LOCAL AREA

Little Grassy Lake Campground and Marina sits on Little Grassy Lake, located inside Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. It offers boating and fishing opportunities where the fisherman is king and the Bass and Crappie are his chief antagonist. Where 1,000 acres of crystal clear water , 4 miles long, 1 mile wide, up to 80 feet deep and 31 miles of wooded rocky shoreline create the most scenic lake in southern Illinois.

Home of the World Trotting Derby and the DuQuoin State Fair! The fair and all fair events start the week before labor day and end on Labor Day every year. They offer many other activities during the non fair season. There are water sports, MMA fighting, concerts, fishing, flea markets, RV shows, Car shows, and many other events to enjoy.

Over 4,000 acres of breathtaking natural beauty and unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation. Camping, picnicking, hunting & fishing, rock climbing & rappelling, horseback riding, and lodging & dining are all offered at Giant City State Park. Visitors will marvel at the many hiking trails. A sure adventure awaits anyone hiking the Giant City Nature Trail, home of the “Giant City Streets”, formed 12,000 years ago by huge bluffs of sandstone.

The 18-hole "Hickory Ridge" course at the Hickory Ridge Public Golf Center facility in Carbondale, Illinois features 6,863 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72 . The course rating is 73.3 and it has a slope rating of 137 on Zoysia grass. Designed by William J. Spear, ASGCA, the Hickory Ridge golf course opened in 1993. Michael Day manages the course as the Golf Professional.

Fishing, Camping, Boating, Swimming, Hunting, Trap Shoot, Resort, Hiking, Bike Trails, Museums, Shopping Great Cafes & Restaurants, Dinner Playhouses, Wineries, Opera, Theatre and more and more.

Stone Creek Golf course is without a doubt the most scenic course in Southern Illinois.

Macy's, Bed Bath and Beyond, Pier One, TJ Maxx, Dicks Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Old Navy, Rue 21, JC Pennys, Halmark, Holister, Wet Seal, Victoria's Secret, Hibbit, Finish Line, American Eagle, Hot Topic, Game Stop, and many more.

Southern Illinois' Shawnee Hills region is the state's first region acknowledged for its distinctive winemaking properties. The AVA designation allows winemakers to include the "Shawnee Hills" region name on any wines that include 85 percent or more of their volume derived from grapes grown withing the AVA, re-assuring consumers that wines with the Shawnee Hills designation on the label are enriched by the region's characteristic grape attributes.