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Posts in Category: Illinois

Italian Fine Dining in Dixon, Illinois: Basil Tree Ristorante

Last night, Mike and I tried out a delicious, highly regarded new restaurant in Dixon, Illinois called Basil Tree Ristorante. One of the few fine dining restaurants in the area, we were eager to see what all the hype was about. Located in downtown Dixon near the Rock River, Basil Tree is situated ...

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Hiking with Blackhawk: Lowden State Park

Lowden State Park in Oregon, Illinois is most famous for its’ historic 50 foot tall, 100 ton Blackhawk statue. The impressive Blackhawk statue, which is dedicated to all Native Americans, stands as the world’s second largest concrete monolithic statue. We were able to get up close and ...

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Angelo’s: Great Local Italian Dining in Dixon, Illinois

Angelo’s is a local pizza/Italian restaurant with multiple local locations, including Sterling, Rock Falls, and Dixon. This family run business has been serving locals and visitors for over 50 years. Locals that have moved away continue to return time and time again for the comforting food ...

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A Tour of Ronald Reagan’s Boyhood Home in Dixon, Illinois

Dixon, Illinois is most famous for being the hometown location of 40th President, Ronald Reagan. The Reagan’s lived in the Dixon home for 3 years, between 1920-1923, making Ronald 9 at the time of move in. The house opened to the public in the mid 80’s. Tours of the Reagan house run ...

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Authentic Italian at Dixon’s Mama Ciminos!

Mama Cimino’s is a popular local Italian restaurant in Dixon, Illinois. They are particularly famous for their enormous 24 inch “Hurricane Pizza.” I have tried their pizza dozens of times; it’s fantastic, especially for a small town! Last night, I decided to dine in and try ...

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Arthur’s in Dixon, Illinois: A Local Favorite!

Arthur’s Garden Deli is a local cafe/sandwich shop known for serving comfort food favorites including: fresh sandwiches, various baked potato combinations, and fantastic daily soups. Arthur’s is definitely the place to go when visiting Dixon, IL. After touring the Reagan House, stop by ...

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Castle Rock State Park: Scenic Views of the Rock River

Castle Rock State Park is a 2000 acre park located on the Rock River, near the small town of Oregon, Illinois. The park is well known for its’ scenic overlook on top of Castle Rock, which provides fantastic views of the river. Castle Rock is made up of St. Peter sandstone, making it one of ...

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25 Fun Things to do in Chicago this Summer

Chicago is one of the best summer cities! There are so many events, festivals, and beautiful places to explore, making it the ideal summer destination city. Having once lived in Chicago for over 20 years, I have had plenty of summer adventures over the years. Whether you are in a mood for fitness, ...

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50 fun things to do this winter in Chicago!

Chicago is a wonderful city with endless opportunities for entertainment and recreation. Chicago’s world-class cultural attractions and amazing architecture are the standouts of this great city. Unfortunately, many tourists never consider Chicago to be a winter vacation destination due to ...

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Great Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks

I love ice skating during the winter months. It is fun, cheap, and a great workout! I even own 2 pairs of my own skates! I always keep my skates in the car in case I find a rink while out. There are all different types of rinks – park district rinks, city rinks, or […]

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