Lost Valley Lake Resort - a Nearby Gem

The first time I ever went to Lost Valley Lake, I was about 5 years old. And I got to ride the horses. I remember the day vividly.

And all the visits after that...the paddleboats, fishing, camping in tents and tepees, the rope swings into the lake...oh, what summer fun! In the winter, it was bingo, mini golf, and the indoor swimming pool. I had the coolest grandparents. They were always driving us out there for the day.

I had hoped that the waterfall would be flowing after all the recent spring rains.

In my early teens, Grandma and Grandpa took just my two cousins, Jenny and Kelly, and I on a little vacation to LVL. We had our grandparents all to ourselves, which didn't happen often since there were nearly 20 grandchildren!

That was a special time for us, as Jenny died just a couple years later. And now Grandpa is gone as well. 

Since having my own family, I haven't been out to LVL very often. But then Kristy Nault messaged me that she was giving me a family weekend getaway. All the memories flooded in, and I was excited to share some of them with my own boys.

Here is our little adventure this past weekend, thanks to Instagram:

We began our first evening at the Rec Center, playing some basketball.

We went swimming more than once. My boys are addicted to swimming.

Saturday morning, security knocked on our door and delivered a beautiful rose for me for Mother's Day.

Some friendly frisbee golf before lunch.

Jacob was very interested in the myriad of caterpillars he found.

After lunch we chilled with a movie at the movie theatre.

Ice cream? Of course!

Walked down to the waterfall behind the dam and skipped rocks.

Joey loved all the critters we came across.

Jacob discovered he was "king of the world."

My boys love board games, so we checked out the ones we didn't have at home.

Ended our evening with an intense game of Battleship.

Obviously, we didn't even come close to experiencing everything that LVL has to offer. Call Kristy at 800-747-8907 to schedule a visit out there and see how much fun it is. Or see their website at lostvalleylake.com.

The summer activities are about to begin, and they have a daily list of things to do for all ages if you want to participate in group activities. Or, just go out on a boat and do some fishing.

Maybe build a sandcastle on the beach, slide into the lake, ride the horses, play a game of softball, attend a concert, or have a picnic.

You can bring a tent for camping or use one of their teepees that is set up. There are RV sites, condos, and villas to stay in as well. Playgrounds and shower houses are nearby.

Oh, and don't forget to bring some stale bread for the geese!

Tyann Marcink
Marcink Designs

Veterans Memorial Park {Part 4 - Trails and Lakes}

It's a proven fact that exercise is good for you. We all know that, right? And our town of Union has made great efforts to help us to get off our laurels and get moving.

Beginning at the Union City Park, the city has established 3 routes for walking, running, and biking. Each route is color coded and clearly marked for ease of use. And on top of that, there are even exercise stations along the routes.

The marked trails begin at the Union City Park.

Color coded signs mark the different trail routes.

The walking trails wind through town, over steep hills, through the park system, and around the city lake. What would the new Veterans Memorial Park add to this excellent system? Well, how about trails for the east side of town. Currently, the trail system is only on the west side of Union and towards the downtown area.

The new trails would also be much more forgiving in elevation. The field-like area doesn't have the steep hills like the west end of town.

The trail around the lake is great exercise for those with 2 or 4 feet.

The Veterans Memorial Park would include natural wetlands, or a lake, as well. There are many fishermen in the area, and the city lake can be crowded on a balmy weekend. The parks department also hosts a fishing derby each year that is a big hit with families.

Family fishing time

Fishing is relaxing

On Tuesday, June 5th, Proposition Parks will be the only item on a special ballot. A "yes" vote will be for a .5% additional sales tax, making the tax rate 8.975%. The revenue from this tax is solely for the parks department, and cannot be used for anything else, according to the city website.

What does that amount translate to?

• on a $10 prescription from Walgreens - 0 cents extra
• on a $30 pedi/mani at L'Nails - 0 cents extra
• on a  $75 tank fill up at Mobil - 0 cents extra

Voting will only be held at the Union City Hall Auditorium, 500 East Locust, Union. However, voters may also cast an absentee ballot beforehand if they will not be able to vote on June 5th. The Union Parks Department may be reached at 636-583-8471.

Missed the previous posts? Here they are:

{Part 3 - Soccer}

{Part 2 - Pavilions}

{Part 1 - Baseball}

Up next: more on the other areas of the 43.8 acre Veterans Memorial Park...playgrounds and football fields.


Author: Tyann Marcink
Photos: Marcink Designs