Find family-friendly adventures along I&M Canal in northern Illinois

The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area (IMCNHA) has many great family-friendly sites and activities. The suggestions below include indoor and outdoor activities, both educational and recreational. Check with each location for specific details. Many of these locations are free, thanks to tax dollar support while others have modest fees.

Become a Jr Ranger (ages 5 to 95)

The IMCNHA offers this well-loved National Park Service activity – the Junior Ranger program. It’s easy to earn your badge – just complete the activities in a book. Stop at the I&M Canal Visitor Center (754 First St., LaSalle) or Isle a la Cache Museum (501 E. Romeo Rd., Romeoville) to pick up your Junior Ranger book and/or return your completed book for your Junior Ranger badge. In addition, there are dates throughout the year and locations throughout the IMCNHA that hold a Junior Ranger Day, so you can do both. Check https://iandmcanal.org/juniorrangerprogram for details.

Ride a Mule-Powered I&M Canal Boat

This 76-foot boat is the first on the canal in over 70 years, but the star of the show for adults and kids is Moe the Mule, who pulls the boat and passengers down the canal for a brief glimpse of what canal travel was like in 1848 when Chicago was the western frontier. The ride is about an hour long, enough to learn the history from the guide but not too long for the kids. Walk the boat, visit the stern to see the rudder in action, sit in the cabin or explore the upper deck. Catch a view of turtles sunning themselves on the rocks with the possibility that birds, fish and other animals may make an appearance. Kids can even become Junior Captains. Tickets are required. https://iandmcanal.org/boattour, 754 First St., LaSalle.

Journey along the I&M Canal State Trail

Let your kids explore! The trail is flat, with either a crushed limestone or paved surface, making it ideal for walking, running, skipping, pushing a stroller or bicycling. The trail has many access points in and near our canal towns with 18 free parking lots along its 61 miles. Kids can see a variety of birds, fish and land animals. Keep an eye out for herons, turtles, deer and even eagles. The trail is usually not too busy, and it can be easily shared by walkers and cyclists. There are interpretive signs and mile markers along the way, many of them with QR codes offering local information, including history and nearby restaurants.

Escape to the Isle a la Cache Museum

Escape to an island for a family adventure! Isle a la Cache Museum is situated on a scenic island in the Des Plaines River in Romeoville. Make tracks to the museum to learn about the 17th century fur trade in Illinois Country. Find out about the all-important beaver, go inside in a wigwam, check out a voyageur camp and experience more kid-friendly exhibits and activities. Then, head outside to explore the Native American Lifeways exhibit, stroll through the pollinator gardens or look for wildlife along the Shoreline Trail. Isle a la Cache Museum is a hidden gem where you and the kids will discover rich local history and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. For more information on the services offered or programs available, visit www.reconnectwithnature.org. 501 E. Romeo Rd., Romeoville

Explore the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center

This education center in Channahon is right off the I&M Canal State Trail. Start your hike there and head west to the McKinley Woods – Kerry Sheridan Grove Preserve, or go inside the center to explore the new exhibit hall. You can enjoy the hands-on river table, create your own watershed on the interactive sand table and view our local fish species in the 2,000-gallon aquarium. Take a stroll around the building on the All Persons Trail with its interactive sensory kiosks and paved walkways. Four Rivers is an inclusive facility welcoming people of all abilities. www.reconnectwithnature.org, 25055 W. Walnut Ln., Channahon

Be Amazed by the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center

This site in Willow Springs has educated and delighted generations of families with live animals, exhibits and self-guided trails. When visiting, be sure to explore the interactive children’s room, which features hands-on natural materials for exploration. Programs can be found at www.fpdcc.com. 9800 Willow Springs Rd., Willow Springs

Discover the LaSalle County Historical Society Complex

Within the LaSalle County Historical Society Complex is the 1865 Aitken One Room Schoolhouse, originally established as District One in Troy Grove Township, home of “Wild Bill” Hickok. Since 1990, the society has been providing a Fourth Grade School Program for local school children to experience what life was like at a one-room schoolhouse. Families can enjoy our look back at 19th century schooling from mid-April through mid- October during open museum hours. On the right side of the school is the herb garden, containing herbs and flowers native to Illinois. Many of the exhibits within other buildings are of interest to families, including the Radium Dial Girls Exhibit. lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org, 101 E. Canal St., North Utica