Illinois TRAVEL GUIDE AND DEALS

Illinois is a state in the Midwest of the United States of America.

Regions

Northern Illinois
Chicagoland
Central Illinois
Western Illinois
Saint Louis Metro East
Southern Illinois

Cities

Chicago, the largest city in the Midwest, and other cities in the Chicagoland area
Springfield, the capital of Illinois
Champaign-Urbana, home of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Carbondale, home of Southern Illinois University
Bloomington-Normal, home of Illinois State University
Galena, charming historical town
Peoria, the classic Midwestern "Everytown"
Joliet, with casinos, a speedway and the state's most infamous prison
Alton, near the southern tip of Illinois
Woodridge, Designated as one of the Top 100 places to Live in USA, by Money Magazine - 2007.

Understand

Illinois is a mostly flat plains state, with the majority being farmland except for the south, which is hilly and forested. Most of Illinois is sparsely populated except for the northeast corner where Chicago is.

Get in

By car

Illinois is accessed through interstates 90 & 94 through Wisconsin, 80 through Iowa, 55, 57, and 70 through Missouri, 24 through Kentucky, and 70, 74, and 80 through Indiana

By train

Amtrak lines run through all bordering states one way or another to Chicago.

By plane

Chicago has two major airports, O'Hare and Midway. Midway is smaller and closer to the downtown. There are airports in Springfield and in St. Louis, across the river from Illinois.

Get around

Car travel is best for the majority of the state, easily accessed by interstates. Numerous highways closer to Chicago are tollways, but the rest of the highways are free.

See

Chicago

In the Loop, Chicago's commercial district with bustling elevated train tracks and great architecture:

Sears Tower - one of the tallest buildings in the world, it has an observation deck on the 103rd floor
Grant Park for musical performances and Millennium Park for summer fun
The Art Institute of Chicago - one of the finest art museums in the world

In the Near North:

John Hancock Center A bit shorter, but with a better observation deck
The Magnificent Mile Put simply, shoppers' paradise.
Navy Pier Entertainment center with many attractions including the Chicago Children's Museum, mini golf, ferris wheel, botanic gardens, and boat cruises

In the Near South, including the Museum Campus:

The Field Museum The premier natural history museum in the Midwest, with one of the best preserved T-Rex skeletons on display
The Adler Planetarium The first planetarium in North America
The Shedd Aquarium Great lakefront aquarium

On the South Chicago Shore:

Museum of Science and Industry The best science museum in the Midwest, with hundreds of exhibits including a German submarine, high speed 1930s train, Boeing 727 jet, and an immense train set.
The University of Chicago The premier institution of learning in the Midwest

Elsewhere

Springfield - The state capital has the capitol building, and probably the best attractions are Abraham Lincoln's tomb, home, and new presidential library

Eat

Chicago has many specialties, the most famous of which would have to be its hot dogs and its deep dish pizza.

Stay safe

Areas of Illinois away from Lake Michigan — e.g., places other than Chicago — have a high occurrence of tornadoes. You might want to check the Tornado safety page if you are visiting Illinois. In March of 2006, Springfield was hit with a tornado and the city was apparently affected in every area. East St. Louis is one of the worst crime cities in the country and has little touristic interest except for the casino riverboat. Chicago is generally safe except for certain neighborhoods that are generally along the South and West sides.