Labor Day weekend is behind us, signifying the end of the summer travel season and the beginning of Fall-O-Ween™. Now entering its third year, Fall-O-Ween offers a host of exciting travel opportunities with a new focus on Fantastic Fall-O-Ween Road Trips, now through November 30. 

As I discussed in early August during our Fall-O-Ween Web cast (one of the many ways we are embracing new technologies), this year’s Fall-O-Ween programming offers a special new microsite housed on enjoyillinois.com, through which the state will be spotlighting its scenic drives: the Illinois River Road, the Lincoln Highway, Route 66, the Great River Road and Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway, I-57 and the Ohio River Scenic Byway. What better way to truly appreciate the wonders of autumn in Illinois than through these breathtaking drives? 

The site, launching September 12, will feature photography and descriptions of each route and highlight major events and attractions along the way. To help travelers plan their trips, interactive maps and links for travelers booking their 3-Day Getaways will be included. Visitors to the site are also encouraged to share information about their favorite stops along the drives and learn about the experiences of other travelers. This consumer-generated content provides travelers with valuable insight about both well- and lesser-known attractions and events throughout Illinois. 

This month also marks the third annual Illinois Wine Month, a celebration of our state’s wine industry. Throughout the month of September wineries across the state are celebrating the harvest season with a diverse line up of wine festivals, tasting opportunities, grape stomps and more. Also, keep your eyes open for our brand new Offbeat Illinois Wine Month poster that will be available in mid-September. 

I hope you've all had a chance to check out the new and improved search engine on enjoyillinois.com. The search engine has been enhanced to complement ITIMS (Illinois Tourism Information Management System), our new data entry program, which launched in July. ITIMS has proven to be an efficient and user-friendly system. I’d like to thank all CVB's and RTDO's for assisting in the smooth transition.

In addition to promoting Illinois’ many offerings, be sure to gather your family and friends and take advantage of the fun-filled Fall-O-Ween offerings!