Sightseeing Activities, tours Illinois Amish country

Illinois, the 21st state to join the US, is located in the north-central US and borders Lake Michigan. The surrounding states are Wisconsin to the north, Iowa and Missouri to the west, Kentucky to the south, and Indiana to the east. The state was named after indigenous Illiniwek tribe. The capital of Illinois is Springfield, while its largest city is Chicago.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN ILLINOS:
NORTHERN REGION:
Coronado Theatre: The theatre, designed in 1927 like a Spanish castle, plays host to concerts, touring shows and performances by the Rockford Symphony Orchestra.

Burpee Museum Of Natural History: Meet Jane, one of the 10 most important dinosaur discoveries in the past Century. Adjacent to Burpee is the Discovery Center Museum.
Anderson Japanese Gardens: Enjoy the waterfalls, gardens, ‘koi’ ponds and a Sukiya-style architecture teahouse.
Starved Rock State Park: Hike through forests and explore canyons and sparkling waterfalls along the Illinois River.
Other interesting places are:
Ulysses Grant Home State Historic Site
Ronald Reagan home and visitor center
Eagle ridge resort & spa
Main street galena
Illinois railway museum
Sandwich antiques market
CHICAGOLAND TOP SPOTS
CHICAGO: The Windy City has museums and sights you won’t see anywhere else. Visit the Navy pier, home to the Chicago Children’s Museum, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, an IMAX theater, and unique shops and restaurants.
Frank Lloyd Wright Home And Studio: Wright used his home for trying out new designs. The site has been restored like it did in 1909. Spend some time indoors; tour the Wright buildings in the surrounding Oak Park neighborhood.
Morton arboretum: The Arboretum is home to 1,700 acres of spectacular gardens, plant collections and natural areas that can be viewed by car, on foot or via the open-air tram.
Other top tourist spots in this region include:
Six Flags Great America / Hurricane Harbor
Arlington Race Track
Brookfield Zoo
Chicago botanic garden
WESTERN TOP SPOTS:
Black Hawk State Historic Site pays homage to the Sauk and Mesquakie tribes, who occupied the area 12,000 years ago.
Wildlife Prairie State Park: This 2,000-acre zoological park has cougars, bison, wolves and black bears.
Nauvoo Temple is a recreation of the Mormon temple that was destroyed in the mid-1800s.
John Deere Pavilion celebrates the life of the man who invented the self-scouring plow in 1848.
Bishop Hill State Historic Site: Home to descendants of the original founders, the site has museums, restored colony buildings, craft and antiques shops, and restaurants that serve up authentic Swedish cuisine.
Other top spots are:
Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive
Great River Road
Carl Sandburg Historic Site
Peoria Riverfront
Dickson Mounds Museum
SOUTHWEST TOP SPOTS
WINE TRAILS: There are several wineries located in this region. Plan a day trip tasting your way through the scenic countryside.
JARROT MANSION is the former home of Nicholas Jarrot, a French-born entrepreneur who was a wealthy landowner and slave owner.
Fort De Chartres: The oldest building in the state is a massive stone fort called Fort de Chartres, built by French colonists in 1753.
Lewis And Clark Interpretive Center: Walk in the footsteps of explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, in Hartford, where the Corps of Discovery launched its legendary expedition.
Cahokia Mounds: This UN World Heritage Site has remains of an ancient city where a Mississippian Indian culture once flourished from 700 to 1400 AD.
Other interesting spots in the region are:
National Shrine Of Our Lady Of The Snows
Gateway International Raceway
Pere Marquette State Park
Eagle Watching In Alton
Popeye Statue
CENTRAL TOP SPOTS
LINCOLN TRAIL: This trail will take your through the Lincoln Heritage area comprising numerous communities in central Illinois, and includes a remarkable array of places where Lincoln actually spent time ??? From New Salem, where Lincoln spent his early adulthood, to his home and final resting place in Springfield. Also visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
Amish Villages: Here you can see exhibits that give a glimpse into the Amish way of life. Enjoy a family-style meal at an actual Amish home and a visit to a working Amish farm.
Route 66 is a 20th-century heritage trail that takes the traveler through the heart of the cities and towns that define the “real America.”
Other interesting places include:
Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch
Dana-Thomas House
State Capitol / Old State Capitol
University Of Illinois
Lake Shelbyville
Scovill Zoo
SOUTHERN TOP SPOTS
Garden Of The Gods: Step back 200 million years, hike through the challenging trails through the sprawling Shawnee National Forest.
Shawnee National Forest offers more than 270,000 acres of adventure. Explore the forest on horseback or grab a backpack and hike the 160-mile River-to-River Trail.
Cave-In-Rock State Park is named for its 55-foot-wide limestone cave.
SUPERMAN STATUE: In 1972, Illinois was granted authorization by DC Comics to proclaim itself the adopted “Home of Superman.” In honor of the Man of Steel, the town erected a larger-than-life statue of the superhero that attracts visitors from all over the world.
CARLYLE LAKE is the largest manmade lake in Illinois, with more than 26,000 acres of water and 11,000 acres of land.
Other interesting places include:
Southern Illinois Wine Trails
Fort Massac State Park
Cache River State Natural Area
THINGS TO DO
Other than enjoying the sights and sounds of Illinois, try to join the Decatur Celebration, the largest family street festival and has been dubbed by its loyal attendees as “The World’s Fair of the Prairie.”

Posted in: North America