When it comes to Star Trek, the most memorable modes of transportation that come to mind are ships like the infamous USS Enterprise, but did you know that several classic cars made an appearance or two as well? We’re celebrating Star Trek Day with a look back at some of the most memorable moments featuring real-life vehicles and vehicle brands in the classic Sci Fi franchise. We bet some of these may surprise you, too!
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Today is National Beer Day and we’d like to share a list of great local businesses and breweries to visit on your next date night or friend’s meet-up. There’s nothing we love more here at Classic than something that brings us together as a community and supports our local friends and neighbours. Locally owned and operated businesses are a vital part of our community! Consider stopping by these businesses for a brew or booking them for a special event.
Read the rest of this entry »5 Easy Service Tips to Prepare Your Car for Fall
September is a very busy time for family and friends, and it’s easy to fall behind on car maintenance as work resumes and kids go back to school. So we’re bringing back our friendly service tip reminders with some great tips on maintenance checks for Autumn.
Read the rest of this entry »Best Pizzas Across the State of Illinois
It’s National Cheese Pizza day, and we thought we’d take some time to highlight some of the best pizza places in our great state of Illinois. Of course, these type of lists are always contentious, and we get it! If you feel your favorite place has been slighted and left off our list, please let us know and we’ll make sure it makes it into rotation on next year’s list. We love to hear input from our readers, and always enjoy learning more about local favorites so we can check them out, too!
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Today we’re going to celebrate National Tailgating Day with our best pals and some great ideas on how you can reunite with your friends, family, and fellow fans. we’re bringing you plenty of ways to party with your friends and social bubble and recreate the game-day experience. Whether you’re celebrating at the stadium or at home in your driveway, we’ve got some great gear and recipes for some good ol’ fashioned tailgating with a healthy dose of modern convenience.
Read the rest of this entry »Budget Friendly Tech Upgrades for Your Car
We love to find interesting gadgets, shiny new tech, and other fun accessories to gussy up our vehicles, but we love sharing them with you even more! Today’s blog is all about interesting accessories you can place inside your car to enhance your driving experience, and add a little convenience to your daily commute. If you see something in this list we may have missed, just let us know in the comments!
Read the rest of this entry »September 2023 Local Community Calendar in Lake County Illinois: Chock Full of Family Fun and Car Shows
September is the month for car aficionados in the Lake County Area! For this month’s community calendar, we’ve rounded up an incredible number of car shows, car events, and pop-ups to delight gearheads of all ages. Plus, we’ve got other fun events like comedy nights, craft and sip events, and more!
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We’ve covered a lot of grounds as far as National Parks go, giving you lots of travel guides and road trip itinerary inspiration. Today, we’re celebrating National Park Service Founders day with a brief history of the National Parks Service and its founding, followed by a short list of National Parks and Historic Sites to explore in Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin!
During the Act of March 1st, 1872, Congress established the grounds of Yellowstone Park in the territories of Montana and Wyoming, which kickstarted the whole National Parks Movement. Later, in August 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act which created the National Park Service, a federal bureau in the Department of the Interior responsible for protecting the 35 national parks and monuments then managed by the department, as well as future ones not yet designated. The Executive Order in 1933 helped transfer 56 national monuments and military sites to the National Park Service. Today, the National Park system is made up of more than 400 designated areas, including the 50 US States and Territories.
How many national parks have you been to? Here’s a starting point to mark off on your National Parks map:
- Lewis & Clark Historic Trail (Spans 16 states including IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MO, MT, NE, ND, OH, OR, PA, SD, WA, WV) winds through almost 4,900 miles of the homelands from over 60 Tribal nations. It follows the inbound and outbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburg through to the Pacific Ocean.
- Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail (In IL, IA, NE, UT, WY) follows the 1,300 mile path of the Mormons who fled Nauvoo and settled down in the Great Salt Lake Valley from 1846-1847.
- Pullman National Historic Park in Chicago, IL is located on the far south side of Chicago. The visitor center offers tours at 11AM and 2PM daily.
- Shawnee National Forest in Herod IL encompasses 289,000 stunning acres of parkland located in Southern Illinois and nestled between both the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Visitors will find breathtaking scenic views from the top of great canyons and sandstone cliffs, and stunning crystal clear waters and rocky streams. The many lakes, ponds, waterfalls, rivers, and streams of the area are perfect for fishing and swimming, and the sprawling prairies and woodland trails are perfect for hiking, cycling, trail running and more.
- Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in Thomson IL is the longest, contiguous river refuge in the continental US at 261 miles in length! The refuge includes protected wetlands, islands, marshes, and floodplain forests, many of which are accessible only by boat. Some portions of the refuge are open to seasonal hunting, trapping, and fishing but they do have very restrictive regulations.
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Bayfield, WI encompasses 21 islands and 12 miles of mainland coastal protected areas. In addition to the incredible bluffs on the shores of Lake Superior, it’s also home to the largest collection of historic lighthouses in the nation!
- Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Rhinelander WI spans a jaw dropping 1.5 million acres of unspoiled wilderness across Wisconsin’s Northwoods. You’ll find no shortage of outdoorsy activities such as canoeing, hiking, cycling, paddling, cross-country skiing, camping, fishing, and more.
- Indiana Dunes National Park in Porter IN has 15 miles of gorgeous shoreline along the southern banks of Lake Michigan. The park is home to some of the highest dunes towering over the lake at nearly 200 feet high with impressive views and landscapes of the area! It’s also an incredible destination for birdwatching, wildlife enthusiasts, and nature photography!
We love sharing road trips and travel guides with our readers! It’s exciting to share suggestions for an itinerary full of amazing entertainment, excitement, and adventure, and help you discover great new places in the MidWest. Today’s road trip destination is Fort Wayne, Indiana, less than a four hour drive from our hometown of Waukegan. It’s a great getaway for a long weekend or a new destination to shake things up from your usual. So let’s take a look at the fun things in the area, and make some plans together!
Read the rest of this entry »Exploring Hidden Gems of Lake County, Illinois
Today is National Discovery Day, and we’re sharing some incredible places that are hidden gems right in your own backyard here in the Lake County area. From theatre shows to indoor adventure parks to gaming simulators to animals, we’ve got an incredible selection for just about every set of interests and hobbies. Let’s explore our community and support some new businesses and creative establishments together.
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