A Weekend on the Blackhawk Chocolate Trail

Trip Highlights:

• Shopping at a variety of stores selling chocolate "everything"!
• Chocolate tasting gourmet cooking class
• Chocolate themed English High Tea at a historic B&B
• Tour of John Deere Historic Site
• Overnight in historic Oregon or in upscale cabins at nearby White Pines State Park

Your itinerary operates in Rochelle, Oregon & Grand Detour Illinois.

Tour Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 - Rochelle and Oregon

Begin your Chocolate Trail adventure with a stop at Colonial Flowers& Gifts located on the historic Lincoln Highway in downtown Rochelle.  Browse this unique flower & gift shop but leave time for chocolate sampling & a demonstration.  Your next destination is Oregon for a stop at Conover Square, a historic piano factory converted into a shopping mall, where you can check out their numerous specialty shops & antique stores.  At Conover Coffees & Chocolates, you'll find over 70 different kinds of chocolate indulgences plus gourmet coffees & teas.  The Cook's Collection will entice you with the smell of homemade fudge and other chocolate specialties along with their complete line of unusual kitchen gadgets and gifts. Following lunch you will travel across town to Pinehill Bed & Breakfast for their afternoon Chocolate English High Tea served on silver and fine china where you will enjoy the finest in chocolate themed pastries and gourmet tea.  Following High Tea you will have your choice of evening dinner & overnight accommodations from the following:

• Pinehill B&B for their chocolate lovers overnight package
• White Pines Inn for dinner in their historic lodge and overnight in their high end cabins which have individual gas log fireplaces. Larger groups have their choice of The Chateau Lodge or Paddlewheel Inn

Day 2 - Oregon and Grand Detour

Two Days in the Pursuit of Chocolate in Ogle & Lee Counties

Day One: Byron, Oregon, Mt. Morris, Dixon

Start in Byron, the northern-most part of Ogle County.

• Hailey’s Winery & Vineyard is located just off Route 2 on Franklin Street. This is a fully functioning winery with all fermentation, aging and bottling taking place at their facility.  Enjoy a glass of one of their wines (9 varieties), homemade bread, cheese, and of course, hand made chocolates. They are open Thursdays – Sunday. 
  

Head south on beautiful Route 2 following the Rock River into Oregon. Most of our stops will be in a converted 1893 Schiller Piano Factory, now Conover Square.   It has many distinctive shops that wind throughout this 2-story historic building.

• The Cook’s Collection beckons you with the smell of freshly homemade fudge to rouse your chocolate sensations. It also offers chocolate cranberries, chocolate cherry dip mix and pot coffees in chocolate raspberry, mudslide and turtle sundae. Open 7 days excluding major holidays.
  
• Next, check out Conover Coffees & Chocolate. Among the chocolate truffles, meltaways, nuts, and caramels, gourmet bridge mix, other favorites, you’ll find one vary rare and extraordinary ingredient, their 100% pure chocolate passion. They offer more than 70 different kinds of chocolate indulgences along with gourmet blends of coffees, teas, & smoothies. Open 7 days.

After leaving Conover Square, travel a short distance to

• Oregon Soap Shoppe where the “chocolate goodies” have some very important features! They are 100% guilt free, 100% calorie free, OH so very good for you and only mildly habit forming. Choose from their many soaps, the delicious chocolate varieties or any of the other 150+ blends to nurture the skin you are in. Besides the Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Amber, and Milk Chocolate Almond soaps for your bathing adventures, keep your lips kissable with Chocolate Covered Cherry and Chocolate Mint lip balms. Exfoliating a favorite past time of yours…then try the Chocolate Bath Salts or Chocolate Mint Sugar Scrubs. Closed Mondays.
  

• White Pines Inn in rural Mt. Morris. Located in the beautiful White Pines Forest State Park, discover the historic lodge restaurant, pioneer guest cabins, delightful country gift shop and entertaining dinner theater* that make up the White Pines Inn. Chocolate lovers will delight in the gift shop’s assorted chocolate, truffles & myrtles and the restaurant’s chocolate cobbler & ice cream desserts. Motor coach groups easily accommodated. * Only available on specific dates.
  

Ready to call it a day? Head back to Route 2 and drive south approx. 10 miles to Dixon. Along the way you will enjoy some of the most scenic drives in the state on this leg of the trip.

• Check-in at the Quality Inn & Suites or Comfort Inn. Both provide the chocolate lover with a variety of chocolate treats in your room upon arrival.  After checking in, return to Dixon’s historic downtown.  Dine in one of Dixon’s many restaurants and stroll the new Heritage Crossing riverfront, enjoying beautifully paved walks with a gorgeous view of the Rock River.  SWEET DREAMS!

Day 2: Dixon, Rochelle

Wake up the next morning with a full breakfast at the Quality or a deluxe continental breakfast at the Comfort Inn. Once you’ve checked out, head into Dixon to visit the many unique shops it has to offer, including

• Baker’s Street for their tempting scones, muffins, specialty cakes and coffees (roasted in-house).  Closed Sundays.
  
• Just down the street is the Snow White Bakery with French pastries, chocolate truffles, and freshly baked breads. Open Tues – Saturdays.
  
• Be sure to walk just a block or two north to the Dixon Welcome Center.   It’s located right on the riverfront. While there you can shop for unique Dixon gifts or maybe pick up a cute “Got Chocolate” t-shirt or custom made Dixon Petunia logo chocolate. 
  

Next, heading towards home, visit Rochelle, just 30 minutes east of Dixon. Your last stops will include

• The Iron Skillet Restaurant is just on the outskirts of Rochelle. They offer Nancy's Homemade Gourmet Chocolate Candies in regular and sugar-free! Select from Cashew, Peanut and Pecan Tortoises, Chocolate Covered Cherries, Pecans and Cashews, Peanut Clusters, Vanilla Caramels, Reese's Chocolate and Covered Graham Crackers. Browse our two stores with over 5,000 square feet of unique gifts, jewelry, postcards, and souvenirs much more! Open Daily/24 hours.
  
• Next and last stop is Colonial Flowers & Gifts. Featuring seasonal decor, they also offer a wide variety of fresh, classic chocolates in upscale packaging and free chocolate samples. Closed Sundays.