You may not be planning to join the crowd driving Route 66 as it turns 100 this year, but you can kick off your own celebration by tooling down the road to Litchfield. The town of 6,500 is less than an hour south of Springfield and chock-full of spots for a day or weekend trip. […]
Mary Bohlen
Mary Bohlen is a retired journalism professor who is a regular contributor to Illinois Times. She specializes in writing about interesting places in Illinois and nearby states worthy of day or weekend trips.
Posted inNews
A museum for the right to vote
When El Paso, Illinois, high school history teacher Michael Melick decided to have his advanced class focus on local history, he didn’t predict it would result in a museum devoted to voting rights in this heart-of-corn-country town, population 2,730. El Paso is north of Bloomington, 87 miles from Springfield. But while Melick initially may not […]
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle
Enjoy Christmas Traditions in St. Charles
If you are longing for a nostalgic holiday experience devoid of blow-up Santas, crammed retail stores and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” played endlessly on the radio, look no further than St. Charles, Missouri. The historic city’s Christmas Traditions festival runs from Nov. 28 through Dec. 24. Visitors will find unique holiday characters strolling […]
Posted inReGen
Explore Christian County
Coal was king for generations in Christian County and a prince of a small museum pays homage to that heritage. The Christian County Coal Mine Museum is worth a short trip to Taylorville, but you also can take in an historical museum with ties to Abraham Lincoln and a surprising amount of water for such […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Visit Illinois Beach State Park
East from Illinois Beach State Park, Lake Michigan glistens and beckons anyone seeking summer fun in the sun. Plenty of beach lovers answer the call, if packed parking lots on the weekends are any indication. Tucked into the far northeastern part of the state, the park offers a variety of outdoor activities four hours from […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Consider Cass County
Like many of its central Illinois neighbors, CASS County revolves around Communities, Agriculture, Scenic views and Sites of interest. Add Lincoln to the mix, and you’ve got a CLASS in history. Cass is one of the state’s smallest counties, but its Illinois River western border and fertile land ensured early settlement. Before 1823, Cass was […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Pay a visit to Lake Geneva
You have already been wowed by the tricks of magician Tristan Crist and as you sit in the darkened theater, you eagerly await the finale. As the music crescendos, the theater lights reveal Crist’s assistant in a small metal cage. He flourishes a curtain for only a few seconds, dropping it to reveal the assistant […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Fun museum day trips
You could call Atlanta, Illinois, the land of giants these days. Towering over the community 45 miles north of Springfield is a collection of roadside icons brought together by a small museum. Those itching for a spring road trip should get their motors running and head out on the highway to Atlanta. From there look […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Big-city amenities in a small Arkansas town
How likely is it you can find in one trip all things Walmart, a stunning art museum and world-class mountain biking? Pretty likely if you visit Bentonville, in the northwest corner of Arkansas. With a population of 67,000 and growing, Bentonville is definitely the town Walmart built. Its world headquarters expand into new digs this […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Quilt City USA
Many of us enjoy bundling up in a quilt or two when winter winds howl, but if you want to appreciate quilts even more, head to Paducah, Kentucky. Just over the southern Illinois border, this UNESCO Creative City is home to the National Quilt Museum, a collection of amazing artistic works. Paducah also brims with […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Kansas City in the winter
Stepping onto a glass floor with hundreds of red poppies below, winding through exhibits of artillery and getting a feel for life in the trenches are part of what makes the National WWI Museum and Memorial a powerful experience and a must-see stop in Kansas City, Missouri. So are museums dedicated to art, jazz, Negro […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
The museum based on children’s books
If you’ve ever imagined going down a rabbit hole and emerging into a magical world, then make it come true with a visit to a new museum fashioned as an ode to children’s literature. The entrance to The Rabbit hOle in North Kansas City, Missouri, winds visitors through a grotto-like maze to land amidst dozens […]
