Motorhome

We are going to rent a motorhome for our travel to Nauvoo next summer and would like to know where is a decent place to park it that has hook ups. We have 5 children who will travel with us ages 3-18. Thanks!

Motorhome

Contact the Western Illinois Tourism Development Office and they will help you. Their email is witdo@visitwesternillinois.info; phone is 309-837-7460. Happy Travels. Jan at the Illinois Bureau of Tourism.

Motorhome

Thank you...!

Nauvoo also has a nice state park with campsites that are described as Class A and Class B, which I understand to mean they have hookups and regular restrooms. We You can contact the park to verify that.

鈥tate.il.us/Lands/鈥auvoo.htm

The park is a short distance from the historic sites, and has a lake and recreation areas.

I wanted to go to Nauvoo again over this Christmas break, but the weather in the Midwest put me off. :( Soooo I ended up getting snowed on in Utah instead. :)

Thank you for the tips. Now we have some tough choices to make.

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/

You can try here for reviews of RV parks, or

rv.net/forum/鈥?9.cfm

Here is a forum dedicated to RV%26#39;ers

One of the ';tough choices'; might be how long to stay. For most average folks doing the All-American History Tour, Nauvoo is an interesting historic site that they can do in a day, the way they might do a small museum or ghost town. For some, it%26#39;s an experience that shouldn%26#39;t be rushed.

The first time I went, I spent 5 days; the second may have been 3-4. Both were in winter and there was scads of snow. In fact, the 2nd time, there was actually snow and ice on the surface of the river. I don%26#39;t know how thick it was; it was close to Christmas. I don%26#39;t know how often it gets thick enough to be a bridge--but as we know, when there%26#39;s a reason for it, it does. It would be much more solid in February. Either winter or summer, you can%26#39;t help but think of the folks living there before electricity, cars, or telephones, who had to leave under the harshest circumstances.

The river is probably almost a mile wide there. Nauvoo is on a bend, and the drive along the river road is very pretty.

Do you plan to tow or convey a car/van, or perhaps rent one nearby? You can park the motor home and have somethier handier for getting around. There aren%26#39;t many big towns near Nauvoo; I would guess the nearest car rentals might be at Burlington, Fort Madison, or Keokuk.

Most adults or youth could walk from the state park to most of the town, but in summer with toddlers, a car will help. I found it most rewarding to drive to central parking areas (in warmer weather I%26#39;d have walked!) and then walk around to really experience the town. Just like in any historic town, you get a much better feel for it at eye level, walking the streets, stopping at all the doors, going into the buildings, and mingling with other people on foot. Don%26#39;t miss the historic sites owned by the CofC, which are a bit out of the way from the main LDS historic area. The CofC area contains much of the personal history and property of the Smith family, and their gravesites.

Carthage is about 25 miles away, and Quincy is a little farther. Another legendary American town, Galesburg, is about 75 miles and has some nice preserved areas. It was a hotbed of pre-Civil War anti-slavery activity, one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates was held there, and it was the birthplace of the poet Carl Sandburg.

Along the way on I-80 in Iowa, if you have time you can make a short detour to the Amana Colonies, a historic religious community of German origin. They welcome visitors. These people were also forced to flee their homes because of persecution. And of course, coming or going you%26#39;ll make a stop at Winter Quarters.

Depending on how much time you have in all, you%26#39;ll also be within reach of Kansas City (Liberty Jail, Far West, Adam-ondi-Ahman, and the Harry Truman presidential sites). It looks like a long detour, but if you go from Nauvoo to KC, then up to Omaha, it only adds maybe 100-125 miles to the total trip.

* ';Do you plan to tow or convey a car/van,'; *

Should have said ';convoy,'; as in have a car or van accompany you, driven separately.

P.S. If I%26#39;ve been presumptuous and given TMI for what you%26#39;re interested in, I apologize.

Other sites of interest include the Icarian museum, which tells about another colony of outcasts, a French social-political group, who settled in Nauvoo after the Mormon exodus. They even began restoring the old temple for uses of their own, but that was thwarted by the tornado.

I looked up the Icarians and found this tidbit. [my italics] The tornado that doomed the original temple was on June 27, 1850, and although many workers were inside when the wall collapsed inward, no one was killed. [/italics].

Nauvoo also has a winery and a blue cheese factory. The cheese factory was closed for several years but there was talk a few years ago of reviving it, so I don%26#39;t know its present status.

Frisco, your advice and stories are always welcome. I enjoy your mode of travel and how you describe it. Please feel free to share more info with me if you%26#39;d like.

The motorhome idea is beginning to cool off as we have looked at costs and limitations. Besides the $95-$120 per day rental fee there is mileage costs, RV park costs, lots of gasoline, and either cooking or eating out. We are now leaning away from using a motorhome and just staying in family suites that would cost around $100/day. We are not too picky so I don%26#39;t expect to be too bothered by some of the negative reviews we%26#39;ve read of the cheap places.

My oldest son will turn 19 in August and we%26#39;d like to have a family trip with memories before he departs for two years. Thanks for your inputs and keep %26#39;em coming!

I stayed at the Nauvoo Family Inn on both of my trips. The last time was in 2000, and I understand there have been additions and renovations since then. So I can%26#39;t tell you anything current about it. But the rates do seem reasonable.

There are also a variety of alternative lodgings, like cabins and guest houses. Maybe one of them would work for you.

www.beautifulnauvoo.com/site/default.asp鈥?/a>

Nearby towns like Keokuk would have lodging too, but I think it%26#39;s worth a few dollars more to experience the historic ambience and the unique spirit of Nauvoo by staying there.

Now I%26#39;m thinking I may go back this summer. :)

i stayed at the nauvoo family inn in 2007,

it was very clean, but our rooms were very old and outdated,still i would stay there again, it was a very nice stay and a great price.

the hotel nauvoo in my opinion had great food!

on the expensive side, but well worth it for a good meal. heres my review

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g36426-d5154鈥?/a>