The Most Hippie Town in Illinois is…

Peace, love and patchouli my friends. This is the most hippie town in all of Illinois.

I asked Captain Jack, "If you were to guess the most hippie town in Illinois, what would you guess?"

He said simply, "Bloomington." Well that's not it.

Thrillist put out a list of the Best Hippie Town in Every State, and that got me thinking. What exactly classifies a town as being a hippie town? What exactly classifies a person as a hippie?

There are plenty of stereotypes. The bell bottoms, the smell of patchouli, shell necklaces and tie-dye, but I think it's more about being a free spirit and someone who loves art, earth and music.

But hey, I could be way off.

According to the list from Thrillist, Makanda is the town in Illinois that is the hippiest of them all:

This old railroad town in Southern Illinois almost went kaput in the 1960s, until an enterprising group of hippies and artists took it over in the decade that followed. Now it’s a tight, thriving community of free spirits that makes the most of its location at the entrance to Giant City State Park. The iconic Makanda Inn is the city’s main tourist draw, a hotel steeped in woodwork with innovating eco-friendly design. And the town is a laid-back escape that's equally stimulating and relaxing.

Huh? I've never even heard of Makanda! But must be pretty cool. I mean, check out their water tower. It doesn't get better than that!

To see the Best Hippie Town in every state, visit the Thrillist Article HERE.