11 Illinois Pumpkin Festivals Not to Miss

Illinois Pumpkin Festivals to Explore in 2019

We here in Illinois love our pumpkins! Fall festivals in Illinois include some fantastic pumpkin festivals. Illinois is the United States' top producer of pumpkins, so where better to celebrate the pumpkins than here! I have put together a collection of top pumpkin festivals here in Illinois to have on your list:

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Art in Nature, Color The Preserves Coming to Crabtree Nature Center September 15, 2019

During Art in Nature at Crabtree Nature Center, Experience Art and Nature and How They Connect!

Crabtree Nature Center in Barrington will be even more colorful and vibrant on September 15, 2019 during Art in Nature, Color the Preserves. The event will feature local artists, artist demos and family activities centered around art and nature in the breathtaking and tranquil setting of Crabtree Nature Center. From 11AM-3PM on September 15, we will be reflecting the beauty of nature in art!

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Wednesday Weekend Windup (Labor Day Festivals, Irish Days, Dinosaurs, Cheese-A-Palooza and More}

Labor Day Festivals, Irish Days, Dinosaurs, Cheese-A-Palooza and More Chicago Suburban Fun August 30-September 2, 2019

We have a LONG weekend ahead and there are plenty of festivals for you to enjoy that last blast of summer. Here are my picks in the Chicago suburbs this weekend:

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Hiking Around Milwaukee on the Oak Leaf Trail

Oak Leaf Trail in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Consists of a Vast Trail System:

Oak Leaf Trail in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas provides a system of varied hiking experiences. The system of trails contains miles and miles of trails basically forming a loop around the city with offshoots. The system truly provides for a wealth of Milwaukee hiking adventures and we just brushed the surface with our recent hike.

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Brunching It at Grace Coffee and Wine in Yorkville, Illinois

Grace Coffee & Wine Yorkville, IL Tempting Flavors All  Around

Grace Coffee and Wine in Yorkville was recommended to me by a reader as a fantastic local coffee spot to explore. On an adventure in Yorkville, we found ourselves with a couple of hours to spare. So we headed over to Grace Coffee and Wine for a coffee pick me up and a meal. At this point the day was pretty rainy, so a little Grace was just what we needed!

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Transit Tees Products Inspired by Chicago, Designed and Produced Locally

Chicago Designed and Produced Buttons and Magnets from Transit Tees

**Disclosure: I did receive complimentary products from Transit Tees in order to share their products with you. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Transit Tees produces signature products reflecting iconic and nostalgic Chicago symbols, landmarks, novelties and more. Chicago's Transit Tees crafts quite a range of items from tees to coffee mugs to patches to button pins to backpacks to notebooks to prints and more. Overall, I have to say that I am pretty amazed by the number of products that Transit Tees offers as well as the company's ability to reflect so many unique aspects of Chicago. All Transit Tees products are designed locally and a good number are produced or printed locally.

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Wednesday Weekend Windup {Pow Wow, Balloons Aloft, Shakespeare, Feet Fest, Ukeleles and More}

Chicago Suburbs Family Fun for the Weekend of August 23-25, 2019 Including Pow Wow, Balloons Aloft, Shakespeare, Feet Fest, Ukeleles and More!

The weekend is nearly here! There are tons of events to watch out for this weekend. Here are my picks in the Chicago suburbs for family fun:

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Village Stops on Iceland's Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Iceland's Snaefellsnes Peninsula is Dotted with Charming Villages to Explore:

Along the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, you will find a number of villages to explore for unique adventures, cafes, local shops, groceries and gas. However, they are spaced out so I recommend checking a map of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula before embarking on your road trip and marking off where you can find necessities along route. You will also want to be aware of opening and closing times. After some organizing, plan for a memorable day enjoying nature and the charming villages of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in Iceland!

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Wandering Songbird Slough Trail in Itasca, Illinois

Hiking Songbird Slough Trail in Itasca, Illinois

Songbird Slough Trail in Itasca is a shorter trail that will take you through wetlands, meadows and prairies. You will see picturesque wooded spots from the trail. However, the trail is not covered so you will not benefit from shade. The preserve makes up for a lack of shade with beauty. Songbird Lake, which is a remnant of a glacially formed shallow lake known as a slough, is stocked for fishing adding another element to the preserve. Songbird Slough Forest Preserve certainly is a treasure in Itasca!

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Favorite Midwest City Views and Skylines

Midwest City Skylines and Views: Favorite Views of Midwestern Cities of All Sizes

Midwestern cities of all sizes have some truly fabulous views! On quite a few of my adventures recently, I have enjoyed some pretty spectacular city views. So, I thought that I would collect a few true treasures here in the Midwest with the help of some of my Midwest travel writer friends to help us all with some trip planning. Whether you are looking for a skyline full of skyscrapers, a melding if historic buildings, beautiful cities along the waterfront, cities blending into the countryside or anything in between, there is a view certainly here to inspire you! Enjoy our favorites across the Midwest:

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Wednesday Weekend Windup {Walking Plays, Vintage Days, Fred Fest and More}

Walking Plays at Morton Arboretum. Image credit Morton Arboretum.

Walking Plays, Vintage Days, Fred Fest and More Weekend Fun in the Chicago Suburbs August 16-18, 2019

A fun filled summer weekend is ahead! Here are my picks for fun in the Chicago suburbs this weekend:

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Evening Concert at RiverEdge Park in Aurora: Perfect End to a Summer Day

RiverEdge Park in Aurora Provides A Stunning Venue for Summer Concerts on the Fox River

**Disclosure: I did receive complimentary tickets in order to bring you this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

We arrived about an hour early to our show at RiverEdge Park in Aurora -- Hollywood Nights -- which gave us plenty of time to settle in and relax. I have to say, the stage at RiverEdge is pretty impressive!

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Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Entices With Incredible Nature on Milwaukee Hiking Trails

Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Invites Hikers To Explore Many Habitats

Schlitz Audubon Nature Center nestled along Lake Michigan just north of Milwaukee invites visitors to explore a variety of hiking trails experiencing a number of ecosystems. Schlitz Audubon is an important bird watching site and provides a vibrant habitat for migrant birds. During a recent summer afternoon, we explored several different trails admiring the environment and looking for birds and other wildlife!

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Quick trip to Lund and Malmo, Sweden

Ambling Around Lund and Malmӧ in Sweden

Øresund Bridge connects Denmark and Sweden making it easy to add a visit to Sweden onto a trip to Copenhagen. We opted to take a tour for this portion of the trip and enjoyed a nice spot to view the Øresund from Sweden.

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Wednesday Weekend Windup {Kite Festivals, French Connection, Food Trucks, Veggie Fest and More}

Chicago Suburbs Family Fun August 8-11, 2019 Including: Kite Festivals, French Connection, Food Trucks, Veggie Fest and More

The weekend is nearly here! Be sure to soak up that summer fun this weekend! Here are my picks in the Chicago suburbs this weekend:

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Springbrook Nature Center and Hiking Paths in Itasca, IL

 

Springbrook Nature Center in Itasca, IL Treats Families to Hiking Trails and Nature Learning


Springbrook Nature Center in Itasca provides two miles of hiking trails and a nature center including resident raptors treating visitor to a nature respite. On a free Sunday afternoon, we explored Springbrook Nature Center to enjoy a little time outside at a new preserve.

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Snaefellsnes Peninsula Quick Guide

Quick Guide to Iceland's Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Snaefellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland is often considered "Iceland in Miniature." Snaefellsnes certainly is packed full of incredible and unique nature experiences and treasures. With so many nature experiences folded into one peninsula, we opted to slow down for a few days and spend some time relaxing and exploring Snaefellsnes. We were captivated from the moment we arrived and were glad that we had so much time to explore this magnificent peninsula. Our adventure took us to many of the highlights of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula including:

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Kenosha Tall Ships: Climbing Aboard and Exploring

Kenosha Tall Ships Invites Exploring and Climbing Aboard Tall Ships

**Disclosure: I did receive tickets to Kenosha Tall Ships to bring you information about this event as well as details of my experience. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

From the minute I learned that tall ships would be sailing to port in Kenosha for Kenosha Tall Ships, I knew that I wanted to be part of the experience. I cannot think of a better celebration of our incredible Great Lakes! I really did not expect how amazingly beautiful these ships are up close. Truly breathtaking!

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