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Our two grandgirls, ages 6 and 8, seem to love to visit Hastings from the big city of St Paul, Minnesota. While I’d like to think that their grandparents are the greatest reason, the truth is that they have an absolute blast when they’re here, and the attractions of Hastings are the big draw.

Although the opportunities for entertainment in the big city are endless, the grandgirls seem to blossom in Hastings, as they truly love what our town has to offer.

When asked what they’d like to do while they’re here, the museum is always the first choice. We have a Grandparents’ pass, which allows unlimited entry to the museum, and that’s a very good thing, since they would go every day if they could. They do look at and learn from the rotating exhibits, but the archeology/water/prairie room is where they can spend hours on end. They can move easily between the water exhibit, the “dig”, the tepee and the log cabin, wearing prairie dresses and bonnets, or moccasins and vests. They “pick” cloth vegetables from the garden, “cook” them on the open fire, and sweep the floor of the cabin. They carry “water” in the buckets attached to the yoke, wash the cooking pots, and sleep on the straw bed. This can go on for hours, and sometimes their parents will call me to ask if everything is OK, when we’re gone longer than seems logical.

Another choice that can fill an entire afternoon is the library. The grandgirls have tons of books of their own, but there is something magical about the Hastings Public Library children’s section. Both girls are content to take a book from a shelf and sit in the bathtub and read for hours, or ask Grandma to read to them. I think it makes them feel even more connected to know that their Daddy and Aunt Amy sat in that same bathtub to read when they were the ages the grandgirls are now.

If they come during summer, they absolutely love the Hastings Water Park. There’s a feeling of freedom there that they don’t have at any swimming venues in the city. It is such a joy to watch them connect there with children they’ve never met before, riding down the lazy river, catching a wave, or sitting under a fountain.

Heartwell Park is also a favorite place for the little girls. Whether it’s because of the playground equipment, the ducks, or the open spaces, they just enjoy being outside and exploring with such freedom and sense of safety.

We often walk to our destinations, and the grandgirls get a huge kick out of that idea. Sometimes our travels take much longer than I’ve planned, because there is so much to see along the way. On our way downtown, for instance, there are cats to visit, squirrels to watch, and the statue on the corner of 2nd and Hastings to pat, peek at from all angles, and speculate about. “ What’s he reading?” “How old is he?” “Where does he live?”

Each time they visit, we make a trek to the Blue Moon and Back Alley Bakery for special treats, and then we go across the street to Hometown Variety and Gifts. The grandgirls explore the store as if it were a museum, oohing and aahing over the crafts, the sewing notions, and the seasonal displays. They are invited to choose one thing for Grandma to buy, and the decision can be agonizing. There are so many that could be chosen! Then, gifts in hand, we walk back home again, to show the treasures to anyone who didn’t make the journey with us.

Kool-Aid Days bring the grandgirls to Hastings each year. This has become a tradition, and I don’t know which they enjoy most, the chance to drink a sugar-sweetened beverage that would never be allowed at home, the parade, or the games and booths. In any case, they are true fans of the weekend.

Whether it’s playing in a closet in our older home, making flower dolls from blossoms they find in our yard, or venturing further out into greater Hastings, our two big-city girls are big fans of visiting here, and we are so glad!

About the author: Judy Sandeen

Born in Loup City, Ne, Judy Sandeen is a Registered Nurse who has held varied nursing positions throughout her career, most recently as Director of Campus Health Services at Hastings College. She is currently in her third year of retirement, and remains interested in public health and social justice issues. She is married to Jack Sandeen, and their children are Amy Sandeen, who now lives in Hastings, and son Eric and his family, who live in St Paul, Mn.