Southern Illinois Question (Chicago, Peoria, Springfield: homes, camping, garden)

[SuzieQ]

We have never been to Illinois before, and we'd like to visit southern Illinois. Are there any towns that you'd recommend we see? We like family friendly activities, and this time of year they would need to be indoor activities! Thank you!

[disneyrecords]

Springfield, Mount Vernon, old Salem village, Garden of the Gods.

[linicx]

Late Fall, Winter and Early Spring are the coldest months in Illinois. However it is not nearly as cold as the light breeze that blows from Lake Michigan Southern Illinois is very much a collection of small farm town many of which are still trying to recover from the Mississippi floodwater that affected many states from IL to the Gulf Coast. There is not a great deal to do in the winter except hunt and trap. You can find the Shawnee Forest, IL Ozark Mountain Range, lakes, The Confluence at the southern most end of the state where mmighty rivers meet. Carbondale, the home of SIU, Marion and Herron are probably the largest towns west of Collinsville and the bridge to St. Louis.

Mt. Vernon is a town City of Mt. Vernon
Garden of the Gods is outside Garden of the Gods
Indoor shooting rangs


The following sites are in Central Illinois: Springfield, the state Capitol, and farther North an West.
Springfield: The Official Website of Springfield, Illinois (http://springfield.il.us/ - broken link)
Lincoln's New Salem is outside. Lincoln's New Salem - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Springfield you will find Lincoln Home, Frank Lloyd Wright design home, other historic homes and buildings including the Capitol building and the new Lincoln Library. You can also drive on the Mother Road (Route 66) If you like zoological parks you will find them in Springfield, Decatur, Bloominton and Peoria, The nearest big zoo to southern Illinois is in St. Louis.
.
If you want to meander along the Illinois River and go a little farther you'll find
1. Dickson Mounds a state museum that celebrates Native American Life in Illinois
2. Jake Wolfe fish hatchery
3. Emequon and Chautauqua that form the largest Inland Wetlands Refuge in America. This is located between Dickson Mounds in Fulton County and the Manito Blacktop just outside of Havana in Mason County - its about 10 miles. You will also find a small riverfront park in Havana with limited camping, picnic and play areas. It is not far from food, gas or medical help. .
Willett's Winery is in Manito. I've never been there but the wines have have received awards and some very good reviews.

I don't know where you are in relation to Illinois. What I can tell you is US 24 is one of the pretties routes through the state. It is a mix of farmland, ranches, smaller towns, rivers and lakes, hills and forests. If you like nature it is very scenic most of the time.

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by SuzieQ

We have never been to Illinois before, and we'd like to visit southern Illinois. Are there any towns that you'd recommend we see? We like family friendly activities, and this time of year they would need to be indoor activities! Thank you!

Are you talking actual southern Illinois (i.e. near the Missouri boot heel, Kentucky, etc.)? Or do you just want anything south of Chicago? There's much more to see and do in central Illinois (Peoria, Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal) than southern Illinois (metro East St. Louis, Carbondale, Marion). The only big things I can think of to see in southern IL are the Shawnee nat'l forest, the Great River road along the Mississippi and the Cahokia mounds.