Fall is the perfect time to gather up the kids and head to the country to get away! Here are a few ideas to help you plan the perfect fall weekend!
Day 1
Morning Activity:  Start your fall adventure with a visit to   
Royal Oak Farm Orchard  in Harvard, IL. With 20,000 apple trees in thirty varieties, Royal Oak is the perfect place for apple picking! Don't miss exploring the country's first and ONLY apple tree maze, Amaze 'N Apples!

Lunch time: You're in luck!  Royal Oak is also home to the Country Kitchen Restaurant where they are famous for their Chicken Pot Pie! Looking for something a little lighter? Don't worry - homemade soups, salads and sandwiches are
also their specialty!  
Afternoon Activity: Hop in the car and head  over  to  North America's largest operating demonstration railroad - the 
Illinois Railway Museum . Spend a few hours or an entire weekend seeing the education, restoration and preservation efforts of this museum in motion! 
*Only open on Saturdays
& Sundays in October*

Dinner:  You've more than likely worked up quite an appetite after all of your adventure-ing today! Make your way over to Georgio's Chicago Pizzeria & Pub in Downtown Crystal Lake! Voted the "Best Pizza in McHenry County", Georgio's only uses the freshest and finest ingredients!

Time to Rest: We are positive that the whole family is ready to relax by now! Make
Holiday Inn Crystal Lake the place where they lay their heads for the night! This is McHenry County's only full-service hotel so you can enjoy amenities such as an on-site restaurant and lounge, indoor pool and health center!

Day 2

Breakfast: Today's adventures require a hearty breakfast! First stop is at
Windhill Pancake Parlor in McHenry, IL! Nothing says fall like warm backed apple pancakes! Make sure to sit at the bar so that the toy train can bring the kiddo's their meal!
Morning Activity: Stade's Farm & Market is a farmtastic theme park and a favorite for farm-fresh veggies! Their sweet corn is so popular there's a countdown to the first day it's available! Stade's is also home to the Shades of Autumn fall festival every year, featuring some of our favorite four-legged friends, including goats, a pony, turtles bunnies, Mama Llama and an alpaca. Don't forget all of the fun rides for the kids! You can also pick your own pumpkins and apples this fall! 
Snack time: It's time for a sweet treat to tide you over for the rest of the afternoon! The Anderson family began making chocolates back in 1919, and not much has changed since then. Every piece of Anderson's Candy is handmade with the best ingredients. Named among the best candy makers in the country by the Los Angeles Times and Consumers Digest. 



Afternoon Activity:  Richardson Adventure Farm  is home to the "World's Largest" Corn Maze. The whole family can spend the entire day exploring the maze and finding the many checkpoints throughout! We promise, they've never lost anyone ... yet! This adventure farm is much more than just a corn maze, don't miss the u-pick pumpkin patch, 700-foot zip line, zorbing, train ride, carousel, petting zoo, jumping pillows paint ball and more!
September 1 - 3
Milkyway Park, Harvard
2nd Annual Harvard Balloon Fest will host over 20 hot air balloons over Labor Day Weekend. More activities are scheduled this year including More seats to purchase Hot Air Balloon Rides, additional tethered balloons for tethered rides, helicopter rides, RUN WITH THE BALLOONS 5K/10K, 2 musical stages, Movies in the Park after the Night Glows, amateur and Pro Photo Contest, Inflatable rides and activities, Games, and much more!
September 1 - 3
Sunset Park, Lake in the Hills
Wrap up summer at this old-fashioned Labor Day weekend party, featuring lots of food, arts & craft show, battle of the bands, horseshoe tournament, 5K run, parade, classic and custom car show, carnival rides on the midway, melon propelling contest and a super fireworks show on Sunday evening.
September 8 - 9
Crystal Lake Brewing
Welcome the release of CLB's delicious, traditional Oktoberfest beer. Other CLB beers will also be available at the 'fest. All served in 1/2 liter take-home souvenir festival mugs. Food: Friday & Saturday 5-9:00 P.M. - Duke's Blues & BBQ, Snacks by Pop's Corn Crib, Best Truckin' BBQ (FRIDAY only), Crystal Lake Rib House (SATURDAY only). Live Music: Friday 5 - 7 PM - Mid by Midwest, Friday 8 - 11 P.M. - Deja Vu, Saturday 5 - 7 P.M. Jake & The Lesser Stags, Saturday 8 - 11 P.M. Bucket #6
September 9
Beyond Stable Farm, Woodstock
HOLD ONTO YOUR LEDERHOSEN! 
Enjoy traditional German music by Die Musikmeisters, and German fare courtesy of The Public House! 
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! 
September 16
Downtown McHenry
As you stroll through the shops and businesses of the downtown, you will sample tastes of wine at each location along with samples of delicious tastes of food from the McHenry area restaurants. Each person will receive a bottle of wine at the finish of the event, along with a commemorative wine glass and a swag bag full of wine related gifts.
September 16 - 17
Norge Ski Jump, Fox River Grove
Junior Competition K70 - Big Hill Tournament K70 Competition Long - Standing Competition
A Weekend of Fun for the Entire Family! Ski jumpers from around the world compete on our 70 meter hill. * Brats, Hot Dogs, Pizza, Popcorn, Pop, Beer, Wine, Jägermeister
Huntley Fall Fest
September 21 - 24
Huntley, IL 
Huntley, Illinois is home to the 12th Annual Fall Fest held September 21-24, 2017. Fall Fest is a four-day community celebration brought to you by the Huntley Fall Fest Committee, generous business sponsors, civic organizations, and hundreds of volunteers. 
The 2017 Huntley Fall Fest features three days of entertainment, a beer garden, food vendors, a full carnival midway (open Thursday  through Sunday), plenty of fall activities, and a spectacular fireworks display on Saturday night! It's the can't miss event of the year!
September 29
Loyola Retreat & Ecology Campus, Woodstock
A marvelous dinner showcasing Loyola University's Retreat and Ecology Campus farm fresh produce and locally sourced products. Farm Manager, Emily Zack, will talk about the farm and discuss "growing" tonight's dinner. Evening starts with a wine reception and appetizers and proceeds to a five course wine dinner.
September 30
Downtown Crystal Lake
It's our 25th Annual Johnny Appleseed Festival! This all-day event brings families and the community together to celebrate Fall. The Johnny Appleseed Festival is jam-packed (apple jam, of course!) with great activities such as pony rides, wagon rides, pumpkin train, children's games, moonwalk, craft fair, pie baking contest, pumpkin bowling, storytelling, face painting, temporary tattoos, dancing, live music, great food, and even Johnny Appleseed himself! We've even added a pancake breakfast to the lineup this year!

11879 E. Main Street
P.O. Box 1106
Huntley, IL 60142
815-893-6280

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Visit McHenry County, IL | 815-893-6280 |   visitmchenrycounty.com