Stuff to Do Nearby

There's a ton of great attractions just a couple of miles away from the wedding site, and it's easy to make a weekend of it without even venturing into Chicago proper.

• The Prairie Crossing Community (where the barn is located) has over 10 miles of trails, a pond with a community beach, an organic farm and an on-site farmers' market.

• The Liberty Prairie Reserve (connected to Prairie Crossing) has 3,200 acres of protected land and trails perfect for walking, biking and horseback riding. BYOH.

• The Chicago Botanic Garden (a half-hour away) will be in full bloom and in the middle of a Harvest Festival and Bulb Bazaar. We understand there will be donuts.

• Long Grove Antique Village (20 minutes away), in addition to the usual shops, dining and all-around quaintness, will be holding an Apple Festival that weekend.

• Six Flags Great America (14 minutes away) will be having its annual fright fest, which basically means you get to ride all the rides (our recommendation: the Superman) and get to see some folks wearing scary makeup, too.

• The Volo Auto Museum (12 minutes away) has some pretty cool exhibits, including the Ghostbusters car.

• The Libertyville Sports Complex (5 minutes away) has rock climbing, a driving range, a fitness center and lots more - even Zumba classes.

• The Jelly Belly Center (a half-hour away) is just over the state line in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Highly recommended if you wonder how jelly beans are made.

The Hotel

We've reserved a block of rooms for Saturday and Sunday nights at the lovely Comfort Suites, just a five-minute walk away from the wedding site. The hotel just opened this August, and among its countless amenities are free hot breakfasts, sofa sleepers and a freeform-shaped pool. There's a limited number of rooms available on the Friday before.

To book your reservation, call 847-223-5050, and be sure to tell them you're coming for the Rotman-Ashworth wedding.

There's also a Hampton Inn close by, if you prefer.

Getting There

The wedding will be held on October 4, 2009 at the Byron Colby Barn, which is part of the Prairie Crossing community. The ceremony will start at 1:30 sharp, so please plan on arriving at 1pm.

The barn is located at 1561 Jones Point Road in Grayslake, Illinois, about an hour north of Chicago. Here's the Google map so you can find directions from wherever you're coming.

If you're coming from Chicago, or from O'Hare, and you don't want to drive, Prairie Crossing is easily accessible by Metra Train. It's a little bit of a walk from the station to the barn, so please give us a heads up as to when you'll be arriving so someone can come pick you up.