Retirement road trips

After years of having your days filled with work, deadlines and appointments, it can be more than a little daunting to find your calendar virtually empty. Days, weeks and months can seem mighty long when there aren't many planned activities.

Retirees may need to challenge themselves to fill those empty days with day and weekend trips, as well as regularly occurring classes, volunteer activities and social events. Such activities can keep a retiree's post-work life interesting and make him or her want to get out of bed each morning.

Here are some places to go and things to do to keep you busy until you discover other destinations on your own:

Staying within Illinois

Broadway in Chicago shows

If you enjoy musicals, plays and live shows, you should keep your eye on the Broadway in Chicago schedule for a show that interests you. Not only will you be enchanted by the shows themselves (this year including "The King and I," "Les Miserables" and "Escape to Margaritaville," to name a few), you might also want to snag a ticket for one or more of the Saturday (11 a.m.) theater tours this group offers for $15. These popular tours rotate between the Cadillac Palace, Oriental and PrivateBank theaters downtown.

Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden is a 385-acre living plant museum situated on nine islands in the Cook County Forest Preserve in Glencoe. It is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society and features 27 display gardens in four natural habitats: McDonald Woods, Dixon Prairie, Skokie River Corridor, and Lakes and Shores. The Garden is open every day of the year. Admission is free, but parking is $25 (free for members).

Chicago museums

Almost too numerous to mention - the Art Institute, Chicago History Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Museum of Contemporary Art, the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum, to name the big ones. They are all worth a visit!

Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio

The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio is a historic house and adjoining architectural studio, designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Located in Oak Park, it has been restored to its 1909 appearance, the last year Wright lived there with his family. The building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972 and has been a National Historic Landmark since 1976.

Guided tours of the Home and Studio are given every half-hour between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., daily. The cost is $18 for adults and $15 for seniors and students. Walking tours of his other architectural masterpieces in the neighborhood are also available. One of his most breathtaking structures, Unity Temple, is also located in Oak Park. It is currently undergoing restoration and is closed to the public, but it is expected to reopen for tours later in 2017.

Galena

Galena, a picturesque and historic community tucked into the northwest corner of Illinois right along the Mississippi River, claims to be the second most-popular tourist destination in Illinois. It was named for a type of lead sulfide mined in the area. The Galena Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Main Street has a large number of specialty shops, restaurants and a winery. There are also resorts, golf courses and a ski hill in the area.

Geneva

Geneva is a scenic and historic town, located along the Fox River. It is quaint and renowned for its numerous shops and restaurants. There is also an extensive bike trail system and it is the site of the Fabyan Windmill, an old Dutch windmill dating back to the 1850s. Geneva is also the home of the Kane County Cougars minor league baseball team.

John Deere sites

Anyone who is interested in history, agriculture or machinery will enjoy a visit to the John Deere sites in western Illinois and several sites in Iowa. In Grand Detour, near Dixon, you can see Deere's home and remnants of the original blacksmith shop where he invented his self-scouring steel plow, which could cut through the heavy prairie soil. Tours are free and special events are often scheduled between May and October. Call (815) 652-4551 for more information.

In Moline, where Deere moved his business in 1848, you can still find Deere's world headquarters and many other Deere sites to tour, all of which are free. The headquarters features a giant display floor featuring vintage and current equipment; a three-dimensional historical timeline mural, "Reflections of an Era," follows 177 years of history; and an award-winning building design set on 1,400 beautiful acres. It is open daily.

Nearby is the Deere Pavilion, a museum of company history and displays about its future. The Pavilion is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Finally, there are factory tours. The Harvester Works is located in East Moline and the Seeding Group is located in Moline. Call (800) 765-9588 to reserve a tour of either factory. Three tours of the Harvester Works are available daily, Monday through Friday. Seeding Group tours are only available September through February.

Additional factories and tours can be found in Waterloo, Ankeny and Ottumwa, Iowa. Visit deere.com for information.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

The most-visited presidential library and museum in the United States, the Abraham Lincoln Museum is well worth the drive to Springfield. There is so much to see in the museum that many visitors make return trips to re-experience some parts and acquaint themselves with areas they may have overlooked. With temporary exhibits, special programs, guest speakers and theatrical presentations, visitors can expect something new every time they walk through the museum's doors.

Crowd favorites include "Ghosts of the Library," a dramatic holographic presentation that explains the importance of the Lincoln library in preserving not just the history of Lincoln, but of all Illinoisans. There's also life-size exhibits, an interactive exhibit that allows visitors to "ask Mr. Lincoln" a set of preprogrammed questions and much more.

The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students.

Long Grove

Long Grove combines the charm of its farming community roots with today's upscale tastes and styles to attract shoppers and diners from all over the Chicago area. Known for its historic covered bridge, eclectic and artsy shops and restaurants located in historic buildings, and its old-fashioned country setting, it is a great place to go for a day's outing or for a fun lunch or dinner.

Long Grove is also known for its festivals and concerts, including Chocolate Fest in May, the Strawberry Festival in June and Apple Fest in September.

Millennium Park

If you haven't been downtown to see Chicago's Millennium Park up close, be sure to plan a trip. It is located at the entrance to Grant Park and it has four major artistic highlights: the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, "Cloud Gate" (otherwise known as "The Bean"), the Crown Fountain and the Lurie Garden. It also features the McCormick Tribune Ice Skating Rink, the BP Pedestrian Bridge, the McDonald's Cycle Center and much more.

Millennium Park was constructed on top of the Illinois Central Railway yards and Grant Park's large parking garages, so it is actually a 24.5-acre "green roof."

Morton Arboretum

The Morton Arboretum in Lisle is a 1,700-acre public garden and outdoor museum that includes more than 4,100 plant species. It features tram tours, hiking trails, roadways for driving and bicycling, one of the largest restored prairies in the Chicago area, an interactive children's garden and a maze. It was established in 1922 by Joy Morton, founder of the Morton Salt Co.

Admission is $14 for adults and $12 for seniors (65 and older). Admissions are discounted on Wednesdays. The Arboretum is open daily from 9 a.m. to dusk, except May through October when it closes at 6 p.m.

Navy Pier

Navy Pier has been part of Chicago's shoreline since 1916 and today it is the city's No. 1 tourist attraction. The 3,300-foot pier includes more than 50 acres of parks, gardens, shops, restaurants, family attractions (like the huge Ferris wheel) and exhibition facilities. It is also where most of the city's tourist boats dock during the warm months.

There is no fee to visit Navy Pier, but there are fees to partake in the entertainments.

Oberweis Dairy Factory Tour

Take a tour of the Oberweis Dairy Factory in North Aurora and see what happens behind the scenes. You will see where Oberweis bottles its milk and makes ice cream. You'll also enjoy a video presentation about the dairy farms where it gets its milk, the life of an Oberweis milkman and how the plant operates. The tour ends in the retail store with a free cup of vanilla ice cream for everyone.

You need to schedule a tour in advance by calling (630) 801-6100 and you should find some friends to go with you because tour groups must have at least 10 people and everyone in the group must be at least 8 years old. Tours are generally offered at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and they last about 45 minutes. A fee of $3 is charged for adults and $2 per child (8 and up only).

Sporting events (professional and college)

It is easiest to just list the many choices: Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, Fire, White Sox and the university teams of DePaul, Loyola, Northwestern and UIC. Check their schedules and head out to whatever strikes your fancy!

Starved Rock State Park

Starved Rock State Park is a world apart from anything else in Illinois. It is a natural wonderland filled with towering trees and amazing waterfalls in the spring and after heavy rains. There are 13 miles of trails to explore and the Illinois River offers fishing, boating, extraordinary views and great places to relax. You can spend the night in a rustic hotel room in the Lodge (complete with an indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, lounge and dining room that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily) or in one of the log cabins in the woods. They also offer year-round trolley tours and guided hikes of the beautiful canyons and seasonal waterfalls.

Over the border to Wisconsin

Car ferry (S.S. Badger) from Manitowac, Wisconsin, to Ludington, Michigan

In operation for more than 60 years, the S.S. Badger offers a fun and reliable shortcut across Lake Michigan and offers a cruise experience that hearkens back to an earlier time when a sea voyage was the ultimate travel and vacation adventure.

The 410-foot Badger is the only coal-fired steamship in operation in the United States. It began operating in 1953 and was designed to handle the rough conditions that it would likely encounter during year-round sailing on Lake Michigan. Built primarily to transport railroad freight cars, but with superior passenger accommodations, the Badger reigned as Queen of the Lakes during the car ferries' Golden Era in the late 1950s, with Manitowoc, Milwaukee and Kewaunee as her Wisconsin ports of call. Changing economics forced her into retirement in late 1990. However, the next year an entrepreneur named Charles Conrad committed his own financial resources to reinvent the S.S. Badger to carry leisure passengers and their vehicles.

Since then, this legend of the Great Lakes has delighted a new generation of riders. The S.S. Badger now sails daily between Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Ludington, Michigan, from mid-May through mid-October. Visit ssbadger.com for rates and schedules.

Door County

Door County is a well-known retreat, popular for its 300 miles of picturesque shoreline, five state parks and 19 county parks, as well as for recreation, shopping, art, wineries, entertainment and great dining. The county boasts 19 communities that all offer warm hospitality and lodging options for all budgets and tastes.

Harley-Davidson Museum

Motorcycle enthusiasts will want to visit this museum in Milwaukee to check out more than 450 motorcycles and artifacts, dating back to Serial Number 1, the oldest known Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and to hear stories about the Harley-Davidson culture. It is located on a 20-acre campus on the Milwaukee riverfront and includes a restaurant and gift shop. Admission is $20 for adults and $14 for seniors (65+), military and students. On Tuesdays, October through April, admission is $10. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, May through September, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., October through April. Open until 8 p.m., Thursdays, year-round.

The House on the Rock

Alex Jordan's Japanese pagoda-style retreat in Spring Green, built atop a chimney of rock, opened to the public in 1960. Today it is an attraction with many buildings that contain eclectic, exotic and whimsical exhibits and displays. The House on the Rock is open year round and offers different experiences depending on the time of the year. The days of the week, hours of operation and portions of the attraction that are open vary, depending on the experience. If you would like to stay nearby, there are swimming pools and relaxing rooms for your family at The Inn, while at The Resort there are scenic vistas, 27 holes of championship golf, exceptional cuisine, luxurious two-room suites and a spa.

Kohler

When John Michael Kohler, inventor of the enamel bathtub, built his factory in Wisconsin, immigrants from Austria, Holland, Germany, Russia and other locations arrived looking for work. The challenge was helping those workers find housing.

According to the Kohler website, Walter J. Kohler, John's son, undertook an ambitious project to house the immigrant workers for just $27.50 a month, including a private room, laundry service and three meals per day. The project, a Tudor-style building he named The American Club, opened its doors to single immigrant workers in 1918. Along with a pub, bowling alley and barbershop, The American Club offered lessons in American citizenship and the English language.

Eventually, The American Club outlived its original purpose and was in need of major repairs. Herbert V. Kohler Jr. came up with the idea of turning the structure, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, into an elegant village inn. In 1981, The American Club was reborn as a world-class resort hotel. The resort now includes four award-winning championship golf courses, nine restaurants, boutique shops and the Kohler Waters Spa.

Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva is a perennial favorite for Chicago-area residents, no matter the season. In the spring, you can walk the lakeshore path, cruise the lake and find an outside fire pit to keep you warm at night. In the summer there are multiple opportunities to enjoy the water - beaches, boating, paddleboarding, jet skiing, kayaking. In the fall you can view the colorful foliage from a hot-air balloon, follow the shoreline via cruise boat and enjoy events like Oktoberfest and Halloween Happenings. Finally, in winter there is snow skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, sledding and winter zip-lining. And there is always great dining, spa retreats and shopping in unique shops.

Lambeau Field stadium tours

Lambeau Field stadium tours allow fans (and competitors) to experience the Green Bay Packers' history-rich facility firsthand and see several behind-the-scenes areas. There are two different tour options available most days.

For visitor information and general operations questions, call (920) 569-7512 or email hoftours@packers.com. Keep in mind that no tours are available on home game days and on days of various stadium events.

Taliesin East

Taliesin, the estate of architect Frank Lloyd Wright in Spring Green, has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. Many of Wright's acclaimed buildings were designed here, including Fallingwater outside of Pittsburgh, the Johnson Wax headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

Taliesin mostly operates as a museum. However, it is still occupied by architects and architecture students on a seasonal basis. In addition to the residence, there are four Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings on the estate: the Romeo and Juliet Windmill (1896); Tan-y-Deri, the home he designed for his sister and brother-in-law; the Hillside Home School (1901), designed for the school his aunts ran, and Midway Barns, a farming facility.

Wisconsin Dells

Tourists have been flocking to the Wisconsin Dells, north of Madison, since the late 1800s, so you might want to visit, too. It features skiing in the winter and golf in the spring, summer and fall. There are also scenic boat tours, spas, breweries, wineries, distilleries, live shows, water parks, a nearby casino, great restaurants and much more for adults and children alike.

Over the other border to Indiana

Amish Acres

Amish Acres Historic Farm and Heritage Resort in Nappanee, Indiana, is the only Old Order Amish farm listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 80-acre parcel was homesteaded by the first Amish settlers to Indiana, Barbara Stahly and her sons in 1839. You can visit for a tour of the home and grounds and lunch at the century-old Restaurant Barn, or you can stay a night or two at the Inn at Amish Acres or the nearby Nappanee Inn and enjoy a show at the Round Barn Theatre and a traditional family-style Threshers Dinner.

Brown County

No matter what you're looking for, escape comes naturally in Brown County. Eclectic boutiques and galleries as well as welcoming accommodations in Nashville and breathtaking scenery and endless outdoor adventures everywhere await in one of America's original artists' colonies. From art to the rustic beauty of the great outdoors, there's something for everyone to enjoy here.

Columbus

Columbus, Indiana, is a must-see site for architecture lovers since it is known for its modern architecture and public art. J. Irwin Miller, a local industrialist, instituted a program in which his firm paid the architects' fee and provided a list of approved architectural firms to any public building that needed a new structure. The plan was originally initiated with public schools and was so successful that Miller's foundation decided to offer the deal to other nonprofit and civic organizations, too. The high number of notable public buildings and public art in the Columbus area designed by important architects, has led to Columbus earning the nickname "Athens on the Prairie." Seven buildings, built between 1942 and 1965, are National Historic Landmarks, and about 60 others contribute to Columbus' reputation as a showcase of modern architecture. National Geographic magazine even devoted an article to the town's architecture.

University of Notre Dame

Consider stopping in South Bend to wander the gorgeous campus of the University of Notre Dame, making sure to take in the famous Golden Dome and the adjacent Sacred Heart Basilica. If you can get there in the fall, consider buying a ticket for a home football game for a memorable experience. The College Football Hall of Fame is also located nearby, in downtown South Bend.

Across the lake to Michigan

Holland

You might want to take a trip to Holland, Michigan, during the second week of May for its annual Tulip Time Festival that dates back to 1930. Tulips are planted along many city streets, in city parks and outside municipal buildings, as well as at tourist attractions like Dutch Village, Windmill Island Gardens and at Veldheer Tulip Gardens, a large tulip farm. The community is also known for its shopping and restaurants.

Lake Express car ferry

Take a short cut across Lake Michigan that is a fun adventure, in and of itself. Traversing the lake since 2004, the Lake Express ferry is a high speed auto passenger ferry, traveling the historic Lake Michigan ferry route between Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan. Crossing Lake Michigan in just 2½ hours, the Lake Express established new standards for Great Lakes ferry service, cutting hours from previous record crossing times and hours from the typical trip around Lake Michigan from Chicago and its suburbs. This year it will run from April 28 through Oct. 23.

Mackinac Island

If you haven't made a trip to Mackinac, be sure to plan one. It is a glorious resort located on an island in Lake Huron between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. It is well-known for its Grand Hotel, a wide variety of architectural styles and its ban on almost all motor vehicles. Best visited in the summer, it a popular spot for golfers and cyclists, as well as those who enjoy history and fine dining. It is well worth a long weekend trip.

South Haven

This charming beach town offers fun for all ages. It features beautiful beaches, night life, eclectic eateries, award-winning wineries, great boutique shopping and picturesque surroundings. Nearby there is challenging golf, scenic nature trails, gorgeous inland lakes and the charming town of Paw Paw.

Traverse City

The Traverse City area is the largest producer of tart cherries in the country. Head over there during the first week of July and you will catch the weeklong National Cherry Festival, which attracts 500,000 visitors every year. The region also produces grapes that supply the many local wineries. Traverse City has also become a Midwestern Mecca for craft brewing enthusiasts. Beer Week is celebrated in November, with tours of breweries including samplings, dinners and workshops. The Traverse City area also features freshwater beaches, vineyards, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, downhill skiing resorts and numerous forests.