Deep sounds and beautiful surroundings. The flowers leading to this patio are picture perfect…read more My mother loves wind chimes so my sister and I decided it would be better if we stop instead of her ever finding out we passed it up and made her miss out on photos of us chiming it. Lol We tried come cookies from inside and they were absolutely delicious.

hot take, i think it's only worth stopping if you're passing through or it's a short detour rather…read morethan making a whole trip for it. the wind chime is honestly underwhelming, it looks very cool but the sound is rather dull. the teeter totter was not being operated, it was a saturday at "opening" time. the pitchfork is a few minutes down the road (have to drive) and is held together by 4 painted ratchet straps. it is neat, but not worth planning a whole day as there's only really a couple hours of things to do/look at and that's with taking your sweet time.

It was only a matter of time. The Mug Tree was an old tree. Mugs were placed with it and that…read morebrought it alive again in our hearts. Many, many mugs. Travelers along the highway admired that old tree, adorned with mugs. It offered a silent respite in our daily lives. It offered hope, that no matter what pains we carried, there was the Mug Tree. The Mug Tree, which was created out of the generosity of hundreds of people, most likely strangers to each other, but friends with a common goal of taking an old, dead tree along a country highway and giving it purpose, once more. The Mug Tree. A local landmark, never to be recognized as a national monument. Unlike the more famous curiosities just a few miles north in Casey, this oddity stood outside of the door to fame. Yet, to those of us who passed by, it stood for years alongside that country highway, day and night. Like an old trusted friend. So, to those who read these words and never knew the Mug Tree, I am sorry for your loss. And to those thousands of travelers that passed by and noticed, if you grieve, you grieve not alone. Dear Mug Tree: So long, my friend. Thanks for all the smiles you brought to our hearts.

So... It was fun to see this tree in passing on the way to Effingham but I felt like the house on…read moretop could've been utilized for birds or something.

Out in Rural Illinois, I came upon this lovely looking home and while it was all locked up, it was…read morestill super interesting and thankfully, they have brochures in the front that provide some interesting details about the history of Charles M. Wright (the First, Second and Third) and their home. The first Dr. Wright collected architectural journals and suppliers' catalogs that he used in planning his 18-room home. The 6,000 square foot home has 7 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. It was the first home in Altamont with indoor plumbing. If you're passing through, stop in. I'm hoping that in the ten years since Deb's review, they now allow non-flash photography. [Review 1281 of 2024 - 208 in Illinois - 22304 overall]

The tour is lackluster. The best thing about Wright Mansion is the period details but there are no…read morephotos allowed. Period. There's no book of photos to buy. Many museums don't allow flash photos and want that the sound settings on the cameras to be set to silent but that makes sense. We won't visit again and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

A fantastical site to see. Literal history right before your eyes. Walked through the same house…read morethat Lincoln lived in for 26 years. Amazing. And all for free. No reason not to go.

Very enjoyable experience. I missed my connection to Springfield so was unable to get to work on…read moretime for day 1 of a 2-day trip and had extra time to spend so drove to this National Park historic site. The grounds are pleasant to walk through and it seems some renovations are taking place. I really liked the historical signage, but some were quite old and becoming unreadable. The one gripe was as a senior who holds a National Park pass parking should have been free.

We reserved a free tour at Eventbrite. Jennifer brought 15 of us through this massive, historic…read morehome. She pointed out specific pieces, told stories about the owners & was very knowledgeable about Frank Lloyd Wrights work. We started our tour with a brief video about the glass work. We went into several sitting areas, Dana's bedroom, nursery, dining room, pantry & kitchen.library, bowling alley & billiards room. The 3rd largest home Frank Lloyd Wright ever designed. this remarkably preserve Prairie School icon dates from 1902 until 1904. It's more interesting than his home in Oak Park. The 16 floor home was considered experimental with a duckpin bowling alley & 2 barrel vaulted ceiling's. There is exquisite color shifting art glass & 90% of the furniture is original. Susan Lawrence Dana (1862-1946) was an heiress to a silver mines fortune . She was widow in 1900 & had complete control over her household & fortune. She was a leading philanthropic figure in Springfield. Dana decided to completely remodeled her home commissioning Frank Lloyd Wright. Her new home reflected her flamboyant personality & was designed for display & entertainment. The concept of "expanding space" was evident throughout the house with windows placed to continually draw the attention to the outside. Wright designed approximately 450 art glass windows, skylights, door panels, sconces & light fixtures for the house. The interior Torii gates are magnificent.hallway into two of the largest rooms in the house. The musical gallery for entertaining and the library contains special easels. Wright designed white oak furniture for Dana to display Japanese prints. In1928, Dana had dementia & financial constraints. In1944, the home and its contents were sold to Charles C. Thomas, a medical publisher. Thomas lived here & used this home as his publishing company. He sold the house to the state for a million dollars. It became a historic site. Jennifer shared that the house is still being utilized for social community events.

Absolute perfection! This is one of the best Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the world. It is the…read morebiggest. it also has 95% of the original furnishings inside including a lamp that the state of Illinois had to pay $700,000 to reclaim. They also paid $1 million for the property. It's a bargain at any price. FLW fans cannot miss this one! No pictures are allowed inside, but it is stunning! Look at the pictures on their social media and then go see this place. My wife and I have toured several Frank Lloyd Wright homes including Taliesen West. This one takes the cake. By far. Marcel was our guide and he was amazing. Just go see this place. It's a national treasure!

This is a small quiet winery a few miles off of Interstate 70. I have been visiting for a decade,…read moreand appreciate the quiet atmosphere. They have flights, so you can sample before you buy a bottle. There are snacks like cheese, nuts and meat, to purchase in a cooler if you are hungry. There are also plenty of beverage choices if you do not wish to have wine, and milk and juice for kiddos if you are visiting with your family. I have always felt comfortable walking in with my kids. We often stopped here on our way from Indianapolis to St. Louis and stretched our legs. It is also close to a beautiful covered bridge, so i t makes pulling off the interstate a nice experience to pair the winery and bridge together. I feel like the wines are a combination of excellent flavor and yet affordable for yourself or as a gift. This year they has a wine called "Let it Snow" with edible glitter that made a beautiful swirl.

Lovely vineyard nestled in Cumberland County close to the interstate…read more We really enjoyed the ambiance sitting on the porch overlooking flowers, grapevines, and nature. The owners were very friendly and helpful. I tried a flight of wine and a slushy, my husband had the Canoe. We left. with a bottle of Canoe and cherry wine. If you want food you can bring your own or they had cheese and crackers for sale.

No way! A fire breathing dragon right off the Interstate? I am not going to miss this!…read more Yes, the Kaskaskia Dragon takes tokens (You can buy them at the neighboring shops) and will breathe fire at you. Each token is good for about 15 seconds of real actual FIRE! How flipping awesome is that? And then you're back on the highway. Super easy. [Round number review 22300 overall - 1277 of 2024 - 205 in Illinois]

What cooler roadside attraction is there compared to a fire breathing dragon. Hehee…read more For a $1 coin, you can see 15 seconds of glory. It goes super quick so I recommend at least purchasing two coins. You purchase the coins at the liquor store across from the dragon. Side note - the liquor store doesn't have bathroom , but there is one available at the laundry/pet wash next door.

The Old State Capitol is a reconstruction of Illinois' statehouse from 1840 to 1876. During the…read more20th century's civil rights movement, its restorers faithfully recreated the building in which John Jones & Frances Gage worked to expand the meaning of freedom. Lincoln served his final term as a state lawmaker in 1840-41. As a lawyer, he pleaded cases before the state supreme court in this building (1841-1860). In the Illinois House chamber, Lincoln made his House Divided speech in June 1858, announcing his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. It was to the same chamber, in May 1865, that his body was returned to lie in state, arriving from Washington, D.C., prior to final burial in Springfield's Oak Ridge Cemetery.

We had a great time here at the old Capitol. We enjoyed the self guided tour and listening to the…read moreLincoln Troubadours sing in the rotunda area and in the old house chamber. This statehouse was not used very long, but Lincoln was in here when he was alive. It was also the last place he lay in state before they closed the coffin and buried him and his son Willie in the Springfield cemetery. We enjoyed the Underground Railroad display and stories in the old Supreme Court Chambers. This place is kind of big and you can schedule at least an hour to see everything. As of June 2025 it's open Thursday through Saturday.

This museum has been open for many years now, and sadly not many people know that this even exists!…read moreOf course, if you're into deep local history...then this is for you. History as in the National Historic Road. The road that was envisioned by our Founding Fathers (mainly George Washington and Thomas Jefferson) as a way from settlers to move from the East to the West...or at least the Midwest, in this case. The road, originally known as the Cumberland Road, started in Cumberland, Maryland, and ended right in Vandalia, Illinois. There has been a lot of debate over historical accuracy, based on the road actually ending in East St. Louis. The museum is open every day except Sunday, during the daytime. There is an attendant usually present. Museum is kind of small, with a couple rooms to go in (such as a theater), but you get a lot of cool information while you're there. You can also chat with the attendant on duty and they'll give you plenty of travel information. It goes without saying, if you're into the history of America's National Road, this is definitely for you. Kind of like how several people are into Route 66, but not really. It's a must-stop when you are traveling on the road.

I mean, it's a tomb. Nice landscaping, nice bronze, I think the monument is a nice touch. Short…read morevisit. Knowledgeable staff.

We followed the signs getting off at the cemetery. We passed different war memorials before finding…read morea lot in front of Lincoln's grave. There were restrooms at the gravesite. Visiting Lincoln's Tomb was free. Pres Lincoln, Mary, & 3 of their sons' remains are here. The Lincoln Tomb was formally dedicated on October 15, 1874, 150-years ago. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources presents "Porch Talks" on the grounds of the Residence at the Lincoln Tomb providing :20 programs about lesser-known facts surrounding this monument. We drove into the cemetery, passing From 1865 to 1901, Lincoln's coffin was moved 17 times due to construction & fears for the safety of the president's remains. There was actually a plot in 1876 to steal his body and hold it for ransom. The coffin itself was opened on five separate occasions. Lincoln Cemetery is a 112 acre historically African American cemetery in Blue Island, with over 16,000 interments. Many famous black musicians, scientists, aviators, athletes ... are also here.