Imagine strolling on a canal, surrounded by an authentic Dutch windmill, a drawbridge and stately old buildings. It's a scene right out of Amsterdam right? Actually, Pella, Iowa is the destination of our trip to experience this magical setting! Pella is the home of the largest Dutch windmill in the United States, and this is just one of the many unique attractions you'll see on this tour. After a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, we'll re-board the bus for stops viewing spectacular tulip gardens at the Scholte House, Sunken Gardens and Central Park. After the gardens' bus tour, there will be many historic and shopping options to visit for your free time. The Pella Historical Village option offers a guided tour of the 130 foot Vermeer windmill! At the quaint 22 building Village, walk amid Pella's famous tulip beds, see the boyhood home of Wyatt Earp, a wooden shoe shop, grist mill and much more. Bring your camera for memories of these great sites. Preview the sites we'll visit at www.pella.org. (photo gallery) Another option is on-your-own shopping time at some of the best Iowa specialty shops. Stores like Brown's Shoe Fit Co. with over 10, 000 pairs of shoes, Boats Home Furnishings with over 25, 000 ft of home accessories and Work of Our Hands, fair trade items handcrafted by artisans in developing countries. Browse fantastic gift shops, Van Den Berg's, DePelikaan Dutch Imports to name a few. Memories Antiques, 2 Dutch bakeries for some of the best bakery goods in the Midwest and Ulrich's for Pella bologna, house cured meats and gourmet cheeses. Optional historical stops (on your free time) might include the Pella Opera House (self-guided) and the Scholte House mansion. The opera house was built in 1900 and beautifully renovated in 1990. It is once again the hub of entertainment in the area. The Scholte House is the original mansion of Pella founder, Dominic Scholte. This 23-room home is furnished with Scholte family antiques and a self guided tour is an option for a small fee. Before returning home, a special side trip to Tassel Ridge Winery, know for numerous local and international awards. A guided tour of the vineyards, possibly on the Grapemobile (weather permitting) will include the history of the vineyards in Iowa, local grape varieties and growing in cold climates. In the winery, we may even catch a glimpse of a skilled winemaker crafting one-of-a kind wines. Tassel Ridge currently offers 33 varieties of wine, 11 varieties of grapes are grown on site. Some red wines to taste include Iowa St. Croix, Nouveau and Frontenac Rose. White wines to try: Iowa Edelweiss, La Crescent, White Blossom and Star Spangled White, just to name a few. Another stop, Frisian Farms, where small batch gouda cheese is the Bandstra brothers speciality. Farmstead gouda is one of the best-kept secrets of cheese connoisseurs. The brothers make their gouda cheese in the Dutch tradition and commitment to its Dutch ancestry. Give mom (for Mother's Day), yourself or a loved one a very special gift this year, by taking them on this unique trip to Pella. Please bring $30 for lunch, Historical Village/Vermeer windmill guided tour and wine tasting. Our deluxe motor coach will depart promptly at 7:30a.m. from Metro's Sarpy Center, 9110 Giles Road (please park and meet the bus at the northeast parking lot). We will return at approximately 10:00p.m. Moderate walking. Tour leader is Lynnette Staroska.