Things to Do in Arthur, Illinois

Start here, at 106 E. Progress St. downtown. The staff hand out maps of the roughly 150 Amish craft shops spread across the countryside. They also arrange things you can’t just drop in on, like meals in Amish homes and visits with Amish families.

★ Good to know Home meals need a reservation, with a 10-person minimum, though smaller parties can sometimes join a larger group.

This 7-acre living history farm sits about 3 miles east of town on Route 133. It has the 1865 Moses Yoder House, the oldest Amish house in Illinois, plus the 1882 Daniel Schrock House, a one-room German school from around 1900 and a barn put up at a traditional Amish barn raising. A 10,000-square-foot museum on Anabaptist history and the Arthur settlement is under construction.

★ Good to know It has opened on Saturdays from May through October, plus special events, so check the schedule before you drive out.

The McDonald-Condill family homesteaded this farm in 1859 and started growing pumpkins commercially in 1989. They now grow about 300 varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds on site, with corn, straw bale and sunflower mazes, wagon rides and live music in season. The Homestead Bakery, opened in 2006, sells made-from-scratch baked goods year-round.

★ Good to know Pumpkin season runs from mid-September through October, Wednesday through Sunday.

An Amish family runs this goat farm outside town. It’s the easiest way to ride in a real Amish buggy, which takes you around the property, and the farm sells goat milk products.

★ Good to know Call ahead to check when rides are running.

Anna Herschberger bought this restaurant in 2002, and her sons Daren and Derrick now help run it. It serves a buffet of Amish-style home cooking and has a full bakery. It’s at 1195 E. Columbia St.

★ Good to know The bakery counter sells baked goods to take home, and it pairs well with shopping on Columbia Street.

This is a working Amish farm that sells its own fruit and vegetables, plus honey, apple butter and maple syrup. There’s a deli with cured meats and cheeses and hand-dipped ice cream. It’s open year-round.

★ Good to know Fresh baked goods are out Thursday through Saturday, so aim for the end of the week.

Furniture is Arthur’s signature craft, and The Wood Loft on Vine Street has shown their furniture for more than 40 years. Pieces are custom made by Amish craftsmen in oak, maple, cherry, walnut and hickory. The same family runs ACM Tours, which books guided Amish country tours for groups of 2 to 100.

★ Good to know The Wood Loft ships nationwide, so you don’t need room in the car for a dining table.

Between Arthur and Arcola, this park has more than 100 large animals along a mile-long drive-through path. A walk-through area adds a petting zoo, kangaroos, sloths and hyenas, plus a dinosaur exhibit. It sits on the grounds of the old Rockome Gardens, which closed in 2015.

★ Good to know In the fall, the drive-through runs on Saturdays and Sundays only.