| 
Illinois' Amish Country
Amish buggies mingle with visitors' cars on the streets of the quiet little neighboring communities of Arthur and Arcola in east-central Illinois' farm belt (30 miles south of Champaign/Urbana). In both towns, you'll find Amish crafts in many shops and Amish-inspired fare in most restaurants.
Many of the area's Amish operate shops on surrounding farms. Arm yourself with a map from the visitors center in downtown Arcola, and you can navigate side roads to buy quilts, furniture and baked goods. Even if you're not in the mood to shop, you'll enjoy exploring the back roads. Country lanes take you past white farmhouses where chickens peck the grass around outbuildings and homemade coveralls and dresses flutter on clotheslines. In the fields, expert hands guide big workhorses as they plow and tow wagons of hay and silage.
Rockome Gardens, a 14-acre complex six miles south of Arcola, showcases Amish crafts. It includes gardens, a family-style restaurant, artisan's workshops and gift shops.
