SALEM FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER IN SALEM
FIND YOUR
Water Adventure!
ILLINOISouth Offers Plenty Of Opportunities To Splash Around It goes without saying that water−based tourism has always been a big hit. People love the opportunity to soak up a little beach time, or to go kayaking, sailing, or water skiing. The great news is, ILLINOISouth has ALL of those activities and more!
Lakes
We have so many lakes in our 22-county area that we couldn’t possibly have enough space in this publication to write about all of them! That said, we’ll highlight a few worth visiting if you haven’t already. Arguably the most popular lake in our region is Carlyle Lake − the largest manmade lake in the state. The list of water activities here are pretty endless; you can play in the sand at one of the beaches, go fishing, and try out kayaking or paddleboarding. Another opportunity you should not pass up is sailing; the Carlyle Sailing Association is one of only a handful of sailing associations in the United States − the next closest Association is in Annapolis, Maryland. CSA’s purpose is to encourage people to enjoy the sport of sailing through classes, social events, regattas, races and other activities. For an assortment of lakes to explore Pyramid State Recreation Area in Perry County is definitely one to put on your list. With over 19,000 acres of land, including 24 separate lakes − Pyramid is the largest IDNR-managed site in Illinois. Fishing CARLYLE LAKE IN CARLYLE
and kayaking come highly recommended at Pyramid State Recreation Area, because each body of water scattered throughout the park provides a different experience. In our Eastern Region, Olney is home to Borah Lake, Vernor Lake, and East Fork Lake. East Fork Lake provides great views of Olney’s beloved White Squirrels − which can often be found at Miller Grove Park, right on the lakeside. Borah Lake and East Fork are the two most used lakes − mostly for fishing, kayaking and water skiing.
Rivers
The two largest rivers in ILLINOISouth actually border our region − the Mississippi and the Wabash. Communities like Chester and Mt. Carmel have river access points so that folks can take their boats out to do everything from tubing to fishing. Smaller rivers that flow through our territory and attract hundreds of kayakers each year are the Embarras River in our Eastern Region, and the Kaskaskia River that travels south from Carlyle Lake through our Central and Western Regions. There
Download the ILLINOISouth Tourism App on Apple or Android to help plan youtr trip!
are kayak access points for the Embarras River at Peterson Park in Newton, which runs southeast through Jasper, Crawford and Lawrence Counties before connecting with the Wabash River.
Pools
Yes, YOU can
Sail
With the uncertainty of the pandemic, many communities opted to not open their pools last year − but several of them are ready to let the water flow in 2021! The Salem Family Aquatic Center is a top notch facility that features much more than just a pool. There is a water slide plunge pool as well as multiple play areas for the kiddos, including water cannons and a lily pad walk.
We’ll Show You How! MAY 15 | TRY SAILING DAY
The Marshall Community Pool is another fantastic venue that was just renovated a couple of years ago. This 6,200+ square foot pool offers a splash pad, a 1-meter diving tower, zero depth entry, waterslides and a climbing wall! Not only is the Marshall Community Pool awesome, it is VERY affordable − in 2020 the cost for a daily swim was only $2!
JUNE 3-5 | ADULT SAILING SEMINAR
NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED
MILL CREEK LAKE IN MARSHALL
*DATES TBD | JUNIOR SAILING CAMP KIDS 10-16
*SEE WEBSITE
c PARAVOLA | ANGI PARAVOLA
JULY 23-25 | KINDER SAIL CAMP KIDS 5-9
ILLINOISouth.org
More opportunities most any weekend May – October: sailing lessons, sailboat rentals, junior sailing and STEM programs, and more! Detailed calendar online at:
csa-sailing.org 314-325-WAVE (9283) Tourism Times • 12
