Nestled in the heart of southern Illinois, Ferne Clyffe State Park is full of awaiting adventures. The 18 trails in the park will take you through peaceful woods, over tall bluffs, and to cascading waterfalls. Ferne Clyffe is split into two sections, each with its own unique trails. Trails range…
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…
We camped at one lesser known Illinois DNR campgrounds- the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, IL. Although it’s well-known in the shooting sports world, we’ve found that most people don’t know that it has a huge campground open to the public. There are over 1,000 campsites at the…
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…