Effingham Summer Getaway for a Couple

Effingham, Illinois, is just a short, two-hour drive from Indianapolis. It’s a Midwestern community off Interstate 70 and a perfect stop for those traveling between St. Louis and Indianapolis. However, staying a few days is even better, as well as exploring all Effingham has to offer.

Wait until you see what we were up to! Effingham is a foodie paradise and offers entertainment, arts/culture, and history. All of the things we enjoy. The city is located along the Historic National Road. If you have followed me for any time, you know how much I appreciate a good highway/byway road trip (especially in the Midwest)!

The Historic National Road runs from Maryland through Illinois, also known as U.S. Route 40.

A special thanks to Visit Effingham for hosting my trip. All opinions in this article are my own.

3-Day Effingham Itinerary

Day 1 in Effingham

• Check-in to Hampton Inn & Suites Effingham
• Dinner at Firefly Grill

We arrived in Effingham late Thursday afternoon and checked into the Hampton Inn & Suites. It is conveniently located just off I-57 and I-70 and a few minutes from downtown. Free wifi, parking, and breakfast are perks we look for when booking a hotel – these are all available at Hampton. The hotel also shares a parking lot with Starbucks, though free coffee and tea (and cookies – thanks to the Hilton brand!) are available in the Hampton lobby and all rooms.

Dinner was just down the road at Firefly Grill. If you live in the Midwest and label yourself a “foodie,” you may have heard of the Firefly Grill. They are known for their farm-to-table seasonal menus and rustic + romantic eco-conscious environment. Not to forget – the freshest, most delicious food. We dined on sweet corn elote, fried chicken, and the Montana Mignon, and we finished with a banana foster cake.

Guests can visit the back patio of the Firefly Grill, which overlooks the pond and gardens. A fish food dispenser is nearby for visitors to feed the fish in the pond (the fish are huge!).

Day 2 in Effingham

• Breakfast at Hampton Inn & Suites Effingham
• Browse John Boos Factory Showroom & Outlet
• Coffee at Fox Holler Coffee
• Lunch at Taqueria Don Pedro
• Shopping at Village Wine
• Self-Guided tour of Sculptures of the Avenue
• Dinner and concerts at EffingHAM-JAM BBQ Cook-Off

We started our Friday with a hearty continental breakfast at the hotel before crossing the street to John Boos Factory Showroom & Outlet. You might wonder – what is John Boos? They are one of the oldest manufacturers of butcher blocks in the U.S. and a leader in the food service industry. Bobby Flay exclusively uses their products! Since visiting, I’ve noticed their brand everywhere – in restaurants, businesses, and among celebrity chefs.

(If anyone wants to give me a new kitchen island from John Boos, I won’t turn down the gesture.)

Cool fact: The food service stations, concessions, and work tables at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis were provided by John Boos & Co.

It was then time to head to downtown Effingham for the rest of the day. I filled up with tacos for lunch at Taqueria Don Pedro. The taqueria shares a building with Village Wine – a wine library, a full bar, and a bottle shop that sells gourmet cheeses, patés, sausages, crackers, and chocolates. They have a nice rooftop patio with a view of downtown Effingham.

A self-guided walking tour of Sculptures on the Avenue was a good way to work off our taco calories. Midwest artists created the sculptures along the streets and corners for an outdoor exhibition. You can enjoy the sculptures up close, take photos, and enjoy the shops and boutiques.

EffingHAM-JAM (held annually in July)

The EffingHAM-JAM BBQ Cookoff was the highlight of our evening in Effingham. It is an annual competition all about BBQ, music, food, and family fun. The Hometown Throwdown Corporate Challenge is a match against local amateur BBQ enthusiasts. Tasting tickets are available – this is a delicious part of the event! On stage, live music play from local bands all night long.

The next day’s event included a free pancake breakfast, a children’s activity area, and the big Kansas City BBQ Society State (KCBS) BBQ Championship. Best of all, proceeds from the EffingHAM-JAM go to the Chamber Foundation of Effingham County Scholarship Program. Admission is free and open to the public, and food and beverage tickets are available for tastings and drinks.

Day 3 in Effingham

• Breakfast & coffee at Joe Sippers Cafe
• Shopping at the Effingham Farmers Market
• Treasure hunting at Country Peddlers
• Tastings at Tuscan Hills Winery

After a late night at the EffingHAM-JAM, we had a relaxing morning at Joe Sippers Cafe with breakfast and lattes. When visiting new cities, I like to frequent the local coffee shops. If you want to interact with the locals and get to know the city you are in, the local coffee shop is the place to go. Joe Sippers is one of those places. On a Saturday morning, people were coming from the Effingham Farmers Market, the perfect central location.

The farmers market is on the downtown courthouse lawn on Saturday mornings from May through October. I picked up delicious bread, pastries, and goodies from a local baker and browsed through the array of vendors selling jams, produce, popcorn, and handmade goods. Afterward, we headed to Country Peddlers for antique and boutique shopping. I scored a few home items and a boutique top for myself. Plan to spend some time here, there were more booths inside than I anticipated!

Lake Sara is a recreational lake known for boating, fishing, and revitalizing a recreational park and beach area.

For lunch, we enjoyed a taste of Tuscany at Tuscan Hills Winery. It was the perfect ending to our couple’s getaway in Effingham. A bit of fun, romantic old-world charm swirls around the winery, where we were invited for tastings and bites and to stay for a while. They have comfortable seating inside and outdoors, with a view of the vineyards (and cornfields because we are in the Midwest!). The charcuterie board and tiramisu were my favorites!

Tuscan Hills, take me away…

Of course, this is just a fraction of the things to do. Or a pre-planned itinerary for your next getaway! For more ideas and things to do in the area, visit the Effingham Visitors Bureau.

Nearby things to do:

• Visit Metropolis, Illinois: A Superman-themed town
• Wine and Nature: Shawnee Hills Wine Trail in Southern Illinois
• 8 Reasons You Should Visit Evansville, Indiana
• Charming Indiana “Hallmark Movie” Towns

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