Illinois is bursting with gourmet popcorn

• National Popcorn Day
• Popcorn
• Tasty
• Delicious
• Popping
• Bursting

Happy National Popcorn Day! Popcorn is a treat that people know very well. Topped with butter and salt, for many people, it brings back nostalgic memories of nights at the movie theater or on the sofa as a family. However, there are places in Illinois that give popcorn a more unique flavor.

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Happy Birthday Michelle Obama

• Chicago
• Michelle Obama
• Happy Birthday
• Obama
• First Lady

Today is former First Lady Michelle Obama’s birthday. She was born Michelle Robinson on January 17, 1964 in Chicago and grew up in a bungalow in the city’s Southside. As a child, she enjoyed reading and playing games with family members, including her older brother, Craig. The two were so close they were frequently confused for twins.

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Did you know? Today is National Bagel Day!

• Did you know?
• Bagel

Did you know? Bagels have a long history that travels from the Jewish families of Poland in the 1600s to today’s breakfast menu.

Bagels made their way to the U.S. in the 1800s when a large Polish-Jewish population immigrated to America. The famous breakfast food thrived in New York City immediately, but it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that bagels became a favorite nationwide.

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Park of the Month: Garden of the Gods Wilderness Area

• Park of the month
• Garden of the Gods

Located in the Shawnee National Forest, Garden of the Gods Wilderness Area is 3,318 acres of unique geological formations and sprawling forests. This destination is the most visited site in the Shawnee National Forest, with sights like Camel Rock, Anvil Rock and Devil's Smoke Stack that make for a hiker’s and photographer’s wonderland.

Unlike most of Illinois, the expanse on which the Garden of the Gods is located was never covered in glacier, allowing wind and rain to weather the sandstone over hundreds of millions of years to create the unique features seen there today.

The wilderness area’s most popular trail, Observation Trail, is a short quarter-mile hike that allows visitors to see a lot of what the park has to offer, including woodlands and the famous Camel Rock. The trail also features signs that highlight the various historical and geologic features of these unique sandstone bluffs.

For a more extended hike, visitors can traverse the 5.5 miles of interconnected trails. The area also features equestrian trails for an enjoyable horseback riding experience.

Southern Illinois has a lot to offer, but visitors to the area should definitely make time to visit this exceptional area in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest.

Check out more to do at Garden of the Gods here.