From Spam to Sips: Three one-night stands on the road

The open road is calling, but daily travel can certainly take its toll! Before reaching our next long-term destination, we navigated a quick succession of three one-night stopovers. Thanks to Harvest Hosts, we skipped the unglamorous parking lot nights at Walmart or Cracker Barrel—a little luxury that makes all the difference!

We’re no strangers to unique museums (remember our visit to the bizarre Museum of Clean?), and this leg of the journey offered up another strangely unique stop.

The Spam Museum – Austin, Minnesota – For years, I’d incorrectly believed SPAM was an acronym for “specialized processed army meat”—a connotation that definitely didn’t inspire me to dig in. So, when Mitch suggested a stopover at the Spam Museum, let’s say I wasn’t overly enthusiastic.

Located right in the heart of the city, where SPAM is the undisputed local highlight, the museum had a surprisingly captivating effect. I was genuinely intrigued by the history of this iconic canned meat and absolutely shocked by how much is sold globally. Did you know there are a variety of SPAM flavors, many unique to the countries that consume it? Here in the U.S., Hawaii has the highest consumption and even hosts a famous SPAM festival!

Afterwards, strolling through town, I noticed local restaurants embracing SPAM-centric menus, and the massive Hormel facility itself is pretty impressive. While this was fun, it was a one-time experience for me. Trust me, I declined the sample because I couldn’t erase my perception of Spam. It was a fascinating dive into an unexpected piece of American food history.

Round Lake Vineyards & Winery – Round Lake, Minnesota – After our meat museum experience, the tranquility of the Round Lake Winery was a welcome change of pace. With stunning lakefront views and a gorgeous setting, this spot immediately impressed. Naturally, we opted to park with a view of the water instead of in the grassy field—we’ll take that luxury whenever it’s offered!

The grounds felt incredibly romantic. The wedding venue was like a fantasy, complete with an arch by the water, an outdoor section for the cocktail hour, and a huge indoor reception area.  In addition to the wine tasting, it has a two-story restaurant with an elegant rustic atmosphere. We chose a bottle of wine and decided on dessert first as we devoured our delicious cheesecake and sipped wine. Between the serene view and the vineyard vibes, this was an ideal overnight stop.

Humble Hill Winery – Garretson, South Dakota – This stop was a non-negotiable detour, even though it was slightly off our direct route and there’s a straightforward reason: Mitch is obsessed. He was so obsessed that when his sister was in this part of the country two years ago, he had her stop in to buy a case of the wine he fell in love with during the first tasting four years ago —their Honey Crisp apple wine. This was our third visit to Humble Hill, and not knowing when we’d be back in this corner of the country, we left with a necessity: two cases stowed securely in the backseat!

After three nights of moving, we’re definitely ready to hit the brakes and settle down for a while. As much as we love the adventure, traveling every single day can be tiring!

Email: movebeyondordinary@gmail.com    Instagram: movebeyondordinary and Youtube