Our 2026 Initiative
(this is the big news!)
We’re better together.
For 2026, we want to explore everything Southern Illinois has to offer!
This means attending events, completing challenges, discovering hidden gems, frequenting a new business, and staycations in local lodgings.
In order to achieve our goals, we’re partnering with groups like Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau and the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail!
With Southernmost’s sponsorship, we will not only be able to attend more events, but become more knowledgeable about all ten counties they represent!
Through our partnership with Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, we will have the pleasure of capturing all 11 wineries at the three pairings events each year + hosted stays along the trail!
Read more about our partners below.
Southernmost Illinois Tourism
Southernmost Illinois is an Illinois tourism bureau that represents ten counties in the southernmost region of Illinois. These regions, and more information about them, can be found here.
If you’re planning a visit to Southern Illinois, be sure to visit their website! They have complete directories of lodging, restaurants, activities, nature trails, and a guide to the Shawnee National Forest. Still not sure what to do? Reach out! The experts at Southernmost can help you make the most of your time in Southern Illinois.
If you’re local, bookmark their calendar! I find almost all of the events I want to attend on the Southernmost Illinois website calendar!
Southernmost Illinois
southernmostillinois.com
(618) 833-9928
Upcoming content with Southernmost Illinois:
Giant City Gnome Roam
This event runs all of December, stop in at Giant City State Park Visitor Center to begin!
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
“Enjoy nationally and internationally awarded wines, friendly service and unique wine and food experiences. Composed of eleven wineries dotting a well-marked 40-mile trail, each winery offers their own individual style and winemaking techniques that make your journey a pleasant adventure through the hills of southern Illinois.
A wide array of specialty shops, unique eateries, breweries, and art galleries dot southern Illinois and are only a few minutes drive from the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and any of our inns, cabins or bed and breakfasts. Offering truly local experiences, unique craft brews, and eclectic art originals, these businesses offer one-of-a-kind opportunities that you won’t find anywhere else but in southern Illinois.”
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
shawneehillswinetrail.com
618-833-9928
(Please call during standard business hours Monday–Friday 9:00am-5:00pm)
Upcoming content with Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
Spring Pairings event, March 6th & 7th with hosted stay at Shawnee Hills Hideaway