‘Tis the season to traipse across Illinois farms with your families in search of the perfect tree. Here are a few of the best Christmas tree farms in Illinois, divided by region. Please confirm their hours and availability on their websites or social media pages, or by calling ahead.
Southern Illinois Christmas Tree Farms
Allen Farm Christmas Trees & Gifts in Buncombe, Illinois, features choose-and-cut fir, pine, spruce and cypress trees. They provide saws or will cut it for you, and also offer a Christmas shop with wreaths, boughs, crosses, garlands and more. They’re open weekends starting the Friday after Thanksgiving until they sell out.
Phillipstown Christmas Tree Farm in Crossville, Illinois, offers pines and firs as well as garland, wreaths and other Christmas decor. It’s open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, weather permitting.
Central Illinois Christmas Tree Farms
Helmig’s Tree Farm in Saybrook, Illinois, bills itself as a one-stop shop for all things Christmas. They primarily grow Eastern white pine, Scotch pine, Norway spruce and white spruce. Helmig’s farm also offers limited supplies of cut-your-own Douglas fir and Colorado blue spruce, as well as pre-cut Fraser firs brought in from North Carolina or Michigan. They also have a sales barn with wreaths and swags made by the Helmig kids. They are open the Friday after Thanksgiving and then Saturdays and Sundays only through mid-December or until they sell out.
4 E’s Trees in Decatur, Illinois, grows several varieties of fir, spruce and pine trees that visitors can choose and cut themselves. Wreaths, roping and boughs are also available at this Central Illinois farm, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays).
Northern Illinois Christmas Tree Farms
Dollinger Christmas Tree Farm in Shannon, Illinois, near Lake Carroll was founded by Ned Dollinger more than 65 years ago, and his son, John, planted the first trees on the current site in 1971, where they now grow fir, spruce and pine trees. In addition to Christmas trees, the Dollinger farm constructs and sells hundreds of wreaths each season. They’re open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Richardson Adventure Farm planted its first Christmas tree in 1981 and now is home to a full-on forest of Christmas trees, with more than 50,000 evergreens spread over 100 acres. Their farm in Spring Grove, Illinois, is open daily from the Friday after Thanksiving through early December.
Whispering Pines Reindeer Ranch & Tree Farm in Shabbona, Illinois, not only has 18 acres of trees, but they also have more than a dozen reindeer, making a trip to this farm a truly magical holiday experience. They’re open select dates in November and December.
Most farms open around the third weekend of November. Find a complete listing of farms from the Illinois Christmas Tree Association.
