foods in the Midwest:
The Midwest has some unique food that you can’t find anywhere else in the country. No trip to the Midwest would be complete without trying the local cuisine.
Illinois Foods:
Maid-Rite sandwich
Deep-dish pizza
Apple Fritter
Chicago-style hot dog
Pizza pot pie
The Horseshoe
Maxwell-style polish sausage
Garlic rolls and crab
The Cozy dog
Italian lemonade
Indiana Foods:
Roast Beef Manhattan
Fried bolonga sandwich
German sausages
Fried brain sandwich
Chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes
Lake Perch
Fried biscuits
Fried biscuits and apple butter
Sweet corn
Sugar cream pie
Zombie Dust beer
Iowa Foods:
Breaded pork tenderloin
Maid-Rite sandwich
Hot beef sandwich
Steak de Burgo
Sweet corn
Nutty bars
Blue Bunny ice cream
Kansas Foods:
BBQ ribs
BBQ hot wings
Chicken fried steak
Bierocks
Chili and cinnamon rolls
Brown bread frozen custard
Missouri Foods:
Hot salami sandwich
Burnt ends (BBQ delicacy)
Saint Louis-style pizza
Provel cheese
Cheese curds
Bacon fat-fried cornbread
St. Paul sandwich
Trout
Red Hot Riplets (potato chips)
Rabbit
Cinnamon rolls
Gooey butter cake
Frozen custard
Fitz’s root beer
Michigan Foods:
Dorito-style pizza
Coney dog
Almond boneless chicken
Cider and doughnuts
Pasty
Hot fudge cream puff
Double-baked rye bread
Dinty Moore
Paczki
Boston cooler
Detroit street brick
Whitefish
Mackinac Island fudge
Faygo Pop
Hummer Cocktail
Cherries
Minnesota Foods:
Swedish meatballs
Turkey burgers
Porketta
Wild rice soup
Wild rice patty melt
Juicy Lucy burger
Hot dish
Polish sausage
Lefse
Lake trout
Pecan caramel and cinnamon rolls
Turtle cake
Nebraska Foods:
Chicken-fried steak
Bone-in rib eye
Biscuits and gravy
Chili and a cinnamon roll
Macaroni and cheese
Omaha-style pizza
Bierock
Tin roof sundae
Whiskey cocktail
Ohio Foods:
Cleveland-style BBQ
Cincinnati chili
Goetta hash
Hungarian hot dogs
Norka soda
Sweet corn
Fried lake perch
Ohio wine
North Dakota Foods:
Tater tot hotdish
Cheese buttons
Pitchfork steak
Bison steak
Taco in a bag
Indian tacos
Indian fry bread
Lefse
Lutefisk
Kuchen
Jello salad
Chippers
Whirl-A-Whip ice cream cone
Juneberry jam
Chokecherry wine
South Dakota Foods:
Hot beef commercial
Chislic
Fliesch Kuchele
Buffalo burgers
Bison steak
Tiger meat (South Dakota’s version of steak tartare)
Indian tacos
Indian fry bread
Kolache
Kuchen
Lefse
Walleye fish
Wojapi
Wasna
Zebra donuts
Mocha cakes
Dakota martinis
Wisconsin Foods:
Bratwurst sandwiches
Limburger sandwich
Beer-cheese soup
Fried cheese curds
Norwegian meatballs
Butter burgers
Chicken booyah
Cornish pasties
Fish boil
Smoked fish
Hmong egg rolls
Swedish pancakes
Cream puffs
Morning buns
Danish Kringle
Maple syrup
Frozen custard
Roesti
Best Midwest States for Shopping:
Minnesota: (No sales tax on clothing, has lots of shopping centers & the Mall of America)
Illinois: (Chicago has lot of boutique shops, high-end & mainstream department stores & shopping malls)
Midwest Hotels:
The following are some iconic hotels in the Midwest:
Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati, Ohio
Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois
French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana
Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit, Illinois
Hilton President Kansas City in Kansas City, Missouri
The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
West Baden Springs Hotel in West Baden Springs, Indiana
Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio
Omni Severin Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana
Midwest Airports:
The following is a list of the major airports of the Midwest:
Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE) in Ohio
Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) in Illinois
Chicago O’Hare International (ORD) in Illinois
Port Columbus International (CMH) in Ohio
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) in Michigan
Indianapolis International (IND) in Indiana
Kansas City International (MCI) in Missouri
Lambert-St. Louis International (STL) in Missouri
Memphis International (MEM) in Tennessee
Minneapolis/St. Paul International (MSP) in Minnesota
Nashville International (BNA) in Tennessee
Louis Armstrong International (MSY) in Louisiana
Midwest Transportation:
Train Companies:
Amtrak: IL, IA, OH, ID, MI, MN, MO, WI, NE, ND, KS
Bus Companies:
Jefferson Lines: ID, IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI
Greyhound Lines: IA, ID, IL, IN, MN, MO, NE, OH, WI, ND, SD, KS
For more American travel guides, check out our homepage at www.allamericanadventureguide.com
Sources:
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