Access Illinois Outdoors
Presents
Christmas at the Pike County Lodges
Tuesday, December 7 and Saturday, December 11, 2010
Come join us for a tour of some of the most beautiful lodges in Pike County, decorated for the Christmas season. The tour includes brunch, lunch, wine tasting, dessert and appetizers. Each lodge features a different floral designer and will have their creations for sale that day. A diverse selection of talented musicians will be performing a variety of seasonal music at each lodge. Charter tours are available for $70; drive-it-yourself tour tickets are $45 for a single. For information call Access IL Outdoors, 217-285-2464.
8:45 Leave Pittsfield Visitor’s Center, 224 W. Washington, Pittsfield, IL
9:15—10:45 Heartland Lodge
Food: Coffee, juice and brunch
Music: Flute Choir under the direction of Angela Lipcamon
Florist: Dora’s House of Flowers, Pittsfield, 217-285-6373
11:15—12:45 Lodge at Walnut Knob
Food: heavy hors d'oeuvres
Wine tasting on Upper Level
Music: Pittsfield Swing Choir
Florist: Stollards, Pittsfield, 217-285-6563
1:30—3:00 Kinderhook Lodge
Food: Specialty coffees, authentic “Cheesecake Factory” desserts
Music: Christmas Carolers
Florist: Fashion Flowers, New Canton, 217-426-3751
3:45—5:00 Illinois Xtreme Lodge
Food: Fresh shrimp cocktail from Mississippi, Southern Sweet Tea
Music: Piano and Violin performance by Susan Curry and accompanist
Florist: Kimmie’s Creations, Griggsville, 217-833-2107
In cooperation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity/Bureau of Tourism
Christmas Lodge Tour
Pittsfield, IL - The weather may not feel like Christmas, but Access Illinois Outdoors has been busy planning the 2009 Pike County Lodge Christmas Tour. This tour will be held Tuesday, December 8th and Saturday, December 12th.
Four beautiful lodges in Pike County, Illinois, will be decorated for the Christmas season and open for public viewing on those two days. The tour includes a brunch, lunch, dessert and appetizers. Each lodge features a different floral designer who will have their creations for sale that day. A diverse selection of talented musicians will be performing a variety of seasonal music at each lodge.
The first stop is Heartland Lodge, an Illinois bed and breakfast, corporate retreat, resort, and hunting lodge. Here you can relax and get away from it all, or choose from a variety of activities – horseback riding, hayrides, bonfires, fishing, or hunting, to name a few. The only Orvis endorsed lodge in the state, the "six star" facility includes two lodges containing over 7500 and 9300 square feet of air conditioned comfort, with 11 regular rooms, a family room, a suite and seven luxury suites. These rooms have King size, triple sheeted canopy beds, private Jacuzzi, walkout porch, fireplace, and is decorated according to its theme.
At this stop you will have a brunch buffet and be able to wander around viewing the Christmas decorations you might want to take home with you, while being serenaded by a flute choir.
The Lodge at Walnut Knob is the second stop on the tour. It includes 6,000 square feet of lodge with a choice of 8 beautifully decorated and themed rooms. Amenities include whirlpool tubs, king and queen beds, spacious dining/meeting room, large great room with big screen TV, walk in cooler and freezer, laundry facilities, satellite TV with VCR and DVD in each bedroom, Internet access, cathedral ceilings, two large patios and wrap around porches. Walnut Knob is also home to an Elk Ranch and lays claim to the largest elk herd in all of Illinois. While technically farm raised, these majestic creatures roam wild over timber and grassland, yet are maintained at the highest physical and nutritional standards.
Lunch provides a chance to sample some of those elk with a lunch menu of chili and heavy hors d’oeuvres. After this tasty lunch, wander upstairs to the upper level of the lodge and outside to the machine shed for wine tasting. The Pittsfield Swing Choir entertains the lunch crowd with a variety of Christmas music on both levels of the lodge with more Christmas decorations to view.
The third stop, The Kinderhook Lodge, is one of the area's finest lodging and bed & breakfast establishments. This hunting lodge is over 12,500 square feet, sporting 15 bathrooms and 15 bedrooms. The facility is located on Pikes Peak Ocean Notion Trail, which was the main migratory route used to settle the “Old West”. In fact an ancient stage coach stop was located close to the house. Offering eating and meeting facilities for your special engagements and more, the Kinderhook Lodge will exceed all your needs. Bed & breakfast accommodations provide incredible views and great food. Bedrooms are spacious and in some areas provide Queen and King size resting places.
Specialty coffees and multiple selections of the authentic “Cheesecake Factory” cheesecakes will be offered at this stop. The downstairs of this lodge will be transformed into a veritable “Christmas Outlet Mall”. Traditional Christmas Carolers will entertain with antics and songs while the various cheesecakes melt in your mouth.
The final stop will be the Illinois Xtreme Lodge, located 3 miles west of the junction of 107 and 104, near Perry, Illinois. The 8800 sq.ft. hunting lodge includes 12 rooms, 2 handicap accessible, with a private bath for every room. The staff at Illinois Xtreme will see to every detail so you can enjoy whatever activity you have planned. From rehearsal dinner, weddings and receptions, business conferences, family reunions, anniversaries, bridal & baby showers, office parties, quilting clubs, church meetings, Jeeper weekends, this lodge has it covered! Fresh shrimp will be brought up from Mississippi and served with cocktail sauce or spicy Cajun seasoning along with traditional southern sweet tea. The violin and piano selections put everyone in the Christmas spirit while shopping for that last final Christmas decoration.
Charter tours are available for $70; drive-it-yourself tour tickets are $45. For more information about the tour or to book a reservation, please contact the Access Illinois Outdoors office at 217-285-2464 or toll free at 888-285-2464. Tour tickets go fast so book early! Information is also available on the Access Illinois Outdoors website at www.accessil.org .
The Access Illinois Outdoors program is operated through the Two Rivers RC&D Area in cooperation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity/Bureau of Tourism.