I used to come here with my grandparents when I was kid, this past weekend some friends and I decided to take in some leaves and gorge ourselves on a massive brunch buffet...this place came to mind and it was EXACTLY the same as it was in the 80's. If you are a comfort in consistency person, Pere Marquette is right up your ally. \r
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First the Buffet, because the fat kid in me must talk about the food first. This buffet is about 20 bucks per person (yea, not cheap) but it seriously has everything you could want. 6 breakfast dishes, 6 lunch dishes, 6 dinner dishes, a carving station, a waffle station, a banana's foster station, breads and danishes, salad, fresh fruit, a cheese section (lets be honest, the cheese section sold me) and even a fresh fish section. I was in love. There is also the option to get a family style all you can eat chicken and catfish dinner for 14 bucks a person, but that simply was not fat enough for me on this glorious Sunday. The brunch is only served from October through mid-November. I have no idea why this is, but oddly enough, that's what they do here. \r
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After gorging ourselves on brunch and feeling a bit stung by the bill, we grabbed our to go cups of tea (that's right, they gave me a to go cup, upping it one more star in my head) and we piled into my friend's car to start taking in the foliage. There are a ton of different stopping points along the big loop drive, and you can see for miles from the top. It's simply gorgeous. There were families and couples having picnics, and a bizarre ladybug infestation that we sadly brought back with us in the car to Soulard, but you should see some of these pictures I got. Beautiful leaves of so many colors and the Mississippi and Illinois River merging in the background. It was amazing. \r
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What was not amazing? Lover's Leap. If you go check it out, it looks more like Lover's Log Roll. \r
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They also have hiking trails and you can rent horses to take out on the trail. The lodge is incredibly nice and makes for a great family weekend get away or even for a nice couples get away. And it's CHEAP. Always a plus. \r
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I could keep writing, but the long and short of it is this is a great little day trip or overnight trip. Singles, couples, families....it's going to be great for any and all.\r
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Also, it's pretty hilarious to watch the parents taking extremely posed pictures of their child. I mean, they drag them up here to this beautiful place and make them pose unnaturally with their knee popped and fist under their chin in front of a tree...take that in your backyard and cut your kid a little slack. The whole thing is proposterous, but good comic relief for the rest of us.
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