It's never too late to get out before the end of the summer to see some of the most beautiful and "charming" towns in Illinois.

If I had to pick one thing I have missed the most since the dawn of the COVID age, has been the ability to travel.

Mind you, I have still managed to go places, albeit safely, but still rather hampered by all of the restrictions. I get it, those are in place for safety reasons, but there's not one person on Earth who hasn't found travel a bit more difficult in the past year and a half or so.

That said, this little jaunt might be worth your time. Not only is it not far from Rockford, about 90 minutes, but it also seems like the kind of town where you can spend the day and get on with your life.

According to LoveExploring's Most Charming Lakeside Towns in Your State, Lake Forest is the best in Illinois. Lake Forest is a tiny lakeside town nestled on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan:

Which is similar to living on a relatively calm, placid oceanfront, because this Great Lake – the second largest by volume – is so vast that it seems to stretch out forever like an unfurled roll of sapphire silk. This small city, part of the Chicago metropolitan area, adds to the beauty with its beach (pictured), charming Market Square and longstanding shops including Lake Forest Book Store, founded by a group of a dozen local women in 1949.

According to TripAdvisor, Market Square is listed as the top Thing to Do rated 4.5 out of 5.

So if you're looking for something to do this weekend, check out Lake Forest. It's also the home of the Chicago Bears headquarters and training camp. For what it's worth, training camp for the Bears in Lake Forest wraps up this week.

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