We spent a few hours exploring Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site and its satellite historic sites- the Pierre Menard Home and Kaskaskia Bell. We’ll share all about how to visit these three sites, as well as a guide to the Fort Kaskaskia campground. Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site Historic Areas…
An hour from St. Louis, near the Mississippi River, is the small town of Prairie du Rocher (French for prairie on the rock). We visited as part of our trip out to see Fort de Chartres and found small town charm, prehistoric shelters, French colonial history, and one amazing hike.…
Let’s step back in time and explore Fort de Chartres, a French colonial fort in southern Illinois. This massive stone fort is now managed by the Illinois DNR as a state park. Featuring the oldest building in Illinois, the fort is an important part of the history of the French…
Our first drive as full-timer RVers would have been at least 6 ½ hours (probably more with towing) so we decided to split the drive into two days. We found a Harvest Hosts spot at almost the exact halfway point in Atlanta, Illinois on historic Rte. 66. (Read more about…
After 7 months of stationary full-time RVing, we were finally ready to actually hit the road. To start our adventures, we headed down to southern Illinois to see total eclipse and explore the Shawnee National Forest. From our home base, this is about a 6 hour drive even without towing…
We did a double feature adventure day visiting both the ruins of the Lincoln Park Nursery and the burial site of the first nuclear reactor in Lemont, IL. These sites are located within Waterfall Glen preserve in DuPage County and Red Gates Woods preserve in Cook County, respectively- but only…
My best friend Liz and I took a mini roadtrip through Northwest Illinois, with stops in Byron and Freeport, before camping at Apple River Canyon State Park. This corner of the state is full of quirky roadside attractions, local history, and scenic views. Our itinerary could be done as a…
Even before full-timing, the campground we kept coming back to over and over again is Comlara Park near Bloomington, IL. Located on Evergreen Lake, Comlara has great campsites and many many trails to explore. We’ll tell you all you need to know to visit, and even share our secret favorite campsite.…
When we learned that there is a puppet opera less than an hour from Chicago we knew we had to investigate. William B. Fosser’s Puppet Production Opera in Focus is an amazingly unique show in the Chicago suburbs. Featuring handmade puppets performing to famous opera arias, I am so amazed…
Argyle Lake State Park, near Macomb, is a hidden gem of the Illinois State Park System. We took a long weekend trip in 2022 full of hiking, paddling, and visiting some cool nearby places. Our trip recap will give you all you need to know about the park and ideas…