vacation in southern illinois

Southern Illinois is where I was born. I have fond childhood memories of my life there. Because of this, I especially love to vacation in Southern Illinois. From Marion to Carbondale and Harrisburg to Vienna, here are some of the things you can do in Southern Illinois during your next vacation.

Southern Illinois is a wonderful place to visit. This article will look at the beautiful natural surroundings, keep you entertained with special events, and provide you with several great places to stay.

Southern Illinois is well known as the friendliest region of the Midwest. It is a blend of rich history, natural resources and unexpected surprises. We invite you to explore our website. We know that after your visit you will want to return again and again!

Southern Illinois hosts a lot of great spots to visit. There are small towns with charm and culture, state parks and lakes, out-of-this-world views, and there’s more. Here’s a list of 10 things to do when visiting Southern Illinois on vacation.

Weekend getaways in Southern Illinois for couples

Drive the Shawnee hills wine trail

Highlights: Highlights of the Shawnee Hills Wine Tour include sampling unique wines, enjoying the natural surroundings, and supporting local business

Among the beautiful nature of Shawnee National Forest is the well-acclaimed Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, a 40-mile trail of 11 wineries each with their own unique style.

Many of the wineries along the trail are nationally and internationally awarded and many have carved a niche by specializing in a specific type of wine.

vacation in southern illinois

Several of the wineries offer unique experiences when visiting and so following the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail is a great way to try a little bit of everything.

Some of the experiences available include the wildlife room of Honker Hill Winery, the vineyard picnics of Hickory Ridge Vineyard and Winery, and the unique boutique wines of StarView Vineyards.

A number of the wineries also offer lodging for overnight trips. If you prefer staying in a cute cabin on the southern Illinois wine trail, click here.

Along the trail, there are also many local businesses, restaurants, and cafes which make great extra stopping points.

This is a great way to support local businesses while enjoying the best the area has to offer.

Rent a romantic cabin with a hot tub

A great way to relax and unwind with your loved one is to rent a cabin with a hot tub.

This allows you to enjoy the beautiful forested surroundings, relax in tranquility and seclusion, and truly connect with your partner.

A cabin with a hot tub offers more range of things to do and a way of relaxing without just sitting around. A hot tub can be a fun activity anywhere, but surrounded by beautiful woods, in a lovely cabin with your partner is one of the best ways to enjoy it.

Here is an overview of romantic cabins in southern Illinois. If you are traveling with your loved one and looking for ideas for a romantic weekend in southern Illinois, click here. If you prefer staying in a hotel, check out this list of boutique hotels in Illinois.

Pere Marquette is a great weekend getaway. — Pere Marquette State Park

Explore Grafton

Highlights: Visiting Grafton can be great for exploring state parks, observing beautiful scenery, and absorbing the local culture.

Grafton is a lovely unassuming small town in southern Illinois.

While it might not immediately seem like an exciting place to be, Grafton is actually full of interesting and fun activities and things to see.

For example, Grafton is home to the Pere Marquette State Park, a beautiful state park with unique natural stone formations.

There are many hiking trails as well as an active bird-watching community. If you are looking for a great trail for wildlife spotting, you should hike the 5,9 miles Pere Marquette Outer Loop.

However, if you’re tired of hiking, you could try the SkyTour, an aerial skylift providing amazing views over the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers from great heights.

For something more casual you might want to explore the local shops. Grafton is a great place for shopping for antiques and unique local goods. it’s also home to some amazing wineries.

It is also the endpoint of the Meeting of the Great Rivers scenic route.

For more ideas of things to do in Grafton, check out our previous post here.

Address: Pere Marquette State Park, 13112 Visitor Center Lane, Grafton, Illinois 62037
Skytour, 14 W Main St, Grafton, IL 62037

Kid-friendly weekend getaways in southern Illinois

Here we share some ideas for a wonderful family getaway in southern Illinois.

Visit Boo castle park

Highlights: Some highlights include wizard statues based on actual wizard figures painted by Jeremy “Boo” Rochman and climbable sleeping dragons.

Jeremy Rochman Memorial Park, more commonly known as Boo Castle Park, is an exciting theme park with a touching back story.

As the name would suggest, the park was created in memorial of Jeremy “Boo” Rochman, a 19-year-old teenager who died in a car accident in the area. The park is designed as an ode to his childhood love of toy figures and painting wizard figures and his teenage interest in Dungeons and Dragons, a fantasy role-playing game.

The park has climbable sleeping dragon sculptures, castles, mazes, and more fantasy elements that are perfect for sparking the imagination in children.

The park is currently still less known, meaning it isn’t as busy as some of the more famous parks and the unique theme makes it fun for children and an interesting experience for adults.

Boo Castle Park is a great way to spend an afternoon or a few hours between other activities.

Address: 31 Homewood Dr, Carbondale, IL 62902-6151

Shawnee bluffs canopy tour

Highlights: A canopy tour is a great way to experience the natural surroundings in an exciting and fast-paced way.

A canopy tour is a great way to experience the forest in a completely different and exciting way.

Using zip-lines, aerial bridges, and short hikes, a canopy tour will take you through the heights of the trees and the ground-level scenery. Alternating between fast-paced zip-lines and slower bridges is a great way to get the adrenaline going while still enjoying the nature around you.

vacation in southern illinois