One of our favorite brunch spots in Rockford 😋 it looks a little shady but the food is actually really good, the menu is big (it gives diner energy), and the coffee is weirdly addictive. It’s also pretty cheap!

We have actually never made it here, but Katie has always meant to go. You can see it from the road, and it looks super pretty and relaxing. What will it be like in November? Who knows… (photo credits to Ingrid B. of Yelp)

One of Katie’s FAVORITE RESTAURANTS EVER. It’s a Mexican restaurant, and the burritos and grilled chicken taco salad are her favorite. The margaritas are pretty good, too. Every time she comes home she asks to go here. She applied to work here multiple times, but they never hired her because she didn’t speak Spanish:(

We went here once in the winter, and it definitely made an impression. It's a cozy restaurant that serves Nordic-influenced brunch, and they have a rotating dinner menu that changes weekly. I believe they have live music, also.

This is the place where we saw the pig races!! It has an absolutely massive corn maze every year (I'm not sure whether it will still be there in November?) but we went there a few years ago and it was one of the best and most fun experiences, even though it was quite cold when we were there. There are many things to do and great snacks, and even though it is a bit of a journey from Rockford, if you can make it, it's worth the trip.

This is one of our FAVORITE brunch places ever. The food is delicious, the menu is pretty big, and the best part is that as a free side, you can get two of the most GIANT and delicious cinnamon rolls you have ever encountered! I don't believe it's that expensive, either. If you're willing to make the journey down to Chicago, it's definitely worth a visit.

A pretty decent art museum, and one of the prettiest, most peaceful, and generally nicest places to go to spend a cozy afternoon in Chicago. Just a note, the food, water, etc. is INCREDIBLY expensive, so I would recommend eating before or after.

You absolutely cannot go to Chicago without seeing the Bean, aka the Cloud Gate. It is just a giant metal bean in the middle of the city, but it is a Chicago icon, and also basically the only way that you can take a selfie with the entire Chicago skyline, because the skyline shows up in the reflection of the Bean. It's pretty cool.

One of our favorite restaurants in Chicago. Everything is delicious, and super high quality. I don't know what it will be like in November, especially since we usually would eat on the rooftop balcony outside, but I know that the food will be worth the visit, if you are in Chicago.

A truly magical place to get the best cocktails you have ever had in your life. I wouldn't recommend the food, it's delicious but there is a very small menu and it's really just burgers. The decor is modern-fairytale-style, and the cocktails are so amazing, you have to check out the website to even get an idea of what I mean. They are smoky, glittery, beautiful, delicious, and come in all different shapes, sizes, and themes. I can't recommend it enough for a fancy drinks night.

A Chicago icon. There are beautiful walks, peaceful gardens, different styles of fountains, and, of course, the Bean. I would definitely recommend if you'd like to spend some outdoor time exploring the big (read:medium-sized, small-but-tall) city.

A wonderful place to walk and see the city as it lives and breathes, with lots of nice little (probably very expensive) cafes and restaurants along the way. One of Katie's favorite haunts, though she doesn't often go in the winter.