Before heading to Europe for a month this summer, my mom and I spent 4 days together in Chicago to have a joint early birthday celebration and to see Elton John on his farewell tour. Here's our best things from that time that could make a great girl's weekend for anyone! 1) … [Read more...] about Top 6 Ideas For A Great Girl’s Weekend In Chicago, IL
Illinois
Hotel Review: Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, IL
After flying back to the US from Jordan via Istanbul, Shae and I stayed overnight at the Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport. Our flight wasn't due to land until 5:40pm, so I'd been concerned about booking a flight down to Denver for that evening in case our international flights … [Read more...] about Hotel Review: Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, IL
Here’s Our Best & Worst Things From Illinois
Shae and I recently left Illinois having spent about 8 weeks in the 7th state on our 5 year, 50 state road trip. During that time, we stayed in nine different cities - Savanna, Peoria, Manteno, Chicago, Naperville, Marion, Schaumburg, Springfield and Litchfield. We'd been … [Read more...] about Here’s Our Best & Worst Things From Illinois
The Bakery I Waited Over A Year For: Kruta Bakery in Collinsville, Illinois
Stephen has many spreadsheets. We always tell people: Shae's in charge of PR and Stephen's in charge of spreadsheets. One spreadsheet he's been maintaining for almost 2 years is our Road Trip Things to Do list. It's a comprehensive spreadsheet (as all of his are) that has a … [Read more...] about The Bakery I Waited Over A Year For: Kruta Bakery in Collinsville, Illinois
Getting Crafty At College Street Creations In Savanna, Illinois
One of the things that I find hard on our travels is getting personal gifts for those I love. I hate online shopping and want to touch and feel the gift to know that it's just right for that special person. While in Vermont, I did that for all my Mother's and Father's Day … [Read more...] about Getting Crafty At College Street Creations In Savanna, Illinois
Hunting For The World’s Largest Items In Casey IL
While making our way through the giant corn maze at Hardy's Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul IL, we found out about the World's Largest Rocking Chair in Casey IL. That's because it was displayed on one of the punch card locations in the maze. We love visiting quirky stuff like that - … [Read more...] about Hunting For The World’s Largest Items In Casey IL
Visiting Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch In Rantoul, Illinois
Hardy's Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul, Illinois was a two hour drive from where we were staying in Litchfield, but it was worth it. We'd originally planned on staying in Champaign while on our 5 year, 50 state road trip, a city 20 minutes to the south of Rantoul. We ended up … [Read more...] about Visiting Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch In Rantoul, Illinois
Hotel Review: Hampton Inn Litchfield, IL
Having already spent about 7 weeks in Illinois while on our 5 year, 50 state road trip, our final stop in the state was Litchfield, a small city of ~7,000 people. We'd picked this location specifically because the Hampton Inn Litchfield offered great value when staying on … [Read more...] about Hotel Review: Hampton Inn Litchfield, IL
Review: The Ariston Cafe On Route 66, Litchfield IL
While staying in Litchfield IL on our 50 state road trip, we went for dinner at The Ariston Cafe, a restaurant that was a short distance from our hotel. We'd had a few people recommend eating there, so we were looking forward to checking it out. The Ariston Cafe is an almost … [Read more...] about Review: The Ariston Cafe On Route 66, Litchfield IL
Visiting Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, Springfield IL
Springfield, Illinois is perhaps best known for being the home of Abraham Lincoln before he became President. As a result, the Illinois state capital is home to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum. We visited while on our 50 state road trip and were extremely … [Read more...] about Visiting Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, Springfield IL