Starved Rock Country (2 hour drive from Chicago)

• Reserve a lavish, safari-style tent at Camp Aramoni in Tonica – Illinois’ first-ever luxury campground – to relax into a weekend of leisure beneath the stars. 

• Hike through 13 miles of trails in Starved Rock and meander through stunning canyons with waterfalls that sparkle in the autumn sunshine. 

• For a guided adventure, book a Fall Colors Trolley Tour that includes lunch at Starved Rock Lodge followed by a scenic hike to Council Overhang and Ottawa Canyon.

Grafton (5 hour drive from Chicago) 

• The fresh, apple-scented orchard air is calling. Snag your field access pass to Eckert’s Grafton Farm and fill a pail with homegrown apples. Before you leave for a scenic drive along the Mississippi bluffs, grab a family-size bag of Eckert’s famous kettle corn.

• Discover the vineyards of Grafton Winery and Brewhaus – another Illinois Made Maker. Stop for lunch on the outdoor patio with live music on weekends and views of the Mississippi River. 

• Check in at Aerie’s Resort before sunset so you can hop on the Grafton SkyTour, an open-air chair or gondola that glides above the golden and yellow trees to your hilltop hotel. Take in the setting sun and views of the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers from Aerie’s Winery and Terrace before soaking in the jetted tub in your cozy suite.

Shawnee Forest Country in Southern Illinois (6 hour drive from Chicago)

• Marvel over the towering bluffs of Shawnee National Forest and the breathtaking changing colors surrounding you in the Garden of the Gods.

• Take a scenic “flight” through the treetops with the Shawnee Bluffs Canopy Tour in Makanda featuring eight thrilling ziplines and three suspension bridges through a picturesque forest.

• Relax on the grass at Alto Vineyards in Alto Pass for an afternoon of live music. Alto Vineyards is one of eleven award-winning wineries that make up the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail along a 35-mile scenic drive through Southern Illinois.