(ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI) — If you want some of the best views, coupled with some of the best food in St. Louis – then this article is for you.
Atop the 8th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis is the famously-named Ramsay’s Kitchen. An important part of any experience we have, is all about the way it makes us feel. What do we see? What do we smell, hear, feel, taste? When a place can succeed in all of these areas, that’s when the business really shines. And that’s exactly how we felt walking through the hotel and into the restaurant.
It smelled amazing throughout the hotel. The views of the hotel itself, the dining areas, the outdoor bar and patio (with GREAT views of the Arch) all add to the vibe.
We visited on a very rainy, cloudy day. But on a beautiful, sunny day or a cloudless night – the outdoor views would have been even more breathtaking. But this is the Midwest. We’re used to rainy, dreary days in April. So the fact we enjoyed the afternoon looking out at the river, Arch and other downtown buildings was a great experience.
Well, you’re probably wondering. How was the food? I’m getting there! It’s all about the presentation, right?
Ramsay’s Kitchen just launched a brand new brunch menu. Which is perfect for Rachel and I, because we got to order something sweet and something savory.
Ahead of our food, we ordered some specialty cocktails. Hey, mom and dad had the late morning/early afternoon away from kids. We earned the chance to enjoy ourselves! And we did. I ordered the Bali Holiday, and Rachel ordered the Other Side of Paradise.
To get the whole Gordon Ramsay experience, I tried to get anything our waiter Julien said was a go-to or a Ramsay family recipe. The main course was the Petit Beef Wellington, Chef Ramsay’s most famous signature dish.
The dish boasted a potato purée, glazed baby root vegetables, red wine demi, and comes served medium rare. Medium rare is how I like my steak anyway, so we were the perfect match.
I am now a Beef Wellington fan. This dish was easily a 10/10 for me. Being able to swoop the beef in the potato was fantastic, and I love carrots. So getting served all of this one plate? Magnificent.
As I went savory, Rachel went sweet. She greatly enjoyed the lemon ricotta french toast, including milk bread and blueberries.
We split truffle fries, which were some of the best fries I’ve ever tasted. Served with truffle butter, truffle aioli, parmesan and parsley – it’s the perfect size to be divided between two people.
And how can you say no to dessert? Especially when it’s Gordon Ramsay’s family recipe! Introducing the Sticky Toffee Pudding.
This was my first time ever having this delicious dessert. And I have to ask, where has this been my whole life? Why has it taken 29 years to finally have this? I don’t have a good answer for you, but I’m not waiting another 29 years to enjoy it again. I’ll take the blame on this one. Topped with vanilla ice cream and sitting on top of a caramel sauce, once again, this dish was a 10/10 for me.
While this was the perfect place for a date night (or afternoon) out, this would also be a phenomenal spot to take the friend group. We’d love to come back when the weather is nicer to sit out on the patio and enjoy the outdoor bar. The scenery was just stunning. There’s even an outdoor, rooftop pool!
Many thanks to our server Julien and the Ramsay’s Kitchen staff for providing Rachel and I an amazing experience. The food and atmosphere was top notch, and we will definitely be back again!
(INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA) — Some cities just “get it.” They know who they are, their branding is on point, and they are 100% dedicated to their identity. Indianapolis, Indiana is one of those cities.
The sports scene is vibrant. The foodie scene is popping. And the family-friendly activities are available for all to enjoy. And you can’t forget the racing! Roughly 300,000 plus people are gearing up for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indy 500. It’s coming up on Memorial Day weekend, May 25.
Everything my family and I experienced was done over a weekend! It’s going to seem like a lot, but it’s possible! Careful scheduling met with flexibility is where you’ll have to be. So let’s dive in!
This is the BIGGEST children’s museum in the world! Right now, the Children’s Museum is hosting the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse exhibit, available on the second floor through September 1, 2025. If your kiddo is a fan of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, this is a must-see for them! There are interactive activities within the exhibit, where your kid can solve puzzles with Toodles! We celebrated Pluto’s birthday, and my 2-year-old loved interacting with the staff on different activities. It’s the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse world brought to life!
While Mickey is always the star of the show, here the dinosaurs are also stars! Right now on Facebook, my post about the dinosaurs at the Children’s Museum has reached 1.5 million people, with many people planning their next trips in my comments section. I love it! These were some of the best dinosaurs we’ve ever seen. Bennett was in awe and loved getting to dig in a fossil pit.
The Children’s Museum also has a 7.5 acre outdoor sports area that allows kids to explore pretty much any sport you could think of. Football, soccer, golf, tennis, hockey, baseball and running are all part of this area. All the Indy sports teams have different areas and it’s called the Riley Children’s Sports Legends Experience. Such an amazing place.
If your kids like trains, outer space, tombs, shipwrecks, art, comic books – really anything you can think of, the Children’s Museum is for them! My advice? Spend the entire day here. Show up when the Museum opens, and stay until it closes!
The IMS Museum is back open! I remember coming here when I was in 8th grade. Now (quite a few) years later, I was so happy to bring my wife and kids. And, to top it all off, the Museum reopened with AMAZING renovations in early April of this year! See historic cars throughout multiple floors of the Museum. Learn about the trophies, the champions and the history of the Indy 500. Get a race track tour and see the track up close and personal, along with some behind the scenes aspects. We rode in a bus around the grounds, seeing the media area, some private viewing suites where high-ranking officials like the Governor would sit. When we were there that day, a bunch of Mercedes Benz drivers were practicing in different parking lots and on the track. Such a cool experience! We spent roughly 3 hours at the IMS and I feel like that was the perfect amount of time for a family with small kids.
If you’re heading to the Indy Zoo & Aquarium, plan to spend all day there. It’s the same thing as the Children’s Museum. THERE’S SO MUCH TO SEE! It’s incredible. When you first walk in, talk a stroll through the tulip garden and then stop by the butterfly house. Next you’ll find yourself in the midst of sharks, sting rays, sea lions and penguins in the aquarium section. One of my favorite parts was seeing the two walruses right outside the aquarium building. These massive, curious creatures just come up to the glass to say hi to you. I feel like you don’t get to see walruses every day so that was a treat. But the main event of the aquatics offerings had to be the dolphins. First and foremost, there’s an underground tunnel and dome where you are completely surrounded by water, and dolphins swim all around you. It’s amazing. Then you can even sit in an area to see dolphin shows throughout the day. The show is only 15 minutes long, which is perfect for toddlers who don’t want to sit still very long.
After this, the zoo pretty much has every animals you can think of. Lions, cheetahs, giraffes, rhinos and elephants can be found in the Plains section. Chimpanzees, orangutans and other monkeys are sprinkled throughout the zoo as well. The bears were sleeping with their legs up in the air when we walked by, which was hilarious. And the tiger was acting very sleepy (or hungry maybe), licking his chops as we looked into its area. I also rode a roller coaster! They take you around the tracks twice because the ride is so short, but it was pretty fun! Don’t be expecting anything super crazy if you’re a roller coaster fanatic. But this is a good way to start kids out.
The train ride was also a fan-favorite! Bennett loved snuggling next to mommy and his baby sister as we rode throughout the zoo. There are multiple food options as well. Your typical burgers, fries, hot dogs, pretzels etc.
I like how the zoo does “chats” at the different exhibits. It’s where zoo staff take 10ish minutes or so to come to an exhibit, letting guests learn about that specific animal. I had to go to the walrus one, of course! Make sure to get tickets to feed the kangaroos and giraffes!
This was a very fun way to get indoors for a while and let Bennett learn and explore. There’s a cardboard area on the top floor that lets you build things by using cardboard! This is a great opportunity for kids to learn about different things in history. There’s also an IMAX theater inside! The Museum is located right off the downtown canal. So when you’re done visiting the Museum, head outside and take a walk alongside the canal for nice views of the water and downtown Indy.
INDY ATTRACTION PASS
Visit Indy, Indianapolis’ local tourism bureau, offers an Indy Attraction Pass which allows people to buy one pass and get into a whole bunch of different attractions. This is a great way to save money and still get to do a whole lot of fantastic things. There are four other attractions in the Pass that we didn’t even get to! Hopefully next time.
This has to be one of the coolest stays we’ve ever done. Staying in a train car at the historic Union Station in downtown Indianapolis. On the second floor, your train car stay awaits. We were in the Rudolph Valentino car, which has two queen beds, a mini fridge, bathroom/shower combo and closet inside. With the train being longer than your typical hotel room, there was still plenty of space for our family of four. Bennett absolutely loves trains, so he was in Heaven while we were here. Enjoy the breakfast buffet or order off the menu before leaving. We enjoyed the omelet station! The hotel is right by Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Each train has a different name, ours was named after an Italian actor.
A quiet retreat just steps from downtown Speedway, IN is a duplex home turned AirBnB. We stayed on the right side of the home, known as the Modern Speedway Bungalow. It was a relaxing stay with plenty of space. It includes a closed in front porch, a front room with chairs, a pullout couch and TV, followed by a full kitchen, laundry/dryer setup, bathroom/shower combo and one bedroom with a king size bed. There’s also a small backyard with chairs to congregate and a small slide if you have younger kids. The owners really put in a lot of work to make this bungalow a nice play to stay. The amenities were all fantastic, and it was really nice to have a place with in-house laundry service, dish washer, etc. On the other side of the duplex is the Speedway Bungalow Off Main. We walked to breakfast one morning and were there within 5 minutes. I walked to Main Street Speedway to grab a pizza and was there and back in less than 10 minutes. It’s the perfect location to be close to a lot of amazing things happening in downtown Speedway.
If you’re looking for trendy vibes, Baby’s is the spot for you. There’s a nice enclosed patio you can sit along with an outdoor recreation area that Bennett loved to explore. Burgers, fries, and shakes oh my! It was my birthday, so I had to get the birthday cake shake, which was vegan.
We visited the Downtown Indianapolis location, which has a beautiful bar, spacious seating and wonderful service. Our server, Austin, was a great host and provided excellent service. Steaks, seafood, cocktails, pasta and more are all available here. Rachel got the filet mignon and mashed potatoes. I ordered the penne pasta with lobster and an appetizer of fried calamari. Bennett got a cheese pizza he absolutely loved. I also got a side of brussels sprouts. To end a wonderful meal, we ordered the creme brulee. Great atmosphere is meet with wonderful service in a great location downtown.
The morning we went to the Speedway Museum, we stopped by Charlie Brown’s for breakfast. A wonderful diner full of history and racing memorabilia. You never know, you could run into a famous race car driver! They recently opened up another room in the back part of the restaurant, giving guests more space if you’d like. The breakfast menu has a lot of classic breakfast items. I got an omelet with pancakes and hashed browns, Rachel ordered a burrito with breakfast potato chips and Bennett got a waffle, sausage patty and cup of strawberries. Great service!
Notable mentions when in Speedway:
Visit Daredevil Brewing for a nice lager and order a pizza from Brozinni Pizzeria.
Is this the best place to catch a game or race in all of Indy? I can’t say that with full certainty since I haven’t been to a TON of places in Indianapolis, but it sure was for us. We visited when The Hangar was hosting a watch party for the Grand Prix of Long Beach, while also showing the Masters golf tournament simultaneously. The buffet was absolutely incredible. Nachos, pizzas, cinnamon rolls, salads you name it. Not only was it a lot of food, but it was delicious. Partner that with one of my new favorite beers, the Sunlight Cream Ale from Sun King Brewery, and you’re bound to have an amazing time. Specialty cocktails and frozen drinks are also available. When there’s not a major watch party, they have golf simulations inside. A big part of The Hangar’s services is the HandleBar Pedal Bar that rolls through downtown Indianapolis. I’ve never done one of these, but they look like a blast. Make sure to check them out for incredible times!
Our trip to Indianapolis was one of our favorite trips yet. We agree that the family-friendly environment of the City was amazing, and there’s so much to do! We will absolutely be coming back. All of the attractions we did, we’d do them again! Especially as exhibits change at the Children’s Museum, that is a place you can return to over and over again. I’d love to also visit Speedway for a future race. I feel like that would be electric! As Bennett and Mattie get older, it will be fun to bring them back so they have fond memories just like Rachel and I have.
Thank you to everyone who collaborated with us during our trip. You were gracious hosts and your support is more than appreciated!
(WASHBURN, ILLINOIS) — From years of driving the Peoria to Starved Rock State Park route, to multiple followers highly recommending it, I finally made my way to Stringtown BBQ.
The peaceful 45-minute drive to Washburn, Illinois is one of my favorite drives. It’s the scenic route, driving alongside the Illinois River paired with seeing herds of cows and corn or soybean fields (depending on the year).
But that’s not what we’re here to talk about today! We’re here to discuss barbecue, something so widely beloved and enjoyed.
Right off Illinois Route 89 sits Stringtown BBQ, a fairly large building with an outdoor patio. The building really opens up once you get inside.
You’ve got the bar to the right, and the music stage to the left. Perfect for bands to play on a Friday night, I’m sure.
If you’ve read any of my barbecue blogs, you know how important BBQ sauce is to me. While quality is of the utmost importance to me when it comes to the sauces, the quantity is usually what I desire more of. Here, there is no shortage of sauces.
House Spicy, Carolina Gold, Blueberry Shiner, Whiskey Kiss, Memphis Sweet and the original sauces. We tried them all.
Our favorites? It’s hard to choose. But I can give you our top 3.
1: Blueberry Shiner
2: Memphis Sweet
3: Carolina Gold
But we need some food to put these sauces on, right? Let’s dive in.
To start the meal, we ordered the bacon mac n cheese bites. It’s hard to go wrong with bacon and cheese. This is no different. A delicious appetizer and an amazing choice.
For me, you know what it is… ribs! I had my choice between St. Louis style and baby back ribs. 9/10 times I’d choose St. Louis, but it was recommended I try the baby back. So that’s what I did! The ribs are meaty, tender, full of flavor and topped with the original BBQ sauce. For sides, I went with the steak fries and Cowboy Beans. The fries were really good, but the Cowboy Beans stole the show. There was a sweetness to them, along with ground beef spread throughout.
Rachel ordered the Prairie Fire handheld, a brisket sandwich topped with cheese sauce and jalapenos. She then spread some of the Memphis Sweet on top, which was a good mix. She loved it! “It was fire,” to quote Rachel Sheehan.
Bennett went with the chicken tenders and fries kids’ meal, but his favorite part of the meal was my cornbread. Which I don’t think I ever got to try! Haha.
Co-owners and spouses Lisa and Dave Scott were phenomenal hosts, and we really enjoyed speaking with them and getting to know them. They should be proud of the fantastic restaurant they’ve put together, featuring many longtime family recipes.
Stringtown BBQ is gearing up for its “Gatorfest” on Sunday, May 4th. After a HUGE turnout for their inaugural Gatorfest, it’s coming back to Washburn! Dave tells me they sold out of the one gator they had, with cars lined up down IL-89 and everyone packed into the restaurant as well.
This year? He’s ordered four gators to make sure there’s plenty to go around. I’ve had gator before. I really like it! And yes, to say the most cliche line about eating different meats, “it tastes like chicken.” But really, it’s delicious.
What Illinois BBQ restaurant should we visit next? Drop a comment below or comment on my Facebook page, Matt Sheehan TV and let me know.
(McHenry, Illinois) — If you’re looking for a Midwestern getaway, here’s an article for you.
Maybe you’re in Chicago and are looking to get out of the city for a little, hopefully this spurs on some ideas for your next weekend adventure.
We were home-based in McHenry, but through this article we’ll stop by Volo and Crystal Lake, Illinois as well. As usual, we’ll go through our trip in chronological order to help you build out your travel itinerary.
We never imagined taking our kids to a salt cave to play. Our minds have definitely been opened now, though. Get Salty Skincare Studio is a great place for mom or dad to get pampered for a while. It includes treatments like massage, an infrared sauna bed, O2 therapy, facials and more. While when you have a kid who absolutely LOVES sand (or in this case, salt), the salt cave is perfect for them. I experienced the sauna bed, which I loved. I got introduced to red light therapy in Scottsdale and enjoy that quite a bit. Rachel relaxed (as much as possible) during the O2 therapy. Bennett got curious and wanted to sit on her lap! The salt cave has healing properties too. It’s actually commonly used for families whose kiddos have a cold! Very fun and unique.
If there was a way to measure deliciousness of desserts, SweetPeas Emporium would definitely win international awards. This cute sweet treets shop in McHenry is full of specialty cookies, chocolates, candies and more. It’s adorably decorated and should be featured in a Hallmark movie. We have dreams about these treats! Especially the cookies topped with Hershey’s bars and salt and the cream & sprinkles-filled sugar cookies!
Have you ever had your breakfast delivered to you by train? I hadn’t. Until now! Windhill Pancake Parlor knows how to do it right with the seasonal themes. We came in early March, so St. Patrick’s Day and Easter were all around us! But the star of the show was the train circling the tracks, bringing your coffee and food out. My toddler loved this so much. Every time the train came he got so excited. Perfect place for families to visit, and the food is amazing! If your kiddo is a Mickey Mouse fan, get the Mickey pancake!
If you’re a movie buff, superhero fan, or just like cool cars – the Volo Museum is for you. Many of you know that Batman is my favorite character of all-time, so being able to see multiple Batmobiles made my day. But there’s so much more! There are five showrooms throughout the property where you can see all kinds of cars. Many of which were used in movies, or movies drew inspiration from them. The Terminator and Ford vs. Ferrari just being two examples. Bennett is a huge Lightning McQueen fan! So getting to see him and Mater made his day.
If you’re looking to continue your fun-filled day – why not just stay on the property and check out Jurassic Gardens? This interactive dinosaur exhibit takes you past all kinds of dinosaur animatronics, with great photo ops and chances to learn for kids. At the end (for just $5) I had a machine make Bennett a Brontosaurus! This is now one of his favorite toys and he takes it everywhere.
More commonly known on the East coast, Rita’s offers amazing Italian ice and frozen custard. Let’s be clear, frozen custard is very different (and superior, in my opinion) to ice cream! So anytime you can try some frozen custard, you should! I loved the ways you can fix the Italian ice with custard here. We tried the Sour Punch Kids watermelon and cotton candy Gelatis, along with a cookies n cream Blendini with cookie dough bits. Cathy works very hard to make these flavors fresh every day!
Arguably the trendiest spot in our visit, is Whiskey Diablo! A fresh take on Mexican cuisine can be found here, including the queso trio, tortas, the Diablo bowl and specialty margaritas. The top left photo is the hallway leading to the bathrooms, which I thought was so cool haha. Plus say “step aside” to the regular seating options (if you want) and choose the swing seats located by the windows! Also, you can get Crème brûlée served in a pineapple! How crazy is that? It’s not crazy, it’s delicious!
When you have an adventurous toddler, you take every chance you can get to go to a trampoline park. I swear he would stay here all day if you let him. We headed to Urban Air in Crystal Lake! While it was snowy and windy outside, we had an absolute blast inside. From trampolines, a ball pit, a ropes course, slides and more – Urban Air was so much fun. Yes, daddy had to dust off the basketball “skills” a little and slam dunk a couple of times. Bennett cheered for me after. The photo shows me dunking on the lower hoop, but was able to dunk on the higher hoop as well. Just saying!
I would love to see one of these Treehouse Play Cafes open in Peoria. There were so many kids and families having a blast, I think it would do so well. We are currently loving the idea of play cafes! Your kids get to play, and you get to drink coffee? What a deal! Remote workers can bring their laptops and work while their kids play, and it’s so much fun. Slides, obstacle courses and even a 3 and under section for the little kiddos are available here.
Right next to a “finger” of the Fox River is D.C. Cobbs. Known for its burgers, brews, appetizers and more – we really enjoyed our visit here. I ordered The Peasley which has corn salsa, chorizo and pepper jack cheese on top, along with a Cajun spice blend. Of course we had to try the cheese curds for an appetizer, as well as the mozzarella wedges which are delicious.
It was a 3-hour drive from Peoria to McHenry, so this is a great weekend getaway option for central Illinois families! It’s just over an hour away from downtown Chicago, as well.
We had so much fun and hope you enjoyed the list! What did we miss? Let me know in the comments or on social media.
(ARIZONA, USA) — We experienced a few “firsts” in our February 2025 trip to Arizona.
First time traveling as a family of four. It was my first time ever visiting Arizona, and it was also Mattie’s first time flying in a plane.
We managed to do so much during our 5-night stay, everything mostly* based in Phoenix and Scottsdale! Before we dive in to everything there is to do and see (which I feel like we barely scratched the surface) – let me just say that February is the perfect time to visit. When we left St. Louis, we had been dealing with subzero Midwest winter temps and snow. When we landed in Phoenix, we were greeted by lows in the 50s and highs in the mid-80s. A ton of sunshine, no rain or snow in sight, it was absolutely amazing.
This trip is up there now as one of my all-time favorite trips. Now, let’s get into it!
Where to stay:
First things first, you’re going to need a place to rest your heads after a fun, long day in the desert. But one of the fascinating things about Phoenix & Scottsdale is the great amount of resorts in the area. It’s hard to choose there’s so many! Well, we stayed at two during our time, and we absolutely loved them both. The great thing about resorts, is if you’re really not looking to drive much, maybe you want a relaxing day at the pool, you don’t even need to leave where you’re at! Let’s start with where we started our resort stays.
This mountainside resort boasts 7 pools, 3 restaurants, a nearby golf course and spa. For breakfast, you can start your day at Pointe in Tyme, a buffet located near the main building.
I know we’ve been dealing with the Midwestern winter, where maybe the fruit isn’t that great up in Illinois. But the fresh fruit here was spectacular. And there was so much of it! When you’re a parent of a toddler like me, you know this is an amazing start. My kid loved the strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. And we wanted more! You can get a freshly-made omelet from the omelet station, as well as waffles, potatoes, eggs, sausage, bacon and more.
Located at the main building is Tocaloma Spa, a relaxing getaway from the hustle and bustle of life. This is a great way to decompress after a travel day, get out of the sun for an hour, and just relax.
We stayed in the Signature Suite, which was extremely spacious and comfortable. With a king-sized bed and patio, the sleeping area also has its own bathroom, closets, chairs and shower attached. But what you don’t see is the foyer by the entrance, which has a fireplace, TV, two couches, multiple chairs and tables for sitting or working. There’s also a private bar attached to the front room, along with another bathroom and closet.
Dinner and drinks overlooking Phoenix? Sign me up! This was one of the coolest restaurant/bar experiences I’ve ever had. A very stylish, elegant restaurant inside is coupled with some of the best views of the City just outside. The perfect place to gather with friends or go on a date. And the drinks were amazing!
Finish your day with an evening swim in the family pool. Located in the center of the main Tapatio Cliffs building, this heated pool is a great place to take your kids (it’s a great way to wear them out, too!) This is just one of the many beautiful pools at the resort.
We miss Tapatio Cliffs already, and can’t wait to be back one day!
Moving about 13 miles southeast lies the exquisite Scottsdale Resort & Spa. Located in the McCormick Ranch area, is a AAA Four-Diamond resort. The resort and grounds are stunning, the pool is a relaxing oasis, and there’s plenty to do on-site. This includes multiple restaurants, one being a hidden speakeasy, a spa, fitness center and more. There was live music playing as well as plenty of outdoor seating areas perfect for dining.
We loved the pool! Which had a poolside bar & restaurant, Barnaby’s. My kiddos loved it too, as you can see them taking a snooze in the shade.
The grounds at night are spectacular.
Let’s move on next to things to do for families in the area. We’ll go in chronological order of how our schedule went.
The Arizona Science Center is a MASSIVE space. It’s packed with interactive exhibits, a movie theater, learning experiences, science labs and more on four stories!
Bennett was wearing his “dinosaur excavation team” shirt to ASC so of course he loved seeing this long neck in the lobby.
I can give credit to the Arizona Science Center for making Bennett fall in love with sand pits. Theirs is quite large compared to a few others I’ve seen, and it allows kids to run their hands through the sand while the land or sea moves with them. We have since purchased a sand kit to have at home with us.
The fourth floor might have been our favorite. There’s an outdoor area with musical instruments, grassy seats and beautiful views. We spent a lot of time up here. And it was the perfect day for it! Here’s Bennett playing on a xylophone.
If you’re more on the adventurous side, you can ride the SkyCycle!
Here I am on the second floor of the ASC. You get all harnessed in, and then you take a ride! So much fun.
This was a fantastic time for my toddler, but honestly it would be just as much fun with older kids. There was a lot of things geared towards grade-school-aged children, where I think they’d learn a lot of things and have a blast!
We visited Arizona’s largest aquarium, located in the Scottsdale AZ Boardwalk! OdySea has the absolute coolest bathroom I’ve ever seen. Where the mirror would be, you’re looking into a shark tank! We had so much fun at OdySea seeing the sharks, jellyfish, penguins, otters and more. Some of the best parts were the interactive activities available. There’s an “underground submarine” where you sit in chairs that rotate you through four different scenes. Each scene is a tank full of water and sea creatures. One tank has sharks, another has sea turtles, then there are sea lions! It’s super fun. There’s also an escalator you can ride down that goes underneath a fish tank. I even did a virtual reality deep sea dive seeing a digital squid. Very cool!
If you’re going to visit the desert, you have to immerse yourself a little, right? A controlled way to do that (especially with toddlers) is by visiting the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. With unique sculptures and a ton of cacti, there’s something new around every corner. Bennett absolutely loved pointing to EVERY cactus and saying “cactus a little pointy…” He cracks me up. This is a great way to get outside and enjoy some fresh air.
It’s not everyday you get to visit a place that has a zoo, aquarium and safari park all in one! Welcome to Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield, Arizona. It was roughly a 40-minute drive for us out of Phoenix to get here, and it was absolutely worth the drive. We got up close and personal with zebras and giraffes, even feeding a tall, hungry giraffe! Bennett loved it. Bennett also made friends with the albino alligator as you can see above. The area was so spacious and you felt very immersed in the environment at Wildlife World Zoo. In the bottom left photo, you see a lot of tall trees surrounded by water. There were a lot of these areas, which had different types of monkeys hanging around. So cool!
A place your kids can play while you enjoy a coffee? Sounds like the perfect recipe. You can experience this at the Little Play Avenue in Phoenix, an adorable play cafe that offers a clean, fun atmosphere for kids to enjoy. The staff was so kind to Bennett and played with him during our visit. We loved it here!
Located in the AZ Boardwalk, the same area as OdySea Aquarium, lies Pangaea Land of the Dinosaurs. Dinos are definitely “in” for Bennett right now. He’s obsessed. And he absolutely loved walking through Pangaea and seeing all the different dinosaur animatronics. There’s a really fun part towards the end where it lets you and your kids excavate for dinosaur fossils, and dig for dinos in the rocks. Such a fun time!
#7: Hike to Hole in the Rock! (Papago Park, Phoenix)
This free, somewhat easy hike is right by the Desert Botanical Garden and Phoenix Zoo. If you’ve got toddlers, I’d recommend wearing them in a hiking carrier on your back, or taking your time going up and down the hill. It’s really not steep at all, but you are literally walking on a rocky surface the entire time. There are great views at the top, but there were a decent amount of people at the hole, which made my photos not as great as I expected. But that’s OK! The hike is very accessible. You can park right downhill from the Hole in the Rock and walk right up to it. You circle around the rock for a few minutes before heading up some man-made stairs. Then you walk up a little more and are at the hole!
Located nearby the Scottsdale Resort & Spa is Redefine Wellness and Treatment. This recently-opened wellness center is a great opportunity for a parent to get away for just a little to decompress and become rejuvenated. I experienced red light therapy here, which was the first time I had ever done it! I really enjoyed it. The building was extremely clean, professional and welcoming. They offer things like group therapy, yoga, mental health healing and more. It’s really focused on improving your wellbeing, healing from trauma, and improving your overall health.
It’s not everyday you see a massive dragon mural! But at George and Dragon in Phoenix, you can!
The English Pub has award-winning fish and chips which were delicious. It also serves the Wrexham Lager from the Wales-based Wrexham AFC (owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney). Awesome vibes and a fun atmosphere! Perfect for watching a football (soccer) match.
As mentioned earlier, delicious fruit, omelets, waffles and more headline this menu. It’s a super cool atmosphere inside the restaurant as well, with comfortable booths perfect for families or groups of friends.
The place I first saw John Cena! Short story time here, I was living in San Diego, California in summer 2015. I was surfing one afternoon in Mission Beach when one of my friends told me John Cena was at Better Buzz filming a TV show he was currently in. I have always been a big WWE fan so I dropped my board by my friend (who was reading a book on the beach) and ran to Better Buzz. With my wetsuit not even covering my chest, I walked into the coffee shop to see what was going on. I probably looked crazy, but it was worth it! Anyways, we enjoyed going through the drive thru and getting our drinks on the way to our next activity.
Serving homemade Mexican food across Arizona, we really enjoyed our visit to Someburros. This location on 7th street was very conveniently located, nearby our resort and other activities we were going. I absolutely loved the mini chimis I got, while my wife enjoyed the pollo fundido. Someburros is “toddler approved,” with Bennett munching down on some quesadillas, rice and beans. He also tried horchata for the first time! Which he loved.
Where rustic lodge meets the desert. Meet Tavern Grille Scottsdale. With a lineup of juicy burgers, chicken wings and lettuce wraps, we had a fantastic time here. I tried the Scottsdale Blonde by Huss Brewing, an Arizona brewery. It was amazing!
These might be the best views of Phoenix. Different Pointe of View is at the top of the mountain overlooking the city, and it’s absolutely stunning. Delicious cocktails headline the drinks menu, along with exquisite food options and dessert. I came for late night drinks and took some dessert back to the room for Rachel and I. Make sure if you’re staying on property to get a shuttle to take you here! I walked up the mountain to get here and was definitely out of breath once I reached the top. But it was totally worth it. One of the coolest restaurant/bar experiences I’ve ever had.
I think I can confidently say Prep & Pastry is one of the most aesthetically pleasing restaurants I’ve ever been to. And their pastries? I need them delivered to my house ASAP. We got a red velvet “dossant” (donut/croissant crossover) and a Crème brûlée donut. I have dreams about these. Rachel got the chicken and waffles and I went with a Southwest Croissant Sammie. The signature coffees were also delicious. I think we need one of these in Illinois… like yesterday!
Luckily for us, the weather was literally perfect in late February during our visit. However, if it gets a little too warm for you, Gertrude’s at the Desert Botanical Garden is a great place to sit down and unwind. With signature cocktails, delicious appetizers and specialty desserts, you can relax in shaded, covered seating outside or enjoy a meal indoors. Highly recommend the cauliflower and shishito.
Is this the most unique coffee spot in Phoenix? I think it might be. Check out Trolley Car Coffee Co. A place you can grab caffeinated beverages like teas and coffees (including frappes!!) and the service is great. I got to see them make a few things inside the trolley. Head on over to my Instagram @themattsheehan to check out my reel with them!
Barbecue and a shark tank? What else could you possibly need? Maybe one thing…
Flamingos. You can either enjoy some BBQ ribs inside with the sharks, or on the outdoor patio with flamingos. We went with the sharks! I got the “brontosaurus beef ribs” which were fantastic. Bennett loved chowing down on his chicken tenders, fries and mac n cheese. The BBQ sauces are great as well!
We love a good, trendy breakfast spot. And Phoenix has plenty of them! Introducing Crepes Churros and More. A great place for blended drinks and breakfast food. We got a sweet crepe, savory crepe and waffle that were all delicious. You can see my beautiful wife and kids taking advantage of the adorable backdrop located inside.
Taqueria Obregon is owned by the same people who run Crepes Churros and More. This spot takes Taco Tuesday to the next level! Delicious tacos, bacon-wrapped burritos and queso fundido are all on the menu. Plus there’s a great toppings bar located in the middle of the restaurant. Some of the best food I had on the trip!
We were too stuffed from lunch to even think about getting food, but Barnaby’s at the Scottsdale Resort & Spa pool had some amazing frozen drinks. The piña colada hit the spot!
In-room dining, especially when it’s fresh, is the best. And that’s what we got from La Fogata at Scottsdale Resort & Spa. Pancakes, sausage, fingerling potatoes and eggs hit the spot and gave us the energy we needed for the day!
On our final night of the trip, we enjoyed Birdcall restaurant near our resort. The food was great! Fries, tots and chicken were all on point. Oh and you can’t forget the cookies n cream milkshake. Yum. But I think the highlight was the kids’ activities they had in the store! A train track was in the “toddler area” while a few arcade games were near the soda fountains. Bennett was absolutely in love and was playing with the trains until we got our food, and then again after! Such a cool concept, and on behalf of toddler parents – we thank you!
It will always be hard to top two trips for me. First, Rachel and I’s honeymoon to Cancun, Mexico. Second, my trip to Ireland with my dad and brother.
However, this trip to Phoenix is absolutely at the top of both Rachel and I’s lists in terms of places we visited. I think a huge part of that is because all that we did! We are a very “go go go” family, and so I think visiting the different attractions, eating at a lot of local restaurants, and staying at two different resorts really worked for us. If you’re not that way, it would be easy to just relax at your resort and soak up the time there!
I hope this article helps give you some ideas for your next Phoenix/Scottsdale trip.
Did I miss any places? If so, let me know! Because I’m positive we’ll be coming back here soon.
(St. Louis, MO) — St. Louis is known for its world-famous barbecue. There’s a reason “St. Louis Style Ribs” are on BBQ menus around the world.
Now, you can experience flavors from around the world in St. Louis! Introducing Expat BBQ, by Niche Food Group.
Located in the City Foundry STL, Expat features three stories full of seating and space, including an outdoor patio on the third floor.
The slogan is “Well Traveled Barbecue,” and there’s good reason for that. Just look at the menu! You’ll see food inspiration from Brazil, Vietnam, Mexico, China and more, while still staying true to Midwestern BBQ.
We started off with the “Slay Tray,” a trio of delicious appetizers including Hot Wisconsin Cheese Curds, Jerk Chicken Wings and Spare BBQ ribs. The cheese curds should be submitted into an international cheese curds awards show, because they are absolutely amazing. Just on their own, they’re packed with flavor and not TOO hot. The perfect amount of kick. They are served with a mango habanero sauce, if you like things extra spicy.
Diving into the international flair, there’s the World Tour on the menu. This is a way to try many meats like lamb shoulder, pork shoulder, brisket, ribs and more. We personalized ours since we already tried the ribs, so we got lamb shoulder, pork shoulder and brisket!
With sides of jalapeño mac ‘n cheese, baked black beans, Texas toast, collard greens and fries – there are delicious sides for everyone. The brisket and jalapeño mac ‘n cheese were the stars of the show for us on this order.
Rachel and I are big dessert fans. So when the option came up to try Tiger’s Blood Shaved Ice and Pineapple Crisp, we were in!
With ice cream and brown sugar crumble laid on top, this was my kind of dessert. The pineapple was juicy and packed with flavor, while the brown sugar crumble gave the perfect texture to wrap it all together.
The MVP of desserts, though, was the Tiger’s Blood Kakigori. Served at the perfect consistency, the shaved ice is flavored with strawberry, watermelon, coconut and sweetened condensed milk. It’s so light, but packed with flavor to make it a refreshing dessert. This was perfect even when the temps were frigid outside, so I can see this being a huge hit when the warm weather returns! Grab a patio seat and enjoy!
The international-inspired atmosphere at Expat made me want to travel the world! The attention to detail makes the space feel exquisite, but the open space concept offers a welcoming breath. Plus, the staff were all amazing. Our server, Sarah, was very attentive to our orders and offered great insight into the different food options. Sarah did a wonderful job!
Zach, the General Manager, was also welcoming and knowledgeable. He did a great job on providing some history of the restaurant and the vision they’re working with. You can tell Zach is passionate about what he does, which includes providing a fantastic menu to customers. With a recent opening of fall 2024, Zach and his team are constantly looking for ways to improve and evolve the menu.
All in all, this was an extremely unique experience for Rachel and I. Plus, it was our first date night out since having Mattie in December! Thanks, grandparents!
Check out Expat at the City Foundry STL, located at 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO 63110.
(PEORIA, ILLINOIS) — It’s a new year. And I’ve got some extra time on my hands as I wrap up paternity leave, with my sweet angel baby just snoozing away.
I love to vision cast. I look at the world around me and constantly think about what improvements I think could be cool to see.
You might disagree with me, you might love my ideas! But as I did a few years ago, here is a list of 10 things I personally think could be beneficial to add to Peoria, Illinois.
1: Kids Play Cafe
This is a trendy concept seen in cities like St. Louis, Missouri and Phoenix, Arizona. It’s an affordable, public kids’ play zone that has a coffee shop/cafe inside of the building for the adults. This would be a great addition for families to experience, and allow both kids and adults to socialize in a fun atmosphere.
2: Raisin’ Cane’s
I’ve been saying this for years. Bring on Cane’s! Especially with the recent closures of other fast food chicken restaurants, bringing in a successful brand like Cane’s would be a good move.
3: More coffee options!
Did you know in the area of War Memorial and Big Hollow, that there are 3 Starbucks in roughly a quarter mile radius? There’s one right off War Memorial, one in Target, and one in Barnes and Noble. I’m not opposed to a Starbuck’s drink here and there, don’t get me wrong. But let’s get some variety! Not to add all the Dunkin’s in town. Supporting local shops like CxT, The Spot, Intuition and Zion are fantastic first options. But if we’re going to have a certain amount of chain-like coffee shops throughout the City, let’s add in Scooter’s, Caribou Coffee, Better Buzz and Dutch Bros just to name a few!
4: Skiing/sledding/tubing area
The closest places to go skiing are Rockford, Galena and St. Louis. That’s a 2-3 hour drive in the winter for those who love to ski, snowboard and tube. I’d love to see a “ski resort” type vibe come to Peoria, bringing more people to town during the cold months and giving our local residents a fun option.
5: Fun lodging options
With the closure of Sankoty Lakes in Spring Bay, I feel like a hole has been left in terms of really cool places to stay in the area. We’re lucky to have lodging at Wildlife Prairie Park which offers a super cool atmosphere, but central Illinois is a pretty wide area and could use some more options other than just hotels and Air BnBs.
6: Peoria City soccer stadium
Of course I’ve got to throw some love to Peoria City, our local USL League Two and Women’s Premier Soccer League franchises. Having our own stadium would be incredible! I envision the opportunity to host regional and statewide soccer tournaments, professional combines and other events year-round in a stadium like this.
7: A winery!
Whether it’s a downtown or Warehouse District brick and mortar, or someone taking over the property where Kickapoo Creek Winery was located, a winery in Peoria would be fun. Look at what Galena Cellars does in Galena, Illinois. Or Grafton Winery as well. They have both a rural winery and vineyard on the outskirts of town and a downtown wine bar and restaurant.
8: Some sort of amusement park
Waterparks and amusement parks are hard to come by. There’s a lot of upkeep, Peoria can have some harsh winters, so I understand the barriers that could arise. But I think in Peoria had something like Knight’s Action Park in Springfield or Raging Rivers in Grafton, Illinois – that could bring some people outside of our community in during the warmer months.
9: Frozen custard!
And I’m not talking Culver’s! While I do love me some Culver’s, something local would be fantastic! Frozen custard is a huge deal in St. Louis. You’ve got Ted Drewe’s, Fritz’s and Andy’s. Have one option in Peoria would be amazing.
10: Barbecue festival on the riverfront
To honor our local barbecue scene, let’s have a BBQ festival downtown on the riverfront. Paducah, Kentucky has a pretty solid festival from what I hear (I’m still trying to make it down for one). This would be a way for all the Central Illinois BBQ restaurants to showcase their products. I think we have plenty across the region to have a fantastic lineup.
11: An aquarium!
After visiting my college town, Springfield, Missouri, over the weekend – I had to add this to my list. The Wonders of Wildlife aquarium at Bass Pro Shops’ HQ is amazing. It’s so much fun for kids and families and is an amazing way for people to connect with nature and appreciate conservation. I could see something happening alongside the Peoria Riverfront Museum or Bass Pro here in East Peoria.
What do you think about my list? Do you have any other ideas? Drop me a comment on social media or on this article and let me know.
I think the last few years I’ve said the year prior was always the best of my life. There’s a continuing factor in that equation; being married to my beautiful wife, Rachel.
Our lives the last couple of years have been nothing less than whirlwinds, in a good way. We dated for 4 months, were engaged for 8, got married, and then she got pregnant 2 months later.
Fast forward to today, and a lot has grown. Let’s start in chronological order.
Ahead of the 2024 Peoria City soccer season, I was promoted to Vice President of the club. Heading into 2025, I’m entering my 3rd year with the team, and it’s been such a blast. I’m blessed to lead our efforts on social media, while building community relationships and strategic partnerships.
One day in the spring, I was sitting on the couch at our old apartment (we’ll get to that later). Bennett walked up to his daddy and handed me a big brother book while wearing a big brother shirt, marking only the 2nd time Rachel has seen me cry. The first being when she walked down the aisle at our wedding.
We were filled with so much joy that we would be bringing another life into the Sheehan household.
In May, the Peoria City USL League Two season started. On night one, we broke the attendance record at our home opener. The season was an absolute success, with Peoria hosting Chivas de Guadalajara U23 in the River City for a 4-day event in June. Peoria City ended up making the playoffs, and went all the way to the National Final. USL chose Peoria to host playoffs, five rounds straight. This was an economic boom for the area and helped bring pride into our local sports scene. While we fell short, losing 2-3 in the Final, the boys brought excitement and energy all season long. We are very proud of them.
In the fall, I began teaching Public Relations (PR) Writing at Bradley University. It’s a completely online class, which fits my schedule perfectly. I was asked to return in spring 2025, where I’m excited to continue teaching the future generation of marketing and public relations professionals the ropes.
I continue my time at OSF HealthCare, working full-time in Media Relations. I have the best boss I could ask for, and a fantastic team I love working with. I’ve been dedicated to finding stories that make a difference in our communities and engage with the consumers’ interest. A big part of my work has been working with national media outlets, which we’re off to a great start on.
This fall, we moved out of the apartment we’ve lived in for 3 years and bought a house! It feels great to really put roots down in Peoria, and we’re so happy we did. Before baby girl was born, I bought a car! We needed a size upgrade, and after months of research, I found one locally that really caught my eye. A “Hey babe, you alright if I go test drive this car?” Turned into “Hey babe, I bought a car!” all in one day. Whirlwinds, am I right?
Of course, the absolute highlight of the year has been welcoming our sweet angel, Mattie Marie, into the family. After showing up into the world 5 days past her due date, Mattie entered the world on December 23rd, just ahead of Christmas. Her mommy and daddy prayed tirelessly for her all nine months, and we’re so thankful she is here.
Travel has been a highlight of our year, as it usually is. In February, I had a partnership with Starved Rock Lodge and some surrounding restaurants, breweries and dessert shops to showcase LaSalle County. It’s always an amazing time at Starved Rock, and I was so excited to be able to write about our stay.
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In March, I took Rachel and Bennett on a birthday trip for mama to Sarasota, Florida. We had a blast, even though dad either got food poisoning one night, or a stomach bug (still not fully sure). Bennett loves the beach and it was a great time bonding as a family. The food highlight of the trip had to be at Brick’s Smoked Meats. You can read all about it here!
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Ahead of the Peoria City season in May, we traveled to Pine Mark Inn, located in St. Clair, Missouri. This was another fun partnership filled with fun, local activities we got to enjoy.
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In August, Rachel Bennett and I took my parents on a trip through Colorado. I say through, because we did quite a lot of driving! Flying into Denver, we then drove to Estes Park. After staying there a few days, we went south to Colorado Springs, enjoying Garden of the Gods and a nice dinner with my aunt and uncle.
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After the Springs, we headed south some more to Walsenburg, where we stayed at the Inn at Pennington Place. Following Walsenburg, we went even more south to Cuchara, a family-favorite, and stayed at Yellow Pine Guest Ranch. My family has been traveling to Cuchara for five generations now. It’s such a scenic place, filled with the beautiful outdoors. Life seems a little slower there.
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You may or may not know, but Rachel and I’s anniversary is October 16th. So for our anniversary, I took us on a little getaway to Southern Illinois. We stayed at Hartline Hill Cabin in Makanda, and visited a lot of local eateries, while going on hikes and visiting Giant City Lodge.
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Soon after Hartline Hill, we did an overnight at Wildlife Prairie Park! We rode the train, fed wolves and enjoyed the Prairie Stables. It’s nice to have such an awesome place so close to home.
Just a week later, I had a partnership in Galesburg, Illinois with the local tourism bureau. This partnership saw us staying at Dragonfly Lakes, a brand new glamping experience in the area. Once again, as you probably guessed, we partnered with local eateries, a children’s museum, an alpaca farm and more during our stay. Such an amazing time!
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After Galesburg, we really stopped any travel because Rachel was so far along in her pregnancy. But I’d count 2024 as a successful travel year! There are some exciting things in the works for 2025, don’t worry! Any suggestions on a place we should visit? Comment on this post or send me a message on social media.
I want to thank everyone who subscribes to this website and follows our journey on social media. We’re surrounded by some truly amazing people, and I’m honored to be able to do what I do.
We had a whirlwind Christmas. You could call this year the gift that keeps on giving, since we still have to celebrate with the other side of our family.
But the greatest gift of 2025 was the birth of our sweet daughter, Mattie Marie Sheehan.
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Her due date was supposed to be December 18th, but she must get her stubbornness from her daddy, as she wasn’t born until the 23rd. Which is actually perfect, because now every single year we get to have a 3-day “Christmas extravaganza,” starting with her birthday.
It was always important to Rachel and I that if we ever had kids in December, their birthdays would get their time to shine apart from Christmas. We were nervous, as we quickly approached Christmas and baby girl still wasn’t born yet. But now that she gets her own day, we have peace about the whole situation.
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Like her brother, Mattie was born at more than 8 pounds and 20 inches tall. Her head is in the 94th percentile, as Bennett’s was in the 99th percentile. We had an amazing experience at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. The staff was terrific, making Rachel feel cared for and safe the entire time.
During Bennett’s birth, the epidural did not work on Rachel. This was something we prayed for all 9 months of her pregnancy, that it would work during Mattie’s. And it did, praise God.
Yes, Mattie is named after me. But for the record, it wasn’t my idea. Rachel had this name in her mind (without telling me, of course) since when she was pregnant with Bennett. In case we had a girl, she loved the name Mattie. So here we are!
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Marie has a few meanings for us. It’s the middle name for Rachel’s grandmothers on both sides of the family, as well as the middle name of one of Rachel’s former residents at the Boulevard Senior Living in St. Charles, MO.
Velma, the resident, was a WWII veteran and was even honored at the Missouri Capitol for her service. She was amazing, and we were blessed to see her earlier this year before her passing. She was 104-years-old. Her and Bennett were BFFs.
Mattie looks exactly like Bennett when he was a baby. Her bright eyes are captivating, with a beautiful face and chubby cheeks.
We love our Mattie Marie so much, and are so joyful that she’s finally here.
Bennett has been an amazing big brother, saying “I love you, Mattie” and “goodnight, baby sis” every day. He’s very caring and protective of her, and I can’t wait to see their bond grow as time goes on.
It’s the perfect way to end 2024, and I pray you have a great rest of the year, too.
(GALESBURG, ILLINOIS) — In working in local TV news for five years, I traveled to Galesburg, Illinois for a handful of stories.
Fast forward to present day, and there are some other times I will go to the city in a professional setting. The only time I’ve really gone to the area for leisure was when I did my Illinois Winery Tour blog with Hidden Hills Winery, which was a great time!
This month, my family and I got the chance to experience the Galesburg area in a more fun setting, and we had a wonderful time! There are so many different places to eat, along with fun, family-friendly activities you can do while there. Let’s dive in to 8 things to do in and around Galesburg, Illinois.
While actually in Dahinda, Illinois – Dragonfly Lakes is a brand new glamping experience that’s perfect for those looking to connect with nature, while still preserving a luxurious cabin feel.
We stayed in Locust Landing #1 – which is a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom cabin on the upper level of the property. There are really two levels that curve around the lakes, which are all in view of the cabins. It appears a few cabins on the lower level are still getting the final touches, while the you’re able to stay in the upper level right now.
The exterior and interior of the cabins are magnificent. With a rustic luxury design, the timber-frame built cabins offer a cozy place to relax in after a busy day. We were provided fire wood and a fire starter kit for our firepit, which we used outside on the first night. I specify outside – because there is in fact a fireplace inside the cabin, which I did not try to start a fire in. Because, well, I have a 2-year-old. Enough said.
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With blackout curtains surrounding nearly every window, it provides a great sleep setting on the main floor, which I’ll call bedroom #1. This is where Bennett and Rachel slept, which I’ll get to why here in a second.
Bedroom #2 can only be reached through a pretty steep, 8-step ladder that connects the lower floor to the upper floor. These were my sleeping quarters. I say this not to criticize at all, because I had no problem going up and down the ladder – it made for some good exercise. But if you have young children, like I do, who want to climb the ladder – you have to have your guard up a little bit more than usual. When thinking through everything I wanted to write about in this article, it became apparent that that piece of information was important to share with families, or those who don’t do well with heights. There are some one bedroom cabin options, and the sleeping arrangements appear to be on the upper level there, as well.
Dragonfly Lakes has 400 acres of private property, with two lakes you can fish, kayak or canoe in. There are also private hiking trails that are well preserved. This walk was absolutely stunning when we went, having fall leaves everywhere.
The cabins are roughly 25 minutes outside of downtown Galesburg. We absolutely loved staying here, and I’m sure we’ll be back one day when the kids are a little bit older.
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Where to play:
On a mission to find family-friendly things to do in the Galesburg area, the Galesburg Tourism & Visitors Bureau helped us find just that.
I’ve heard about Discovery Depot many times from parents across Central Illinois. People will travel from Peoria to Galesburg just to visit children’s museum, and I now see why.
The museum is bustling with fun, sensory activities that are great for kids of all ages. For those with the little babies who are just crawling and climbing, there is a dedicated section on the first floor where they can play.
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Where to I begin with what kids can do here. There are all these exhibits in Discovery Depot where kids can let their imagination run free. In one section, you’ll have an ambulance and fire truck that kids can turn on the lights or hit the sirens.
In another section, there’s a grocery store where kids can pick fruits, vegetables and other items and “check out.” There’s a post office, veterinarian’s office, bank and much more. All places for kids to interact with things they probably see mom and dad doing in real life, they’re able to creatively experience all of it.
There’s also a dedicated room for craft projects! When we were there, kids were able to make towers out with wooden sticks and cranberries.
One of Bennett’s favorite things to do was sit in the John Deere combine. It’s a full exhibit you can sit multiple kids in and “drive” the combine over the corn stalks.
There are two levels to Discovery Depot. The lower level is what I just described. The upper level has a lot more science-based exhibits. Learn to interact with water in the WAVES section, which has water tables and much more. There is a climbing area that is perfect for the older kids, the Discovery Depot website says the museum is for kids 1-12.
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And don’t forget about the train car you can walk through right outside! You can see it in the photo above.
There is a science experiment room in the area as well, and ways to learn about air and wind. It’s a great way for kids to learn critical thinking and get hands-on experience with everyday things.
Talk about an amazing experience. Kathy at Heartland Criations Alpaca farm gave us a private tour of her Rio, Illinois farm.
If you’ve ever pet llamas and/or alpacas, you’ll know how friendly they are. They’ll walk right up to you and let you pet or feed them.
Kathy raises Suri Alpacas and sells alpaca products, while also traveling to trade shows around the country.
You can tour the farm, by appointment only. I’d recommend emailing Kathy at hcalpacas@yahoo.com or heading to hcalpacas.com.
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Where to eat:
What Rachel and I were pretty impressed by when driving through downtown Galesburg, were all the food options! It seemed all different streets downtown had new options, and we barely scratched the surface! But we did a pretty good job trying local spots, let’s start with dinner on Friday night.
Located on Seminary Street downtown, baked (yes, the “b” is lowercase) offers specialty pizzas and good vibes. And, the prices are very reasonable!
For Bennett, we got a smaller pepperoni pizza and milk.
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Then Rachel and I split what I’d consider a medium or large pizza, I believe we went with 12 inches, and did two different toppings. Half of the pizza was a spinach artichoke pizza, which I absolutely loved. I’m a big “spin dip” guy, and will eat artichokes with just about anything. The other half was the Pheasant Run, topped with pepperoni, green olives, chipotle, mozzarella cheese, garlic oil and red sauce.
I love olives, so that’s why Pheasant Run caught my eye. The variety of having spinach artichoke on one side and Pheasant Run on the other was a perfect match, in my opinion. You could go back and forth no problem, and the flavors balanced each other out very well.
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The walls are covered in chalk designs, which my kiddo loved. We had Bluey and Bingo from the show Bluey right by our table. baked also serves sodas with a frosted mason jar, nice touch there.
Now it’s time for your Saturday morning coffee. Head to downtown Galesburg and park in the free lot across Simmons Street, or just do street parking, and head in to The Beanhive.
A quaint coffee shop with good vibes, tasty coffee and delicious breakfast options – The Beanhive is a must-do if you’re downtown. The staff were extremely friendly, and it was absolutely clutch that they have a games corner and table. When Bennett got a little restless, I was able to take him over there where he was SO FOCUSED on all the games and toys.
I ordered an iced mocha, which was great. Rachel got a hot chocolate, and we all split a cinnamon roll, slice of quiche and a breakfast sandwich!
Welcome to Galesburg’s oldest restaurant! Decorated like a 50’s diner, Coney Island is known for their hot dogs. I got the Coney Island Dog, which is a hot dog with Coney sauce, brown mustard and onions on it (I got no onions).
Rachel got a cup of chili, which she said was really good! And Bennett got a plain hot dog. Miss Vickie’s chips are available with your meal and you can get bottles of soda, water etc. in fridges at the front of the store.
I was very pleased with my meal and the affordable price it offered. The brown mustard was a nice touch along with the Coney sauce.
Located on Simmons Street super close to The Beanhive, Iron Spike is located in a restored and converted central fire station. It’s now a 2-story, 10,000 square foot brewery and restaurant. Iron Spike is a great place for friends and family to gather, and it also was family-friendly. The high chair they had for Bennett was better than just about any other high chair around, and Britni our server was extremely friendly.
I ordered the Saturday night special, which consisted of a parmesan crusted ribeye, which sat on mashed potatoes. It was delicious, and honestly, the steak was better than some steaks I’ve had at actual steakhouses.
Rachel ordered the buffalo chicken salad and Bennett got a plate of mac n cheese off the kid’s menu. The mac n cheese was amazing. Rachel and I may or may not have eaten some of it as well. Bennett enjoyed some of the veggies that were served with Rachel’s meal as well. You can see the full menu here!
For my beer drinkers out there, I ordered the Light Rail cream ale. It was extremely smooth and matched the energy of classic American ales. It’s definitely on brand for the Galesburg area, which has plenty of trains rolling through and the Amtrak station, but it’s also extremely refreshing.
Judy’s Family Cafe has exploded on the social media scene, mostly because of its owner, Judy. She creates hilarious TikTok content which has gone viral, earning her coverage from Chicago TV stations as well as a New York Times article in September.
You may have seen Judy’s social media videos, claiming to have the best pancakes and offering a great sense of humor. I never pass up watching a Judy’s Family Cafe video. But these quick videos, maybe 30 seconds or less, are prime advertising for her restaurant. People are traveling to Galesburg, Illinois just to stop at Judy’s and get the pancakes. When you can hop on the Amtrak from Chicago to Galesburg and see one of your favorite TikTok creators, why wouldn’t you?
Well, her advertising worked on me – because I ordered the pancakes.
I ordered the Sweet Stack, which is two pancakes topped with whipped cream, blueberries and strawberries. You can also order the Sweet Stack, except switch pancakes for French toast. But why would you do that?
The pancakes were really good, I have to admit. Rachel ordered the Cinnamon Toast Crunch French toast, which she loved, and Bennett got pancakes and sausage links. The links were nice and crispy, which was a good change of pace. Judy’s was VERY busy. The parking lot was packed and we had to park around the corner on street parking, which was fine. It turned out to be a beautiful walk on a nice fall day.
It was a packed weekend for my family and I, and I have to say thank you to Randy and Experience Galesburg for setting up such a fun weekend away.
It’s so close to Peoria (40ish minutes), which makes for a nice and easy drive down westbound I-74. I’m sure there’s much more to do and see in Galesburg, and we’re looking forward to coming back one day to see what that is!
I hope you enjoyed hearing about our weekend getaway, let me know if there are any places on your list I missed!
Matt Sheehan Official 