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Tour Cook County’s Only Canyon
Cook County is home to only one single Canyon in the entire region. The Sagawau Canyon is located in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago in Lemont, IL. Due to this the Canyon’s status and plant life access is highly restricted and tours are limited and guided. It’s not a lengthy tour at about an hour but it’s very educational and an excellent low key adventure. Reserve a Spot You can book a tour through the Forest Preserves of Cook County Website here. The tours are completely free you just have to call and put your name on the list as tour sizes seem to be limited to about ten. This…
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Where to go in Shawnee National Forest
We had the most amazing trip to Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. The natural beauty is astounding and makes it a true tourist attraction. The other amenities that have popped up surrounding it make it a truly great vacation spot. So on that note, here are our suggestions on where to go in Shawnee National Forest. The Garden of the Gods The Garden of the Gods has some lovely hikes and even better views. The photos really speak for themselves. Don’t worry you won’t have to go rock climbing to see them, although you can for fun. Just make sure you have a better plan for getting back down…
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Oriental Institute Museum
I have always been obsessed with ancient Egypt and it’s history. I cannot get enough of mummies, pharaohs and hieroglyphs. Given this I cannot believe I went this long without having discovered the Oriental Institute Museum right here in Chicago. Though it’s name is quite dated, it comes from the time in which the University had excavations from ancient Egypt, Nubia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Anatolia, and the ancient site of Megiddo. I have visited Many of the larger more well known museums in various cities and none of them come close to the quantity, variety and size of the artifacts at the Oriental Institute from this area and period. I…
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A Decadent Tour in a Chicago Gilded Age Mansion
Richard H. Driehaus Museum Nestled among Chicago’s downtown skyscrapers is the lesser known Richard H. Driehaus Museum. The Museum building is the Nickerson Mansion built in the late 19th century and restored by Mr. Driehaus in the early 2000’s. The museum celebrates the gilded age architecture of the original home and art from that era. It is a step back in time into the lives of upper class Chicagoans. Ornate Gilded Age Architecture The Mansion has so many beautiful architectural features. It was common in this era to go for the extravagant and the house speaks to the decadent lifestyle of the families who owned the home and could afford…
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Wisconsin Ice Castles Winter Wonderland
Ice Castles are a unique frozen winter attraction built entirely of icicles and LED lights. We received media passes that allowed free entry to this attraction which we were very excited about as it was our first time getting this kind of access. You can visit in the day or the night for two unique viewing experiences. We visited their Lake Geneva location but they have six locations throughout North America so if your not local there may be one by you too. As we tend to want to hibernate until Spring it was refreshing to find something worth braving the cold for this winter. read more
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Shawnee Wine Trail Winery Reviews
As if the fantastic hiking and views of the Shawnee National Forest are not enough the area is also home to numerous wineries. Enough wineries that they have created an entire trail to encourage touring. On our trips we have made a real effort to hit them all and will now share our Shawnee Wine Trail winery reviews. As taste in wine is so subjective we have stuck mostly to their offerings in general, venue and service. Feather Hill Vineyard and Winery Feather Hill was our first stop on our very first visit to the trail. They are a smaller location, which we visited right at opening which gave us…
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Wisconsin Activities to ride out the Winter
Midwestern Winters, though often beautiful and snowy, can seem to drag on forever. At some point everyone tires of the cold and dreams of spring and summer. To get us all through, we have compiled our list of certified Winter Activities to ride out the winter and have fun too. The House on the Rock There was always something dark and mysterious about visiting the House on the Rock as a kid. Something about all the dark spaces, old mechanical artifacts and dolls just give you that feeling. A strange contrast to walking back out into a bright sunny summer day. That’s why a winter visit is perfect. Imagine looking…
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Where to See Animals in Chicago and the Suburbs
As an animal lover, I am always looking for opportunities to get up close and personal with them. Being in an urban area means having to put forth a bit more effort to make this happen. So I did my research and traveled around to find all of the places you can see animals in Chicago and the suburbs surrounding it. I have compiled the ultimate master list categorized by location. Read on and find an animal excursion near you. In Chicago Lincoln Park Zoo Located on Chicago’s north side Lincoln Park Zoo enjoys a lovely skyline view of the city. It is also free to the public though parking…
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Authentic 1800’s Shawnee National Forest Cabin Rentals
I had left it a little last minute to plan our long weekend to Shawnee National Forest and was having a hard time finding a dog friendly cabin rental in the area. I had exhausted the usual rental sites and done a straight google search when I finally found the Olde Squat Inn. I am so glad now to have had the initial trouble that I did because if not I might never had found these authentic 1800’s cabins so close to Shawnee National Forest. Cozy Historic Cabins Inside the bedroom of the Gage Cabin Each Cabin at Olde Squat Inn was found and relocated by owner Jim. He locates…
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See Elk Near Chicago in Busse Woods
Located in the North Suburbs of Chicago is the Ned Brown Preserve. Also known as Busse Woods it is located in the aptly named Elk Grove Village, IL and is home to several Elk. We took advantage of all that the preserve has to offer which includes hiking and fishing in addition to the elk. Fishing Busse Lake Ned Brown Preserve is also home to Busse Lake a beautiful waterway with opportunities for kayaking and fishing. The designated fishing areas are concreted which is convenient for putting out your fishing gear but not convenient if your wife wants to lay out in the grass while you fish. Hiking Ryan and…