Our staff has been almost everywhere in the Midwest. So where do we return for personal vacations? Here's the list of our all-time favorites.

Midwest Getaways

(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: JULY/AUGUST 2006)

Lake Superior Adventure

Caffeine and a fast pace are staples for Executive Editor Greg Philby when overseeing Midwest Living content. But when vacation comes for him; his wife, Jill; and daughters, Katy, 15, and Emily, 12, the rush comes from something else: simple natural beauty.

PERFECT GETAWAY There’s an excitement in history, striking scenery and exploration. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula provides all three. The girls listen to stories of the building-size freighters on a boat tour of the locks in tranquil Sault Ste. Marie. They find waterfalls hidden along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore’s 40 miles of dunes and cliffs. Majestic Lake Superior lures and, if calm, allows kayaking. "When you get out on the water, you’re part of that wonderful blend of power and beauty, " Greg says. "You forget there’s anything else in the world. " Emily leads the hike to the top of 2,000-foot Summit Peak in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Evenings, the family huddles by a beach bonfire as the sun sinks into the lake.

INSIDE TIPS In Sault Ste. Marie, Museum Ship Valley Camp, a freighter open for tours and the historic Ramada Ojibway by the locks. Jilbert’s ice cream, a family favorite. Impressive Tahquamenon Falls, though Katy and Emily prefer paddling to the smaller Lower Falls for up-close views. Peterson's Chalet Cottages, with cabins and a beach near the " Porkies. " Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association (800/562-7134; www.uptravel.com).

Pampering on the Plaza

As if satisfying her own discriminating tastes developed over almost two decades as our senior food editor weren’t tough enough, Diana and husband Mike Burns must please two privacy-craving teenagers.

PERFECT GETAWAY Spanish architecture, shops galore and noteworthy eateries call the couple back to Kansas City's Country Club Plaza. But Diana says, "Our kids, Chelsea, 15, and, Alec, 20, only want to come if they can each have their own rooms. " Enter the Southmoreland on the Plaza. The pampering 13-room inn, recommended by other magazine staffers, offers excellent food and a variety of room choices. Nancy Miller, who owns the inn with her husband, Mark Reichle, recommended three rooms together on the second floor for Diana’s family. The kids love the setup, and the inn’s wireless Internet access. Diana appreciates the Southmoreland’s gracious hospitality: Late afternoon appetizer and wine; just-baked cookies with tea and cocoa in the evening.

"The breakfast is amazing, " Diana says. "Familiar recipes with clever twists, like scones with fruit butter or stuffed French toast. "

INSIDE TIPS Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue for good food in a family-friendly setting. For a truly special meal, the American Restaurant at Crown Center downtown. Kansas City Convention & Visitors Bureau (800/422-9282; www.visitkc.com).

Reconnecting By the Lake

Senior Travel Editor Barbara Morrow spends lots of time on the road, checking out destinations. Some job! But it usually means leaving behind family (husband Ken who also travels for work, and college-age and older children) and anything that resembles downtime.

PERFECT GETAWAY Vacations in north-central Minnesota’s lake country around Brainerd are a chance to step out of this whirlwind and be together. The couple books one of the family-size, anything-but-rustic cabins. Barbara and Ken might choose Grand View Lodge, one of the area’s oldest and nicest along Gull, the largest lake, or Boyd Lodge, a friendly, carefully tended smaller family operation beside Whitefish Lake. Then, they draft family and friends to come along: kids, their friends, grandparents, siblings.

What do they do once they get there? "Well, not much, " Barbara says. "That’s what we love about these trips. " Watching the lake together is an important agenda item, over coffee in the morning and wine in the evening. Then there’s swimming (more like floating), fishing, stretching out on the beach with books (Boyd and Grand View both have broad swaths of sand) and games around the kitchen table after dinner. The best part is " talking, talking and talking some more, " Barbara says. "That’s something we never seem to find enough time for. "

INSIDE TIPS For those who want to "do" more, this area offers plenty. A large restaurant selection, including two favorites along the shore of Gull Lake: the family-friendly Boathouse Eatery at Quarterdeck Resort and Grand View’s dining room. Shopping in area villages, including Pequot Lakes with Silver Creek Traders. Cycling on the 100-mile Paul Bunyan Trail. Also, Lost Lake Lodge along Gull for nicely appointed cabins and chef-prepared meals. Brainerd Lakes Area Chambers of Commerce (800/450-2838; www.brainerd lakes.com).

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