Jen and I had limited time and funding for traveling over the Christmas break and so we started polling people about their favorite nearby spots... Now we've got a bunch of places we need to check out... Send me with your opinions and favorite areas, lodges, B&Bs, or cabins.

We ended up going to Tan-Tar-Ra since it was fairly well known and had the amenities of a Resort and a big lake. Below are some of the Recommendations we recieved:

• Okawville, Illinois: Junky old spa, massage
• Eureka Springs: Artist Community with 7 springs, a nice main street with art galleries and good resturants. Stay at the Tree House B&B.
• Caldonia- Antiquing, great Pumpkin Malts, near the Taum Sauk Trail
• Garden of the Gods, near Carbondale, IL- Climbing, good B&B's
• Graffton/Elson IL- Charming little rivertown at the Confluence of the Illinois and Missouri RIvers, lots of good hiking, kayak rental 
• Pere Marquette Lodge
• Cabins at Carlyle Lake
• St. Genevieve.
• Real Foot Lake- Eagle Watching, lots of Cypress trees