Things to Do

Over 25 of the state's best wineries and meadiers will converge on the picturesque Mathiessen State Park, this Saturday and Sunday, for the annual Vintage Illinois Wine Fest. Here's everything you need to know before making the trip out to Starved Rock Country.Now in it's 16th ye…

Here's your offical SRC guide to some of the best golf courses near Starved Rock State Park! Scroll down to see a full list:Course List:Anderson Fields Golf Course: Chapel Hill Golf Course: Dayton Ridge Golf Course: Dwight Country Club: Earlville Golf Club: The Eastwood Golf Cour…

Red Dog Grill's Bike-a-Rita, back for a third time, gives visitors a chance to sample the scenery of Starved Rock Country, as well as some delcious drinks.Head to Heritage Harbor’s Red Dog Grill this Saturday for a group bike ride to Buffalo Rock State Park! This 15-mile round tr…

They tried to keep a low profile, said construction company owner and downtown building owner and renovator Mike Bird.But the crew and antiq…

Nestled along the Nettle Creek, about a half-hour drive to the east of Starved Rock State Park, you'll find one of the area's best kept secrets, the Nettle Creek Lavender Farm.Established formally in 2012, the Nettle Creek Lavender Farm is a full-fledged botanical wonderland. Thi…

The Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center provides water cruises with unbeatable views of the Illinois River and Starved Rock's majestic sandstone bluffs. This fascinating group tour is peppered with historical and geological facts, as well as excellent birding opportunities. …

Awesome Ottawa Tours is providing a fascinating, and unvarnished, look at the history of Starved Rock Country. Join SRC Magazine contributor Annette Barr as she takes one of these guided trips through Ottawa's 'long-forgotten' cemeteries.Just past the La Salle County Nursing Home…

If you know where to look, you can drive along the same High Prairie Trail that stagecoaches used to travel between Chicago and Ottawa.Originally known as the Potowatomi Trace, the 85-mile route was formally established in 1831. At the time, stagecoach connections were key for tr…

In September 2014, the Marseilles Tourism and Parks Committee members decided to create a new event, something that would be fun for the entire family. Since all of the members had been to Renaissance fairs and enjoyed them, everyone thought the idea could work.

Located in beautiful downtown Ottawa, just a short drive to the east from Starved Rock State Park, you'll find Rock Paper Scissors, the area's premier family-friendly shopping destination.Rock Paper Scissors specializes in toys, early reader books, games and puzzles. Housed in a …

Driving down a rural blacktop road in Bureau County, one outbuilding begins to look similar to the next as they cluster from farm to farm until suddenly a kaleidoscope of geometric shapes and colors nearly pop off of a red barn, highlighted by the bright blue afternoon sky.It's t…