DES MOINES, IA (01/18/2013)(readMedia)-- What's not to love about the great Iowa State Fair? From funnel cakes, ferris wheels, food on a stick and free entertainment, to premier livestock events, expansive art exhibits and the country's largest state fair food department, the Iowa State Fair has something for everyone. This year, Iowans can show their love for the Fair on their tax returns and help the Fair continue on the path of preserving the historic Fairgrounds.

Look for the State Fairgrounds Renovation Check Off on line 58b of Iowa Tax Form 1040 or on line 14 of Iowa Tax Form 1040A and check off $1 (or more!) to help preserve the historic Iowa State Fairgrounds. Your gift is either deducted from your refund or added to the amount due. Contributions to the Corndog Checkoff are fully tax-deductible.

"Participating in the Corndog Checkoff is just one more way Iowans have shown their love for the Iowa State Fair. Funds raised through this program are an important part of the preservation of this great institution for future generations," said Blue Ribbon Foundation Executive Director John Putney.

Every dollar donated to the Checkoff is directly allocated to capital improvements. The Corndog Checkoff has raised over $1.7 million, and has supplemented restoration projects from the Grandstand to Ye Old Mill. In addition, funds generated by the Checkoff have helped improve the campgrounds, parking areas, sidewalks and restrooms.

The Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Since its inception in 1993, the Foundation has generated over $95 million for renovations and improvements to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. For more information on the Corndog Tax Checkoff, please contact the Blue Ribbon Foundation at (800) 450-3732 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Enjoy Winter Outdoors In Missouri

You can do both right here, in Missouri. No need for a 12-hour road trip through treacherous mountain terrain, or to endure the long, demanding lines of airport security. Missouri’s tourism website, VisitMO, has listings for everything you need to get out and experience nature, even in winter.

Missouri has two venues for swishing down the slopes: Snow Creek, north of Kansas City, and Hidden Valley, on the western fringe of St. Louis. Both are perfect for an exhilarating afternoon, regardless of your skill level. Just pick your ride of choice, from downhill or cross-country skis, to snowboards, to tubes, and enjoy a refreshing day outdoors. Yes, both offer professional instructors.

Snow Creek is about 10 minutes north of Weston; a half hour south of St. Joseph. Their state-of-the-art snowmaking machines can blanket the hillside with 12 inches of snow. The venue has a total vertical drop of 300 feet; a 700-foot long tube area; and a terrain section for snowboards. One-day, two-day and season tickets are offered.

The lodge at Snow Creek includes a bar, cafeteria, picnic and barbecue area, a bonfire pit, equipment rentals, souvenir and gift shop, an award-winning ski school, and (just in case) a first-aid station. They hold nighttime sessions some weekends. Watch their website for details.

To make a weekend of it, stay just down the road, in Weston — voted Missouri’s No. 1 Day Trip by Ingram’s Magazine, and the No. 1 Best Overnight Destination by VisitKC.com.

• Weston Bend State Park has hiking trails that meander through the woods and along a bluff with great views of the Missouri river. Picnic sites and camping are available if the weather is good.
• Visit Pirtle Winery, known for their fine Missouri wines and meads (mead is wine made from honey).
• Unwind at O'Malley's Pub, an Irish microbrewery and restaurant.
• The American Bistro-style cuisine at the Avalon Cafe, situated in an 1847 home, has dishes ranging from pizza to wild boar, pasta to beef steaks, elk loin to chicken.
• For a down-home meal and scrumptious breakfast, try the Weston Cafe.
• Spend a relaxing night at the Inn at Weston Landing, a four-guestroom bed and breakfast, built in 1842.
• The 26-guestroom Saint George Hotel opened its doors in 1845. The hotel has been renovated with modern conveniences, while maintaining its original architectural style and beauty.

Across the state, in Wildwood (a western suburb of St. Louis), the skiing hot spot is Hidden Valley ski resort. Their snowmaking system can provide all the snow necessary for skiing, tubing and snowboarding, on 30 acres with an overall 310-foot vertical drop. The ski lodge holds a bar, cafeteria, equipment rentals, and (just in case) a first-aid station. Certified instructors offer skiing and snowboarding instructions (all levels and ages; private and group). Trails at Hidden Valley are lighted for night skiing and special moonlight sessions, some of which last until 3 a.m. Day tickets, group and senior rates, and season passes are available.

After a day on the slopes, it’s about 10 minutes to Eureka, where you can relax, dine and spend the night.

• A highlight of the Eureka area, Route 66 State Park features an original section of old Route 66, plus a visitor center with Route 66 and Times Beach exhibits, Meramec River access, picnic areas and shelters, and trails for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding.
• Plan ahead and make reservations to tour the Endangered Wolf Center. This internationally recognized captive breeding facility raises endangered wolves and releases them into the wild. This is a fascinating attraction you’ll never forget.
• The Holiday Inn at Six Flags features a heated indoor pool, arcade games, a bar and a restaurant (kids eat free).
• Chow down on some of the best barbecue in America at Super Smokers Barbecue Restaurant. This is the home of the St. Louis area’s only World Champion BBQ team; their award-winning barbecue sauce is available on-site and at grocery stores throughout the Midwest.
• If barbecue isn’t your thing, try Poor Richard's Restaurant, where they serve two tons of chicken wings every week, in addition to fish, steaks and daily specials.

Not into snow skiing? How about floating a cool Missouri stream? Yes, in winter. This is a swell season to enjoy the solitude, while drifting along in a canoe . . . and it isn’t crowded. The water this time of year is especially clear; the winter views give you a different perspective of the Missouri countryside; fishing is always good; and there is an abundance of camping and cooking spots on gravel bars. Caution: take extra clothes in a dry-bag, just in case.

About 10 miles east of Steelville, the folks at Bass' River Resort can set you up for a trip on three rivers: the Courtois, the Huzzah and the Meramec. Their facilities include tent camping sites, RV sites and cabins. In January, they offer one free canoe rental with the rental of a log cabin; other specials apply in February and March.

• Seven miles southeast of Steelville, unwind and refresh at Westover Farms, on 475 acres adjacent to the Mark Twain National Forest. Stay the weekend, or longer, in one of their hand-hewn log and stone cabins, equipped with modern conveniences, a wood-burning fire place, and a full kitchen; just take your own food. Hike and bike the trails; fish for rainbow trout year-round; and visit the on-site fish hatchery. Do not take your own firewood.
• While you are in the area, visit Peaceful Bend Winery and try some outstanding Missouri wine. From the coziness of the tasting room, it is a short hike to the banks of the Meramec River, where the wintertime views are worth the walk.

Outdoor and nature enthusiasts are sure to enjoy Missouri’s wintering eagle population. America’s symbolic bald eagles can be spotted along open waterways and lakes throughout Missouri. In winter, Missouri’s resident eagle population is supplemented by migrating birds from the north, with numbers reaching more than 2,500 eagles, the second-largest number of wintering eagles in the lower 48 states.

Several organized “Eagle Days” are held, giving you the opportunity to witness these magnificent birds in their natural habitat. These events include discussions by professional naturalists; spotting scopes for an up-close-and-personal view and refreshments are usually available.

• January 19: Eagle Watch and Trail Walk at Fort Belle Fontaine Park, in St. Louis.
• January 19 and February 16: Eagle-Watch at Roaring River State Park, Cassville.
• January 26-27: Clarksville Eagle Days, beside the Mississippi River.
• February 2: Eagle Days at Duck Creek Conservation Area, near Puxico.
• February 2: Eagle Days at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, also near Puxico.
• February 8 and 22: Eagle Viewing at Montauk State Park, outside of Salem.

For eagle viewing on your own, try:

• The Osage River, below Bagnell Dam.
• Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, southwest of Columbia.
• Lock & Dam 24, at Clarksville.
• Lock & Dam 25, east of Winfield.
• Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, northwest of Puxico.
• Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, northern edge of St. Louis.
• Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, east of West Alton.
• Schell-Osage Conservation Area, north of El Dorado Springs.
• Smithville Lake, north of Kansas City.
• Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, south of Mound City.
• Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, south of Sumner.
• Table Rock State Park, southwest of Branson.
• Truman Reservoir, west of Warsaw.
• Lake of the Ozarks, central Missouri.
• And the Missouri River, statewide.

Missouri has an abundance of outdoor winter activities; these are but a few ideas. The key is . . . get outside and experience this diverse and fascinating season. There is no need to get the winter blahs.

To find more exciting things to do, information about lodging, attractions, events and dining across Missouri, check out VisitMO.com.

About the Missouri Division of Tourism
The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) is the official tourism office for the state of Missouri dedicated to marketing Missouri as a premier travel destination. Established in 1967, the Missouri Division of Tourism has worked hard to develop the tourism industry in Missouri to what it is today, an $11.2 billion industry supporting more than 279,000 jobs and generating $627 million in state taxes in Fiscal Year 2011. For every dollar spent on marketing Missouri as a travel destination in FY11, $57.76 was returned in visitor expenditures. For more information on Missouri tourism, go to http://www.visitmo.com/.

B&B innkeepers present a weekend of interactive intrigue

GALENA, Ill. ─ The Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers of Galena (BBIG), tucked away in the scenic and hilly corner of northwest Illinois, will once again present their annual interactive Murder Mystery weekend! This two-day event takes place right in downtown Galena, with participants staying with the city’s finest innkeepers. Galena features a wealth of historic 19th-century dwellings, in a variety of styles, that are now cozy B&Bs and inns.

Sleuths can delve into the mystery - “Phantom of the Masquerade Ball” on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22-23. “Phantom of the Masquerade Ball” swirls around the suspense of the Academy Awards Governor’s Ball. At the center is Hearta Stone, a member of the “royal family” of show business. Hearta has just lost her 19th bid for Best Actress and has vowed revenge while her husband, Brutus “Brut” Stone made Hollywood history by winning his third consecutive Best Actor statuette! And their sons, Dustin and Cliff (a.k.a. the “Bad Boys of Los Angeles” and weekly front-page fodder for the tabloids) have promised to make this a “night to remember…” Active parts are available for those who want to unleash their acting talents. Costumes are entirely optional, but definitely add to the entertainment. The show is facilitated by professional actors who keep the action moving and provide lots of laughs along the way.

Tickets are priced at $72.50 per person, plus the cost of lodging, and include a Friday night reception with live music and a three-course dinner theater, with cash bar, in the courtyard of the historic DeSoto House Hotel on Galena’s historic Main Street on Saturday night. Visitors can choose between the following BBIG members: Aldrich Guest House, Annie Wiggins Guest House, Avery Guest House, Belle Aire Mansion Guest House, Cloran Mansion & Antonio’s Cottage, Farmers’ Guest House, Galena Log Cabin Getaway, Hawk Valley Retreat & Cottages, Hellman Guest House, Ryan Mansion Bed & Breakfast or The Steamboat House.

Tickets are limited to 100 participants. They may be purchased from any one of the aforementioned lodging properties. The Bed & Breakfast Innkeepers of Galena represent a not-for-profit group of select innkeepers with the common goal of providing their guests with the very finest travel experience. For more information, please visit bestofgalena.com. For information about room availability, shopping, dining, attractions, events and more, please go to galena.org, the Web site of the Galena/Jo Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau, or call 877.464.2536 toll-free.

Journey Through Mountains and Rivers: Chinese Landscapes Ancient and Modern (Feb. 8-April 28, 2013) juxtaposes thousand-year-old Chinese landscape paintings in a dialogue with the monumental landscapes of the contemporary Chinese artist Xu Longsen, ranging from small fan-shaped paintings to a gigantic horizontal scroll.

Frida Kahlo, Diego Revera and the Art of Modern Mexico, from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection, (May 25-Aug. 18, 2013) displays the passion two Eastern European immigrants felt for their adopted homeland and its extraordinary art.

The exhibit is composed of more than 100 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and art on paper ranging from the figurative to the surreal, the abstract, and the conceptual. With art dating from the 1910s through 2005, visitors experience an exceptional private collection that not only highlights the rich and vibrant artistic traditions of the Mexico of yesterday, but also underscores how those traditions remain inventive and vital today.

Saint Louis Art Museum Expansion
Near the end of June 2013, the new, $150 million, East Building of the Saint Louis Art Museum will open its doors, adding more than 200,000 square feet of space to one of the top attractions in St. Louis.

The East Building provides galleries, public amenities, a cafe, and a 300-car, below-grade parking garage. The expansion has a fully-accessible entrance on Fine Arts Drive, designed to relieve traffic congestion and improve safety.

The museum is adjacent to the St. Louis Zoo, in Forest Park. Admission is free.

St. Louis Science Center Flight Simulator
The St. Louis Science Center is one of the top 10 science centers in the U.S.; top 15 in the world. The new flight simulator ($5) offers high-tech, 3D technology, giving guests a five-minute, exhilarating “flight.”

The first of three to be installed is the eight-seat Morphis ESP, which provides four scenarios: F18 Hornet, with a carrier takeoff and landing; Solar Coaster, a fantasy ride through the solar system; Riding the Wind, an introduction to weather, with an intense ride through a tornado; and Bermuda Triangle, offering an underwater excursion to search for missing planes and ships off the coast of Andros Island. General admission to the Science Center is free; there is a fee for some special activities.

Daniel Boone Monument Village
In the community of Marthasville, located on the Katy Trail, at the Daniel Boone Monument Village, visitors may tour the 200-year-old farm, two log cabins, and school house where Daniel and Rebecca Boone once walked.

The property includes the Bryan log cabin, built in 1799; the Dickhaus-Stemme home, built in the 1860s; the Mellien log cabin; and the 1850s Devereaux schoolhouse. The village offers tours, school field trips, dinner programs, living-history demonstrations, workshops, encampments, and other events.

Call 636-359-6175 for information.

Discover the Children of Titanic
Learn the stories of the 133 children aboard the Titanic. Discover the Children of Titanic–the first and only world tribute to Titanic’s littlest heroes–is a new gallery aboard the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson.

What the children saw, heard and felt from the moment they boarded the ship has been documented and visualized for the first time anywhere. This year-long exhibit, running Jan. 18 thru year’s end, is a celebration of those children, whose bravery, innocence and faith should be an inspiration to us all.

Please note the Titanic Museum Attraction does not allow cameras or video inside.

Harry S. Truman Courtroom and Office
In July 2013, the historic Truman Courthouse, located on Independence Square, will re-open after undergoing a major, multimillion-dollar renovation.

The iconic Courthouse includes the circa 1930s Truman Courtroom, the Brady Courtroom, the George Caleb Bingham art gallery, and the Jackson County Historical Society artifacts gallery.

Also, the building will house the Independence Tourism Department, as well as a Welcome Center.

Big Shoal Heritage Area
Scheduled to open in the spring, the Big Shoal Heritage Area in Gladstone includes the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum, as well as the Big Shoal Historic Cemetery. The area was the jumping-off point near the edge of what was considered “civilized country.”

Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum, originally a two-story log cabin, built in 1834, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum displays period artifacts. A heritage garden gives visitors a feeling for the amount of labor it took to meet basic food needs.

Big Shoal Historic Cemetery was established in 1824; it is the final resting place for veterans from the Blackhawk Indian Wars, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. A self-guided tour provides an explanation of markers within the cemetery.

Two new, extremely exciting roller coasters begin thrilling brave riders in Missouri for 2013. Both are unlike anything found before in Missouri, and each offers a different experience.

Outlaw Run — Silver Dollar City

This spring, Outlaw Run, the world’s most daring wood roller coaster, zooms through Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson.

What’s so special about Outlaw Run? The ride includes the steepest drop for a wood coaster anywhere on earth (162 feet almost straight down—81 degrees); it includes a double barrel-roll, making it the only wood coaster in the world to get you upside-down; and, reaching a top speed of 68 mph, it is the second fastest wood roller coaster on the planet.

Boomerang — Six Flags St. Louis

At Six Flags, Boomerang is a gravity-defying, nerve-racking, stomach-crunching steel roller coaster that rockets you through a combination of sensations.

First, Boomerang slowly pulls you backward, 125-feet into the air; after a short pause, you are released to rocket along 1,650-feet of twisting steel track, at speeds reaching 50 mph, through a half loop, a right half-corkscrew, a left half-corkscrew, another half loop, and a full loop before climbing a second hill, where you pause in mid-air before reversing the trip, full circle — backwards.

Isle Casino
The new Isle Casino, in downtown Cape Girardeau, contains 42,000 square feet of gaming space and five restaurants – all overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. It opened in late 2012, so 2013 marks its first full year in operation.

The on-site event center offers nearly 6,324 square feet of space. The casino is open 24 hours daily, except Wednesdays, when it is closed 5 a.m.-6 a.m. There is free live entertainment at The Lone Wolf restaurant and lounge every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

Apple Creek Vineyard and Winery
Opened November 2012, Apple Creek Vineyard and Winery, in Friedheim, affords visitors pleasant views of Apple Creek, showcasing each season. Apple Creek’s arrival on the Missouri winery scene brings the state’s total to 118 wineries!

Relax and enjoy a glass or bottle of the estate-bottled wines in the spacious tasting room, on the wrap-around deck, and under the trees along the creek.

The Creek Bank Cafe serves appetizers and fresh-made pizzas. Small weddings and other private events are welcome. Open Thursday thru Sunday (hours vary); other days by appointment.

This is by no means a complete list of what’s new in Missouri in 2013; it is intended merely to convey the scope of new and exciting things to do in Missouri.

About the Missouri Division of Tourism
The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) is the official tourism office for the state of Missouri dedicated to marketing Missouri as a premier travel destination. Established in 1967, the Missouri Division of Tourism has worked hard to develop the tourism industry in Missouri to what it is today, an $11.2 billion industry supporting more than 279,000 jobs and generating $627 million in state taxes in Fiscal Year 2011. For every dollar spent on marketing Missouri as a travel destination in FY11, $57.76 was returned in visitor expenditures. For more information on Missouri tourism, go to http://www.visitmo.com/.