In the Treetops
Treehouse lodging is just one of many draws to LaSalle County for a fall getaway
By Jeff Banowetz
Starved Rock State Park, about 70 miles southwest of Naperville, is one of Illinois’s top tourist destinations, drawing about 2.4 million visitors each year to explore the sandstone bluffs and waterfall-filled canyons. It’s a natural setting that seems out of place in central Illinois—an area better known for its flat farmland than towering rock formations—which is perhaps part of the park’s appeal.
Less than an hour-and-a-half drive from Naperville, this section of LaSalle County along the Illinois River features not only excellent hiking, paddling, and camping opportunities, but it’s also minutes away from the small town of Ottawa, which has its own collection of historic sites, restaurants, and activities that have helped make the area even more popular in recent years.
Builder Mike Ambrose, who lives in Downers Grove, knew all this when he started looking for property to develop a unique project in the region. He couldn’t believe his luck when he found 26 acres for sale adjacent to Starved Rock State Park. “I kept thinking: Is this for real?” he says. “I didn’t want to go to Michigan or too far north. I wanted to do it by water…and then when I discovered this spot, I knew it was right.” He found the perfect spot to build a treehouse.
Ambrose grew up building treehouses with his friends from scraps of lumber and other construction materials they could cobble together. After a career in residential real estate, he liked the idea of creating treehouses that could be used as rental properties. The result is Treehouses at Starved Rock (starvedrocktreehouses.com), a collection of four luxury rental units that sit above the forest floor and among the trees just steps from the state park.
“I learned pretty quickly from working with the engineers and architects that it just isn’t possible to build houses of this size attached to trees,” he says. “So I ended up building them on steel columns that raise the house into the trees. The trees come through the deck, so it looks like you’re attached, and that’s the feeling that I wanted to get.”
Ambrose finished the first treehouse in 2024 and listed it for rent for the first time on Christmas Eve. A second unit was finished in May 2025, and two more became available this April. Each treehouse is designed to be unique, but each one sleeps up to eight and features modern amenities far beyond glamping, including air conditioning, heating, electric fireplaces, full kitchens, bathrooms with showers, screened-in porches, RO-filtered drinking water, Wi-Fi, and 65-inch smart TVs. Each property also offers a grill and fire pit with outdoor seating for an evening of hanging out around the campfire. Nightly rates run $650 to $1,200.
While the natural surroundings may be the attraction, Ambrose has discovered many people book the houses as a cool gathering place to spend time with friends and family. “I’ve had people tell me they meant to leave and explore the area, but they didn’t,” he says. “They just enjoy the space. It’s a nice setting to sit outside or on the deck and enjoy the surrounding nature.”
The property includes stunning sandstone cliffs (which Ambrose illuminates at night), dense forest, and a creek where people can kayak. Well, they could kayak, until the property’s four kayaks were carried away by one of the big storms this summer. (“I can’t believe we haven’t found them yet,” Ambrose says.) They probably have been replaced by now.
Whether you stay in a treehouse or not, the area is filled with opportunities to enjoy a fall weekend. Here are some of your best options.
State Parks
Starved Rock State Park, which sits just south of the Illinois River, gets most of the hype. And it is indeed a top-notch destination, with 13 miles of hiking trails that explore the canyons and will take you up the tall bluffs overlooking the river. But it isn’t the only state park in the area to explore—and the others will have far fewer crowds, particularly on weekends. Matthiessen State Park is just a 10-minute drive from Starved Rock and features a very similar landscape with sandstone bluffs, creeks, forests, and waterfalls. You’ll find five miles of hiking trails (plus 11 miles of horseback-riding trails) in and around the long, narrow canyon known as The Dells. Buffalo Rock State Park, on the opposite side of the Illinois River from Starved Rock, offers its own impressive views from high above the river, as well as three resident namesake bison.
Explore the Outdoors
Beyond the miles of hiking trails, visitors to the region have lots of opportunities for boat rentals and other water sports. You’ll find several options for river cruises that will take you on a guided tour of the Illinois River, including the sternwheel riverboat Sainte Genevieve (stegenriverboat.com). If you want to get some exercise, Awesome Ottawa Tours (awesomeottawatours.com) offers bike tours that will take you around this historic canal town on two wheels. Fall is a great time for golfing, and you can choose from several courses within a short drive, including the Pine Hills Golf Course (ottawapinehills.com),which was established in 1924, and the Dayton Ridge Golf Club. If you’re up for some terminal velocity, Skydive Chicago (skydivechicago.com) can help first-timers take the plunge with a tandem jump attached to an experienced skydiver.
Downtown Ottawa
Ottawa grew because of its prime location on the Illinois River, and its walkable downtown is filled with historic charm. Visit Washington Square, the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate in 1856. You’ll find several museums and walking tours that help you explore the past—including the tragic story of the Radium Girls, the women who worked in the Ottawa factory that painted glow-in-the-dark watch dials in the 1920s. Their exposure to radium led to numerous health issues and helped change labor laws across the country.
The town also has become a cultural and artistic hub for central Illinois, with a variety of galleries, boutiques, and performance spaces. The Open Space Art Gallery & Studios (osartstudios.com) features the work of local artists—and you won’t be able to miss the murals painted on buildings around town.
Food and Drink
You’ll find traditional Midwestern fare as well as a surprisingly large number of restaurants featuring international cuisine in this small town. For those looking for an elevated brewpub, The Lone Buffalo by Tangled Root Brewing Company (tangledrootsbrewingco.com) offers local beer made onsite, along with a large menu of chef-created fare, from bar staples to steaks and seafood. The Beach House (beachhousegrille.com) offers coastal cuisine from waters far from the Illinois River (think crab legs, oysters, and Pacific swordfish) in a beautiful downtown location. The Burger and Sushi House (burgerandsushihouse.com), sister to the Geneva location, offers both sushi made onsite and creative handhelds, like the Crabby Patty, which combines a burger with crab rangoon. Finally, a way to please all members of the family. For more information on the area, visit visitottawail.com.
Photos: Treehouses at Starved Rock; Illinois Office of Tourism
