Summers Riverview Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Metropolis IL: Elegant Comfort

Connie Illinois August 4, 2013April 2, 2018bed and breakfast illinois, bed and breakfast in illinois, hotels in metropolis il, Illinois bed and breakfast, metropolis bed and breakfast, Metropolis IL accommodations, metropolis il hotels, river view bed and breakfast, Southern Illinois Bed & Breakfasts, Summers Riverview Bed & Breakfast, Summers Riverview Mansion 0 Comment

Long before Metropolis, Illinois, was known as the home of Superman, the mansion graced the city. Prominent Metropolis residents built the home in 1889. In later years it served as a hospital and a retirement home. Today it is restored to sophisticated elegance and operates as the Summers Riverview Mansion bed and breakfast. We stayed at the Summers Riverview Mansion during our southern Illinois visit. It was our first stay in a bed and breakfast. Read more

Silver Moon Winery, Lanark IL: Wine Tasting and Food Pairing

Connie Food & Drink, Illinois July 29, 2013January 8, 2018Carroll County IL, Illinois attractions, Illinois wineries, Northwest Illinois, Northwest Illinois wineries, Silver Moon Winery, Wineries in Illinois, wineries in northwest Illinois 0 Comment

Many of us casual wine drinkers know that white wine goes with chicken and fish and red wine pairs well with red meat. But unless you’re really into wine, it’s hard to know exactly which types of wine to pair with what foods, including appetizers and desserts. Do I serve a pinot grigio or chardonnay, pinot noir or merlot? At Silver Moon Winery in Lanark, Illinois, you’ll begin to learn the differences. Read more

Blackberry Farm in Aurora IL: History Made Fun

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois July 25, 2013November 22, 2015Aurora Illinois, Blackberry Farm Aurora, Illinois attractions, Illinois tourism 2 Comments

“Kids don’t learn local history in school anymore,” says blacksmith Thomas Korthauer. Not until they come to Blackberry Farm, a popular field trip destination for area schoolchildren. Blackberry Farm gives the kids a chance to learn the history of the area, one of the reasons Korthauer loves his job as a blacksmith at the Blackberry Farm Museum. Not only does the Blackberry Farm provide a history lesson for kids and adults alike, it’s fun too, a living history museum and amusement park rolled into one.

At Blackberry Farm see an 1840s pioneer cabine where you may see candles, soap or butter being made.

Visit a one-room schoolhouse, and learn from the teacher how she was able to teach all grades at once.

Artisans may be plying their trades in the weaver’s cabin, blacksmith shop or pottery shop.

Visit the Early Streets museum with 12 storefronts, the Carriage House with 40 carriages, and the Farm Museum, displaying antique farm implements and tools.

Kids and kids-at-heart will enjoy the carousel, the miniature train and the paddle boats, and adults will wish they were kids again when they see the Adventure Playground.

During my visit to Blackberry Farm, I heard a mother ask her young son if he wanted to ride the carousel. “I want to go to the museums first,” he replied, proving that kids will enjoy the Blackberry Farm museums as much as they will the amusement rides.

Blackberry Farm , a property of the Fox Valley Park District, is located at 100 S. Barnes Road in Aurora, Illinois. Check the web site for hours and admission information.

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Metropolis Illinois: Home of Superman

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois July 19, 2013June 12, 2017Illinois attractions, Metropolis, Metropolis Illinois, Southern Illinois, Superman 0 Comment

Everyone knows Metropolis is the hometown of Superman. Some may think that Metropolis is a fictitious city, but I know it’s real. I’ve been there. And signs of Superman are everywhere. A 15-foot tall bronze statue of Superman stands in Superman Square. Read more

Seven Eagles RV Resort and Campground: RV, Cabin or Motel

Connie Accommodations, Illinois July 6, 2013May 20, 2018Great River Road, Northwest Illinois, Northwest Illinois campgrounds, Northwest Illinois camping, Savanna IL, Seven Eagles RV Resort and Campground, Where to stay in Savanna IL, Where to stay in Savanna Illinois 0 Comment

We found a great campground in Savanna, Illinois, in the northwest part of the state near the Mississippi River. In fact, a footpath leads from the Seven Eagles RV Resort and Campground right to the Great River Bike and Hike Trail that runs 62 miles from Savanna to the Quad Cities. You don’t even need an RV to stay at Seven Eagles because they have cabins and a really neat motel, too. Read more

Have You Been to Chicago’s Field Museum Lately?

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois June 1, 2013April 15, 2024Best museums in Chicago, Chicago attractions, Chicago field museum, Chicago museums, Field Museum, Field Museum of Natural History, Illinois attractions, what to do in chicago 1 Comment

It had been years since I last visited Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History–decades actually. It was long before Sue came to Chicago. As a child, I went to the museum every couple of years. I remembered a hall full of dinosaur skeletons, a roomful of mummies and sore feet. Oh, and the huge building. My siblings and I used to wish we lived in that building, with its vast rooms, marble floors and sweeping staircases. Read more