Category Archives: Illinois

We spent three nights in the lodge at Pere Marquette State Park on the Illinois River near Grafton, Illinois. On Saturday morning, we drove two miles south to the Brussels Ferry, a free ferry operated by the Illinois Department of … Continue reading →

We visit Macy’s every year, more to keep tradition alive than from anticipation of what we’ll see. I’m not sure what this year’s theme was — it seemed to be about Chicago Christmas traditions — but it was better than … Continue reading →

We walked down into The Loop, to Daley Center Plaza where the Christkindlmarket is held every year. There were more booths than in the past, but the damp weather must have kept a lot of people away because the crowds … Continue reading →

Waiting for my bacon cheddar burger and three-layer fries at the best hot dog joint I’ve ever been to — Paradise Pup in Des Plaines, Illinois.

This water tower was built in 1930 as part of a recreational park for the employees of the Ilg Hot Air Electric Ventilating Company of Chicago. It now sits in a small park in front of a YMCA in Niles, … Continue reading →