Illinois Travel Guide 2008 - (Page 26) SCOTT BELL ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS At Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul you’ll meet a herd of friendly Alaskan reindeer with names like Mistletoe and Klondike. Open from August through December, Hardy’s hosts flocks of visitors in the fall who come to pick pumpkins and explore the 10-acre Cornfusion Corn Maze. Around the holidays, Hardy’s becomes a winter wonderland where you can cut down your own Christmas tree, then head indoors to the barn gift shop and warm up near an old-fashioned potbellied stove with a hot cup of wassail. Take a wagon ride out to the pasture at Sandy Pine Elk Farm in Deer Grove to get up-close and personal with 43 of the largest elk in the world, with antlers up to four feet tall! During fall Campfire Evenings, visitors take a hayrack ride to a Sioux-style tipi, where they can enjoy a bonfire and elk burgers. Although Sandy Pine is open July through December, you can make a reservation to take an elk tour any time during the off-season. Wildlife Prairie State Park is a 2,000-acre zoological park near Peoria that’s home to cougars, bison, black bears and other animals that were native to Illinois during its frontier days. Explore the 1800s Pioneer Farmstead, complete with animals, a one-room schoolhouse and a log cabin. Spend t h e night in a renovated caboose, lakeside cottage or the cabin on the hill, with a sweeping view of the bison range. Top to bottom: Drinking in the forest view from the deck of a winery on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, native Illinois animals wander the grounds of Wildlife Prairie State Park, taste the variety of vintages from Illinois’ award-winning wineries Alto Vineyards, the oldest and largest winery in Southern Illinois; and Hedman Orchard & Vineyards, which serves up Swedish cuisine in its charming cafe. Many of the wineries hold special events throughout the summer and fall, when Illinois Wine Month is celebrated in September. You’ll find 16 wineries within a few hours’ drive from Chicago along the scenic Northern Illinois Wine Trail. Standouts include the chateau-style Lynfred Winery in Roselle, which houses an ornate tasting room and a lavish bed & breakfast. Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery offers a guided tour of its winemaking facility that includes a lesson on how to taste wine. In Oswego sample vintages from the Faltz family at their Fox Valley Winery, noted for producing small batches of handcrafted wines. Taste your way along the new Heartland Rivers Wine Trail, made up of 11 unique wineries located in small towns around Southwest Illinois. Must-stops include the enchanted-forest-like Hidden Lake Winery in Aviston (which serves lunch and Sunday brunch); Ravissant Winery, located on a historic farm estate in Belleville; and Lau-Nae Winery in Red Bud, known for its award-winning fruit wines. You’ll also find interesting wineries on the Western Illinois Wine Trail, which runs from the Quad Cities all the way south to the Quincy countryside. Don’t miss Baxter’s Vineyards & Winery, the oldest winery in the state, in the Mormon town of Nauvoo; the Collver Family Winery in Barry, which presents hilarious Murder Mystery Dinner theater productions; and the family-run Spirit Knob Winery in Ursa, known for its fruit wines. The North Central Illinois Wine Trail is the newest addition to the state’s burgeoning wine trails. Located in the Peoria area, the trail currently includes Kickapoo Creek Winery in Edwards, featuring nature trails and a lakeside gazebo that makes for a perfect picnic spot; Lavender Crest Winery in Colona, which offers tours, an espresso bar and live music on Friday nights; and Indian Creek Vineyard, located on a sesquicentennial farm complete with a quaint bed & breakfast in Toulon. AGRI-TOURS & COUNTRY LODGING CO UR TES YO F WILDLIFE PRAIRIE TE STA R PA K Foodies will love Learn Great Foods, which offers agri-culinary tours of organic farms and vineyards, hands-on cooking classes and weekend culinary retreats. During the daylong culinary farm tour in Northern Illinois you’ll meet local farmers and vintners, then top off the evening with a cooking class and gourmet organic meal. Each tour makes two food stops at spots that include the biodynamic vineyards of Two Moons Winery in Cedarville, Seger’s Tree Farm in Thomson (known for its shiitake mushrooms) and Chief Shikshak Northwest Bison Ranch in Sterling. Get a glimpse of the Amish way of life in Central Illinois, home of the state’s largest Old Order settlement. Start in Arcola at the Illinois Amish Interpretive Center, where you can sign up for group Amish Country Tours that visit Amish farms and businesses. One of the most popular tours includes dining at an actual Amish family’s home. If you prefer a selfguided driving tour, pick up a map at the center and cruise the surrounding countryside near Arthur, where you’ll encounter Amish shops selling quilts, handcrafted oak furniture and baked goods. enjoyillinois.com 26 ILLINOIS. MILE AFTER MAGNIFICENT MILE. MARK SEGAL http://enjoyillinois.com
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