Illinois

More than two-thirds of Illinois residents live in the Chicago metropolitan area, but beyond the suburbs, endless cornfields and soybean fields stretch all the way to the Mississippi and the Ohio River. A trip to Illinois pairs one of the world's most architecturally exciting cities with the rural Midwest. Route 66 began here, and Abraham Lincoln lived here.

Landscape and Location

Illinois is mostly flat prairie, shaped by Ice Age glaciers. In the northeast, the state borders Lake Michigan, whose shoreline in Chicago is lined with parks and beaches. The western border is formed by the Mississippi, where steep limestone bluffs rise near Galena and Alton. In the far south, in the area known as Little Egypt, the land becomes hilly and wooded: Shawnee National Forest, with the rock formations of the Garden of the Gods, surprises many visitors who had expected nothing but flat plains.

Chicago: Architecture on the Lake

Chicago was rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1871 and became the birthplace of the skyscraper. The architecture boat tour on the Chicago River is considered the best introduction, passing buildings by Mies van der Rohe, the Wrigley Building, and the Willis Tower, where the Skydeck lets you stand in glass boxes high above the street. In Millennium Park, the sculpture Cloud Gate, known as "the Bean," reflects the skyline; next door, the Art Institute shows works from Seurat to Hopper. Neighborhoods such as Wicker Park, Pilsen with its Mexican character, or Hyde Park around the University of Chicago show the diversity of the city. In summer, the Cubs play at Wrigley Field, one of the oldest baseball stadiums in the country.

Cities and Towns Beyond Chicago

Aurora and Naperville lie in the western suburbs, and Schaumburg, to the northwest, has one of the largest shopping malls in the region. Oak Park is a pilgrimage site for fans of Frank Lloyd Wright, who had his studio here and designed numerous houses. Rockford in the north has Japanese gardens, and Peoria on the Illinois River is home to the Caterpillar Museum. Champaign and Urbana together form a lively university town, and Galena in the far northwest has preserved its 19th-century brick facades almost unchanged. These smaller Illinois destinations are well worth a detour on a road trip.

Illinois Attractions and History

Springfield, the capital, is dedicated to Abraham Lincoln: his home, the Presidential Library and Museum, and his tomb are the most visited sites. It's no coincidence that Illinois is nicknamed the "Land of Lincoln." Near Collinsville lie the Cahokia Mounds, remains of the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; around the year 1100, more people probably lived here than in London at the time. Route 66 begins in downtown Chicago on Adams Street and leads via Pontiac and Springfield toward St. Louis. In the 20th century, the Great Migration brought African Americans from the South to Chicago, where they shaped electric Chicago blues and, later, house music. The annual Chicago Blues Festival in June is free, as are many summer concerts in Millennium Park.

Food and Drink

Deep-dish pizza with its tall crust is Chicago's trademark, as is the Chicago-style hot dog, which is never served with ketchup but with mustard, pickle, tomato, onions, and celery salt. Italian beef sandwiches, Polish sausage from the immigrant neighborhoods, and a strong craft beer scene round out the offerings. In the countryside, you'll find the horseshoe sandwich from Springfield, an open-faced sandwich with meat, fries, and cheese sauce.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Chicago O'Hare (ORD) is one of the largest hubs in the world and has direct flights from Europe; Midway mainly handles domestic flights. Chicago is also the hub of the Amtrak network, with trains running from here to Springfield, Champaign, and all parts of the country. The best time to visit is from May to October: festivals take place in summer, and a cooling breeze blows off the lake. Winters are long, snowy, and bitterly cold thanks to the wind off the lake – it's no coincidence that Chicago is called the "Windy City."