Illinois Travel Guide 2009 - (Page 18) ROBERT GARCIA Mt. Vernon Whittington Carbondale Makanda Marion Cypress Cairo I-57 (BETWEEN EFFINGHAM AND CAIRO) The southern leg of I-57 runs through scenic downstate Illinois. Discover these outdoor delights. The Cedarhurst Sculpture Park in Mt. Vernon is an outdoor gallery of more than 60 large-scale sculptures on the grounds of the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts. Located on the same wooded 90acre site is the Mitchell Museum, which showcases contemporary American art and recently underwent a dramatic expansion that has tripled its size. It’s all about the water at Rend Lake in Whittington, where you can swim, boat, water ski and fish. Relax at Rend Lake Resort or tee off at the 27-hole Rend Lake Golf Course. Also located at Rend Lake is the Southern Illinois Art & Artisans Center, which displays and sells the works of more than 850 Illinois artists. Take a hike among the wildflowers and do some bird-watching at the Crab Orchard National Top to Bottom: The cozy stone lodge at Giant City State Park is known for its tasty fried chicken dinners, the Cedarhurst Sculpture Park displays more than 60 colorful and quirky largescale works of art Wildlife Refuge in Marion. The refuge’s three lakes beckon boaters and fishermen, too. You can hike, rock climb, go rappelling or take a horseback ride through the stunning Giant City State Park in Makanda, named for its towering sandstone cliffs. The historic Giant City Lodge welcomes overnight guests. Wine lovers will want to linger on Southern Illinois’ Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, made up of 10 award-winning wineries located along a 25-mile drive through the Shawnee National Forest. Many of the wineries hold festivals in the summer and fall, especially during September, which is Illinois Wine Month. Canoe or hike through Illinois’ wetlands at the Cache River State Natural Area in Belknap, home to an ancient cypress-tupelo swamp and the Barkhausen Wetlands Center. Located at the southern tip of the state near Cairo, the dramatic confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers is best viewed from historic Fort Defiance, a Civil War outpost once comm a n d e d b y General Ulysses S. Grant. MARK PALMER ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS These quirky sights can turn your ordinary trip into something extraordinary I-94: Tempel Lipizzans, Old Mill Creek Watch graceful white Lipizzan stallions present ballet-like performances at Tempel Farms, the only place in the U.S. where these beauties are bred, trained and perform. I-90: McDonald’s #1 Store Museum, Des Plaines See a re-creation of the first McDonald’s restaurant, opened by founder Ray Kroc, including original 1950s equipment, historical photos and advertising memorabilia. I-57: Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch, Rantoul Open for the season in August, Hardy’s houses a resident herd of friendly Alaskan reindeer and offers a corn maze, pumpkins and hayrides in the fall, plus cut-your-own Christmas trees during the holidays. 18 ILLINOIS. MILE AFTER MAGNIFICENT MILE. SCOTT BELL I-57: Cross at the Crossroads, Effingham Marvel at this 198-foot-tall cross that’s located at the intersection of Interstates 57 and 70 in Effingham and is intended to serve as a beacon of hope for the estimated 50,000 travelers who pass by each day. I-55: Henry’s Rabbit Ranch & Route 66 Emporium, Staunton Owners Rich and Linda Henry celebrate Route 66 with highway and trucking memorabilia displayed in a replica vintage gas station that’s also home to a real rabbit ranch. I-55: World’s Largest Catsup Bottle, Collinsville This giant catsup bottle is actually a 170foot-tall water tower that was built in 1949 by the bottlers of Brooks catsup, attracting gawkers and fans ever since. I-74: Upper Limits Rock Gym, Bloomington Located in a group of former farm silos, this rock-climbing gym offers more than 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor climbing space. GIVE THE GIFT OF WEIRD Visit enjoyillinois.com to find posters, t-shirts, tote bags and many other fun gifts featuring the offbeat side of Illinois. enjoyillinois.com http://www.enjoyillinois.com http://www.enjoyillinois.com
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