Discover Illinois: Culture, Nature and Legendary Roads

Illinois combines impressive landscapes, important cultural sites and unusual travel experiences. Between sandstone canyons, historic canals, river landscapes and Route 66, you can shape your stay in many different ways. If you are looking for a vacation rental or holiday home, you should therefore first consider whether nature, history, cycling and hiking tours or culinary discoveries should be the focus of your trip.

Nature experiences among canyons, rivers and lakes

Starved Rock State Park is known for its striking St. Peter sandstone landscapes. The park includes 18 canyons and more than 13 miles of hiking trails. Waterfalls dependent on rainfall, sandstone overhangs and viewpoints make the trails varied. Kayaking and canoeing are also possible on the Illinois River; Lone Point Shelter is considered a recommended starting point. This allows you to combine your stay with peaceful nature observation as well as a more active activity on the water.

Other natural areas also offer a variety of ideas for day trips. Illinois has 64 state parks and a national forest where visitors can hike, cycle and kayak on rivers. Wildlife Prairie State Park covers more than 2,000 acres. There, visitors can explore by train and follow hiking trails with views of habitats home to more than 100 animal species. Garden of the Gods, by contrast, features massive sandstone formations and impressive views along a short hiking trail.

Along Lake Michigan, Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park stretches for 6.5 miles. Dunes, interdunal wetlands, extensive marshlands and oak forests characterize the park; more than 650 plant species have been recorded in the dune area. Swimming, boating, hiking, fishing and camping are among the possible activities there. When planning your accommodation, it is therefore important to decide whether you prefer a nature-focused stay with hikes, water activities or changing day trips.

History and culture at specific sites

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site preserves the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico. It is considered an outstanding cultural, religious and economic center of the Mississippian culture from 800 to 1350. The site includes 51 platform, ridge and conical mounds, residential areas, public and specialized activity areas, as well as a section of a reconstructed palisade. Monks Mound is the largest prehistoric earthwork in the New World and rises in four terraces up to 30 meters above the surrounding terrain. Visitors can explore Monks Mound and the trails north of Collinsville Road or use the Cahokia AR Tour for virtual tours of the Grand Plaza and Monks Mound.

New Philadelphia National Historic Site and Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument offer further historical perspectives. New Philadelphia commemorates the first town in the United States to be platted and registered by an African American. There is a free, self-guided quarter-mile tour with an augmented-reality app. The monument in Springfield commemorates the attack by a white mob on the Black community in August 1908 and the connection between the event and the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Activities there focus on the history of the race riot and civil rights in Springfield.

At Lincoln Home, the interior is accessible only as part of a guided tour. The tours are free; tickets are available at the Visitor Center reception desk. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum tells Lincoln’s story through immersive exhibits, theaters with special effects and original artifacts. The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area is a 43-county heritage area associated with central Illinois and the only heritage area named after an American president.

Trails, canals and regional travel ideas

Several historic and scenic routes are available for longer excursions. The Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail follows the old towpath from Rockdale to LaSalle for 61.5 miles and offers views of the Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers. The Hennepin Canal State Trail provides 155 miles for hiking and cycling along the towpath from the Illinois River to the Rock River. The Hennepin Canal is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its waterway, locks, aqueducts and adjacent towpath continue to form a historic and recreational resource. Boating and canoeing are possible; the locks are no longer in operation and must be bypassed.

The seven Scenic Byways pass through landscapes featuring state parks, limestone bluffs, peaceful rivers and small-town character. Along the Illinois sections of historic Route 66, visitors will find diners, quirky roadside attractions and numerous museums, particularly between Chicago and Collinsville. Route 66 runs for 301 miles through Illinois. Those wishing to combine their trip with culinary experiences can enjoy deep-dish pizza and Chicago hot dogs as part of the region’s culinary culture. In the south, the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail includes 11 independent wineries and follows a scenic 40-mile route through the Shawnee National Forest in the hills of southern Illinois.

When choosing your vacation rental, you can use these priorities as a guide: A trip focused heavily on culture requires different daily planning than a week of hiking, cycling or water activities. A route with several stops along historic trails also differs from a stay in which you explore individual natural and cultural attractions in greater detail. Illinois therefore leaves room for very different travel plans, without requiring you to commit to just one way of exploring.

Other regions in Illinois

For further regional searches, the following subregions are available: Dupage, Jackson, Gallatin, St. Clair, Adams, Champaign, Logan, Vermilion, Peoria, Lasalle, Cook, Kane, Dekalb, Lake, Winnebago, Lawrence, Jefferson, Coles, Stephenson, Morgan, Piatt, Effingham, Mchenry, Rock Island, Madison, Mcdonough, Lee County, Will County, Montgomery County, Sangamon County, Jo Daviess County, Tazewell County, Massac County, Whiteside County, Wayne County, Kankakee County, Kendall County, Edgar, Macon County, Knox County, Ogle County, Williamson County, Johnson County, Carroll County, Franklin County, Henry County, Pulaski County, Douglas County, Bond County, Marion County, Bureau County, Perry County, Marshall County, Grundy County, Ford County, De Witt, Clay County, Boone County, Hancock County, Mclean County, Warren County, Iroquois County, Randolph, Clinton County, Washington County, Monroe County, Pope, Cass, Fayette County, Union County, Clark County, Livingston County, Jersey County, Kondoa, Woodford County, White County, Cumberland County, Christian County, Wabash County, Mercer County, Mason County, Shelby County.

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