Illinois Archives - My Family Travels
Family studies Christmas lights in Myrtle Beach.
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Top Holiday Lights Celebrations Across America

We love holiday lights celebrations — the decorations, evergreens, religious displays and multicultural celebrations that light up cities and towns everywhere from November to...

Read More    14 min read

apple cluster
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Apple Picking And Pick Your Own Pumpkins

Apple and pumpkin picking U-Pick farms and local orchards are among Fall's...

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Autumn Adventures In A Corn Maze

Visit a farm with a huge corn maze the kids can puzzle on for a great autumn family getaway. Our favorite farms feature Escape Rooms carved into living cornstalks as the main attraction....

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Baby boy looks at pumpkin in his lap.
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Illinois Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy

Drive with us to U-Pick apple farms in the Illinois countryside. Pick a farm near Rockford, Caledonia, Winnebago...

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Sightseeing boats and attractions line Chicago's Navy Pier.
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Chicago, Illinois Family-Friendly Hotels

If you are looking for family hotels in Chicago, Illinois, here are some of the top kid-welcoming places to crash in style.

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The Santa Float makes its first holiday appearance at Philadelphia's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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All American Thanksgiving Events and Celebrations

FTF's A-Z guide to local festivals and Thanksgiving events, from traditional eats to marathons, is your Thanksgiving recipe for fun.

Read More    6 min read

field of Christmas trees
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Real Christmas Tree Farms: Where and How to Harvest Your Own Tree

Family excursions make for great holidays, so why not take the kids to harvest your own tree in the wild or at a real Christmas tree farm? We make it easy with...

Read More    6 min read

Sightseeing boats and attractions line Chicago's Navy Pier.
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Chicago, Illinois Attractions

With museums, theatre and outdoor fun galore, Chicago is a happening destination packed with family attractions for travelers of all ages. Even during the pandemic, things are...

Read More    8 min read

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5 Multigenerational Vacation Ideas For Winter Getaways

According to AAA, 103 million Americans traveled over the 2016 holiday season, a 1.5 percent increase over the previous year. Although 9 out of 10 vacationers took road trips, air travel was also up...

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Making Lemonade on an Emergency Airport Layover

I got a pound of lemons: an air traffic delay in Fort Lauderdale, a flight cancellation, being rerouted to Chicago O’Hare, an accident at LaGuardia, emergency airport closures, and a snow alert that...

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Free and Fabulous! Public Art Supports Summer Learning

Ah summer. A time for sun, sand, sea and -- art? Even kids who regard museum visits as a form of punishment can enjoy some of the season’s most inventive art installations without setting foot indoors. Here...

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Overnight At America’s Top Aquariums And Zoos

From coast to coast, special sleepovers at aquariums and zoos are available to travelers who book ahead. Interested in sleeping with the fishes or feeding reptiles after dark? Not only...

Read More    6 min read

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Short Breaks And Midwest Weekend Getaways From Chicago

Living in the center of the US, Chicago area families have some driving to do for weekends away at fun museums, waterparks, and great cities. The Midwest is both the Land of Lincoln and the...

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The Unexpected Charms of Rockford, Illinois

We are in a Victorian era, one-room schoolhouse where a costumed interpreter holds up a one-legged wooden stool. "This is for children who can’t sit still," he explains. "They stay here until they...

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Touring The Obama Neighborhoods Of Chicago

We walk through the Obama family's most cherished neighborhoods in Chicago, with Chicago Greeter Tours... There it is, a corner house on Hyde Park Boulevard, half hidden by trees and...

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Illinois, Looking For The Land Of Lincoln

From the world's first drive-up diner to the old Capitol building where Abraham Lincoln served the people, the attractions of Springfield and central Illinois will delight families.Springfield,...

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