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