For the outdoor enthusiast, Illinois has it all: rivers to canoe, lakes to fish, trails to hike and bike, and plenty of quiet places to camp. This indispensable guide is aimed at the tent camper who wants to enjoy these things up close. Unlike other guides that merely list all campgrounds, The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois profiles in detail the 50 best sites in the state for campers who seek the serene and secluded. Here is essential information about each campground (including season, facilities, rates, directions, GPS coordinates, and websites), as well as a description of the campground, the best sites, and nearby activities such as hiking, canoeing, fishing, and mountain biking. The guide covers well-known parks as well as some campgrounds that are local secrets that can't be found on Internet searches.

Follow local historian and “Ghost Lady” Kathi Kresol as she researches the spirits, curses, and curiosities from the Forest City’s shadowy past. Just beneath the glossy surface of Rockford’s rich heritage lies a dark history of tragedy, a troubled and turbulent past leaving scars that still resonate today. Geraldine Bourbon’s final struggle echoes throughout the farmhouse where her estranged husband pursued her with a pistol from room to room before gently laying her corpse on the bed. The sobs of society darling Carrie Spafford still keep vigil over the family plot of the cemetery where she sowed the heartbreak of her twilight years. From the vengeance of Chief Big Thunder to the Witch of McGregor Road, author Kathi Kresol shares the legends and lore of Rockford’s haunted history. Includes photos! “There are reasons why Kathi Kresol believes Rockford is so haunted. The tour guide said there are good ‘conductors’ for the supernatural in the city’s downtown area. These factors include being near a body of water, having limestone in the area and the area having a Native American influence.” —Beloit Daily News