SeasonalGifts, Goodies & Detours: Early Holiday Shopping in NW Illinois
Turn the gift list into a road trip, with antique shops, bakeries and coffee stops across all four Northwest Illinois counties.
Read more →
Trip Ideas & Blog
Filter
23 storiesSeasonalClear
Seasonal
SeasonalHello, October: Fall Events in Northwest Illinois
From fall festivals and lumberjacks to castle tours, scarecrows, and Halloween fun, October is packed with reasons to explore Northwest Illinois.
Read more →
OutdoorsSeptember Outdoors in Carroll County: Trails, River Views and Scenic Stops
September is one of the best months to spend outside in Carroll County. The heat of midsummer begins to ease, mornings feel cooler and the landscape starts its gradual change toward fall.
Read more →
SeasonalAn Apple Picking Day in Northwest Illinois
Pick your way into fall at two Northwest Illinois orchards, where fresh apples, cider donuts and easygoing country days are ripe for the taking.
Read more →
SeasonalA Fall Weekend in Carroll County: Where to Stay, Shop and Eat
When September brings cooler mornings and the first hints of fall color to northwest Illinois, Carroll County becomes an easy place to slow down for a weekend.
Read more →
SeasonalMeet the Pawpaw: Illinois’ Native Fruit Festival
Get a taste of fall at Paw Paw’s 3rd PawPaw Festival, celebrating Illinois’ native fruit with food, music, and small-town fun.
Read more →
SeasonalSmall-Town Christmas: Holiday Traditions Across Northwest Illinois
A tree lighting in Sterling, a house tour in Mount Carroll, a lantern-lit village in Fulton and fifty decorated trees in Savanna: four small-town holiday traditions across four counties in a single December stretch.
Read more →
SeasonalMake the Most of August: Fairs, Theatre & Local Saturdays in Carroll County
August has a way of making everyone look at the calendar and wonder where summer went. The good news is that Carroll County still has plenty of summer left to enjoy.
Read more →
SeasonalFather’s Day Weekend in Carroll County: Fishing, Hiking & Time Outside
Some dads want brunch. Some dads want a new tool. And some dads would be perfectly happy with a fishing pole, a trail map, a cold drink, and a day outside.
Read more →
SeasonalWhere to Shop for Mom This Mother’s Day in Carroll County, IL
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10, and there is still time to find something thoughtful, local, and meaningful for the moms, grandmas, mother figures, and special women in your life.
Read more →
SeasonalA Spring Day Trip Through Carroll County, Illinois
As winter fades and the first signs of spring begin to appear, Carroll County becomes a great place to spend a relaxing day exploring small towns, local businesses, and scenic countryside.
Read more →
SeasonalReasons to Love Carroll County in February
A slower season, wide-open spaces, and the kind of quiet that feels like a gift.
Read more →