Summer Vaca 2022 - Final Stops: Gooseberry Falls, MN + The Field of Dreams, IO

It's the final installment of our 2022 Summer Vacation.  If you've been patiently waiting for the finale, you've made it!  If you missed any of it, you can click the links below and check out our travels through the beautiful state of Minnesota (and even a couple of stops in Iowa).

During our run, we hit: 

1. The Bridges of Madison County
2. Minneapolis 
3. Lake Itasca 
4. Itasca State Park
5. Lake Superior
6. Gooseberry Falls + The Field of Dreams (this one!)

When we took the North Shore Scenic Drive along the coastline of Lake Superior, Gooseberry Falls was a must-do on the list!  One "minor" detail I haven't really mentioned on all of our adventures is my type 1 diabetes.  Since I was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 6, I am fairly good at managing my disease to be in the background, BUT it's always lurking.  On our adventures, basic activities like hiking and canoeing meant lots and LOTS of granola bars and glucose tablets, on top of cutting my medicine (insulin pump) down to nothing while we walked.  For our first stop at Gooseberry Falls, my T1D also meant that I couldn't manage all the walking with the few granola bars that were left.  Of course, like all good lessons, we didn't know it until we had already taken the walk down to the falls.  We stayed for a short while, snagging these first shots, but ultimately decided to leave and get some lunch and more granola bars, with the promise of returning the next day.  

When we came back the next day, we decided to start our exploring at the top.  Gooseberry Falls are actually a set of three different falls that flow downstream.   The falls we saw on our first stop (above) are considered the Middle Falls, while the place we started on our second stop (below) is named the Upper Falls.

Just beyond that bridge is where the second falls, or Middle Falls, can be found.  While they are equally beautiful, the Middle Falls are definitely safer to explore up close.  The Lower Falls (below) were certainly the safest space for families to get in, swim, play, and explore.  While each of the falls was beautiful, my favorite part was actually the creek bed that flowed away from it all.

It reminded me so much of the movie, "A River Runs Through It".  It was so beautiful and calm.  We spent several hours here, walking, exploring, taking pictures, and simply taking it all in.  It was a lovely last stop before we started our journey home the next day.

To help break up our drive, we decided that The Field of Dreams movie site was a perfect last stop.  With my baseball-loving husband and film-production major son - it was a sweet match.  Although, my husband was definitely more on board than my son, who may not have even known the movie existed before that stop.

To say that it was surreal being on the field would be an understatement.  At the same time, I'll admit - it really was just a baseball field.  You know, surrounded by a cornfield, but a baseball field nonetheless.  My crew enjoyed running the bases and slipping into the cornfield, while I walked aimlessly wondering what it would have been like to be in person while the movie was being filmed.

We even got to see the new field in the background that was played on by the Reds and Cubs just a short while later!  The helicopter hanging overhead was there in preparation for the game.

So, here's to the closing of our 2022 Minnesota + Iowa adventures.  If you've never had the chance to visit, my crew and I would highly recommend you put it on your list!

Until next time,