Downtown Monticello, Illinois

Upon check-in, slip the desk agent a tip and ask for the best room they can find at your current booked rate. Often times a quick $10 or $20 bill can go a long way towards the mood of the person who directly decides where you lay your head for the night.

Avoid booking poolside for kids playing during the day and gatherings at night. Sound bounces off of the water and voices carry so ask for a room away from the pool either on the opposite side of the hotel or in higher floors.

Always find a reason to email the front desk manager in hotels that you plan to visit again. Tell them what they did right and express your plans to stay again and ask what opportunities there might be for frequent discounts or upgrades on your next visits. If you become friends with the manager, you just might get the friends and family rate some day.

Monticello has the perfect game shop for both young and old. Your friends and family will enjoy hours of entertainment with a wide selection of board games, card games and games of skill. A perfect stop for travellers with kids and those seeking a new adventure for game night.

Monticello offers on-the-go dining when you visit your favorite food truck. Pick up some corn tortilla tacos with freshly made pico with a fresh squeeze of lemon to give your day a boost. Food trucks can offer a wide variety of niche ethnic blends.

Monticello is the place to plan your wedding. You'll be spending a lot of time downtown as there are so many wonderful shops to find invitations, photographers, bakers, caterers and jewelers. Planning your wedding will be a breeze with so much support from local merchants to make a perfect and memorable day.