Illinois

While most visitors will come to Illinois for the vibrant city life in Chicago, renowned for its architecture, cultural attractions, and culinary scene. But it’s worth exploring outsided this major city too: history buffs won’t want to miss a visit to Abraham Lincoln’s home in Springfield or the 19th-century architecture in Galena, while nature lovers should head to Illinois’ scenic Shawnee National Forest or the sandstone canyons in Starved Rock State Park.

The Best State Parks in the Midwest—and How to Visit

Photo by Shutterstock/Owen Weber

Overview

Planning your trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to Illinois.

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READ BEFORE YOU GO
HOTELS
The St. Regis Chicago is big on indulgence—but tucked in a corner most tourists never reach.
Find the retreat that best matches your taste in the Windy City.
Architecture, history, and fitness star in these exclusive club hotels that let nonmembers check in.
RESOURCES TO HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP
The trendy neighborhoods of Wicker Park and Bucktown have some of the best shopping. Retro lovers can find vinyl records, comic books, vintage dresses, used books and more. Art lovers should make time to drink some wine and support local artists during First Friday at the Flatiron Arts Project . All curious travelers shopping in Wicker Park and Bucktown will be rewarded with unique arts, vintage goods, and quirky finds.
From Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin to Grand Portage State Park in Minnesota, hikers, campers, and outdoor adventurers will want to add these 12 best state parks in the Midwest to their list.
Architecture boat tours, ballgames at Wrigley Field, sunny beach days on Lake Michigan, and strolls through Millennium Park: here’s what to do in Chicago.
Discover some of Chicago’s top attractions, including one of the oldest art museums in the country and the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere.
You’ve heard of deep-dish pizza, but what about Italian beef and honey butter fried chicken?
Dreaming of a romantic getaway to Milan, Bali, or Athens? Don’t miss these two-for-one deals to those destinations (and more) on one of the world’s best airlines.
Thanks to these new European flights, it’s much easier to hop across the pond from the United States this summer.
Museums across the United States are hosting powerful exhibitions that examine the country’s queer past, present, and future. Here are a few to visit in tandem with June’s Pride Month and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
Plan an entire trip around your (or your little ones’) favorite types of dinosaurs. Here’s where to go to spot your most beloved species.
Waking after a long deep-freeze of a winter, the Windy City bursts into colorful spring with a happening hotel, some venerable Old Masters, and a lovely day in the park.