Consider the impressive statistics: 400,000 acres of state parks, 1,100 historic sites, 4,300 miles of shoreline, and 3,000 festivals and special events. Illinois — awaiting discovery; yours to enjoy.
Rich in history and classic architecture, it’s a place of rolling hills and inviting small towns, with long stretches of prairie and farmland, patched together in a colorful quilt of natural beauty.
From the flash and smoke of a musket at a Civil War re-enactment to the relaxing respite of a quaint Victorian tea room, the Prairie State has something for everyone.
1. Alton. Just above East St. Louis at the riverfront town of Alton, the unique cable-stay Clark Bridge links Illinois with Missouri over the mighty Mississippi. The antique district on Broadway Street has more than 60 dealers worth exploring. Check out the Confederate prison site on William Street, or take a guided tour of the Melvin Price Lock & Dam. 800-258-6645.
2. Arthur/Arcola. Surrounding the tiny village of Arthur and nearby Arcola is the horse-and-buggy world of the largest Amish settlement in Illinois. Amish craft shops on working farms dot the countryside. Arcola’s Rockome Gardens features a 15-acre rock and flower garden, train and buggy rides and numerous shops. 800-722-6474 (Arthur) or 800-336-5456 (Arcola).
3. Belleville. Take a horse-drawn carriage, a tram tour, drive or even walk through one of the largest outdoor shrines in the U.S.– the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows — with a motel, restaurant and gift shop on the 200-acre site. Tours are also available at the majestic Gothic St. Peter, the largest cathedral of any kind in Illinois, with a seating capacity of 1,422. At Eckert’s Country Store & Farms, among the country’s largest do-it-yourself orchards, pick your own peaches starting in July, apples in September. 800-442-1488.
4. Bloomington/Normal. Central Illinois’ twin cities offer both cultural and less cerebral pursuits. For a glimpse at upscale Victorian living, stop at the David Davis Museum, the carefully restored 1872 home of a U.S. Supreme Court justice. At Upper Limits, scale the heights at the indoor rock-climbing facility. Major summer events: Shakespeare Festival, theater under the stars (June 18-Aug. 8); Gold Corvette Show (June 25-28), back in Bloomington after five years at the Illinois State Fair. 800-433-8226.
5. Cahokia Mounds. In the elite company of the Great Wall of China, Egypt’s Pyramids and the Taj Mahal, the State Historical and United Nations World Heritage site is the only prehistoric Native American city north of Mexico. Monks Mound, the largest prehistoric earthen construction in the world, is among the 65 manmade earthen mounds on the 2,200-acre site. 800-289-2388.
6. Cairo. At the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, Illinois’ southernmost city carved out its own place in history when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s Union troops thrust their way into the South. Other Civil War stops: Ft. Defiance, the war post commanded by Grant; Safford Memorial Library’s fine collection of Civil War documents. 800-248-4373.
7. Decatur. This is the ideal stopover gateway to Central Illinois. Stroll the secluded pathways of Anna Bethel Fisher Rock Garden. Browse the Macon County Museum Complex. Sample the Victorian tea table at the Mari-Mann Herb Farm. Decatur Celebration street festival (July 31-Aug. 2) features headline entertainment, parades, food fest. 800-311-4479 (www.decaturcvb.com).
8. Dixon. Former President Ronald Reagan slept here — at 816 S. Hennepin Ave., his boyhood home. The modest residence has been restored, with furnishings typical of the 1920s. The Visitors Center offers an orientation video and guided tours. Small park, 8-foot statue and barn with a Model-T Ford complete the Reagan tableau. 815-288-3404.
9. Galena. Northern Illinois’ obligatory antique and gift shop mecca. 19th Century Midwestern architecture is showcased in 100 restored mansions and cottages, including the splendid Ulysses S. Grant home. Major summertime events: Stagecoach Trail Festival (June 20-21); Galena Arts Festival (July 18-19); Civil War weekend battles re-enactment (Aug. 7-9). 800-747-9399 (www.galena.org).
10. Galesburg. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg’s hometown. Historic Sandburg site (331 E. 3rd Ave.) includes three-room birthplace cottage and wooded park, where the poet laureate’s ashes lie beneath “Remembrance Rock.” Other attractions: turn-of-the-century shopping scene at Seminary Street historic district; Knox College’s Old Main, the only original building still standing since the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates. 309-343-1194.
11. Metropolis. It’s comic book hero Superman’s “hometown” along the Ohio River. Ft. Massac State Park has a replica of the 1794 fort, visitors center and museum. The town’s favorite son is feted during the Superman Celebration (June 11-14), featuring nightly entertainment, Lois and Clark Pool Tournament, carnival, street fair, parades. 800-949-5740.
12. Mt. Carroll. Savor Mt. Carroll’s rich collection of Victorian homes on a walking tour of the historic district. Raven’s Grin Inn is a 100-year-old haunted fun house, open year-round. Timber Lake Playhouse, the state’s oldest continuously running professional summer stock theater, features a summer schedule of musicals and dramas. 800-678-2108.
13. Mt. Vernon. Historical Village features log cabins, blacksmith shop, general store. Impressive 1857-built Appellate Courthouse is where a young Abe Lincoln won an important case. Works of great American artists displayed at the Mitchell Museum at Cedarhurst. Major doings: Sweet Corn & Watermelon Festival (Aug. 15), downtown, with continuous activities scheduled throughout the day. 800-252-5464.
14. Nauvoo. Restored 19th Century buildings and demonstrations of historic trades by skilled artisans lure visitors to this tiny village on the Mississippi. Joseph Smith Historic Center includes the homestead, red brick store and gravesite of the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Grape Festival (Labor Day weekend) features parades, shows and dances. 217-453-2247.
15. Oak Park. The celebrated Prairie School of Architecture traces its origins here to Frank Lloyd Wright’s first home and studio. Historic district contains the largest concentration of Wright-designed buildings in the world. Guided tours. The Ernest Hemingway Museum and Birthplace honors the literary giant’s life and times. 708-248-1500.
16. Princeton. Follow the path of the pioneers’ westward trek. Cross over a circa-1864 red covered bridge. Visit historic Lovejoy Homestead (abolitionist preacher and Abe Lincoln’s friend). Picnic in Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park. Big doings: Homestead Festival and Pork Day (Sept. 11-13; pork served on Sept. 13 only). 815-875-2616 (www.princeton.il.com).
17. Quincy. This antebellum Mississippi River town is bursting at the seams with classic architecture from the 1830s to the 1930s. Best overview? The Gardner Museum of Architecture and Design. Walk through the three historic districts, stop off at Quincy Museum, restored to its 19th Century origins; Gov. John Wood Museum; Lincoln-Douglas Valentine Museum and the All Wars Museum. 800-978-4748.
18. Starved Rock State Park. One of northern Illinois’ most popular getaway venues with 15 miles of hiking trails amid scenic overlooks, waterfalls, bluffs and canyons formed by glacial meltdown. Rustic native stone-and-log lodge accommodations or log cabin rentals. Boating, camping, horse trails, fishing. 800-868-7625 (www.starved-rock.com).
19. Springfield. Old Abe’s imprint is everywhere in our state capital. Historic downtown area offers four square blocks of Lincolniana, including the meticulously restored Lincoln Home and Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, the only surviving structure where he practiced. Summer event: Moving flag retreat ceremony performed at Lincoln Tomb by 114th Reactivated Civil War Infantry unit (7 p.m. Tuesday evenings). 800-545-7300.
20. Woodstock. Picturesque downtown square sets the pace for this Victorian charmer, with antique stores, gift shops, the backdrop for summer band concerts, arts and crafts shows. The Opera House, a performing arts center where Orson Welles and Paul Newman began their illustrious careers, hosts the annual Mozart Festival (Fridays and Saturdays, July 31-Aug. 15). Venerable comic strip detective Dick Tracy is commemorated at the Chester Gould-Dick Tracy Museum. Main event: Dick Tracy Days (June 24-28), with parades, kids games, food booths. 815-338-2436.
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For information on Illinois, contact the Illinois Bureau of Tourism at 800-226-6632 (www.enjoyillinois.com).
