My mom has a thing for Abraham Lincoln.

There's a Lincoln bobblehead on her desk and a Lincoln puppet on the fridge. She's such a fan of the 16th president, in fact, that she set off on a road trip to trace his footsteps, from the Lincoln-Douglas debate sites to Lincoln's final resting place.

"We weren't really thinking of this trip as educational, just a way for a retired history teacher to have the chance to walk in the steps of the Great One," my mom says. Here's the itinerary for her Lincoln road trip, which takes you through several picturesque towns with stunning views of the Mississippi. Let's chase Abe!

1. Ottawa, IL: Lincoln-Douglas Debate Site

In 1858, Lincoln challenged incumbent U.S. Sen. Stephen A. Douglas to a series of debates all across Illinois, traveling more than 10,000 miles in total. (Don't worry, this road trip isn't that long.) Lincoln lost the election, but his debate performances made him famous and eventually helped him win the presidency.

The site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate is Ottawa, a quaint town on the Illinois River that's about 90 minutes southwest of Chicago. The debate site is commemorated in a pretty downtown square with bronze statues of the two men. You can tour the historic Reddick Mansion on the square, where people crowded the steps to glimpse the debate, then stop for a thin-crust pizza at Bianchi's on La Salle Street.

2. Charleston, IL: Lincoln Log Cabin

After Ottawa, Lincoln traveled to Freeport, in far northern Illinois, and Jonesboro, in the far south. Skip these, my mom suggests, and instead head south from Ottawa to the fourth debate site: Charleston, IL. Visit the tiny Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum in the county fairgrounds to discover maps, artifacts and little-known facts about the debates.

Eight miles outside of Charleston is another historical site, the Lincoln Log Cabin. It's not the fabled cabin where Lincoln grew up, but a replica of the home where his father and stepmother lived in the 1840s. It's still worth visiting, though: "There are interpreters in period clothing doing period things, like spinning, and a short film about Lincoln," my mom reports.

If you're a sucker for kitschy vacation destinations, stop by the World's Tallest Lincoln Statue three miles east of Charleston. You may not be able to see much of the 72-foot Abe, however, as the campground where he stands is closed for renovations (as of 2016).

3. Springfield, IL: Lincoln Home National Historic Site

For Lincoln fans, Springfield is the ultimate destination. The Lincoln Home National Historic Site. isn't an imposing house like other presidential homes , but rather a cozy house where Lincoln and his wife, Mary, started their family.

The park service is reconstructing the Lincolns' neighborhood to its mid-1800s state, so there are several period buildings to explore. At the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, you can see the long couch where Lincoln stretched out every morning to read the newspaper aloud.

Other Springfield, IL Lincoln sites include:

• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum: The Lincoln museum has lots of great things for kids, including hi-tech holograms and the opportunity to dress up as Abe, Mary Todd or a Civil War soldier. The Lincoln library is more a research institution, although it has rotating exhibits in the atrium.
• Old State Capitol: This is where Lincoln tried many cases before the state Supreme Court, and also the site of the speech where he famously said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand...”
• Oak Ridge Cemetery: The final resting place of Lincoln, Mary Todd and three of their four sons is marked with a massive monument. For good luck, visitors rub the nose of Lincoln's bronze bust.
• There's so much to see, you'll want to spend one or two nights in Springfield. Stay at the President Abraham Lincoln Springfield, a luxe DoubleTree by Hilton hotel downtown. Or try the Rippon-Kinsella House, a Victorian bed-and-breakfast in north Springfield.

4. Galesburg and Quincy: Lincoln-Douglas Debate Sites

Northwest of Springfield is Galesburg, the only Lincoln-Douglas debate site where the original building still stands: the Old Main, on the Knox College campus. Two hours southwest from Galesburg is Quincy, a picturesque town on the Mississippi River. The debate memorial there is more elaborate than some, my mom says, with stone tablets and "of course, the bronze statues of short little Stephen Douglas and very tall Lincoln." Have lunch at the Pier Restaurant, which offers spectacular views of the Mississippi.

5. Alton, IL: Lincoln-Douglas Debate Site

Follow the scenic Great River Road from Quincy to Alton, the last destination in the great Lincoln road trip. Alton is a river town in southern Illinois where you can see the St. Louis arch across the water. Signs lead you to a small debate park that Lincoln tourists will have all to themselves.

Before returning home, visit Confluence Point in West Alton, MO. "As we walked to the exact point where these two huge rivers — the Mississippi and the Missouri —come together, we tried to imagine what it must have been like to set off so long ago to explore the territory west of St. Louis," my mom says. I feel a Lewis and Clark road trip in her future...

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Richmond-based travel writer Muriel Barrett has a terrible sense of direction, and has spent many happy hours getting lost in Barcelona, Venice and Jerusalem. Her favorite travel memories all involve wildlife: watching sea turtles nest in Costa Rica, kayaking with seals in Vancouver and meeting a pink tarantula in Martinique.

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