Illinois Resorts, Lodges and Outfitters Directory Presented By Chicago Fishing Links

Our Old House
Lake Shelbyville

Visit the Our Old House website for a great place to stay while enjoying Lake Shelbyville, and to catch up on all the fishing reports from Shelbyville.
Situated on 5 private acres, Our Old House has ALL the comforts of home with historic and peaceful country charm.

www.ouroldhouse.net

(217) 774-2419

The best thing about these facilities is that because they are located though out the State, they are convenient for both weekend get-a-ways and week long vacations. I have yet to hear a bad review from anyone who has stayed at any of these facilities.

I have included the web site addresses and descriptions as posted by the State of Illinois at http://dnr.state.il.us/LODGES/index.htm.

A bank of the Ohio River provides the setting for this historic 200-acre state park in the Shawnee National Forest. The park takes its name from a large natural cave used as a hiding place by pirates who preyed upon river travelers after the Revolutionary War until the 1830's.
Today the contemporary setting features four duplex cabins with eight suites, each accommodating up to four people. The suites have baths, TV, kitchenette (no cooking facilities), dining area, wet bar, bed room, living room and private patio deck overlooking the river. Other amenities include a nine-hole golf course, playgrounds and picnic shelters.

The family-style restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, including Southern specialties such as catfish. Activities in the area include hiking, fishing, boating, bicycling, golfing, picnicking, antiquing and bird watching. Garden of the Gods is less than a 30-minute drive from the lodge.

Located within Cave-In-Rock State Park, the lodge is 55 miles southeast of Marion off Interstate 57. Travel Illinois 13 southeast to Illinois 1, then south to the park. Lodging is available seasonally. The restaurant is closed January and February. Reservations may be made by writing Cave-In-Rock Lodge, P.O. Box 38, Cave-In-Rock, IL 62919 or by phone (618)289-4545.

Located on Lake Shelbyville in the Eagle Creek State Park, it provides luxury resort facilities, including 128 rooms and 10 executive suites with fireplaces. Rooms feature full baths, TVs, telephones, and views of the countryside and lake area from your outdoor patio. The Inn at Eagle Creek Resort features an indoor swimming pool, 18-hole golf course, four tennis courts, gift shop/pro shop, pontoon and fishing boat rentals and meeting facilities.
In addition to swimming, golfing and fishing, you can enjoy hiking, water skiing, relaxing in the whirlpool and sauna, bicycling, and, in winter, sledding and cross-country skiing. Antique shops are found in nearby towns. The Wildflowers Dining Room specializes in ribs, chicken, and seafood. The Roomers Bar and Grill provides hearty entrees in a casual atmosphere. Also available is nearby Eagle's Nest Conference Retreat, featuring a fireplace, eight sleeping rooms, kitchen facilities and wet bar.

Special package plans and Kid's Night Out programs are available; call for a free brochure. The Inn at Eagle Creek Resort is located in Eagle Creek State Park, about 30 miles southeast of Decatur. To reach the resort, travel Illinois 121 to Dalton City and then take Illinois 128 south (following signs to the park) to Findlay. The resort is 1 mile east of Findlay.

The resort, conference center, golf course and Windflowers Dining Room are open year-round. For more information or to make reservations, write The Inn at Eagle Creek Resort and Conference Center, Findlay, IL 62534 or phone (800) 876-3245 or (217) 756-3456.

Twelve lakefront cottages are available for rent in the park. The rustic cottages are located on the Carlyle Lake shoreline offering a spectacular view of the lake. The 780 square foot units contain a kitchenette, bar, living area, bedroom, loft and deck. The kitchenette is equipped with stove, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker and sink. Other amenities include cable TV, linens, and cookware. Construction of complimentary boat docks for each cottage unit is underway and will be available by later summer. Each unit is capable of sleeping up to 6 people. For more information on prices and availability, please call Dick Pearson at 618-594-3386 or e-mail Cottages@midwest.net.

Giant City Lodge is part of a wooded, 3,694-acre Giant City State Park, located in Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. The area was inhabited by Native Americans as early as 10,000 B.C. with the sandstone bluffs providing them shelter. The lodge was named for the unusual rock formations that resemble towering buildings and winding streets of a mythical giant's town.

The facility sits on a hill, the highest point in the park, and is surrounded by 34 cabins. The lodge is rustic, with sandstone and white timber construction, and many of the original oak furnishings are still in use. Rooms feature full baths, TVs, telephones and forest views.

Other amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, children's pool, stables, gift shop and a meeting room capable of accommodating from 60 to 150 people.

The Bald Knob dining room features a rough-hewn ceiling with brass chandeliers. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is known for its "all you can eat" family-styled fried chicken.

Activities in the area include hiking, horseback riding, boating, and fishing for bass, crappie and bluegill. The park also offers a handicap accessible trail, but it does have steep drop-offs with no rails.

Giant City Lodge is 12 miles south of Carbondale off Illinois 13 on Giant City Road.

The lodge and restaurant are closed from mid-December until the first weekend of February. For reservations, write Giant City Lodge, 336 S. Church Road, Makanda, IL 62958 or phone (618)457-4921.

Located on the shore of Lake Michigan and in the most visited state park, the recently remodeled resort offers 92 guest rooms, including four luxury suites. Rooms feature a full bath, TV, telephone and a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan and the state park.

The resort features a full service restaurant and lounge, complete banquet and catering facilities, meeting and conference rooms for up to 400, Jacuzzi, health club, gift shop and game room.

The scenic location on Lake Michigan attracts more than 1 million visitors each year, and with the hotel located right on the beach, every sunrise and sunset is an event worth experiencing.

North Point Marina, a full service marina, containing 1,500 slips. Recreational opportunities include hiking trails, walking or jogging on the more than 3 miles of beach, and an 18 hole golf course nearby. Just minutes away is the Six Flags Great America theme park. Gurnee Mills outlet mall and Temple Farms, home of the famous Lippizzan stallions.

For more information, write Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center, #1 Lake Front, Zion, IL 60099, or phone (847) 625-7300, or call Illinois Beach State Park at (847) 662-4828.

Pere Marquette State Park is situated just outside Grafton on 8,000 wooded acres of land bordering the Illinois River. The spacious lodge's rustic Great Room features a beamed ceiling and a massive stone fireplace. There are 50 lodge rooms and 22 natural stone cabin rooms. Each room features a full bath or shower, TV, telephone and views of the park or river.
The elegant dining room seats 150 people and offers a choice of family-style dining or a la carte menu selections for breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Catfish, prime rib and grilled breast of chicken are favorites. The lodge features a 2,900-square foot conference center, which breaks into four separate meeting spaces and can accommodate 300 people.

Other amenities include an indoor swimming pool, sauna, whirlpool, exercise room, video game room, tennis courts, playground, stables, cocktail lounge, gift shop and marina with courtesy docks.

Activities include fishing, hiking, boating, horseback riding and picnicking. You can play chess on a life-size board as well.

The lodge, conference center and restaurant are open year round. Pere Marquette Lodge is located five miles north of Grafton on Illinois 100. It is approximately 25 miles northwest of Alton. Reservations may be made by writing Pere Marquette Lodge and Conference Center, Route 100, Grafton, IL 62037 or by phoning (618)786-2331.

Located in Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park in Southern Illinois, this waterside resort offers 90 first-class rooms and cabins. All rooms feature balconies or decks with beautiful lakefront and/or park views. Some rooms have fireplaces and others have sleeping lofts. Cabins are outfitted with refrigerators (there are no cooking facilities, however). All lodgings have phones, TVs and full baths with showers.

Other amenities of the resort are an outdoor swimming pool, children's pool, tennis court, playground, nearby 27-hole golf course, a newly opened conference center which can accommodate up to 250, trap shooting, field dog trial grounds, convenience store and gift shop, gas for boats, courtesy boat docking and rental of paddle, fishing and pontoon boats.

Windows Restaurant on Rend Lake serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with causal outdoor dining on the deck. House specialties include pork chops, catfish, steak, excellent homemade salads and desserts, and kids' menus. Activities at the resort and the 19,000 acre lake include hunting, bird watching, swimming, boating, sailing and fishing (especially for crappie and largemouth bass).

Rend Lake Resort is easily accessible, just off Interstate 57, south of Mt. Vernon. The complex is open year-round for your enjoyment. For reservations write Rend Lake Resort, 11712 E. Windy Lane, Whittington, IL 62897-9718 or phone 1-800-633-3341.

Located on the Illinois River between LaSalle-Peru and Ottawa, Starved Rock State Park is one of the state's most visited sites. The 2,700-acre park has 18 canyons and more than 15 miles of hiking trails.

The native stone and log lodge at the park has 72 guest rooms. There are an additional 22 cabin rooms, some with wood-burning fireplaces. Each room has a full bath, TV (except Pioneer Cabins) and telephone, and many have a view of the bluffs. A new hotel wing has been added, featuring a lobby and indoor pool complex. The Great Hall is decorated with outstanding Native American artifacts, rugs and artwork, and features a beamed ceiling and giant fireplace.

Besides the indoor swimming pool, other amenities include a children's pool, whirlpool, saunas, outdoor sunning patio, gift shop, lounge, boat ramps, canoe rentals and horse rentals.

Activities in the park area include camping, hiking, playing tennis, bicycling, fishing, boating, horseback riding, picnicking, and wintertime cross-country skiing, sledding and ice skating. In spring, waterfalls make a splash in the park's 18 magnificent glacier-carved canyons, while winter transforms these same falls into magnificent ice sculptures.

The family-style restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Specialties include a spectacular Sunday brunch, kid's menus, prime rib, baked chicken, steaks, seafood and pasta. The Starved Rock Cafe provides lighter fare. Six conference rooms are available. The largest meeting room can accommodate 200 people. The lodge is a popular location for weddings, banquets and business retreats.

Starved Rock Lodge is located within Starved Rock State Park, 10 miles west of Ottawa and Interstate 80, 4 miles south on Illinois 178. The lodge, conference center and restaurant are open year-round. You may make inquiries or reservations by writing Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center, P.O. Box 570, Utica, IL 61373 or by calling (815) 667-4211 or 1-800-868-7625.

White Pines Forest State Park, located in northwest Illinois near the Rock River Valley, is rich in Native American History. You can view moss-covered limestone bluffs and ford Pine Creek on a scenic drive through White Pines Forest State Park.

The renovated log cabin inn, crafted from stone and timbers, is nestled under majestic white pines. There are 25 one-room guest cabins, some with fireplaces. The main lodge contains a country gift shop with local artwork. Accommodations feature private baths, TVs, telephones, air conditioning/heating and forest views. There are two "Sweetheart" cabins, with fireplace, love seat and stocked beverage refrigerator.

Other amenities include a conference room with seating for up to 300, special banquet menus, wedding and reception facilities, catered picnics and a dinner theater.

The restaurant, with timbered ceiling and knotty pine walls, serves a "Paul Bunyan breakfast," and is well known for homemade soups, breads and desserts.

Activities include bank fishing on Pine Creek, picnicking, hiking, volleyball, pitching horseshoes and, in winter, cross-country skiing and sledding.

White Pines Inn is located off Interstate 90, 30 miles southwest of Rockford. Travel Illinois 2 to Oregon and proceed 5 miles west on Pines Road.

The inn and restaurant are closed late-December through February. For more information or reservations, write White Pines Inn, 6712 W. Pines Road, Mount Morris, IL 61054 or phone (815)946-3817 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Cardinal Resort
RR. #4
Shelbyville
(217) 774-5064

Country Charm Bed & Breakfast
314 South Cedar
Shelbyville
(800) 600-5352
Website: http://www.shelbyville-il.net/countrycharm

Deerfield Bed & Breakfast
R.R. 1 Box 99A
Windsor, IL 61957
(800) 656-2750
E-mail: bodinedf@aol.com
Website: http://www.deerfieldbb.com

Dowd House Bed & Breakfast
125 North Macon
Moweaqua, IL
(217) 768-3821

Findlay Inn
Findlay, IL
(217) 877-5686

Gregory's Resort Motel
R.R.#4 Box 102B
Shelbyville
(217) 774-4313
E-Mail: bass4@one-eleven.net
Website: http://www.shelbyville-il.net/gregorysresort

Handschuh Bed & Breakfast
811 W. N. First
Shelbyville, IL
(217) 774-3144

J.R.'s Resort
R.R. 4, Box 217A
Shelbyville, IL 62565
(217) 756-3147
E-Mail: mrsjr4@yahoo.com
Website: http://members.tripod.com/~JRs_Resort/Welcome.html

The Inn at Oak Terrace
100 Beyers Lake Road
Pana, IL 62557
(800) 577-7598
E-Mail: otgolf@frontiernet.net
Website: http://www.oakterrace.com

Kenny's Resort
Lake Shelbyville, IL
(708) 403-8493

Lakeside Cabin Rental
Shelbyville, IL
(217) 774-2367

Lidster Motor Hotel
203 S. Washington
Shelbyville, IL
(217) 774-2223

Lithia Resort Motel
R.R.#4
Shelbyville, IL
(217) 774-2882
E-Mail: lithia2@lithiaresort.com
Website: http://www.lithiaresort.com

Oak Terrace Lodge
90 Beyers Lake Road
Lake Shelbyville
(800) 577-7598

Robin Hood Woods Resort
RT. 16, Shelbyville
(217) 774-4222

The Shaker Loft
74 Beyers Lake Rd.
Near Lake Shelbyville, IL
(217) 539-4306
E-Mail: info@shaker-loft.com
Website: http://www.shaker-loft.com

Shelby Historic House and Inn
816 W. Main
Shelbyville, IL
(800) 342-9978
Website: http://www.shelbyinn.com

Spillway Motel & Bait Shop
E. Rte 16
Shelbyville, IL
(800) 845-0414

Sullivan Marina & Campground
RR3, Box 289
Sullivan, IL 61951
(217) 728-7338

The Timbers Lodge
Next to Hidden Springs St. Pk.
(217) 644-3131
E-Mail: timberchat@timberslodge.com
Website: http://www.timberslodge.com

John's Hospitality Inn
1713 Sheridan Rd.
Zion, IL. 60099-4120
(847) 872-9797

Near:
Illinois Beach State Park
North Point Marina

Anthony Acres Resort
Lake Sarah Near Effingham
P.O. Box 1371
Effingham, IL 62401
(217) 868-2950

Turkey Creek Lodge
Newton Lake and East Fork
13388 N 875th St.
Newton, IL 62448
(877) 660-6602
E-Mail: info@turkeycreeklodge.com