Explore Savanna

11/02/2026

𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 makes the 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦 for a Mississippi River getaway, with Galena (Visit Galena) just a short drive up the road.

🚠 We recently stopped by nearby Chestnut Mountain Resort, and look at 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 😍 From 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘤 chairlift rides overlooking the river to the alpine slide, Soaring Eagle zipline, and mountain biking, there’s 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺 to explore during the warmer months.

🏂 Come winter, these slopes become a skiing and snowboarding 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞, with those same stunning Mississippi River views.

Stay in Savanna and explore our neighboring towns during your visit, there’s 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 to 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 just down the road.

Enjoy Illinois

11/02/2026

We have SO many more photos to share, but we couldn’t wait to say 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑲 𝒀𝑶𝑼! 🧡

To everyone who showed up, pitched in, dressed up, and helped make Halloween special this year, we appreciate you more than you know! 🎃

10/31/2026

🎃👻 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍, 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐀!

We’ve got a full day of treats, scares, costumes and Halloween fun! Here’s what’s happening today, October 31:

🚨 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐒
Lineup begins at 3PM in the back alley behind Sippi-Side. Please line up behind the fire truck and keep Sippi-Side’s parking lot clear. Volunteers will be there to direct you. The parade steps off at 3:30PM!

🍿 Savanna/Times Theater
🐈‍⬛ 11AM–3PM: Kitty Haunted Theater
🎬 3:30–6:30PM: Halloween Movies
💀 7–10PM: Night Scares

🕸️ 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐔𝐍
✨ Havencrest Castle is open for tours until 5pm
🚙 1–3PM: Jeep-or-Treat at Poopy's
🎃 3:30PM: Halloween Parade
👻 4PM: FREE Savanna Boo Bash! Head to the train car/fire station parking lot after the parade for treats, activities and costume contests.
🍻 4PM–1AM: Halloween Pub Crawl hosted by local bars
🍬 5–7PM: Community Trick-or-Treating
🕷️ 5–9PM: FREE, kid-friendly Haunted Garden at Rice's Pumpkin Patch & Vegetables
🎸 8–10PM: Kid Kentucky, a Kid Rock tribute band, at Poopy’s Halloween Bash + an adult costume contest!

10/30/2026

🗿 There’s a reason Mississippi Palisades State Park gets a lot of attention, just like this article by All Illinois Things!

🌿 Mississippi Palisades State Park is a geological wonder with towering bluffs, stunning rock formations, and Mississippi River views that make you stop and stare.

Explore the dramatic beauty of Mississippi Palisades State Park, a majestic natural retreat in Savanna, Illinois, famed for its towering limestone bluffs

10/30/2026

💀🎃 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝!

🔦 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐎𝐂𝐓. 𝟑𝟎
Paranormal Ghost Tours at Pulford Opera House
6–8PM & 8–10PM | $10/person
Reservations: Call (402) 604-4816 or message 2:00 a.m. Paranormal Investigation Team

🎬 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 & 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘
Savanna/Times Theater Haunted Theater
🐈‍⬛ Kitty Haunted Theater: 11AM–3PM
🍿 Halloween Movies: 3:30–6:30PM
💀 Night Scares: 7–10PM

🎃 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐎𝐂𝐓. 𝟑𝟏
🚙 1–3PM: Jeep-or-Treat at Poopy's
🎃 3:30PM: Halloween Parade — lineup at 3PM by Sippi-Side
👻 4PM: FREE Savanna Boo Bash — treats, activities & costume contests! Located at the train car/fire station parking lot after the parade
🍻 4PM–1AM: Halloween Pub Crawl hosted by local bars
🍬 5–7PM: Community Trick-or-Treating
🕷️ 5–9PM: FREE, kid-friendly Haunted Garden at
Rice's Pumpkin Patch & Vegetables
🎸 8–10PM: Kid Kentucky (Kid Rock Tribute Band) at Poopy’s Halloween Bash + adult costume contest

10/29/2026

🍂 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄! The leaves are putting on a beautiful show along the Mississippi River and through Mississippi Palisades State Park!

The leaves are 𝑺𝑶 beautiful right now. Between the Halloween fun and the colorful views, you’ve got plenty of reasons to spend the weekend here.

Take the scenic route, make a few stops, and 𝘴𝘰𝘢𝘬 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 before fall leaves us. We’re going to miss this. 🧡

10/27/2026

💀 Savanna, we're 𝐒𝐎 ready for Halloween this Saturday!

From paranormal investigations and haunted theaters to our annual Halloween Parade, Boo Bash, and trick-or-treating, there's something for everyone!

🔦 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 | Friday, October 30
Explore the historic Pulford Opera House with 2AM Paranormal!
🕕 6–8PM & 8–10PM | $10/person
📲 Reservations required: (402) 604-4816

🎬 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 | October 30 & 31
🐈‍⬛ Kitty Haunted Theater: 11AM–3PM
🎬 Halloween Movies: 3:30–6:30PM
💀 Night Scares: 7–10PM

🎃 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐀𝐘 | Saturday, October 31

🚙 1–3PM | Jeep or Treat at Poopy's
Decorated Jeeps, Halloween fun, and prizes! Participants are encouraged to join the downtown parade.

🎃 3:30PM | Halloween Parade
Lineup begins at 3PM in the alley by Sippi-Side. Costumes encouraged!

👻 4PM | Savanna Boo Bash
Join the Savanna Boo Crew/Halloween in Savanna for 𝙁𝙍𝙀𝙀 family fun following the parade!
🌭 Free hot dogs for kids
🍿 Popcorn & cotton candy
🎶 Spooky music & activities
🏆 Costume contests, including pets!

🍬 5–7PM | Community Trick-or-Treating
Grab your candy buckets and head out for a night of trick-or-treating throughout Savanna!

🍻 4PM - 1AM | Savanna Halloween Pub Crawl
This event is put together by our 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐒! They're teaming up to bring everyone a fun Halloween night.

🕷️ 5–9PM | Rice's Pumpkin Patch & Vegetables Haunted Garden
𝙁𝙍𝙀𝙀 and kid-friendly! Come see a colossal 20-foot-tall werewolf, Frankie and his Bride, and all the ghouls rocking out in the Haunted Garden!

🎸 8–10PM: Kid Kentucky, a Kid Rock tribute, LIVE at Poopy's Halloween Bash, plus a costume contest

10/26/2026

High above the Mississippi River, the views from these little cabins could fool you into thinking you’re tucked away in a mountain valley instead of in Illinois. 🌲✨

But this peaceful escape? It’s right here in Savanna, Illinois. Rustic River Cabins proves you don’t need a plane ticket for a dreamy cabin getaway, and it just made the list by Explore Illinois!

Pine needles crunching underfoot and canyon walls glowing orange at sunset are not things most folks expect from Illinois. Yet the Prairie State hides log cabins, treehouses, and lodges perched...

10/26/2026

🌭 Meet the owners behind Savanna’s newest restaurant, Rooks- Savanna, IL!

❤️ 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐤 & 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲!
Originally from East Aurora, Illinois, Rick and Sandy have called this area home for 16 years. Over that time, they’ve grown to 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 the community and the people who make it special.

Rick is an Army veteran who served Kane County for 13 years as a K9 officer. Sandy spent 10 years working in the restaurant industry before becoming a paraprofessional.

Together, they have a blended family of four daughters, one son, and six grandchildren. Family has always been at the heart of their lives, and now they’re excited to share that same warmth with the Savanna community.

❤️ 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 & 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧!
Chris, Rick’s son, and his wife, KateLyn, are raising two boys, ages 7 and 3½.

Their journey to Rooks began with a simple need: a place to stay while visiting family. After purchasing the building in Savanna, they 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 fell in love with the area, the community, and the people who welcomed them. In 2025, they sold their home and previous business and moved here full-time. That’s when their dream of creating something special for the community truly began.

🫶 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐀 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐋
Rooks Restaurant started with a 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: Where can we find a great Chicago-style hotdog or a delicious gyro? When they couldn’t find one nearby, they decided to create it themselves. Today, Rooks brings those favorite flavors, and so much more, to the community they’re proud to call home.

Rooks is 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲-𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲-𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭. Whether you’re stopping in for a Chicago-style hotdog, gyros fresh off the spit, a juicy burger, or crispy fries, the Rooks family looks forward to serving you.

👏 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢!
📍 Rooks Restaurant, 523 Main Street, Savanna, Illinois