My friends and I take a trip every year. We love going to a new state and checking out what to do there. One thing that attracts my friends is hopping. Did you know Chicago is a big time shopping area? We decided that Chicago IL was our destination. When I started looking at hotels to book I was shocked by the expense. I also read reviews and got scared. Being in the city meant it would be noisy and crazy all night long. Also, there is the homeless to worry about and theft. I decided to save money, promote quiet time and be safer. I would book us in a rural area. I looked around and found that Elgin IL worked best. It is 45 minutes outside of Chicago. It is a nice rural area with plenty to do. There are some cute shops and places to eat. Mainly I just booked it for our accommodation. We lucked out with a nice airbnb in the town. It was the right move. The girls and I had a huge house vs what would have been a small city hotel room. We were able to be loud if we wanted or go to bed early. The airbnb had a giant TV, a good sized backyard and plenty of movies. Since it was cold there, the girls and I curled up by the fireplace with wine most evenings. We only ventured to the city twice that entire trip. The girls all liked Elgin over Chicago. Isn’t that amazing?