Allerton Park

My boyfriend and I are always looking for beautiful places to visit in the midwest. I have seen a site listing Allerton Park as being one of the "7 wonders" of Illinois. After looking through the very limited amount of pictures they had online, I decided I had to go.

The one thing that really caught my attention was the beautiful mansion. I could totally see Darcy strolling through the halls (Pride and Prejudice, anyone?). I wanted to stay there in a bad way, but since Allerton is a park and all, it looked like my chances of being a star in my own Austen novel were pretty slim. That is, until I stumbled upon a page that listed a bed and brunch weekend. That just happened to be on my birthday.

So that's why we spent two hours of my birthday on cruddy back highways, and even a few country roads. But oh... was it worth it. We got a delicious picnic for dinner that we could take anywhere on the grounds. We got to stay in a gorgeous old house with ornate doorknobs and hardwood floors. And the gardens... words can't begin to describe how breathtakingly beautiful (and stunningly symmetrical) they were. In fact, I won't even try. I'll just leave you with some pictures. :]

As I said, gorgeous grounds, and amazing birthday. I feel so lucky. Are there any other places in the Midwest that I just HAVE to visit? If you can think of one, leave an answer in the comments!

Oh, and here's a piece of advice: In a zombie infestation, a hedge maze is the last place you wanna be.