Atlas Obscura has long been one of my go-to resources for travel planning. If you’re not familiar with it, the site is a treasure trove of weird and unusual places to explore. Both users and editors contribute entries, and you can create lists of places you’ve visited, plan to visit,…
We spent about a month in the Washington DC metro area. Our first two weeks were spent on the Maryland side of things. We visited DC itself a few times, as well as saw some Maryland historic sites. One of our main reasons for being in this area is that…
There’s something about abandoned places that pulls us in every time. Maybe it’s the history, the quiet, or just the sheer thrill of exploring something left behind. Over the years, we’ve tracked down some pretty cool spots in Illinois that are just waiting to be rediscovered—think old military bases, forgotten…
During our April trip to Carbondale for the solar eclipse festivities, we checked off a must-see spot from my Atlas Obscura bucket list: Boo Castle Park. Officially known as Jeremy Rochman Memorial Park, this privately owned gem stands out as one of the coolest parks we’ve ever visited. The park,…
We visited Metropolis, Illinois- the official hometown of Superman. The town of Metropolis was founded in 1839 and was home to a 1700s fort before that. But it wasn’t until many years later that residents noticed that the town happened to share the name with Superman’s hometown. In 1972, the…
Welcome to Chester, Illinois- home of Popeye the Sailor. Join us as explore this historic town nestled along the Mississippi River. Our guide to Things to Do in Chester, Illinois will give you a blueprint for your journey. You’ll encounter not only iconic Popeye sights, but also the history and…
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.…
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…
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…