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…
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…
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…
The Midwest is not known for backpacking, but we found the perfect beginner’s backpacking trip less than 3 hours from Chicago. Forest Glen Preserve near Danville, IL can be a 1 or 2 night trip using the River Ridge Back Pack Trail. We’ll tell you all about it, and share…
We’ve had several great weekends camping at Mississippi Palisades State Park in Savanna, IL and we’ve enjoyed it immensely every time. We explored the area around the park and discovered tons of hidden treasures to explore. In our camping guide and 2023 trip recap, you’ll find our campground review, information…
Nestled in Central Illinois, the towns of Bloomington and Normal are full of hidden gems. Blo-No is 2 hours from Chicago, and accessible by Amtrak, making it the perfect day trip destination. They are most well-known for being the home of Illinois State University, but there is so much more…