Illinois Travel Guide 2009 - (Page 22) I-74 Moline Bishop Hill Galesburg Peoria Monticello Top to Bottom: A farming legend is honored at the John Deere Pavilion, the Celebration Belle cruises the Mississippi River, the Galesburg Railroad Museum celebrates the town’s train heritage, Allerton Park and Retreat Center features beautiful formal gardens KAREN HIRSCH I-74 travels through Western and Central Illinois, entering the state from Iowa at the Quad Cities and continuing through to Danville at the Indiana state line. The striking John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline displays early and modern Deere equipment, as well as agricultural exhibits. Its John Deere Store carries souvenirs bearing the famed leaping deer logo. Vintage machines are meticulously restored at the nearby John Deere Collectors Center. Ride the Celebration Belle riverboat cruise down the upper Mississippi River. Board the boat from Moline and enjoy a dinner cruise, Dixieland Cruise, Classic Country Cruise, or one of the other exciting tour options. Take time to stroll through Bishop Hill, a historic country village settled by Swedish immigrants in the mid-1800s. It showcases its heritage with restored colony buildings housing shops and restaurants serving authentic Swedish cuisine. You can’t miss the distinct sound of train whistles in Galesburg, where railroad tracks crisscross the town. The Galesburg Railroad Museum COURTESY OF QUAD CITIES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU celebrates the area’s proud train heritage with displays of restored railroad cars. Check out the shops and restaurants that line the old-fashioned red brick streets in the Seminary Street Historic Commercial District, founded in the mid1800s to cater to the once-booming railroad business. Watch the Illinois River roll by on the Peoria RiverFront, where you can take a cruise on the Spirit of Peoria paddlewheeler, browse shops and art galleries and dine on the waterfront. Allerton Park and Retreat Center in Monticello is surrounded by woodlands, exquisitely manicured formal gardens and more than 100 sculptures. The park is open to the public for hiking, cross-country skiing, bird-watching, picnicking, and leisurely strolls through its lovely gardens. ROBERT GARCIA 22 ILLINOIS. MILE AFTER MAGNIFICENT MILE. DAN CARY enjoyillinois.com http://www.enjoyillinois.com
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