3 Days of
S R O O D T U O E ADVENinTUtheRElgin Area & Visitors Bureau By the Elgin Area Convention
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all is in the air! It is time to grab an apple cider donut and explore the great outdoors. Treat your family to a weekend exploring the Elgin Area while checking items off of your fall bucket list.
¢ Day 1
Start your adventure by checking into one of the Elgin Area hotels listed at www.ExploreElginArea. com. Once checked in and ready to begin your outdoor adventure, head to one of the farms that offer fall activities all season long. Goebbert’s Farm in Pingree Grove offers a full day of family activities, including apple picking and feeding a pumpkin dinosaur! Then hand-pick from the field a perfect pumpkin for your front porch at the family-run Enjoy Pioneer Farm in Hampshire.
Fam mily Fun
Next, we recommend adults stopping by Plank Road Tap Room. This award-winning tap room is located just outside urban Elgin and hosts one of the largest beer gardens in all of Chicagoland. Stop by to try a local brew and something tasty from the food
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truck rotation. Also known for hosting bands and events, it’s a great place for adults looking to spend time in a comfortable, laid-back outdoor setting with amazing amenities and services. If you’re looking for a more family-friendly afternoon meal, we recommend visiting Old Republic Kitchen & Bar. This restaurant features a great outdoor dining experience and food to match. After your meal, head over to one of the nearby forest preserves, like the Hampshire Forest Preserve or the Burnidge Forest Preserve. Here you can enjoy nature in a more peaceful and relaxing setting for activities like reading, drawing or meditation. These preserves also provide large fields for activities like Frisbee and playing catch.
¢ Day 2
To begin Day 2, enjoy the morning at Lords Park. Here you can walk along the nature paths, visit the historic Lords Park Pavilion and see the bison at Lords Park Zoo. There is also Wing Park, home to the oldest municipal owned, nine-hole golf course! The main activity for Day 2 is to enjoy the leaves
changing along the Fox River Trail. Running through South Elgin, Elgin, East Dundee, Carpentersville and beyond is 40 miles of trail. Enjoy the trail by bike; you can rent from Carpentersville’s Main Street Bicycles, located right off the trail. From there you can head south to East Dundee, where you’ll find some great spots to stop for lunch right off the trail. Make your way to downtown Elgin, or even check out the brand-new Panton Mill Park in South Elgin.
¢ Day 3
First, check out of your hotel — now the day is yours to explore. Spend it doing a self-guided house tour of Elgin’s historic neighborhood districts or bird-watching at Jelke Creek Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary is dog-friendly, and deeper ponds are available for fishing. There’s also Bluff Spring Fen, where the spring water stays a constant 50 degrees, causing unique plants, endangered species and other unusual fauna to flourish. For an extra stop nearby, walk through historic Bluff City Cemetery to see intricate markers and mausoleums dating back to the 1800s.
Whatever your fall adventure is, the Elgin Area has plenty of outdoor spaces for you to explore. Plan your getaway at www.ExploreElginArea.com. NEIGHBORHOOD TOURIST
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