This summer has been all about traveling and getting out of the city when we can as a family. Noah is also at that age that he just loves being outside and exploring nature, so I am trying to give him as many opportunities while the weather is nice! When Pine Creek Escape contacted about a trip to Oregon, Illinois, I knew this is something we all would love.

History

A little backstory on the cabins. They are located in Oregon, Illinois, which is about 107 miles (roughly 2 hours ) from Chicago. It is located directly across the street from the 400 acre White Pines Forest State Park, which provides lots of things to do. There is also a beautiful wedding venue right in The Canyon next to the cabins.

The Cabins at Pine Creek (which were formally Pine Creek Family Cabins) were built in 2001 by Elizabeth George. After 18 years, Rebecca Jones bought them in April. She has a deep connection to the area because not only is she from Oregon, but she also worked on the grounds since she was 13. Now she’s ready to welcome everyone to The Cabins at Pine Creek Escape and experience the area.

Cabins

There are three cabins you can rent out that have amenities like fully equipped kitchens, WIFI, charcoal grills, and air conditioning. Our cabin, the Knotty Pine, was huge! It was more than enough room for the 4 of us. In fact, it sleeps 12. With two bedrooms, a loft area with more twin beds and a big living room and kitchen.

My favorite part was the large outdoor space with a swing, grill, fire pit and large backyard. Sitting outside in the morning was the best part. So quiet and peaceful.

What to do

There are lots of outdoor activities to do within the area. Since White Pines State Park is across the street, we went hiking on one of the 7 trails. Since we had both kids with us, we did 2 miles on the medium level. It wasn’t bad and it’s a beautiful park with a creek that runs through it. There is also a park for kids to play and picnic area to eat at.

Another activity to do is horseback riding at White Pines Ranch. We were not able to do this because they only had availability on the weekends and we missed it! But it looks like they have something for all ages, even as young as Noah’s age.

Something else to do is kayaking along the Rock River. We saw this as we got into town (which is super cute by the way!). You can find more information here.

On our way out, we stopped at the Nachusa Grasslands, which is a huge prairie were bison herds roam free and have since 2014. We did not see any however, but the prairies are beautiful. I had no idea this entire space was even in Illinois. The conservatory has been restored and more than 3,500 acres have been protected at Nachusa. Definitely worth checking out on your way in or out from Pine Creek.

In addition to everything above, we really just loved hanging out at the cabin, making a fire for s’mores, playing in the yard. Just relaxing. A true escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Where to eat

Now for my favorite part. FOOD. We did bring lots of things to snack on, but ate our meals out. Since there is a grill there, we grilled out for almost every meal. But we did have lunch and dinner at:

Arthur’s Garden Deli- We took around a 20 minute drive to Dixon, which is a little bigger of a city than Oregon for lunch. It’s a traditional deli and was DELICIOUS! Perfect lunch spot.

Dietrich Farms- One of the coolest parts of our city escape was meeting a 4th generation farmer, Dan. He is a farmer with grass fed beef and free range chicken. He sells meat out of his home in Mt. Morris, but will be opening a shop at the farm. We bought some steaks to grill for dinner and one of the best cuts of steaks I have ever had. We even had steak and eggs the next day for breakfast!

Now what…

There are some perfect weather months ahead and Pine Creek Escape is really the perfect city escape for you, your family and friends. If you have any questions about anything mentioned above! Or if you are looking for some Chicago things to do, click here.

Until next time,

Christine

This post was sponsored by Pine Creek Escape. A big thank you for a great collaboration!