Home to Litchfield, IL
We are off to a good start for our big road trip! An enjoyable day, on schedule and under budget.
Our first stop of the day was at a rest stop in Funks Grove, IL. It was a nice little rest stop -- plenty of picnic tables, shade, a playground, and clean facilities. Can't ask for anything more than that, really.
Oh, and it also had a PoGO gym, so we were able to collect our first Pokémon GO in-game trip souvenir of a gym badge -- we are really excited about this new game feature being released just before our trip.
Next stop was Springfield, IL, to see some Lincoln sites. It was our kids' first trip to Springfield -- an important pilgrimage for any native Illinoisan, I think. We stopped at the visitor center, took the free tour of the Lincoln's Springfield home and then walked around the historic neighborhood.
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| Lincoln Home in Springfield |
I'll be honest and say the kids were more interested in the wooden sidewalks than anything else, which was quite amusing. I, however, really enjoyed the home tour and the neighborhood. I am a fan of Lincoln's, so I find all the tidbits very interesting and think it is a bit of a thrill to be in a room he was actually in and with furniture he actually used. I have been on the tour before but I did certainly get more out of it this time, as an adult, than I did when I was younger.
We ate some lunch and then headed to Oak Ridge Cemetery to visit Lincoln's tomb. We rubbed Abe's nose for good luck and paid our respects.
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| Details at Lincoln's Tomb in Springfield |
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| Lincoln's Tomb in Springfield |
Next we headed downtown to the state capitol -- I particularly like this shot my husband framed of the rotunda:
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| Rotunda at Illinois State Capital |
Not only is he great getting the right photographs but he is, once again, proving to be an impressive trip planner -- our daily itinerary is so thoroughly and thoughtfully prepared yet flexible, it really is remarkable.
He researched some unique spots for us to eat on the trip, as well. First up was or our dinner tonight in Litchfield, IL. We ate at a great little diner called Jubelt's on historic Route 66. The atmosphere was quaint and nostalgic, the food was delicious, the staff was friendly, and the kids loved picking out their dessert from the case.
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| Great Nostalgic Diner on Route 66 |
Looking forward to what the next 16 days will bring!