The days are starting to get a little shorter, kids are getting ready to go back to school and pumpkin spice lattes have made their return. It’s Labor Day weekend and most of us are trying to squeeze in the last little bit of summer before fall officially arrives. I’ve been quite busy this month on the travel front getting away twice, once to visit family and the other a closer to home weekend getaway. Let’s take a look at what I did this August.
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Illinois and Wisconsin
I have a lot of extended family in Richmond, Illinois, a tiny town north of Chicago along the Illinois/Wisconsin border. I spent several wonderful days with aunts,uncles and cousins who I don’t get to see nearly enough. This is where my mom was born, raised and now lays in rest; and while I’ve never lived here myself it always feels like home.
Being the midwest there are of course rows of corn but northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin are also home rolling prairies, countless lakes and some of the most genuinely nice people I’ve ever met. While I was here we took a few day trips; the first was up to Lake Geneva, one of the most beautiful lake towns in the country IMHO. This 23 mile lake is lined with grand mansions that Chicago’s elite use as summer homes (which you can view on a steamboat tour )but the town of Lake Geneva is filled with cute shops, restaurants and everything you need for good old-fashioned summer fun.
We also took a day trip down to Chicago. A gaggle of my family members took the commuter train down to take an architectural river cruise through Chicago. The boat tour, led by Shoreline Sightseeing, leaves from the Navy Pier and winds through downtown Chicago for 1.5 hours touching on the history of Chicago and some of it’s most famous skyscrapers. Our group included toddlers, teens and grandparents and this cruise was a hit with everyone.
Roanoke and Virginia’s Blue Ridge
Just a few weeks later I was on the road again, this time with Steve in tow for a weekend road trip to Roanoke. This was a part of Virginia we hadn’t visited yet and I’m definitely glad we fixed that. I’ll have a post coming up soon about all of the fun we had, but just know that with all the outdoor adventure available in the Blue Ridge Mountains and a great food and craft beer scene in town Roanoke is our kind of place.
Things I’m Loving
This smoked potato salad is the perfect side for your weekend cookout.
My friends at 2 Travel Dads took a road trip through Montana that makes me want to head out west.
Athleta is offering an extra 20% off sale items on Labor Day, Spetember 2 only.
Andi says
I was in Montana in July and I say go, go, go! It is beautiful!
Patricija says
So many awesome adventures 🙂 And that cap is so cute! 😀