Spend a Saturday Exploring Woodstock, Illinois

If you're looking for an out of the way destination with charm and small town appeal, look no further than the Historic Downtown of Woodstock, Illinois. About 50 miles northwest of Chicago, Woodstock has plenty of ways to spend a lazy afternoon shopping, sight seeing and relaxing, without the tourist overload and congestion of other locales.

Coming from Chicago, you'll want to take Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line from Ogilve Station in the Loop. But why stay down there with expensive hotel rates and unbearable noise? Stay in one of Woodstock's small chain hotels. The Day's Inn located on the corner of Route 47 and Lake Street is the perfect walking distance from the Woodstock Square, costing much less than similar accommodations in Chicago.

The perfect day to tour Woodstock is a Saturday. You'll want to start your day at about 9AM, heading first to Swiss Maid Bakery on the east side of the Woodstock Square for breakfast. Swiss Maid Bakery has been in a staple of Woodstock life for decades, and with good reason. Their goods are fresh baked, inexpensive and always hit the spot.

After you've picked up breakfast, stroll into the center of the Square and have a seat under one of the trees in the park. Sometimes lucky visitors will walk into a morning concert or event at the central gazebo. Or you can view the war memorial in the very center of the park. Whatever you do, it's a calm, peaceful place to site down for a bite to eat.

Now that you've had your breakfast, the farmers market, which runs every Tuesday and Saturday for most of the year, should be in full swing. Here you can purchase produce, baked goods, hand made items and even fresh honey from local farmers. For most of the fall, Royal Oaks Orchard sets up shop with their fresh picked apples, pumpkins and squash. Many farmers come equipped with hats or purses made from just-sheered Alpaca fur, or even the unspun fur itself. Take an hour or so to meander through and find a few treasures. Just be sure to come well equipped with cash - in this lazy little town, most people don't take credit.

Head over to Jennapea's on the south side of the Square for an early lunch. They have most every type of sandwich or salad, excellent pizza and a special little drink called an Italian Soda. If nothing else, grab one of those for a late morning pick-me-up. Is your sweet tooth is leading you? Two doors down is Cobblestones, Woodstock's oldest candy store. If you're lucky, you may walk in on a wine tasting day. Taste one of their hand made confections, or bag some of their bulk goods for the road. You can even pick up gifts and other inedible boutique goodies in the back of their shop. For those that would rather sit down to eat, Angelo's, a family owned, family oriented restaurant, is right next door to both.

For you shoppers, spend some time looking through the Square's assortment of small boutiques. The Thoughtfulness Shop on the north block has a huge assortment of goods for any taste. There's even an art gallery and a candle shop right in the same building. A few doors down is a mini-mall, with a toy store, children's boutique and adult clothing store. Keep walking to the east edge to the Woodstock Square Mall where you'll find a sewing shop, an athletic shop as well as more gift and trinket stores. And, of course, there's a Starbuck's right next to a small, locally owned bookstore Read Between the Lynes.

For all you walking types, after lunch you can head two blocks south of the Square on Dean Street, then take a right for about a mile until you come to Erickson Park, the town's largest park/nature walk/recreation center. Spend some time meandering down the walking paths, or just hand out in the evening and have a small barbecue at the on site grills. If you're more in the mood to drive, jump north on Route 14, until you come into Harvard, IL (about 15 minutes north of Woodstock) and turn right on McGuire Road. In about half a mile you'll be at Rush Creek, a large nature preserve and fishing area, and be able to whittle away the afternoon with untouched nature.

Later in the evening, you can catch a movie at the historic Woodstock theater, or see a show at the Opera House (across the street from Angelo's). Or, you could kick back and relax at one of the many small-town cafes and restaurants located around the Square. Head down Lake Street and across Route 47 to find the Peg and Ted's Red Mill, a laid back place to grab a quick dinner and a few drinks. A bit farther south on Route 47 is Golf and Games, where you can play mini-golf, rent cars on a mini-race track, play arcade games and grab a quick bite to eat.

Of course, this isn't everything to do in Woodstock, but it's the best of the best, at least from a local's point of view. If you have more than a day to visit, be sure to explore the shops and stops in the downtown area, and take in our little corner of Illinois to its fullest.