This Is The Most Hippie Town In Illinois And You Need To Visit
By Elizabeth Crozier|Published December 26, 2017
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
The most hippie town in Illinois is a place for free spirits and progressive thinkers. From its rustic structures to its unique history, there are many reasons to plan a visit to this place.
Escape to a town that’s stuck in the 1960s when you visit here. Keep scrolling for details on where to eat, sleep, and more.
The most hippie town in Illinois is Makanda. Located in Southern Illinois, it was once popular for the railroad that runs through it, but it was later taken over by a less nomadic people.
Located at the mouth of Giant City State Park in the Shawnee National Forest, Makanda is surrounded by beautiful oases where locals find trails, rock formations, waterfalls, and many other natural wonders.
As far as sleeping arrangements go, Makanda Inn & Cottages is the top tourist attraction. Nestled just outside Giant City, it sits on an 18-acre plot that has a creek winding through it. There are both hotel-style rooms and cottages throughout this gorgeous paradise.
This hippie town is also home to Giant City Lodge, which has been around since 1939. In addition to places to stay, it also features a restaurant, bar, and gift shop.
Cabins are located close to the forest, giving you easy access to trails that lead to all sorts of epic natural wonders. Click here to learn more about this wonderful place.
When you're not wandering through the woods, a good place to go is the Makanda Trading Co. This amazing general store opened in 2001 in rustic downtown. You'll find a wealth of treasures to shop like stones, toys, incense, art, and much much more to fill your new age home.
When you get hungry, stop in at Eclipse Kitchen. It houses both a small convenience store for day-long hikers and a restaurant for all to enjoy. It is the best place to be for the next solar eclipse in 2024.
Editor's Note: Eclipse Kitchen is permanently closed.
Grab burgers, hot dogs, fried egg sandwiches, bagel sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, french fries, and much more at this delicious joint. Locals have been filling seats since 2016.
Click here to learn more.
Many attractions in this hippie town give it that feeling of being free-spirited. This local treasure is known as the Rainmaker Garden, and it will certainly put you in that Earth child, flower power vibe.
Makanda's population is just above 560 people. Though it was once a town full of a booming industry, it started to fall into decay in the 1960s. Thanks to the artists and nonconformists who settled here afterward, the town remains alive today.
