Firefly Grill and John Boos & Co. are among renowned foodie businesses in Effingham Illinois sure to please even the toughest food critic
Duration: 3 Days
Available: Year-round
This Itinerary is Ideal For: All ages
Itinerary Details
Day 1
Arrive in Effingham, Illinois, and make your way to John Boos & Co. to see what all the hype is about. With celebrity chefs like Emeril Lagasse using cutting boards and butcher blocks from this plant, guests certainly will want an up-close look at Boos Butcher Blocks. John Boos, the oldest industry in Effingham has been in business continuously since 1887. The company has four dry kilns that will dry up to 210,000 board feet of lumber on a continual basis. Stop by the John Boos & Co. Outlet Showroom in Effingham to see these amazing products first-hand and get great deals. Visit johnboos.com for more information.
Spend your afternoon relaxing while enjoying some great wine. Established in 2011, Tuscan Hills
Firefly Grill located in Effingham Illinois
Winery focuses on making wines of exceptional quality. It offers wine tastings daily and hosts meetings, parties and special events year-round. Live music is featured every Friday night. The full range of wine styles and sweetness levels is covered, providing something for every guest. For more information, visit effinghamwinery.com.
Check in at one of more than a dozen Effingham hotels and freshen up before departing for dinner.
Tonight you’ll have dinner on a John Boos table at a one-of-a-kind eatery. Firefly Grill is much more than just a restaurant; it is a culinary experience that brings thousands of people each year to the Effingham, Illinois community. Firefly Grill has been recognized in the Chicago Tribune, Bon Appetit and St. Louis Post–Dispatch for its unique atmosphere and efforts to go green. Groups are invited to explore the gardens where food is grown for the restaurant, participate in demonstrations and spend time relaxing on the beautiful grounds. For more information, visit ffgrill.com.
Day 2
Breakfast at your hotel before departing for a day of fun.
Another culinary gem located in the heart of Effingham, Hodgson Mill is a family-owned company that focuses on your health. Drawing on more than 125 years’ experience, it produces stone-ground, whole-grain and organic foods made from premium-quality whole grain. Among the products are flours, corn meals, cereals, baking mixes and pasta. Since 1882, the family of employees has been grinding 100 percent whole grain to create wholesome, naturally healthy food with no artificial preservatives, additives or colorings. Allow time for the Mercantile to purchase Hodgson Mill and other locally made products. Visit hodgsonmill.com for more details.
It’s lunch on your own before an afternoon discovering the artistic side of Effingham, Illinois. Visits to Frye
Effing Brew Company in Effingham Illinois
Pottery, Wilhelmina Art Gallery and Brush Hill Studio & Gallery are sure-fire eye candy.
Dinner tonight is another uniquely Effingham experience. You’ll head over to Effing Brew Company for dinner and drinks. This new microbrewery in the heart of downtown Effingham provides a wide variety of quality beers brewed in-house. Watch them brew as you check out the tasty menu filled with a great selection of upscale bar food. Learn more at effingbrewco.com.
End the day with a show at the Effingham Performance Center. The 1,564-seat theater hosts 40 performances a year. Local, regional and national acts are scheduled to perform, with categories including country, pop/Top 40, contemporary Christian, comedy, jazz, dance, classical and bluegrass. Several nationally recognized performers take the stage during the theater’s lively season. For more information, visit the-epc.org.
Day 3
Breakfast at your hotel before checkout.
At the end of your Effingham, Illinois experience, take time to explore the Cross at the Crossroads. The 198-foot-high Cross is certainly an engineering wonder. But its greatest miracle is its call to travelers from every faith, background and circumstance, reminding them of the positive values shared and cherished by all. The Cross features a chapel, reception area, restrooms, a refreshment center and media room where visitors can view a video of the construction of the Cross. For more information, visit crossusa.org.
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