The Perfect Day Trip In and Around Havana!!

Create your own exciting and educational expedition in and around Havana.

Havana's charming downtown hosts lots of shopping and dining opportun-
ities, several Lincoln sites, the prettiest riverfront park on the Illinois River,
and a wonderful community theater. Spend a few hours downtown and then
hit the road and see these Illinois River Valley destinations. (There are driving directions following the site descriptions.)

CHAUTAUQUA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

8.5 miles North of Havana on the Manito Blacktop. Refuge office open 8:00am-4:30pm M-F. The nature trail is open seven days a week. As many as 80 bald eagles have been sighted on the refuge between October and March; this is a bird-watcher's paradise. Hike the wheelchair accessible nature trail, watch waterfowl, enjoy the flora and fauna, and fish in Lake Chautauqua. Call 309-535-2290. ADMISSION FREE.

DICKSON MOUNDS MUSEUM

6 miles Northwest of Havana on 78/97. Open 8:30am-5:00pm seven days a week. Dickson Mounds, a branch of the Illinois State Museum, is one of the major on-site archaeological museums in the country. The museum offers a unique opportunity to explore the world of the American Indian in an awe-inspiring journey through 12,000 years of human experience in the Illinois River Valley. For more information call 309-547-3721. ADMISSION FREE.

JAKE WOLF MEMORIAL FISH HATCHERY

16 miles North of Havana near Manito. Open 8:30am-3:30pm seven days a week. Visit and tour the Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery, a must for the entire family. See their excellent collection of old and exotic lures, their displays featuring the history of the area's waterways, and take a tour of the facility that concludes with a viewing tank of some of the biggest fish you have ever seen! Walk in or scheduled tours, but it is easier for the folks at the hatchery if you call ahead. Call 309-968-7531. ADMISSION FREE. (The hatchery is located in the 7,500 acre Sand Ridge State Forest, the largest State Forest in Illinois. The Forest is an excellent area for picnicking, camping, hiking, snowmobiling, and hunting. For more information call 309-597-2212.)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

From Peoria (via Pekin and Manito):

On 2nd Street/ Rt. 29 South in Pekin, take a right at the Correctional Facility stoplight (there is a Manito sign.) Go through Manito and turn right at 2500N, (there is a little, brown "Sand Ridge State Forest" sign.) Go South 5 miles and look for the blue Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery sign. Tour the hatchery, then get back on 2500N heading South. Go through Goofy Ridge after 5 miles and come to a T in the road, turn right. After the long curve there is a stop sign. Turn right on 2250N. After a little ways you will see The Chautauqua Eagle Bluff entrance on the right. This is NOT the main Chautauqua entrance, but you may want to look around the area anyway. The main entrance is 1.7 miles further on and marked with a sign on the right 2110N, Illinois River National Wildlife and Fish Refuges. Enjoy the nature trail next to the parking lot, and then get back on the main road heading South 1 mile to the stop sign. Turn right on Manito Road and go 6 miles to Havana. Turn right on Main street and enjoy downtown. After Havana, cross the bridge on US-136 and turn right on highways 78/97. You will see the Dickson Mounds Museum signs. Enjoy the museum, then get back on 78/97 and go a few miles North to 24, take a right and you are homeward bound! (Note: You could easily reverse the cycle, and do Dickson Mounds, Havana, Chautauqua, Jake Wolf, and then head back to Peoria via Manito and Pekin. Whatever works best for you!)

From Springfield (via 97 through Petersburg):

Stay on 97 and cross the bridge over the Illinois River, swing right on 97 and look for the Dickson Mounds signs in a couple of miles. Enjoy the museum, and then come back to Havana. After the bridge go to the second stop light (Schrader Street) and turn left. After a few blocks you'll come to Main Street. On your left is our beautiful River Front Park, and to your right is downtown. Enjoy yourself dining and shopping for a few hours and then head east on Main street, up the hill past our historic watertower (built in 1889, the same year as the Eiffel Tower), and turn left at the stop sign (Promenade Street). Stay on that road 6 miles and you will see a sign for Chautauqua Wildlife Refuge. Turn left, go a mile, and the entrance in on your left. Enjoy the nature trail next to the parking lot and then get back out on the road and head North. 1.7 miles further is Chautauqua's eagle bluff boat ramp and viewing station. Keep heading North, where you will come to a few curves in a heavily-wooded area. Veer left at the intersection. In half a mile you will come to a stop sign facing The Hialeah Club. Turn left at that junction and keep heading North. You will go through Goofy Ridge and into The Sand Ridge State Forest. In 5 miles you will see the big blue Jake Wolf Fish Hatchery sign. Turn right and enjoy the hatchery.

From Macomb (via US-136 heading east):

Just before coming into Havana (you will see the bridge up ahead) swing left on 78/97 north and look for the Dickson Mounds signs in a couple of miles. Enjoy the museum, and then come visit Havana (go back to 136 and take a left). After the bridge, go to the second stop light (Schrader Street) and turn left. After a few blocks you'll come to Main Street. On your left is our beautiful River Front Park, and to your right is downtown. Enjoy yourself dining and shopping for a few hours and then head east on Main street, up the hill past our historic watertower (built in 1889, the same year as the Eiffel Tower), and turn left at the stop sign (Promenade Street). Stay on that road (it curves northwest) 6 miles and you will see a sign for Chautauqua Wildlife Refuge. Turn left, go a mile, and the entrance in on your left. Enjoy the nature trail next to the parking lot and then get back out on the road and head North. 1.7 miles further is Chautauqua's eagle bluff boat ramp and viewing station. Keep heading North, where you will come to a few curves in a heavily-wooded area. Veer left at the intersection. In half a mile you will come to a stop sign facing The Hialeah Club. Turn left at that junction and keep heading North. You will go through Goofy Ridge and into The Sand Ridge State Forest. In 5 miles you will see the big blue Jake Wolf Fish Hatchery sign. Turn right and enjoy the hatchery.

We hope this tour will serve as a good introduction to the wealth of things to see and do in the Havana area. Local tourism brochures--which are hard to keep in stock--are placed along US-136 in the gas stations, McDonalds, Hardees, and downtown at Gifts From The Heart, The Cup & Saucer, The Neverending Story, City Hall, and The Havana Public Library District. The same information is available at this website listed under Tourism. Thanks, and enjoy your expedition in and around Havana!

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Mason County Community Information