8 things to do when visiting Southern Illinois

(MAKANDA, ILLINOIS) — Let’s be honest. There are two major things people think of when they think of Illinois. They both start with the letter C.

1: Chicago

2: Corn fields

I’m a Midwesterner through and through. I grew up in St. Louis, lived my college years in Springfield, MO – and have been in Illinois now 6 1/2 years. I can attest that Midwest living is a lot more than just that. And I hope my journeys through the Prairie State can help prove that.

This time, we’re talking about Southern Illinois! The area we visited is just a 2-hour drive from St. Louis. I feel like I barely scratched the surface in terms of things to do here. This article will hopefully give you an idea of things to do over a weekend with friends or family. Extend it out and have a 3-day or 4-day weekend why don’t ya! Let me know what you find along the way. Here are 8 things to do on your Southern Illinois getaway.

Let’s start with where to stay!

1: Hartline Hill Cabin | Makanda, Illinois

Gone are the days you have to travel to a mountainous state to stay in a log cabin. When I say this place is beautiful through and through, I mean it. It’s where nature meets luxury. I’m doing a full travel article on our stay at Hartline Hill Cabin, so stay tuned!

The cliff notes are:

• Sleeps 10
• Deck with views at the back of the house. Full porch at the front of the house
• Spacious bedrooms with walk-in closets, gorgeous bathrooms
• Game room with arcade games and bar area
• Two indoor parking spaces
• Downstairs bedroom with 2 queen beds, 1 bathroom
• Roomy living area upstairs with TV, couches and recliners

There’s so much more to discuss, but let’s save that for next time. For now, enjoy the photos!

2: Visit StarView Vineyards for delicious wine & food | Cobden, Illinois

There’s a few things that make what I do so much easier. First, when the food and wine tastes really good. Check. Second, when it’s a picture-perfect day outside. Check!

It was a gorgeous October afternoon when Rachel and I stopped by StarView Vineyards. We ordered food from the menu and I got a wine tasting while we sat on the patio overlooking the very blue lake.

What we ordered:

• Spinach & artichoke dip. Amazing!
• BBQ Pulled pork sandwich made by a local restaurant. So good!
• Rachel got a chicken salad sandwich. She loved it!

Now let’s get to the wine. In my tasting I went from semi-dry to semi-sweet. You get 5 wines to try, but I asked for a 6th because I saw it was made with Niagara grapes (my favorite).

1: Vignoles

2: Vidal Blanc

3: Red Star

4: Morning Star

5: Moonlight White

6: Silver Star

All were AMAZING. I ordered three to take home. The Vidal Blanc, Red Star and Morning Star. I’d highly recommend anyone stop by StarView Vineyards. We had an amazing time and I already can’t wait to go back. I’ll be posting an Illinois wine blog with more details on the different wines that you can try. Stay tuned!

3: Eat Deep Pan Pizza at Quatro’s | Carbondale, Illinois

If I went to Southern Illinois University, Quatro’s and I would’ve been best friends. It’s a lovely pizza place famous for a few things. Yellow take-home cups, side salads with world-famous ranch, and Deep Pan Pizza. It’s a delicious take on deep dish pizza. The crust was layered with burnt cheese which was fantastic. We ordered the Meateater Bonanza which had sausage, beef and pepperoni along with cheese… and more cheese! Yes, you could eat it with a fork and knife, which I did for the most part. But it stayed intact so well that you could pick up a slice on your own and dive in.

4: Climb a water tower | Giant City State Park | Makanda, Illinois

My wife is a rockstar. When she was pregnant with Bennett, we went on a babymoon to Holland, Michigan and she climbed a sand dune while 7 months pregnant. This time she climbed up a water tower with me, while 7 months pregnant! The water tower is located right by Giant City Lodge, a rustic lodge with cabins and a restaurant. We ate there last night and I really enjoyed the all-you-can-eat chicken! I ate one plate and was stuffed, though. But everything was reasonably priced. But the water tower is a great place to catch the sunset over the forests.

5: Get frappuccinos | Kiki’s CoffeeHouse & Cafe | Anna, Illinois

We love a good frappe in this family. And Kiki’s had just that! Right now they have fall themed drinks, I got the witches brew, and they’re decorated for Halloween. They have food options as well, and a kids’ play area if you want to bring the little ones along!

6: Get FroYo | Cool Spoons | Carbondale, Illinois

With over 300 toppings, you can’t go wrong here at Cool Spoons. I mixed the cake batter and blue cookie frozen yogurt to make a delicious combo, and topped it with things like cookie dough, mochi, strawberry gummies and more.

7: See the “Giant City Streets” | Giant City State Park

We’re back to Giant City. We returned to the park our second day before leaving town. The Giant City Nature Trail is where we walked. It’s a moderate difficult 1-mile loop that takes you through the forest, and what you see along the way is what’s magnificent.

I walked through caves, climbed on top of huge rocks, and walked through the “Giant City Streets.” This was truly one of my favorite hikes in Illinois and we completed it in roughly 45 minutes. There are some hilly areas throughout the hike, so make sure to stay hydrated, take your time and enjoy the scenic views.

8: Hang out with wizards and dragons while seeing a castle! Boo Castle Park | Carbondale, Illinois

We drove by this place one night and were like “what in the world is this place?” So naturally we had to check it out. It’s a privately owned park, but it’s free and open to the public. The park was created in honor of Jeremy “Boo” Rochman, who passed away in a car accident in 1993. As a kid, Boo loved action figures. As he got older, he enjoyed painting wizard figures. This is a place that’s fun for kids and adults. I felt like a kid again walking through the park and seeing wizards, dragons, gargoyles and of course… walking through the Castle. It’s a very intricately designed castle that you can walk through with ease, and there’s something new around every corner. The amount of design and effort put into this part is incredible.

As I mentioned, I barely scratched the surface on what to do in Southern Illinois. This is really just in the Carbondale region. And even then, there are so many more things you can do while visiting. I want to thank everyone we met for being so hospitable, and we can’t wait to visit again!