Midwest and Southern state capitol day trip possibilities
 

Would like feedback on some capitol city day-trip itineraries I’m considering. Major concern is that I’m not omitting something vital.

Madison, WI
-Wisconsin State Historical Museum
-State Capitol tour
-Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

Lansing, MI
-State Capitol tour
-Michigan Historical Museum

Charleston, WV
-Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences
-Governor’s Mansion tour
-State Capitol tour

Frankfort, KY
-Governor’s Mansion tour
-State Capitol tour
-Old State Capitol tour
-Thomas Clark Center for Kentucky History
-walk-by of Old Governor’s Mansion, Vest-Lindsey House (after 4 PM)

Columbus, OH
-State Capitol tour
-Columbus Museum of Art
-North Market
-German Village walk

Many thanks.

For Columbus I'd also include - www.shortnorth.org, www.shortnorth.com

For Frankfurt - www.kyhorsepark.com It would be a shame to miss this, since you will be so close.

In Lansing, a nice campus tour of Michigan State would be lovely.

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botantical Gardens near downtown Columbus.

Not sure where you are traveling from or how the 'day-trip' part would work but of the 5 you have, Columbus & Frankfurt would be my first choices (& I've been to all but Lansing). But all would warrant more than a day, at least a long weekend, I would say.

If you are sure you will be visiting Kentucky you should read "The Bluegrass Conspiracy" before coming. This book will give you a different view of the state and it's political history. It's sad to have to say this book is non-fiction and very accurate but every place has a checkered past and the story in that book is just a small part of that past. After reading you should let us all know what you think about it.

For Charleston, WV - I'd add the state museum at the Cultural Center (very close to the Gov Mansion), however, it is closed for renovations. Hopefully it will be reopened before you visit.
http://www.wvculture.org/agency/cultcenter.html

Couple other historical things you may find of interest each about a 1 hour drive from Charleston:
In Beckley: Take a trip into an underground coal mine, there's also a museum, etc. http://www.beckleymine.com/
In Huntington: http://www.heritagefarmmuseum.com/pages/tours.htm

The coal mine had been closed, I don't know if that was a seasonal thing, or something else entirely.

If you can, visit Madison on Saturday morning in the summer. A wonderful Farmer's Market is set up around the capitol. It is a not to be missed event.

I can't quite remember where Frankfort is, but I would think that Pleasant Hill would be in the neighborhood as you go either toward or away from WVA. It is a beautiful Shaker village, and well worth a visit.

Frankfort is just off I-64 between Lexington and Louisville. Pleasant Hill (Shakertown) is on the Harrodsburg Road between Lexington and H-burg--not too far off 64. It's a few hours to West Virginia.

Just read that the state museum in Charleston WV will reopen this month.
"The West Virginia Division of Culture and History will offer a “sneak peek” of the newly renovated West Virginia State Museum to the public on Saturday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The museum will officially open to the public on Sunday, June 21, from noon to 5 p.m."
http://www.wvculture.org/news.aspx?A...vision&Id=1128