Long Grove, Illinois

A one-tank trip article I wrote for the Northwest Indiana Times from June 19, 2010. I have such fond memories of visiting Long Grove as a child!

This town offers sweet treats

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June 19, 2010 12:00 am  •  By Carrie Steinweg Times Correspondent

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Long Grove, Ill., provides a haven for those with a sweet tooth.

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For your information

How to get there: Take I-94 West to I-90 W to IL-53 N. Exit onto Lake Cook Road. Turn right on Hicks Road (IL -53) and continue to Robert Parker Coffin Road and go left to meet Old McHenry Road.

For more information: Call the Visitor's Information Center at (847) 634-0888 or visit LONGGROVEONLINE.COM 

What to bring:

* Your walking shoes for a day of browsing the shops and walking through the historic village

* Your camera for some shots of the seasonal gardens and covered bridge

* The plastic or cash as you're to find something you'll like in one of the many unique shops

You'll like: The nostalgic atmosphere of this little area that seems to transport you back to pioneer times when area farmers made their way to town to do business.

Kids will like: All the shops that offer little treats for them, like Ma & Pa's Candy.

And don't miss: Be sure to visit the tavern, which dates back about 130 years and stop at the Long Grove Confectionery Co. to enjoy their sweet, sinful and oversized chocolate-covered strawberries.

As a kid, one of my favorite events of the year was our annual girl's trip up to Long Grove, Ill. All the men in the family went off to golf or watch a game together and my sisters, sisters-in-law, mother and I set off for a day of shopping and chatting in the charming, historic area complete with a covered bridge.

There were huge chocolate-covered strawberries from the confectionery, little trinkets and Christmas ornaments we'd pick up. And we'd always end with a good meal at the local tavern.

Today, you can still visit the Long Grove Confectionery Co., where the sight of the gourmet goodies can send you into a sugar coma. Among the treats are those oversized strawberries dipped in rich chocolate that I remember from childhood.

And the sweet, red little fruit now has a whole weekend festival to celebrate it. The annual Strawberry Fest takes place June 25 to 27.

The fest features strawberry treats of all kinds – strawberry drinks, ice cream, strawberry donuts, fruit smoothies and more. Each day, free live entertainment is provided.

Several of the shops follow suit with special strawberry-themed merchandise and foods. Kiddie rides, face painting and activity tents are also part of the fun.

The historic village of Long Grove hosts several festivals throughout the year, with the Strawberry fest considered the "granddaddy" of them all. A blues fest took place in March and there was a Chocolate Fest in May. Coming up is the Great Tastes Fine Art Festival on Aug.14 and 15 and Applefest on Oct. 1 to 3. 

The weekly Long Grove Farmer's Market runs 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Sunday through Oct. 17. On Father's Day, the Porsche Club Concours takes place, where you can bring Dad out to admire about three dozen of the automotive marvels.

The historic shopping area was first settled in the 1830s. By 1880 it was a thriving village with several businesses, schools, blacksmith shops, churches and a hotel. There was also a tavern, which still operates today called the Village Tavern. If you stop in Long Grove, be sure to pay the place a visit as the interior woodwork is quite a sight. It's also a great place to wind down after a busy day hopping from shop to shop.

A downloadable map of the village can be found at LONGGROVEONLINE.COM.