3 Illinois Wine Trails You Must Check Out This Fall

Fall fun and a glass of wine go perfectly hand-in-hand, and there's no better way to celebrate the season than going on a win trail adventure in Illinois!

Go-to Fall Drinks

I don't know about you, but I tend to enjoy certain drinks depending on the season. No, I am not talking about pumpkin spice lattes here, I'm talking alcohol.

During the summer I'm a light beer and/or vodka/soda girl. During the colder months I seem to stray toward more toward flavorful cocktails when I'm not feeling a beer or vodka. While I'll admit I'm not much of a wine drinker, whenever I choose to have a glass, (or three), it typically happens during the fall.

Why? I'm not really sure. There's just something about sipping a sweet wine surrounded by the smells of apples and cinnamon that I really enjoy in the fall.

If you're a wine lover any time of the year, Illinois boasts some incredible wine trails  which are even more enjoyable during the fall.  What's not to love about delicious tastings, stunning scenery, and that cozy feeling that comes with exploring charming small towns?!?

3 Illinois Wine Trails to Enjoy in the Fall

Since fall is fast approaching and I'm already craving some good wine, I decided to search for fun wine trail adventures to go on in Illinois. I found these five that sound perfect on the Illinois Wine website;

1. Shawnee Hills Wine Trail

Located in Southern Illinois, the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail is 40 miles through the beautiful fall colors of the Shawnee National Forest. The trail features 11 award-winning wineries where you can enjoy a wide selection of wines, from crisp whites and bold reds to unique fruit wines, and delicious seasonal eats too.

2. Mississippi Valley Wine Trail

Besides enjoying fabulous wines from 6 different wineries, the Mississippi Valley Wine Trail features beautiful fall views and attractions of the Mississippi River.

3. Heart of Illinois Wine Trail

2024 marks the second year for the Heart of Illinois Wine Trail that winds its way through Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, Springfield, Canton, and Galesburg. It features 9 wineries, and plenty of cool non-wine related attractions to see along the way.

So, are you ready to get sippin'?!? Grab a designated driver, your favorite cozy sweater, and start planning tour trip to one of these Illinois Wine Trails soon! Don't forget to look up amazing places to stay along each trail so you can make it a full weekend getaway.

Here are some more cool ideas for places to go eatin' and drinkin' in Illinois and Wisconsin this fall...