The closest and one of the largest, Crab Orchard, is only 10 minutes away. This lake, along with two smaller ones, sits in the middle of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, home to large numbers of migrating geese and other waterfowl in winter, and a variety of native wildlife year-round. We re also are only about 20 minutes away from the mighty Mississippi River with its many interesting river towns rich in history. So, if you like the great outdoors, this is a beautiful area in which to live with many easily accessible places for activities like camping, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, boating, swimming, and fishing-to name just a few. If you prefer indoor or less strenuous activities, the community and university sponsor a regular and varied menu of musical, theatrical, and sporting events.
Many events are either free or very reasonably priced.
The University Museum and several community galleries offer regular exhibits. In short, you can find plenty to do here without breaking the budget. The surrounding area is known for its orchards, vineyards and commercial vegetable farms. Farmer s markets or retail outlets connected with local orchards offer freshly picked and reasonably priced produce, including organically grown food. Apples, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries are all grown in abundance here.