Wine trails, a national forest, a treehouse resort and — not one, but two — state fairs are just a few of the highlights in “100 Things To Do in Illinois Before You Die,” a newly released entry in the Reedy Press nationwide line of travel books.
If COVID taught us anything, author Melanie Holmes said, it is the importance of exploring, appreciating and supporting the treasures right in our own back yard. And Illinois has a back yard rich in natural gems, historic sites and unique experiences, she said.
“For instance, the American Indian Center of Chicago has held a multiday powwow for seven decades,” she said, and non-natives are invited to watch. For a nominal fee, the public can watch the dances and immerse themselves in the culture.
“When it comes to telling the story of Illinois, we start as far back as we can go. We start with the indigenous,” she said.
Illinois, she said, has lots of stories and experiences wrapped in history, culture and geology.
“The reason there’s downhill skiing in Galena is because it’s part of the driftless zone,” she said.
From the cliffs in the northwest to the national forest in the south, Illinois is home to “amazing, astounding geological formations,” she said.
Of course, there’s Starved Rock, she said, but did you know the state is also home to the Little Grand Canyon in Herod?
Foodies can tour the farms at Epiphany in Bloomington or Eckert’s in Belleville and then dine at the onsite restaurant. It’s a way to connect our food with the people who feed us, Holmes said.
“My sole goal in writing this book was to promote my fellow Illinoisans,” she said. “Illinois strong, support Illinois, support local.”
Holmes, a lifelong Illinoisian who lives in Chicago’s southwest suburbs, said, “There are plenty of things to see across the state. You just have to get out there and investigate. Take the back roads.”
“100 Things” is Holmes’ fifth nonfiction book. Her first, “The Female Assumption: A Mother’s Story Freeing Women from the View that Motherhood is a Mandate,” was honored by the Population Institute of Washington, D.C.
She is also the author of “A Hero on Mount St Helens,” a biography of Oak Lawn geologist David Johnston.
Holmes said in August 2022 she stumbled across the Reedy Press bucket list series and, realizing Illinois wasn’t represented, submitted a query and then took to the road, traveling wine trails, exploring historic houses and mansions, and spending the night in a caboose inside Wildlife Prairie Park outside of Peoria.
“This book tells Illinois’ story through a collection of experiences,” she said.
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The book is divided into five chapters: Food and Beverage, Music and Entertainment, Sports and Recreation, Culture and History, and Shopping and Fashion.
The point is to make people want to get out there, she said. “We often take Illinois for granted. We have more than 300 certified historic sites. That’s an average of about three per county. It’s where our tax dollars are going. So why not go and see these places?”
Though the title promises 100 experiences, Holmes said, by offering add-on tips to each feature, she was able to include more than 200 things to do. For example, she said, in the entry about the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park, she suggests readers visit the B. Harley Bradley House in Kankakee and the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield.
“100 Things to do in Illinois” retails for $22.50 and is available at Reedy Press, www.reedypress.com, as well as at several of the destinations featured in the book, including the I&M Visitors Center in LaSalle.
Holmes will host book talks at 11:30 a.m. May 20 at Geneva History Museum; 5 p.m. May 25 at Barbara’s Bookstore in the Orland Square Mall; and noon May 27 at Sock Monkey Museum in Long Grove.
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years.