Columbus and Hocking Hills in Ohio Offer the Perfect City and Nature Getaway

Urban Adventures and Natural Wonders: 72 Hours in Columbus and Hocking Hills

A long weekend getaway to Columbus, Ohio and the Hocking Hills offers a perfect combination of city experiences and nature. Columbus, Ohio recently was ranked as a  Top Best Big City in the US as part of Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards for 2024. So, Columbus should definitely be on your radar -- and I totally agree. Pairing at trip to Columbus with an adventure to the Hocking Hills and you will enjoy a well-rounded vacation exploring both the city and nature. There are many things to experience throughout this trip, but here are some of my favorite discoveries to consider for your itinerary:

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Weekend Windup {Fall Family Fun in the Chicago Suburbs October 11-14, 2024}

 

Fall Family Fun in the Chicago Suburbs October 11-14, 2024

Another wonderful fall weekend is ahead! This time of year is always bustling with activity and there is so much fun to enjoy. Here are my picks for this weekend in the Chicago suburbs:

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Weekend Windup {Family Fun in the Chicago Suburbs October 4-6, 2024}

Family Fun in the Chicago Suburbs October 4-6, 2024

This fall weekend is packed full of fun here in the Chicago suburbs. Here are my picks:

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Weekend Windup {Family Fun in the Chicago Suburbs September 27-29, 2024}

Family Fun in the Chicago Suburbs September 27-29, 2024

Fall events and activities, here we come! There are some great fall events here in the Chicago suburbs this weekend! Be sure to check the weather before going out. Here are my picks:

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12 Unique Valley Forge Facts Highlighting General George Washington's Winter Encampment

 

As the site of the Continental Army's winter encampment during 1777-1778, Valley Forge National Historical Park unfolds a key period during the Revolutionary War. Valley Forge has long been one of my favorite places to visit having explored the park about a dozen times. No matter how many times I visit, I still am learning more. After my most recent adventure to Valley Forge, I have put together a collection of interesting facts:

1. Valley Forge was named for an iron forge built along Valley Creek in the 1740s. The British destroyed the forge before the arrival of the Continental Army.
2. Soldiers suffered from food scarcity which made them more susceptible to diseases including  influenza, pneumonia, typhus, typhoid, and dysentery.
3. Oneida Chief Shenandoah helped save Washington's troops by bringing them hundreds of bushels of corn.
4. An Oneida woman named Polly Cooper stayed at the encampment and taught the soldiers how to cook white corn and use corn husks to make soup.
5. English was not the primary language for approximately 30% of the soldiers at the encampment. French, German, Dutch, Polish, Scottish, Gaelic, and more languages were spoken.
6. The winter at Valley Forge was not the coldest of the war. In fact, the next winter at Morristown was even colder.
7. Hannah and Isaac Till, an enslaved couple, worked as cooks for General Washington at Valley Forge. Both secured agreements to purchase their freedom and were able to do so in October of 1778.
8. Officers' wives at the encampment acted in a production of the play Cato during the winter at Valley Forge.
9. While lack of clothing provided hardship for some soldiers, many had full uniforms as well.
10. Approximately 12,000-14,000 soldiers were housed at Valley Forge. About 200-400 women accompanied the soldiers.
11. The encampment devastated the surrounding land with entrenchments, muddy roads, refuse pits, huts, and more. Trees were cut down for fuel and hut construction. Livestock and stores were commandeered. Farms would quickly recover after the encampment.
12. The soldiers constructed miles of trenches, five earthen forts, and a bridge crossing the Schuylkill River.

For more facts about Valley Forge, check 10 Interesting Facts About Valley Forge.

A row of soldier huts at Valley Forge

Sources: Valley Forge National Historic Park https://www.nps.gov/vafo/index.htm

               American Battlefield Trust: https://www.battlefields.org/

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Weekend Windup {Fall Fun in the Chicago Suburbs September 20-22, 2024}

 

Happy weekend! My picks for fall family fun in the Chicago suburbs this weekend are:

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18 Fall Favorites in the Chicago Suburbs for 2024

 

18 Fall Favorites in the Chicago Suburbs for 2024

Time to plan for fall weekends in the Chicago suburbs! Enjoy this list of my favorite fall events for this year:

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Remnant Illinois Prairie and Wetlands, Nature Restoration, and Hiking at James "Pate" Philip State Park

 

Summer is prairie season here in the Prairie State of Illinois. Much of the original prairie was destroyed to make way for farming, industry, and settlement. Only about one tenth of 1% of native Illinois prairie still exists today.* However, due to the nurturing of remnant prairie as well as restoration efforts, we are able to once again enjoy the prairie's tall grasses and vibrant flowers. James "Pate" Philip State Park preserves sections of remnant prairie as well as maintains a restoration effort allowing Chicago area residents a perfect spot for experiencing this native ecosystem.

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