Flyover Country? Not!

A frequent international traveler, Adam Sommer does not blog about the Midwest because he doesn’t like to travel far and wide. The husband and father explores all America’s heartland offers travelers, especially families, because he loves it.

His blog, Visit Flyover Country, focuses on “the land between New York and L.A., the land people fly over” in order to go from coast to coast. “I’ve worked all around the world and country,” Sommer explains, “And the best part of the United States is in the middle. It’s hard to understand until you see everything else.”

Sommer caught the travel bug early on. To feed his wanderlust, he and his family go on a road trip at least once a month, as well as a few international trips throughout the year. They are a go-go-go type family, and traveling gives them the opportunity to have quality family-time without the usual distractions.

“I’ve worked all around the world and country, and the best part of the United States is in the middle. It’s hard to understand until you see everything else.”

By taking care of the logistics in advance, Sommer is able to travel at an affordable rate. He travels frugally by using his St. Louis museum memberships at affiliated museums. Sommer also avoids cities during major events that would inflate hotel prices and uses Priceline.com for wallet-friendly hotel rates.

He plans most of his trips by looking at a map and picking a destination within an eight-hour drive of his home in St. Louis, Mo. While there are exceptions to the eight-hour rule, the time limit is usually set by his toddler’s ability to cope with travel on a given day.

But, oftentimes, the most memorable moments are not planned. While in Philadelphia last Labor Day, Sommer’s wife told him she saw a naked biker. “I thought she was imagining things when, all of a sudden, hundreds of naked bikers rode right past us,” he laughs. He soon found that they had witnessed the “Philly Naked Bike Ride” which promotes fuel-conscious consumption and positive body image.

Gray Summit, MO: Shaw Nature Reserve

Paducah, KY: National Quilt Museum and Flood Wall Murals

When writing his blog, Sommer is trying to tell a story. He wants to recreate the experience for the reader in hopes that the reader will also plan a visit. You can read his blog, but be careful: you might get bitten by the travel bug, too.

A FEW POSTS FROM VISIT FLYOVER COUNTRY…

	St. Louis, MO: Missouri Botanical Garden The Missouri Botanical Garden (commonly referred to as Shaw’s Garden) is our family’s favorite spot in St. Louis.		Chicago, IL: Lincoln Park Zoo …rarely do I come across a top-notch attraction like the Lincoln Park Zoo, located right near the heart of downtown Chicago.
	Mississippi River Hills, MO: Taste of Place I find food and wine to be important aspects of the travel experience and often seek out unique foodie experiences…		Paducah, KY: Family Friendly Eats On a recent trip to Paducah we ate at several local establishments that offered a family-friendly environment with exceptional food!