Many times when you travel, you find a place that absolutely delights you. This describes my time perfectly on a recent trip to Luverne, Minnesota. Luverne is a town of just less than 5000 friendly people in Southwest Minnesota. For a town its size, it has a surprising amount of quality attractions. But the one that most captivated my heart was a collection of 6708 nutcrackers at the Rock County Historical Museum on Main Street.

Ever wanted to explore an OUTDOOR children’s museum? You (and your kiddos/grandkids) can certainly do that at Sofia’s Play Garden at Lauritzen Gardens! It is a lovely and magical place for ALL ages, not just for kids. Heck, when I attended on Grand Opening weekend in May, I wanted to play and explore!

In 2024 I became interested in Iowa’s Freedom Rocks! What is a Freedom Rock? It is a large rock painted on all sides with patriotic murals and tributes to those who have served in our armed forces in the U.S. These unique murals are painted by Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II. Many towns in Iowa have one. In fact, all 99 of Iowa counties do. Check out two Freedom Rocks I went to in 2025!

If you’re like me, you love to discover unexpected little gems when you travel, especially ones that are underrated or somewhat unknown. When you find a place like that, it feels sort of like you have opened a surprise birthday gift and are delighted. That was the way I felt when I visited the ESSE Purse Museum and Store!