Midwest Travel Network

2026 MWTN Video/Photography Workshop - Ottumwa, IA
2026-05-26 12:00 - 2026-05-28 17:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Meet Ottumwa, 102 Church Street Ottumwa, IA, Ottumwa, IA, 52501, United States
We’re excited to bring a Midwest Travel Network Video/Photo Workshop to Ottumwa, IA!

MWTN Cell Phone Photography & Video Workshop – Ottumwa, IA
📅 May 26-28, 2026
📍 Hosted in partnership with Meet Ottumwa
💵 Cost: $349 – Includes meals, hands-on sessions, and area experiences
👥 Limited to 6 attendees
🏨 Lodging is included
Join the Midwest Travel Network for an immersive Photo & Video Workshop designed specifically for content creators, bloggers, and destination marketers who want to level up their visual storytelling—using just their phone!
Set in Ottumwa, IA
📸 Workshop Sessions Include:
1. Cell Phone Photography Basics
Learn your phone’s camera settings, framing, and composition techniques
→ Practice: Capture 5 photos with different styles during FAM time
2. Lighting & Focus Techniques
Master natural light, depth, and exposure for impactful shots
→ Practice: Photograph in various lighting conditions
3. Editing on Your Phone
Enhance your photos with mobile editing tools and apps
→ Practice: Edit your earlier shots during this hands-on session
4. Creating Eye-Catching Social Media Posts
Craft compelling captions, leverage hashtags, and engage with AI tools
→ Practice: Build a post-ready piece using your photos
5. Introduction to Mobile Videography
Capture movement with video stabilization, slow-mo, and time-lapse tips
→ Practice: Film 2–6 second videos across different scenes
6. Creating Reels & Stories
Edit and publish your Reels with music, transitions, and audience hooks
→ Practice: Post your first Reel using your own workshop footage
7. Visual Strategy for Social Media
Plan, batch, and schedule your content for engagement
→ Practice: Build a 1-week visual content calendar with posts, Reels & Stories
👩‍🏫 Your Instructor: Veronica Bareman – The Hip Grandma
A professional photographer turned travel writer and content creator, Veronica teaches with heart, humor, and hands-on support. She specializes in making mobile photography fun, approachable, and empowering. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to elevate your skills, Veronica’s guidance will leave you more confident behind the camera—and in front of your audience.
Why Ottumwa, IA?
Ottumwa offers a compact, highly walkable downtown with a variety of backdrops, historic architecture, riverfront, local eateries, and revitalized gathering spaces. It makes for an ideal hands-on playground for video and photography.
Participants won’t just learn theory; they’ll step outside and immediately apply techniques in real-time, capturing a mix of textures, lighting environments, and story opportunities, all within a short distance. It’s the perfect classroom.
Meet Ottumwa …..
🛎️ Learn more about this gem at: Meet Ottumwa
Spots are extremely limited—just 6 participants!
✔️ Registration fee of $349 includes meals, hands-on learning, exclusive activities, lodging and plenty of creative inspiration.

2026 Midwest Travel Network Conference - McHenry County, IL
2026-06-11 12:00 - 2026-06-13 12:00 (America/Chicago) | The Dole, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake, IL, 60014, United States
Join us for the Midwest Travel Network conference on June 11-13, 2026, in McHenry County, IL. You’ll learn new skills and industry trends through dynamic educational sessions. You’ll also enjoy abundant networking opportunities with your colleagues and the unique experiences you’ll find in this great small town with a big-city attitude.
Our community is important to us, and we continue to bridge the gap between bloggers and our destination partners. We will bring everyone together to foster stronger connections and share our stories.
A trade show, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities await attendees. We recommend securing your spot early.
Breakout sessions will be divided into 2 tracks – Blogger and CVB/DMO. Bloggers will learn best practices for building lasting relationships with CVB’s/DMO’s, SEO, and tips on setting yourselves apart from the competition. For the CVB track, you can expect sessions to include tips on working with bloggers, tips for hosting a successful fam trip, and best practices for getting your Midwest destination noticed.
Attendees can expect to make meaningful connections while walking away with creative ideas that can be quickly implemented.
Testimonials from a previous Midwest Travel Network Conference:
From Blogger:
“Attending the 2018 Midwest Travel Network Conference was one of the best investments I’ve ever made in my career as a travel blogger…The other aspect of the conference that I really appreciated was the chance to connect with fellow travel bloggers – some of whom I’ve been following online for years online and chatting with via the Facebook group…
…In addition, conference organizers Sara Broers and Lisa Trudell did an excellent job of working with the local CVB to highlight the conference destination of Clear Lake, IA including catering delicious local food and coordinating a fascinating tour of the historic conference venue (the Surf Ballroom). I’m already looking forward to what they have planned for the 2019 conference in Medora, ND – Stacy Brooks – Tangled Up in Food
From Destination/Brand
“Emily Bertram who attended your conference in Iowa came back raving about this event. We have seen such a great ROI from this conference and travel bloggers interested in visiting St. Cloud.” – Rachel Thompson, Sales and Services Coordinator at Visit St. Cloud
Lisa and Sara
Co-Founders of Midwest Travel Network
https://www.naturallymchenrycounty.com/
How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
Please send an email to midwesttravelbloggers@gmail.com
What’s the refund policy?
No refunds will be allowed for this event.
Is my registration fee or ticket transferrable?
Yes. For a $15 administration fee, you may transfer the ticket. However, tickets are not refundable. To transfer your ticket, simply log into your Eventbrite account and change your name and email address to the new ticket holder’s name and address. They will then be able to log in and update any other important information. Tickets may only be transferred up to 2 weeks before the conference.
What are the closest airports?
Located just 60 miles northwest of Chicago, our conference venue is only 40 minutes from downtown and conveniently accessible from both Chicago Midway and O’Hare International Airports.
What are the lodging options?
Our host hotel will be the Holiday Inn, Crystal Lake, IL — $119/night. More details to come on the booking.
The pre-conference activities will start as early as Wednesday morning, June 10th. We won’t have details for a bit yet, but hopefully this information will help a little in your planning and booking your hotel dates accordingly.

Publish Post Profit Workshop - Sheboygan, WI
2026-09-22 12:00 - 2026-09-24 12:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Fairfield by Marriott, 4117 South Taylor Drive, Sheboygan, WI, 53081, United States
We’re excited to bring a new Midwest Travel Network to Sheboygan, WI – Publish, Post, Profit!

Publish, Post, Profit: Monetizing Every Medium You Touch
📍 Sheboygan, Wisconsin
📅 September 22–24, 2026
🎓 Hosted by Midwest Travel Network
👩‍🏫 Instructor: Sara Broers
About This Workshop
Publish, Post, Profit is a small-group, advanced workshop designed for established travel content creators who are ready to build sustainable income from the work they’re already doing.
This immersive, three-day experience goes beyond quick wins and trending tactics. Instead, we focus on long-term strategies that support evergreen content, intentional publishing, and smarter monetization across blogs, newsletters, social media, and partnerships.
This is not a traditional press trip. It’s a hands-on profit lab where learning, application, and destination storytelling happen side by side.
About Sara Broers | CEO, Author & Tourism Strategist
Sara Broers is a travel industry leader, professional speaker, and self-described “idea machine” focused on the business side of travel content. She is the CEO of Travel With Sara and co-owner of Midwest Travel Network, where she helps bridge the gap between destinations and content creators through education and meaningful partnerships.
Recognized as the 2019 Outstanding Iowa Individual Leader by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, Sara is also a published author (100 Things To Do In Iowa Before You Die and Perfect Day Iowa) and co-creator of the YouTube channel Go Crush It: Travel & Thrive, supporting confident travel for the 50+ audience.
Through Social Connections, LLC and her signature Pitching Workshops, Sara has helped hundreds of creators and small business owners turn storytelling into sustainable income. Whether she’s snowbirding on the Gulf Coast or exploring Midwest trails, Sara is always chasing great stories—and helping others learn how to profit from their own.
What You’ll Experience

Guided instruction and interactive discussion focused on monetization and sustainability
Hands-on audits and personalized feedback
Real-time application of strategies while exploring Sheboygan
Space to create, refine, and rethink how your content works for you
Meaningful connection with a small group of fellow creators

Workshop Format
This is an intentionally intimate experience, capped at six vetted creators, allowing for deep discussion and individualized feedback.
Schedule Overview

Day 1 (Tuesday): Mid-afternoon arrival and kickoff session
Day 2 (Wednesday): Morning workshop (3–4 hours) + afternoon and evening destination exploration and content creation
Day 3 (Thursday): Morning wrap-up session, concluding after lunch

Approximately 7 hours of guided instruction are paired with curated destination experiences to support real-world storytelling.
Who This Is For
This workshop is best suited for established travel creators who:

Have an existing blog, newsletter, or multi-platform presence
Are actively working with destinations or brands
Want to build sustainable, long-term revenue (not just one-off campaigns)
Value depth, strategy, and intentional growth

What’s Included

All workshop instruction and materials
Curated destination experiences during designated exploration times
Meals during workshop days
Lodging for two nights
Post-workshop resources and follow-up

(Travel to Sheboygan is not included.)

MWTN 2026 Podcasting Workshop – Medora, ND (Oct. 5–7)
2026-10-05 12:00 - 2026-10-07 12:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Americinn Medora, 75 East River Rd. S, Medora, ND, 58645, United States
We’re excited to bring a new Midwest Travel Network to Medora, ND – Podcasting
Podcasting for Travel Storytelling📍 Medora, North Dakota
📅 October 5–7, 2026
🎓 Hosted by Midwest Travel Network
👩‍🏫 Instructor: Sheila Jenkinson (Growing Small Town Nebraska Podcast)
About This Workshop
The Podcast Workshop is a small-group, immersive experience designed for travel content creators who want to strengthen their audio storytelling skills and develop compelling podcast content inspired by a destination.
This three-day workshop blends focused instruction with intentional exploration, allowing participants to plan, record, and develop podcast-ready stories on location. You’ll learn how to capture interviews, structure episodes, and build long-form audio content that continues to promote destinations well beyond the workshop.
This is not a traditional press trip. It’s a hands-on learning experience where podcast strategy, recording, and destination storytelling happen side by side.
What You’ll Experience

Guided instruction focused on travel podcasting and audio storytelling
Hands-on recording opportunities in real destination settings
Interview practice with local voices and experiences
Episode planning and story development support
Time to capture audio and develop podcast-ready content
Small-group collaboration and feedback
Meaningful connection with fellow creators

Workshop Format
This is an intentionally intimate experience, capped at 7 participants, allowing for personalized instruction and deeper discussion.
Schedule Overview
Day 1 (Monday): Arrival and introductory podcasting session
Day 2 (Tuesday): Morning instruction + afternoon and evening destination exploration and recording
Day 3 (Wednesday): Morning wrap-up session, review, and next steps
Approximately 7–9 hours of guided instruction are paired with curated destination experiences to support real-world storytelling.
Who This Is For
This workshop is best suited for travel creators who:

Are you interested in launching a podcast
Already host a podcast and want to improve storytelling
Want to add audio to their content mix
Enjoy long-form storytelling and interviews
Want to create deeper destination narratives
Are open to learning recording and production basics

Creators may be new to podcasting or actively growing an existing show.
What’s Included

All workshop instruction and materials
Curated destination experiences during designated exploration times
Meals during workshop days
Lodging for two nights
Local transportation during workshop activities

(Travel to Medora is not included.)
Hosted By
Midwest Travel Network
Connecting content creators with destinations through workshops, FAM trips, and educational experiences designed to create meaningful, long-term storytelling.
#MWTravel

MWTN Pitching Workshop – Irving, TX (Nov 6–8, 2026)
2026-11-06 - 2026-11-08 | Visit Irving, 500 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, TX, 75039, United States
Successful Connections: Pitching to Win with Sara Broers
⚠️ Only 6 spots available.
If you’ve been wanting to land more partnerships, get confident in your pitching, and build real relationships in the travel industry—this is your opportunity to do it in a focused, small-group setting.
This 2½-day immersive workshop is designed to help you build connections that matter and confidently pitch your ideas to destinations, brands, and media outlets.
Hosted in Irving, Texas, you’ll not only learn how to pitch for success—you’ll experience the destination firsthand, giving you real-time opportunities to create, refine, and strengthen your storytelling.
Meet Your Instructor
Sara Broers is the co-owner of Midwest Travel Network, CEO of Travel With Sara, owner of Social Connections, LLC, and a published author.
Recognized as the 2019 Outstanding Iowa Individual Leader by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, Sara has helped hundreds of creators and destinations build meaningful connections that grow businesses and tourism.
Your Investment
💲 $249
✔ Includes:

7 hours of hands-on workshop instruction
Lodging
Meals
Attraction tickets and local experiences

All provided by our incredible host, Visit Irving
What You’ll Experience
Day 1 – Kickoff & Foundations
🕑 Kickoff at 2 PM
Workshop (2 Hours):

Why pitching matters
What makes a strong, successful pitch

✨ Explore Irving
Day 2 – Strategy & Storytelling
Workshop (3 Hours):

Different pitching styles and when to use them
How to incorporate your unique voice
Turning your dream pitch into reality
Tools and resources to support your pitching

✨ Explore Irving
Day 3 – Application & Execution
Workshop (2 Hours):

Writing about your experience in Irving
How to leverage past work in future pitches
What destinations want (and don’t want) to see

🎯 Let’s Pitch to Win!
Why This Workshop Stands Out

✔ 7 hours of focused, hands-on learning
✔ 1:1 guidance and feedback from Sara
✔ Real-world application in a hosted destination
✔ Small group setting for deeper connections

👥 Limited to just 5 content creators for a personalized experience
Thank You to Our Host
A special thank you to Visit Irving for providing lodging, meals, and experiences during our time in Irving, Texas.
What Past Attendees Are Saying
“Before attending the MWTN Pitching Workshop, I had a basic understanding of pitching, but I wasn’t quite sure how to bring all the elements together into a clear, compelling pitch. After participating, I gained the confidence and tools I needed to build strong, well-rounded pitches—and it worked!
I’ve since received positive responses that opened new opportunities. As a bonus, I explored a fantastic destination and built connections that turned into real collaborations. This workshop was a game changer for me.”
— Veronica Bareman
