In the mid-1800s Newburgh, Indiana, flourished. Steamboat traffic and coal mining were big industries. Warehouses lined Water Street. Mills and small factories contributed to the town’s success. Today, the steamboats, mills and warehouses are gone. A walking trail parallels the Ohio River, with benches on which you can sit for a while and watch barges that still ply the glistening waters. Restaurants and shops attract visitors. The atmosphere is casual, resort-like. However, the town embraces its historic roots, combining the old with the new, as we discovered during our visit to Newburgh during our road trip last fall along Indiana’s Ohio River Scenic Byway. Read more
Relaxing Weekend at Iconic Pheasant Run Resort

Located on a former farm on the outskirts of St. Charles, a little more than an hour from Chicago, Pheasant Run was the place to go in the 1960s. Folks from all over the Chicago area visited the 250-acre resort for a weekend of golf, dinner theater entertainment, and relaxation. Oddly, neither my husband nor I experienced Pheasant Run until a couple of weeks ago. We discovered that more than 50 years after it first opened, Pheasant Run Resort is still a fun destination, whether you visit as a couple, a family, or a group. Read more
Following the Trail of Faith in Southern Indiana

When we travel, we often visit area churches. We especially enjoy architecturally and/or historically significant churches, whether attending Sunday Mass or just touring. So when we were in South Indiana’s Dubois County, we were anxious to follow some of the Trail of Faith.
Read moreFollowing the Amish Country Heritage Trail Driving Tour

Last summer we headed to Elkhart County in northern Indiana to travel the world’s only quilt gardens driving tour. The quilt gardens are intertwined with the area’s Heritage Trail, so we essentially took two driving tours simultaneously. The drive takes you along city streets and country roads in both Elkhart and LaGrange Counties, passing through seven cities and towns, including Nappanee and Shipshewana, the heart of Amish Country. Read more
Blaum Bros Distilling Co: Top Galena Attraction

Since the first year Matt and Mike Blaum opened Blaum Bros Distilling Co, it’s been Galena’s top attraction, according to Trip Advisor. The craft distillery is so popular that just three years after opening their doors in 2014, they are having to expand. Although it was quiet on the single-digit day we toured the distillery this winter, Matt told us, “During the summer and fall months it’s just shoulder-to-shoulder in here.” Read more
Goldmoor Inn: Romantic Galena Getaway

Historic Galena, tucked away in the northwest Illinois rolling hills, is the quintessential romantic getaway. During the day, guests visit historic sites or browse small shops housed in Main Street’s nineteenth century buildings. In the evening, after dining in one of Galena’s trendy restaurants, they retreat to romantic B&Bs and inns. We were recently invited to the Goldmoor Inn, located just minutes from downtown, to experience the inn’s first Artists in Residents program. One look at the inn, and I fell in love. Read more