fond du lac

For an ice cream fiend like myself, Fond du Lac’s Kelley Country Creamery beckoned first—and then again. Chicago’s urban setting just can’t compare to the fresh-churned goodness that comes from milking cows who wander practically at the doorstep. It’s this kind of connection with the land and, of course, the water, that makes this mid-sized city so lovely.

where to go

Fond du Lac Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. 171 S. Pioneer Rd.; (920) 923-3010, (800) 937-9123; www.fdl.com. Pick up maps, brochures, event calendars, coupons and more. Open Mon through Fri.

Kelley Country Creamery. W5215 Country Road B; (920) 923-1715; www.kelleycountrycreamery.com. When the ice cream is made with milk produced by cows you see grazing the green pastures that surround the shop’s 200-acre farm, you better believe this is going to something special. Karen and Tim Kelley turned their typical dairy farm, in the family since 1861, into an ice cream social in 2010, and it’s been a bonanza ever since. It’s worth the frequent wait for one of the 16 daily flavors—they’ve concocted more than 60 including Chew Your Cud (bubble gum-flavored ice cream with bubble gum pieces), Country Bumpkin Pumpkin, Cow Jumped Over the Moon (blue moon-flavored with pop rocks) and Maple Bacon. Generally open daily during summer and Wed through Sun the rest of the year; call ahead to confirm. Call for creamery and farm tour information.

where to eat

Schreiner’s Restaurant. 168 N. Pioneer Rd.; (920) 922-0590; www.fdlchowder.com. Five moves and more than 70 years later, this legendary establishment is still one of Fond du Lac’s busiest. Now run by Paul Cunningham, who began working here as a busboy in 1969 when he was 15, Schreiner’s serves more than 1,500 diners on average each day. Most of them order Grandma Regina Schreiner’s famous New England-style clam chowder and homemade country-style dessert of the day (think rhubarb pie and mince pie with rum sauce). Other specials include the deep-fried haddock, fried chicken and broiled ground sirloin steak, plus burgers, sandwiches and salads. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and early dinner. $

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capital steps:

springfield

The Land of Lincoln takes shape in this hub of Abraham Lincoln lore, historic locations and modern commemorations. It was actually ol’ Honest Abe and his collaborators called “The Long Nine” (all men over 6 feet tall) who argued that Springfield should be the capital of Illinois; so in 1837, it moved here from Vandalia (it started out in Kaskaskia). Lincoln lived here for nearly 25 years before heading off to Washington. And while “honest” is not a nickname you hear these days to describe politicians in the capital, the place itself exceeds expectations as an honest-to-goodness travel destination.

getting there

This 3-1/2-hour trip starts on I-55 south for about the first 200 miles. Then take Exit 98B toward I-97 west/Clear Lake Avenue. Turn left at 7th Street and the visitors bureau will be down a short distance on the right. Bonus once you’re in town: You don’t need to feed the meters on Saturday or Sunday (Chicago, are you listening?).

where to go

Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. 109 N. 7th St.; (800) 545-7300; www.visit-springfieldillinois.com. Get the full gamut of brochures and maps. Open Mon through Fri. Note: The Illinois Visitor Center at Union Station (500 E. Madison St.) is open daily (217-557-4588).

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. 212 N. Sixth St.; (800) 610-2094, (217) 782-5764; www.presidentlincoln.org. Put on a tall black hat and a fake beard, utter something about “four score and seven years ago,” and you’re instantly Abraham Lincoln. But behind our 16th President’s iconic visage, there’s a complex personal story of love and loss, hard work and hard decisions, courage, fear, triumph and, of course, tragedy. This 100,000-square-foot museum, divided into two “journeys,” paints an intimate picture of Lincoln from boyhood to Presidency, and puts it in the broader context of the Civil War, slavery and Lincoln’s legacy. It does an amazing job of educating, intriguing, inspiring and even entertaining visitors with multimedia wizardry; a hands-on kids space; realistic life-size models of people such as Lincoln and his family (take a photo standing next to them) and John Wilkes Booth; scaled replicas of key places like Lincoln’s log cabin home and the White House; and dozens of artifacts from Lincoln’s life including family photos, the clock from his law office and, yes, his famous stovepipe hat. To end your journey, you file past a recreation of Lincoln’s closed casket and into the Gateway where you can learn even more about Lincoln. Open daily. Admission (call ahead as prices sometimes change).

where to eat

Caitie Girls. 400 E. Jefferson St.; (217) 528-1294; www.caitiegirls.com. Whimsical décor and Van Gogh-inspired murals make a perfect backdrop to the creative comfort food here. The mac and cheese is made with pepperjack and pulled pork; the pot pie is stuffed with lobster and brie (traditionalists can get chicken too); the meatloaf is wrapped in sourdough and drizzled with béarnaise sauce; and the chicken salad comes as a casserole with pulled chicken topped with buttery crumb topping. Better come hungry. Open Tues through Fri for lunch and dinner; Sat for dinner. $$$

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Get out of town! From big cities to beach villages, you’ll find a trip made for you. 

25 getaways for the local traveler, published by Globe Pequot Press, written by Elisa Drake, available on Amazon.

Schaumburg might be the butt of some city-centric jokes, but once there, you’ll be duly smitten with its shopping extravaganza and surprised by its more natural features. Rockford’s main drag may seem ubiquitous, but a closer look reveals charming historic homes, woodsy settings, its pretty Rock River and a downtown making a comeback with its renovated museum complex.

Schaumburg

This western suburb was named by and for the German population that put it on the map beginning in the 1830s. Not long after, Schaumburg saw the inklings of its future mall-dom with the opening in 1858 of Schaumburg Centre, a market with general stores, cheese factories, a cobbler, blacksmith and other sundry services. Now, of course, it’s a shopaholic’s dream come true: 275 stores at Woodfield Mall, strip malls full of every chain store you can possibly think of, and a 458,000-square-foot IKEA store that could suck you in for an entire day if you let it (just stay on target and don’t let the impulse-buy bins hypnotize you). But there’s a softer side of Schaumburg too, so go discovering. By the way, I didn’t include the endless chain restaurants here, because you know who and what they are.

getting there

Take I-90/94 west and continue following 90 west. Follow the signs to I-290 east/53 south. Keep right as you approach signs for Golf Road via Woodfield Road. Exit to the frontage road and merge to make a right onto Woodfield Road heading west. Continue on Woodfield Road past Woodfield Mall and get into the left lane. Cross Meacham Road and turn left into the visitors bureau parking lot. Once you’re in town, you can also park in one major destination (like IKEA) and hop the free Schaumburg Trolley (Fri through Sun; daily during Christmas shopping) and travel to 11 other locations; call (847) 923-3880 for details.

where to go

Woodfield Chicago Northwest Convention Bureau. 1375 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 120; (847) 490-1010; www.chicagonorthwest.com. This is your one-stop-shop for coupons, guides, maps and package-deal info. Online and on your smart phone, you’ll also find numerous podcasts about the area, as well as coupons and a complete visitors guide.

Alexian Field & Flyers Baseball. 1999 Springinsguth Rd.; (847) 891-2255; www.flyersbaseball.com. Major points for this unaffiliated Minor League team. They’ve got a successful team, with shortstop Travis Brown earning the Northern League’s top defensive player award two years running, and a successful recipe for family fun on the cheap—try 5 bucks for lawn seats (remember to pack a blanket). Bearon, the enthusiastic mascot, peps up the fans and is eager to pose for photos, shake little kids’ hands and give out prizes. There’s even a full bar and decent restaurant. Games May through September. Prices vary.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center. Streets of Woodfield, 601 N. Martingale Rd.; (847) 592-9700; www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com. Enter under the giant Lego giraffe into a 30,000-square-foot world of Legos, the first one in the United States. Even more than an impressive showcase of Legos and Duplos—there are elaborate structures throughout—Legoland boasts an indoor amusement park of rides, 4-D movies, mini factory tour and, yes, bins brimming with building pieces and even giant rubberized Legos for the littlest ones. My daughter said she was scared on the Dragon Ride, but then we did it twice. Forewarning on two things here: The staff is strict about ride height limits, and the exit takes you through the tantalizing gift shop. Admission. Open daily.

Read more in “Day Trips from Chicago,”

Get out of town! From big cities to beach villages, you'll find a trip made for you.

25 getaways for the local traveler, published by Globe Pequot Press, written by Elisa Drake, available on Amazon.