Around Illinois in 14 Days

*This trip is planned from Milan, TN*

Day 1:

7am - Leave Camp

9am-9:30am - 30 Minute Pit Stop

11:30am-1:30pm - Fort de Chartres

2:30pm-4:30pm - Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

5pm-Hotel - Hartford, IL

Day 2:

9am - Leave Hotel

9am-11am - Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

11am-12pm - Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower

1:30pm-2:30pm - Cozy Dog Drive In

2:45pm-5pm - Lincoln Home National Historical Site
-VC/Film -Jr Program
-Home tour

5pm-Hotel - Springfield, IL

Day 3:

8:45am - Leave Hotel

Springfield
8:30am-9am - Lincoln Ledger at Chase Bank
9am-10am - Old State Capitol
10am-10:15am - Lincoln-Herndon Law Office
10:15am-10:45am - Lincoln Family Pew
11am-12pm - Lincoln Depot
12:15pm-3pm - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum
3pm-4pm - Union Station VC/Union Square Park
4:15pm-5pm - Lincolns Tomb State Historic Site

5pm-Hotel - Springfield, IL

Day 4:

8:30am - Leave Hotel

9am-11am - Lincoln's New Salem State Park

12:15pm-2pm - Caterpillar Visitor Center

3:30pm-4:30pm - Black Hawk State Historic Site

4:40pm-Camp - Rock Island/Quad Cities KOA

Day 5:

11:30am - Leave Camp

12pm-3pm - Rock Island Arsenal Museum

4:30pm-Camp - Castle Rock State Park

Day 6:

10am - Leave Camp

10:30am-12pm - Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home and Visitor Center

12:30pm-2pm - Amboy City Park Wood Carvings

2:30pm-4:30pm - John Deere Historic Site

5pm-Camp - Lowden State Park
-Black Hawk statue

Day 7:

9am - Leave Camp

10am-1pm - Historic Auto Attractions

2:45pm-4pm - Gross Point Lighthouse

4:45pm-Hotel - Chicago Area

Day 8:

10am - Leave Hotel

10:30am-11:30am - McDonald's #1 Store/Museum

11:45am-1pm - Ernest Hemingway Birthplace and Museum

1:30pm-5:30pm - Museum of Science and Industry

Hotel - Chicago Area

Day 9:

8am - Leave Hotel

8:30am-9:30am - Willis Tower Skydeck

9:45am-10:15am - Grant Park -Buckingham Fountain

10:30am-11am - Cloud Gate Sculpture

11:15am-1:30pm - Chicago's First Lady
-Architecture River Cruise

1:45pm-2pm - Rock n Roll McDonalds

2:30pm-6:30pm - Navy Pier

7:30pm - Hotel

Day 10:

9:30am - Leave Hotel

10am - Parking Garage

10:15am-1pm - Hershey's Chocolate World

1-1:30pm - Gino's East
-lunch

2pm-3pm - Oprah Store

3:30pm - back to car

5:15pm-Camp - Starved Rock State Park

Day 11:

9am - Leave Camp

9am-1pm - Matthiessen State Park

1pm-Camp - Starved Rock State Park
-canyons -vc

Day 12:

8am - Leave Camp

9am-10am - Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum

10:45am-11am - Lincoln Bench -McLean County Museum

12:45pm-2pm - Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site

3:15pm-4pm - Richard Pollard's Yard Art

4:30pm-Camp - Stephen A Forbes Campground

Day 13:

8am - Leave Camp

10:15am-10:45am - Bald Knob Cross of Peace

11:45am-Camp - Ferne Clyffe State Park

Day 14:

10am - Leave Camp

10:30am-12pm - Fort Massac State Park

2pm - Milan, TN

Tennessee to Minnesota...and Back - 4+ Day Trip

This trip is planned from Jackson, TN.  It can be revised to fit your location.

Day 1:

7:00am - Leave Home

11:30am to 12:30pm - Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail & Museum - 7295 Old Hwy 94, Weldon Springs, MO

 It's a little bit of a climb to reach the top...but once you get there the view is worth it.



Hours: Monday thru Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 12pm to 4pm
Admission: Free

3:30pm to 4:00pm - Snake Alley - N 6th St between Washington & Columbus Streets, Burlington, IA
"The Crookedest Street in the World"

5pm to 5:30pm - Lover's Leap Swinging Bridge - 3rd St.(2blks S of Hwy 92), Columbus Junction, IA

8:30pm - Hotel in Prairie Du Chien, WI
Super 8, 1930 S Marquette Rd, Prairie Du Chien, WI

Day 2:

7:45am - Leave Hotel

8:00am to 10:00am - Effigy Mounds National Monument - 151 Highway 76, Harper's Ferry, IA
Visitor Center Hours: 8am to 5pm
Admission: Free
Five Points Trail Guide - 2 miles/1hour

11:00am to 12:00pm - Ice Cave - Ice Cave Rd (near Dunnings Spring Park), Decorah, IA

1:00pm - Niagara Cave - 29842 County Road 30, Harmony, MN
Tours: 1:30pm, 3pm and 4:30pm
Admission: Adults $12, Kids $7

2.5 hours to St. Paul, MN

Day 3 and 4:  I plan to spend these 2 days with my family...

Day 5:

8:00am - Leave St. Paul, MN

12:00pm to 1:00pm - Otis Redding Crash Site@Monona Terrece - One John Molan Dr., Madison, WI
William T Evjue Rooftop Garden
Hours: Sunday thru Thursday 8am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 8am to 12am
Admission: Free

2:00pm to 2:30pm - Rock Men - 1401 N 2nd St., Rockford, IL
Rock River Recreation Path @ Sinnissippi Park

2:45pm to 4:00pm - Midway Village Museum - 6799 Guilford Rd., Rockford, IL
Hours: Tuesday thru Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday 10:30am to 4pm
Admission: Adults $7, Kids $5
Sock Monkey Exhibit

4:30pm - Hotel in Rockford, IL
Super 8, 7646 Colosseum Dr, Rockford, IL

Sock Monkeys around Town
Rockford Airport
Stockholm Inn
Swedish American Hospital
Rockford College
Midway Village Museum (4)
Nelson School - 623 15th Street
1111 Alpine S, Suite 200
Rockford Register Star - 99 E State Street
Stewart Square - 115 S Main Street
Rockford Day Nursery - 2323 S 6th Street
Rockford Speedway
Project First Rate - 223 E State Street
Rockford Area CVB - 102 N Main Street
Stillman Bank - 8492 E State Street

Day 6:

8:30am - Leave Hotel

9:30am to 9:45am - Horsey Ronald Reagan - 106 W River Street, Dixon, IL

10:00am to 11:00am - Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home - 816 S Hennepin Ave, Dixon, IL
Hours: Monday thru Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 1pm to 4pm
Admission: $5

12:00pm to 12:30pm - Ronald Reagan Birthplace - 111 S Main Street, Tampico, IL
Hours: Monday thru Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 1pm to 4pm
Admission: Free

9:00pm - Arrive Jackson, TN

Giant City State Park - 2 Day Trip

This trip is planned from Jackson, TN.  It can be revised to fit your location.

Day 1:

8:00am - Leave Jackson, TN

10:00am to 10:30pm - Fort Defiance State Park - Fort Defiance Rd., Cairo, IL

11:00am to 11:30am - Trail of Tears Information Center - I-57, Anna, IL
Grave of King Neptune the Pig

12:00pm to 1:00pm - Giant City State Park - 235 Giant City Rd., Makanda, IL
Visitor Center Hours: 8am to 4pm
Camp: $20 night

Trails:
Stop at the Visitor Center to pick up free self-guided tour brochures for each trail.  The brochures are very informative and they gave the kids something to watch for on the trails instead of complaining.

Arrow-wood Self-Interpretive Nature Trail - 1/3 mile - Easy

 This trail is located at the far end of the visitor center parking lot. 

 As you walk through this 1/3 mile loop trail you will see many different trees, a few have signs indicating the type of tree it is.  The self-guided tour brochure that you can pick up in the visitor center tells you a little about each tree that is labeled.



*Devils Standtable Nature Trail - 1/3 mile - Moderate

This trail is located next to Shelter #2.

This large free-standing pillar of sandstone is Devil's Standtable, sometimes called Mushroom Rock.







Stonefort Nature Trail - 1/3 mile

This trail is located near the main entrance off US 51 past Shelter #1.

This short but steep climb up to the stone wall contains large sandstone boulders in the trail.

We were expecting a much bigger wall but it was still and great hike and the view was beauitful.



Indian Creek Trail - 3/4 mile

*Giant City Nature Trail - 1 mile

This trail is located at Shelter #3 parking lot.

This trail was our favorite. We especially enjoyed the "giant city streets"

This trail is how the park got it's name. The self-guided brochure you picked up from the visitor center will talk you through the highlights of the trail.





*Trillium Trail - 2 miles (bring a flashlight) - Rugged

This trail is the first parking lot after the main entrance.

This trail takes you around, over, down and back around the other side of a giant sandstone bluff.  It is a beautiful trail and worth the exersion but difficult.







Red Cedar Hiking Trail - 12 miles

Post Oak Nature Trail - 1/3 mile

This trail is located just before the intersection leading to the visitor center.

The bridge going over the pond is closed...and that was the most exciting thing about the trail.  Just a easy, short walk through the trees.






*Trails I found most interesting

Day 2:

9:00am to 11:00am - Trillium Trail
(see above)

12:00pm to 1:30pm - Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site - 94 Green Street, Wickliffe, KY
 Hours: 10:00am -4:00pm Thursday thru Sunday, April thru October
Admission: Adults $5, Adults $4

Lifeways Building

2:00pm to 3:30pm - Columbus-Belmont State Park - 350 Park Road, Columbus, KY
Museum Hours: April thru September
Museum Admission: Adults $4, Kids $3

Museum

5:00pm - Arrive Jackson, TN

Abraham Lincoln - 2 Day Trip - Springfield, Illinios

This trip is planned from Jackson, TN.  It can be revised to fit your location.

Day 1:

7:30am - Leave Jackson, TN

11:30am to 12:00pm - 30 minute Pit Stop

1:30pm to 2:00pm - Union Station Visitor Center - 500 E Madison St., Springfield, IL
Hours: Daily 9am to 5pm
Admission: Free

2:05pm to 5:00pm - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum - Library is 112 N 6th St and Museum is212 N 6th St., Springfield, IL
Hours: Daily 9am to 5pm
Admission: Adults $15, Seniors or Students $12, Military or Kids $10

Library is free

5:00pm to 6:00pm - Union Square Park - 212 N 6th St., Springfield, IL
Hours: Daily 8am to 10pm
Admission: Free

6:10pm - Cozy Dog Drive-In - 2935 S 6th St, Springfield, IL
Hours: Monday thru Saturday 8am to 8pm

After Dinner - Hotel in Springfield
Super 8, 1330 S Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, IL
(343 Miles)

Day 2:

8:15am - Leave Hotel

8:30am to 10:00am - Lincoln Home National Historic Site - 426 S 7th St., Springfield, IL
Visitor Center Hours: Daily 8:30am to 5pm
Admission: Free
*need ticket for tour*

10:10am to 11:00am - Lincoln Depot - 930 E Monroe, Springfield, IL
Hours: May thru August 10am to 4pm
Admission: Free

11:10am to 11:30am - Lincoln Family Pew @ 1st Presbyterian Church - 321 S 7th St., Springfield, IL
Hours: June thru Aug - Monday thru Friday 10am to 4pm, Sept - Monday thru Friday 11am to 2pm
Admission: Free

11:40am to 12:25pm - Jimmy John's - Lunch - 219 S 6th St., Springfield, IL

12:30pm to 1:15pm - Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices - 6th and Adams, Springfield, IL
Hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 9am to 4pm
Admission: Donation

1:20pm to 1:45pm - Lincoln Ledger @ Chase Bank - 1 E Old State Capitol Plaza
Hours: Monday thru Friday 9am to 5:30pm, Saturday 8am to 12pm
Admission: Free

1:50pm to 3:00pm - Old State Capitol - 1 Old State Capitol Plaza
Admission: Tuesday thru Saturday 9am to 5pm
Admission: Donation

3:30pm to 4:30pm - Lincoln's Tomb @ Oak Ridge Cemetery - 1500 Monument Ave, Springfield, IL
Hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 9am to 5pm
Admission: Free

10:30pm - Arrive Jackson, TN
(342 Miles)

Total Miles: 685 Miles


Other Places of Interest:

Lincoln Memorial Garden - 2301 E Lake Dr, Springfiels, IL
Hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 1pm to 4pm
Admission: Free

Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site - 15588 History Lane, Petersburg, IL
Hours: Wednesday thru Sunday 9am to 5pm
Camp: $10B, $20A, $30H
Admission: Donation