Illinois Travel Guide

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

Regions

• Northeastern Illinois

Counties

• Cook County

• Iroquois County

• Ford County

• Kankakee County

• Will County

Cities

• Bloomington

• Carbondale

• Champaign

• Chicago

• Chicago Heights

• Kankakee

• Normal

• Peoria

• Rockford

• Springfield

• Urbana

• Waukegan

• Wheaton

• Winnetka

Hotel - Flight - Car Rental

• Illinois Discount Hotels Directory

• Click here for discount air fares.

• Click here for rental cars.

Chicago City Guide

Chicago is a city in the Cook County district of the north-eastern part of Illinois, and the unofficial capital of the Midwest region of the United States of America. It's the third-largest city in the United States, after New York and Los Angeles. Chicago is known as The Windy City - although people disagree about whether this refers to the severe winds that blow off the Lake Michigan or the hot air of Chicago's notoriously corrupt politicos. The nickname originated in an editorial in the New York Sun during the city's bid for the 1893 World's Fair, wherein the editor railed against the city's raucous boosterism: suggesting that no one pay attention to the "nonsensical claims of that windy city. Its people could not hold a world's fair even if they won it".

See

Art Institute of Chicago [1] (http://www.artic.edu/), 111 South Michigan Ave, +1 312-443-3600. M, W-Fri 10:30AM-4:30PM, Tu 10:30AM-8PM, Sa-Su 10:30AM-5PM. One of the premiere museums in the United States -- definitely not to be missed. Famous pieces include American Gothic by Grant Wood -- yeah, the one with that sour-looking farm couple. But there's lots of other paintings - one of the best collections of Impressionists in the world, and early 20th-century pieces. Suggested donation: $10 ($6 children and seniors, free Tu). Chicago Cultural Center [2] (http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Tourism/CultureCenterTour/), 78 East Washington Open every day except holidays from 10am to 7pm, Monday through Thursday; 10am to 6pm, Friday; 10am to 5pm, Saturday; 11am - 5pm, Sunday. Built in 1897 as Chicago's first public library, the building now houses the city's Visitor Information Center, galleries, and exhibit halls. The ceiling of Preston Bradley Hall includes as a 38-foot Tiffany glass dome. the Field Museum [3] (http://www.fmnh.org/), 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, +1 312-922-9410. 9AM-5PM every day. Chicago's Natural History Museum - highlights include the largest Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton in the world as well as a great, kids-friendly Egyptian exhibit. $10 ($5 children, $7 seniors and students, Mo and Tu free seasonally) Museum of Contemporary Art [4] (http://www.mcachicago.org/), 220 East Chicago Ave., +1 312-280-2660. Tu 10AM-8PM, We-Su 10AM-5PM. Art of all types from around the world made since 1945. $10 ($6 student, free Tu after 5PM). Be sure to check out what the current exhibit is -- the museum can be rather boring when they are between exhibits. the Oriental Institute [5] (http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/default.html) - part of the University of Chicago, one of the best collections of ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern archaeology in the world Museum of Holography. It'll only take you twenty minutes, but it's kind of interesting. Museum of Science and Industry. Spend hours upon hours there looking at really cool stuff you never even knew you didn't know about. So much to do, so little time. Great for kids, with many hands-on exhibits. Shedd Aquarium [6] (http://www.sheddaquarium.org/), 1200 S. Lakeshore Dr. +1 312-939-2438. Located on the Museum Campus, the Shedd Aquarium is home to a large collection of marine life from throughout the world. The Pacific Northwest themed Oceanarium features dolphins, whales and other animals from the region, as well as a panoramic view of Lake Michigan. The recently-opened Wild Reef exhibit offers floor-to-ceiling windows for an extraordinary view of a Philippine coral reef environment, complete with dozens of sharks. United Center. Chicago Bulls/Blackhawks stadium. Soldier Field. Field of the Bears. Once a fantastically wonderful building. Now, hideous on the outside, sweet and juicy on the inside. Wrigley Field. Historic Stadium of the Cubs. Now distinguished as a historical landmark, no more corporate conversions here. Comiskey Park. Officially the US Cellular Field, this south-side stadium is the home of the Chicago White Sox. Spertus Institute. a museum dedicated solely to Judaica.

Do

The Old-Town School of Folk Music. 4544 N. Lincoln Avenue. 773.728.6000 fax 773.728.6999. If you're interested in Folk music from America or anywhere else in the world you should definitely plan to spend some time at the Old-Town School. There are classes ranging from beginners clawhammer banjo to advanced Flamenco dance. Even if you are just passing through town you should seriously consider stopping by to see a concert or just to check out the store which features a fabulous array of banjos, fiddles, guitars, and quite a few rare folk instruments from around the world, as well as recordings of just about every sort of folk music (and early Jazz) you can imagine. http://www.oldtownschool.org/ Lincoln Park. Five-mile long park with nearly everything one could hope for. The Lincoln Park Zoo (http://www.lpzoo.com/) is located here, and is a great free urban zoo -- one of the few remaining. Don't miss the penguins! Grant Park. Park located between Lake Shore Drive and Colombus Drive. Home of the famous Buckingham fountain. Chicago Botanic Garden. Amazingly beautiful, and completely diverse. The 385 acre park, research, and art facilities are open year round for your visiting pleasure. http://www.chicago-botanic.org/ Navy Pier. Home of the excellent Chicago Shakespeare Theater, a Children's Museum, an IMAX theater, a small stained glass museum, and a wonderfully large Ferris Wheel. http://www.navypier.com/ The Navy Pier isn't as exciting as it might first seem -- it has lots of silly little shops, and lots of tourists and couples wandering around. However, it is an easy place to entertain a child. Garfield Park. History filled Chicago park. Contains the amazing Garfield Park Conservatory. It's in a rough neighborhood, though you can take the El (green line) right to the park. Looking at the city from the El gives you a picture of a different part of Chicago. On the trip out, you might also notice the gentrification spreading West from downtown -- there are startlingly rapid changes from gentrified to more decayed neighborhoods. Blue Man Group. Get tickets (well in advance) on the floor instead of the balcony. http://www.blueman.com/ticketinfo/chicago.shtml Improv Olympic. If the downstairs show is full, don't waste your time on the upstairs show. http://www.improvolympic.com Second City. The origin point for Saturday Night Live and many of its stars, this Chicago fixture still features great shows on two stages. http://www.secondcity.com Steppenwolf Theater. The home of John Malkovitch, Gary Sinise, and many others, Steppenwolf features cutting-edge theater. http://www.steppenwolf.org/ Goodman Theater. The best of the best. http://www.goodman-theatre.org/ Lyric Opera of Chicago. Famous theater for extraordinary shows. http://www.lyricopera.org/ Architectural boat tour. 90 minutes of floating edu-admiration. http://www.cfl81.com/archtour.html or http://www.architecture.org/river.html Symphony Center. Winter home of the Chicago Symphony.

Eat

Great restaurants are scattered across the city, from the long established, traditional Greektown to the street-glam, edgy East Ukrainian Village, from the exotic Indian-flavored Devon Avenue in West Rogers Park to the eclectic Clark Street in Andersonville, where you'll find great Swedish, American, Korean, Persian, and Italian restaurants, (to name a few) lined up in a row.

External links

• Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail - Currently 61 miles in length, this trail offers visitors scenic hiking, bicycling and snowmobiling opportunities.
• Illinois Association of Park Districts - Representing park districts, forest preserves, and conservation agencies in Illinois.
• Illinois Park and Recreation Association - An individual membership association for professionals in the park, recreation, leisure and conservation profession.
• Illinois State Parks Interpretive Programs - Department of Natural Resources offers interpretive programs at 21 sites throughout the state. Interpreters at these sites lead guided hikes and tours through the park's trails and facilities, offer on-site and off-site school group programs, coordinate special events, and provide outdoor education and recreational programs throughout the year.
• Northerly Island - See plans for a local lakefront destination.
• Parks - Monmouth, IL - Information on 9 parks in Maple City USA, Monmouth.
• Springfield Parks District - The Springfield Parks District includes over 35 recreational areas providing zoos, soccer, softball, ice skating, golf, swimming and picnicking.
• Volo Bog State Natural Area - This natural area contains Volo Bog, the only "quaking" bog in Illinois to have an open water center. Located in Ingleside.
• Gorp: Lewis and Clark Trail - Trail information and resources.
• The Lewis and Clark Trail Guide - Directory of lodging, dining, attractions, services, and events along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Includes descriptions of key historic sites.
• Lewis and Clark 200 - Directory commemorating the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Find travel information and events near the historical trail.
• Canal Corridor Association - Promoting recreation and heritage tourism in the Illinois & Michigan Canal Corridor.
• Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor - Information on traveliing, camping, lodging, facilities, fees and activities for this 97-mile canal extended from the Chicago River near Lake Michigan to the Illinois River at Peru, Illinois. Printable travel guide is featured. Located in Lockport.
• Shawnee National Forest - Personal page that offers information and a photo gallery.
• USDA Forest Service: Shawnee National Forest - A guide to the wilderness areas in the Shawnee National Forest. Features campground information, news and resources, current events, and location map.
• Lincoln Home: National Historic Site - Park contains the only home that Abraham Lincoln ever owned. Constructed in 1839, Lincoln lived there until he was elected President in 1861.
• Illinois State Parks - Listings of parks and other natural areas.
• State Parks and Recreational Areas - Highlights and resources for camping and outdoor recreation in Illinois State Parks and natural areas.
• Cat's Pajamas Productions - Promotes the Midwest Antique Clothing, Jewelry, Textile, Art Deco, and Architectural Sale events held in February and September at the Hemmens Cultural Center, in Elgin. Features vendors listing, mailing list, and show details.
• Illinois State Fair - Annual event featuring its history, upcoming schedule and photo gallery. Held at the fairgrounds covering 366 acres in Springfield. Competition rules, requirements and results, vendor information, events calendar and contacts.
• ChefMoz Dining Guide: Illinois - Detailed restaurant listings with reviews submitted by the public, and links to outside reviews. Search by name, cuisine, rating or location.
• Sushi-and-Sake: Restaurants in Illinois - Guide to sushi restaurants in Illinois.
• IRA - Illinois Restaurant Association - A comprehensive food service resource. Includes details on membership, activities and events, education, government resources, media and communications, and contacts.
• Oberweis Dairy - Serves premium ice cream and dairy products; site features include product line, nutritional information, plant tours, just for kids area, community bulletin board, FAQs, and locations throughout the state.
• Restaurants.com - Searchable database for Illinois restaurants.
• T.A.G. Restaurants - Owns and operates dining establishments in Chicagoland and Peoria. Includes menus and contacts.

Thanks to wikitravel.org and dmoz.org
Retrieved from "http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Illinois"