Have You Ever Been To Illinois’ Oldest Restaurant?

There are all sorts of different types of tourism. You've got adventure tourism, religious tourism, business tourism, educational tourism, cultural tourism, leisure tourism, etc. There's also something called food tourism, which I'll gladly take over several of the other types.

Food tourism, also known as "culinary" or "gastronomical" tourism is pretty much what you'd think it is. WorldFoodTravel.org defines it as "the act of traveling for a taste of place in order to get a sense of place." FoodAndRoad.com says food tourism is "activities that provide experiences of consumption and appreciation of food and beverages, presented in such a way that values the history, the culture, and the environment of a particular region."

Hitting the road to sample the fare at long-standing and beloved local eateries still sounds like fun. Better yet, it doesn't have to be like a "what I learned on summer vacation" school project. I've seen a bunch of videos from travelers who decided to hit a bunch of restaurants that have been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and they were having a great time.

As A History Buff, I Would Love To Take The Time For A Trip To Visit Some Of The Midwest's "We've Been Here Forever" Restaurants, Taverns, And Roadhouses

I'm not all that enthusiastic about jumping on a plane to go somewhere at the present time, but what about a road trip? Maybe one that takes me to places that I can get to in a day or less. Narrowing it down like that leaves us with the Midwest, and plenty of longtime established restaurants.

Here's a list of some of the Midwest's oldest dining establishments, along with their distance from Rockford:

• Illinois: The Village Tavern (opened in 1847) in Long Grove. (70.4 miles)
• Wisconsin: Red Circle Inn (opened in 1848) in Nashotah. (88.0 miles)
• Iowa: Breitbach's Country Dining (opened in 1852) in Balltown. (112.3 miles)
• Indiana: The Log Inn (opened in 1825, visited by Abraham Lincoln in 1844) in Haubstadt. (349.8 miles)
• Missouri: J. Huston Tavern (opened in 1834) in Arrow Rock. (400.3 miles)
• Michigan: Old Tavern Inn (opened in 1835) in Niles. (182.1 miles)