Ramsey State Park is an exquisite hidden gem in S.Central Illinois. Its beauty is comparable to any…read moreNational park with a perfect Lake, camping, horse park, playground and scenic hiking paths. You'll want to see the fall colors around the lake. It's spectacular. Food and beverages are available close by in small town of Ramsey. Large shopping options are 14-20 miles away in Pana, Vandalia and Hillsboro Illinois

Beautiful recreational facilities. Clean well mowed campsite and restrooms. The shower house is…read moreclean with hot water and hand dryers. The kids love riding their bikes on the paved roads. We've been coming here for years to camp

Great place to spend the day with the family. The nature center offers a visitors center with…read moreanimals, a library, lots of activities for kids and also a bird observation window. I love taking my dog and my stepdaughter for a free day of fun.

This a great place to rest and recreate. It is so peaceful and the volunteers are the most…read morefriendly. Come out and watch the birds,feed the fish or just count the trees.

Here for the annual Casey popcorn festival. A lot of fun - tons of vendors, food, vendors, and…read morepeople selling everything as typical with a town festival. Lots of free entertainment some pretty decent size acts and then just some locals. In addition, free popcorn for everyone. Rides and other activities. Takes place every year on Labor Day weekend.

This park is a good place to just relax for a little bit while traveling. There is a lot of big…read morethings to see in Casey, Ill, so it's nice to have a place like this where you can just chill. There is a lot of greenery, quite a few picnic areas, a playground, ponds (with ducks & geese), and restrooms in addition to sports fields. Moreover, there is an RV park as well with restrooms and showers. It's very pretty and there's lots of public parking.

It is a very nice park. The bathrooms were hard to find and they did not have paper towels but we…read morewere glad they had bathrooms! My child enjoyed the playground and we were able to bring my father who was in a wheelchair.

The best park in Mt Zion and Decatur area. Followed in second place by Forsyth. What makes this a…read morewinner is the amazing splash pad with a big bucket thing that tips heavy amounts of water on kids once it fills up. Situated in middle of corn field but lots of open space and a good breeze most days.

This is a wonderful gem of nature. The preserve has about six miles worth of trails that snake…read morethrough the trees and plains, over creeks and ponds. There are benches to sit on surrounding the small lake, a little pier for fishing. I've only visited in mid-May so far but there were plenty of beautiful wildflowers on the grounds. They've got a big old gravel parking lot with plenty of parking. When I visited last May I sat on one of the benches along side the huge pond for at least two hours, listening to all the different birds, watching for turtles, snakes (yeah, they've got water snakes), and frogs/toads. The little bench was partially shaded and the fresh air and gentle breeze lulled me into such peace. I can't wait to stop by again when I'm in town!!

This is not "Abe Lincoln", but his father "Thomas Lincoln". They were owned by Abraham Lincoln and…read moredeeded to his father Thomas. There's a museum which talks about the time/place when Thomas Lincoln lived here - takes about 45 minutes. There are groups where it is set up with buildings and farm animals of the Thomas' Lincoln's time. His grave is just down the road. A key part compares two farmers of the time period. One is a farmer from the area that was interested in farming for profit with the latest technology and Thomas Lincoln, who farmed for the purpose of being a self-sufficient farm owner. There is an example of the homes of each type of farmer. We went in March; apparently there are tours during the summer. Ours was self-guided.

I love Lincoln Log Cabin and have since I was a very young child…read more In the past, there were many animals there and actors who would talk to you in the part of people living during the time period. This was always super fun. I see that much less often now. There are less animals (last time I visited they had sheep, pigs, and chickens only) and I haven't seen any actors there in a while. With that being said, I enjoyed the sheep, chickens, and pigs and I also enjoyed looking at the buildings. They were all locked during my last visit, but sometimes you can go inside of them and look at the insides of the cabins, which is much more fun. During my last visit they were offering free produce they grew in their garden and I liked that a lot. We grabbed some tomatoes. The reduction of one star is simply because I remember the past when this place was super amazing. Now there haven't been actors the last few visits. I have seen sheep, cows, horses, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and cats there before, but my last visit only had three of those animals. In addition, it's more fun when you can enter the buildings. Even without all the animals and actors and access to the buildings, it's super fun and I'd recommend it!

What a gem! Gorgeous lake and a clean safe beach with lifeguards and tons of water activities…read more(trampoline, diving board, giant blow up recreation thing). I just wanted to find a good old fashioned lake in driving distance and this hit the spot. 7$ per adult for use all day (you can leave and come back). I think kids are 5. It was just my partner and I and there's plenty of space for what ends up being naturally divided into adult/kid spaces. We went on a scorching hot Wednesday and were pleasantly surprised by a relatively quiet beach. They have showers, and an indoor shop with food and drinks. No alcohol. This is a great old fashioned beach. Highly recommend.

We absolutely love this beach! I feel like it's a hidden gem. We live in St. Louis and it's only…read moreabout one hour and five minutes away. The beach has the floating obstacle course, sand for building Sandcastles,and a swing set. You can pay to bring a cooler in, but there's also food options. Available on site. It is cash only so beware.... But they have an ATM for people like me who never carry cash.

I love Rock Sorings! The good:…read moreIt's always well kept. Every time I go there you rarely if ever see trash The staff are always helpful and friendly The observatory is just one of the greatest hangout places ever! (Wish they would turn it into a little coffee area) Path and grounds are always well maintained Rock Springs also has all kinds of extracurricular activities going on that the public can sign up for that's either free or extremely cheap The bad: Unless you get lucky, normally the extracurricular activities are hard to come by. I understand the budget is limited and they can't really afford to go fliering the town. But I wish there was a way for them to communicate the activities better other than Facebook. I wasn't a fan of the cross country skiing, but that didn't reflect my review. I'm just glad they offer stuff like that! Thank you Rock Springs and s

Never been hiking first time but it was fantastic considering I lived on an island all my life!read more

Great park in Springfield and you can get some exercise walking while your their. As a local…read more watercolor painter I love painting around the scenic stone bridge area plus it has a storied history with many tales to tell.

Lincoln Park in Springfield is a fantastic destination that offers a wide range of activities and…read moreamenities for visitors of all ages. The park is beautifully maintained, with lush green spaces, well-paved walking paths, and plenty of shade provided by mature trees. It's an ideal spot for a leisurely stroll, a family picnic, or just relaxing in nature. One of the highlights of Lincoln Park is its excellent disc golf course. The course is well-designed and offers a fun and challenging experience for players of all skill levels. The layout makes good use of the park's natural terrain, with a mix of open fields and wooded areas that require a variety of shots. The course is well-marked and maintained, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable game. There is a north and a south course! Which gives diversity and more fun and options! In addition to the disc golf course, Lincoln Park features playgrounds, sports fields, and picnic areas with tables and grills. There's also a beautiful lagoon that adds to the park's charm and provides a peaceful setting for fishing or simply enjoying the view. Overall, Lincoln Park is a wonderful place to spend a day outdoors. Whether you're there to play disc golf, have a picnic, or just enjoy the scenery, you're sure to have a great time. Highly recommended!