| Today Norm Goldman editor of Sketchandtravel and | | | | National Park, which runs along the Canadian border. |
| Bookpleasures welcomes as a guest, travel author | | | | There are no roads here, just a 100,000-acre chain of |
| and writer Tim Bewer, who is an expert on Minnesota. | | | | lakes, endless forests, hundreds on moose and loons, |
| Tim is also the author of Moon Handbooks Minnesota, | | | | plus a few interesting historic sites to mix things up. A |
| as well as many other travel books and travel | | | | houseboat lets you explore everything with all the |
| articles.Good day Tim and thank you for agreeing to | | | | comforts of home.Finally, for something out of the |
| participate in our interview:Norm:Tim, could you tell our | | | | ordinary, the Delta Queen Steamboat Company runs |
| readers something about yourself, how long have you | | | | timeless paddlewheel riverboats along the Mississippi |
| lived in Minnesota, your writing experience, and your | | | | River between St. Paul, Minnesota and St. Louis, |
| expertise pertaining to Minnesota?Tim:I moved to | | | | Missouri. The weeklong voyages stop in various river |
| Minneapolis in 2000, but I spent most of my life living | | | | towns and feature luxurious |
| next door in Wisconsin and visited the Land of 10,000 | | | | accommodations.Norm:When is the best time to visit |
| Lakes often before making it my home. After two | | | | Minnesota from the point of view of weather, costs, |
| years of exploring every nook and cranny in the state | | | | etc?Tim:You can't beat Minnesota in the fall. The mild |
| I published my Moon Handbooks Minnesota with | | | | temperatures and stable atmosphere of autumn |
| Avalon Travel Publishing of Emeryville, California in | | | | results in lots of sunshine and very little rain. This ideal |
| December of 2004. Other countries I've written, edited, | | | | weather often lasts well into November and |
| or updated books on include Wisconsin, Ecuador, and | | | | sometimes even December. Late September through |
| El Salvador.Norm:Could you tell our audience something | | | | early October is my pick for the absolute best time to |
| about Minnesota, where it is situated, its climate, | | | | travel across the state; not only is the weather ideal, |
| geography etc, and why, as mentioned in your bio that | | | | but you'll find fall colors, fewer visitors than during the |
| I recently read, you consider the upper Midwest to be | | | | busy summer, off-season discounts, and no |
| the most beautiful place on earth?Tim:Minnesota is in | | | | mosquitoes. The one exception to the fewer visitors |
| the north central United States. It spans the boreal pine | | | | rule is that hotels along the North Shore of Lake |
| forests of Lake Superior's western shores in the | | | | Superior are booked solid during the fall color |
| northeast down to the tallgrass prairie and farm fields | | | | season.Norm:What should people know about |
| of the Great Plains in the southwest. The culture is | | | | celebrating a wedding in Minnesota from the point of |
| quintessential Midwest--modest and friendly. The | | | | view of requirements, experience of the various hotels, |
| winters are as cold as you'd expect, but the weather | | | | etc?Tim:The most important thing is to book as far in |
| the rest of the year is usually mild and comfortable.As | | | | advance as possible. Lodging in the destinations I |
| for being the most beautiful place on earth; well, no one | | | | mentioned above will often be full up months in |
| can argue with the majesty of mountains, but I | | | | advance. The bed-and-breakfasts and smaller inns are |
| personally think the intimacy of a forest-fringed lake | | | | renown for personal service and can certainly assist |
| tops it and we've got some twelve thousand of them. | | | | you in making the most of your special day while big |
| Plus, there is an abundance of waterfalls, soaring bluffs | | | | resorts have extensive experience with wedding |
| lining the Mississippi River and Lake Superior, and large | | | | parties and can handle just about everything for |
| patches of tallgrass prairie.Norm:Do you consider | | | | you.Marriage licenses must be applied for in person |
| Minnesota a great place for a romantic getaway or | | | | and then there is a five-day statutory waiting period |
| wedding destination and if so, why?Tim:Absolutely. | | | | after applying; however, waivers to the waiting period |
| There are many historic small towns with luxurious | | | | are routinely granted with a little extra |
| bed-and-breakfasts or you can go "Up North" and find | | | | paperwork.Norm:What resources are available on the |
| a remote lakeside cabin with a fieldstone fireplace and | | | | Internet pertaining to Minnesota?Tim:The Minnesota |
| bearskin rug. And, no matter where you base yourself, | | | | Office of Tourism ( has a pretty comprehensive Web |
| you'll have sublime scenery around you.Norm:If you had | | | | site covering the state. The lodging search is |
| to choose the five most unique and romantic venues in | | | | particularly handy.Norm:Is there anything else we have |
| Minnesota, what would they be, where are they | | | | not covered that you would like to tell our audience |
| situated and why would you consider these five?Tim:If | | | | about Minnesota?Tim:Whether someone is planning a |
| someone wants to be pampered, then they'll love | | | | honeymoon or wedding, or just a regular vacation, I |
| Stillwater, which lies just outside the Twin Cities. This | | | | have the same advice for everyone: Take some time |
| historic lumber town on the St. Croix River has | | | | to visit different parts of the state. The culture of the |
| reinvented itself as a retail and relaxation destination. | | | | Twin Cities and the lakes and forests of the northeast |
| You can indulge yourself at a four-star restaurant, stroll | | | | attract most of the visitors, but the historic small towns |
| along the riverfront promenade at sunset, take a | | | | or the southeast and the vast open spaces of the |
| moonlit gondola cruise, and finish the night at any of the | | | | largely agricultural western half of the state have their |
| elegant bed-and-breakfasts.Little Lansesboro, nestled in | | | | own charm.Thanks Tim for giving us the opportunity to |
| the rugged hills of southeast Minnesota's Amish | | | | learn more about Minnesota.Tim: You are most |
| country, is more down home than Stillwater, though the | | | | welcome.Norm Goldman is the editor of |
| top-notch lodging and dining is no less indulgent and the | | | | sketchandtravel.com, a travel site, and |
| surrounding scenery is even more spectacular.Grand | | | | bookpleasures.com, a book reviewing and author |
| Marais, a flourishing arts community up in the far | | | | interviewing site.Norm and his artist wife Lily are a |
| northeast corner of the state, looks out across Lake | | | | unique husband and wife team in that they meld |
| Superior. Outside town is the vast Superior National | | | | Norm's words with Lily's water colors focusing on |
| Forest, home to the million-acre Boundary Waters | | | | articles about romantic getaways and wedding |
| Canoe Area Wilderness. Besides paddling, there is | | | | destinations. |
| fantastic hiking, biking, dogsledding, and just about any | | | | You can learn more about them by going to their site |
| other outdoor activity you can imagine. Spend the night | | | | at: and Lily are always open for invitations to romantic |
| in one of the town's quaint inns or opt for a lakeside | | | | destinations particularly in the New England States and |
| cabin nearby.If you want more of the outdoors, | | | | Florida. |
| consider taking a houseboat through Voyageurs | | | | |