Wine and Spirits Travel

I was looking for someplace not too far to go for a last-minute trip. I had never been to Rockford, Illinois, and a quick look at the tourism website showed me there was a lot to do there. After getting in touch with Andrea Cook, the CVB’s Associate Director of Marketing & Communications, I found out there was more than I ever imagined. Andrea put together a great itinerary for Brittany, Amanda, and me. It had the right amount of adventure for them and accessible and enjoyable things for me. We also had a big selection of restaurants to try out together. Our home for the weekend was the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center.   The location was central to the places we were visiting, and our room was big for a standard hotel room. We had lunch at Mary’s Market Café & Bakery . The description is in the name as there was plenty to chose from. Everything there was made from scratch, including a variety of breads, and used mostly local ingredients. The sa

Brittany and I were heading to Chicago for a quick getaway. We had an early morning adventure with the team at Shedd Aquarium so decided to stay over the night before. I had never stayed at the Fairmont Chicago before and was excited when they decided to host me. It is a luxurious hotel in an ideal location, overlooking Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. As someone with allergies, I also loved the idea of their “Pure Room,” which are hypoallergenic, using sanitizing technologies to improve the air quality. Our room was great, and we enjoyed dinner and cocktails at The Bar, the hotel’s lounge. In the morning, we headed to the Kayak Chicago location. It was a beautiful day for a trip on the Chicago River and I was a bit jealous that I was not longer able to do anything like that. I did get to watch and photograph, as Brittany learned about the Kayak for Conservation program through the Shedd Aquarium. This was just introduced in 2018 and is rapidly exp

I have always enjoyed trips initiated by a resort. This has been especially true since I’ve been dealing with health issues and don’t do a lot of walking. I can bring my scooter into the place and use it wherever needed – without having to worry to get me (and it) in and out of the car. Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee, Illinois , is made for those of us who like an all-inclusive experience in one place. There is never a need to get into your car, whether it’s Band-Aids, lunch, or activities you are looking for. A lot of the experience at the Illinois Great Wolf Lodge is about bringing the outside in – with the exception of the weather. The outdoorsy experiences and décor make you forget that you are inside a resort. After a hearty breakfast, Brittany, Kyler, Shaun and I toured the lodge, checking out the various suites (they have ones that are even big enough for 12) with the management and those from the public relations firm. Then we were off on our own. We

When I first received an email about Ravinia , I have to confess that I had no idea what it was. I had heard of it, but didn’t think of it beyond being a venue in Chicagoland. I was certainly wrong about that. Ravinia is actually the longest running outdoor music festival in North America.  Unlike what you would normally expect from a “festival,” this one lasts for four months and has been taking place for over 50 years. It is also non-profit. Each year, from June-September, Ravinia Festival schedules 140 musical performances, from classical to rock.  Among those for 2018 are Diana Ross , Tony Bennett, and Seal. My friend and photographer, Brittany, and I went through the schedule to decide which event would work best for us.  We decided on the concert with ZZ Top and John Fogerty, neither of which we had ever seen. We drove to see the event. I was not feeling my best and was immediately impressed with their complimentary and easy to find handica

I go to New York every few months to visit family and friends. I almost always fly, but my friend Lynn suggest she drive back with me and spend some time in Illinois. I had recently received an invite to check out the new Hotel LeVeque in Columbus, Ohio, and decided it was a perfect place to stop. Hotel LeVeque , part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, was opened in the Leveque Lincoln Tower in downtown Columbus. The history of the 100-year-old building has been preserved, and even improved since the opening added additional artwork to the marbled historic building. We arrived late in the evening. The hotel does not have a full restaurant open yet, but we decided to check out The Keep Liquor Bar. It’s a very welcoming area, with leather couches and soft lighting. It has delicate touches with go perfectly with the hotel’s décor. They don’t have a full menu, but the bar menu was inviting.  We decided to share the Watermelon Goat Cheese Arugula Sal