After spending five nights in Springfield IL at a spacious home we found on Airbnb, we stayed in the city for another five nights, except this time at the Candlewood Suites. The hotel was good value using our IHG Rewards Club points, so we figured it'd be a good way to save … [Read more...] about Hotel Review: Candlewood Suites Springfield IL
Turtle Racing At Big Joe’s In Chicago, Illinois
We rocked up at the nondescript Chicago pub at 8:30pm on a Friday night, about 90 minutes before the action started. We've bet on hermit crab races in Jamaica. We've cheered on goats racing in Ohio. But turtle racing at Big Joe's was the first time we'd get to experience … [Read more...] about Turtle Racing At Big Joe’s In Chicago, Illinois
Hotel Review: Hyatt House Chicago/Schaumburg, Illinois
After leaving Marion where we visited Little Grand Canyon, Garden Of The Gods and the Franklin County Historic Jail Museum, we headed back up to northern Illinois. We'd originally planned to stay in Lisle at a hotel opposite The Morton Arboretum. However, Shae found out that … [Read more...] about Hotel Review: Hyatt House Chicago/Schaumburg, Illinois
Road Trip Stats: Month 8 – August 2018
Before August, we'd had four months of going over budget and three months where we managed to stay under budget. I wasn't too optimistic heading into August that we'd stay under budget. Almost two weeks of the month was due to be spent in the Chicago area, so we knew it could … [Read more...] about Road Trip Stats: Month 8 – August 2018
Visiting Franklin County Historic Jail Museum, Benton IL
A road sign we saw on our way to the city of Marion was a little unusual, saying something along the lines of: Visit our jail museum - includes displays about George Harrison from the Beatles. This was intriguing. I knew various members of the Beatles had drug-related brushes … [Read more...] about Visiting Franklin County Historic Jail Museum, Benton IL
Visiting Garden Of The Gods (& More) In Southern Illinois
When I saw that there was somewhere called Garden Of The Gods in southern Illinois, I'll admit - I was a little dubious. Shae and I had visited Garden Of The Gods in Colorado several years ago and it was beautiful. I'd figured that the Illinoisan version wouldn't be as nice as … [Read more...] about Visiting Garden Of The Gods (& More) In Southern Illinois
Road Trip Mistake #5: Getting Lost In Little Grand Canyon
Little Grand Canyon in Pomona IL is a great place to go hiking. It's not a great place to get lost. It's been a while since we made an egregious road trip mistake, but not following trail blazes and so getting lost deserved to make it on the list. Here's what … [Read more...] about Road Trip Mistake #5: Getting Lost In Little Grand Canyon
Hotel Review: Super 8 Marion, Illinois
After leaving Naperville, we headed about five hours south to the relatively small city of Marion. We picked Marion as it placed us in the center of southern Illinois and close to everything that Shawnee National Forest had to offer. Marion is near the slightly larger city of … [Read more...] about Hotel Review: Super 8 Marion, Illinois
Hunting Lighthouses On The Mag Mile, Chicago IL
While staying in Chicago for our anniversary, Shae and I went for a wander around the city and headed up to The Magnificent Mile. Shortly after crossing over DuSable Bridge, we spotted a decorated lighthouse. When we spot a colorful piece of public art like this, we know it … [Read more...] about Hunting Lighthouses On The Mag Mile, Chicago IL
20 Free Things To Do In Chicago
Given how expensive hotels and parking can be in Chicago, the third largest city in the US isn't the cheapest place to visit. A trip to Chicago doesn't have to break your budget though. We recently spent a couple of weeks in and around Chicago and, although we spent quite a … [Read more...] about 20 Free Things To Do In Chicago