Illinois: Discover Nature, History, and River Landscapes

Illinois combines expansive natural areas, significant historic sites, waterways, and a distinctive road and food culture. In 64 state parks and one national forest, you can hike and cycle as well as kayak on rivers. The type of trip you want to take is therefore the main factor when choosing your accommodation: very different travel experiences lie between sandstone canyons, lakeshores, wetlands, cultural heritage sites, Route 66, and wine trails.

Nature Among Sandstone, Lake, and Wetlands

Starved Rock State Park showcases Illinois at its most rugged. The area includes 18 canyons made of St. Peter sandstone and more than 13 miles of hiking trails. Waterfalls fed by rainfall, sandstone overhangs, and overlooks characterize the trails. Kayaking and canoeing are also possible on the Illinois River in the same park; Lone Point Shelter is considered a recommended starting point. Starved Rock thus combines short nature outings and longer trails with a documented range of water activities.

On Lake Michigan lies Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park. It stretches for 6.5 miles and includes dunes, interdunal wetlands, extensive marshes, and oak forests. More than 650 plant species have been recorded in the dune area. The park offers swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, and camping. The landscape therefore differs significantly from the inland sandstone canyons and opens up another natural setting for planning your trip.

In the south, wetlands and river landscapes take center stage. The Lower Cache River Swamp Trail is 2.5 miles long and follows Cypress Creek and the Cache River to a swamp of bald cypress and tupelo trees. The Lower Cache River Trail also features a 3- to 6-mile canoe route through such a swamp. The Cache River State Natural Area has more than 18 miles of designated footpaths. With the exception of the Little Black Slough Trail and the Tupelo Trail, the trails are considered easy to walk.

Waterways and Long-Distance Routes

Those who want to experience Illinois at more than a single viewpoint will find several routes of varying lengths. The Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail follows the old towpath for 61.5 miles from Rockdale to LaSalle and offers views of the Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers. The Hennepin Canal State Trail follows a towpath for 155 miles from the Illinois River to the Rock River and is suitable for hiking and cycling.

The Hennepin Canal also combines history and recreation. The 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; however, the locks are no longer operational and must be bypassed. This distinction is crucial when planning a trip on the water.

The Grand Illinois Trail follows a loop of more than 500 miles between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. The route passes historic canals, hills that were not glaciated during the Ice Age, and the Rock and Fox Rivers. The Grand Illinois Trail and Parks Ride also takes place in June as a one-week cycling tour along this trail. The various distances thus range from a short canoe route to a loop that can be planned over several weeks.

Cultural History in Cahokia and Springfield

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 burial mounds, residential areas, public and specialized activity areas, and a section of a reconstructed palisade.

Monks Mound is the largest prehistoric earthwork in the New World. It rises in four terraces up to 30 meters above the surrounding terrain. Visitors can explore Monks Mound and the trails north of Collinsville Road. The Cahokia AR Tour offers virtual tours of the Grand Plaza and Monks Mound. This allows the site to be explored both through its preserved structures and through digital interpretation.

New Philadelphia National Historic Site commemorates the first town in the United States to be platted and registered by an African American. It offers a free, self-guided quarter-mile tour with an augmented reality app.

In Springfield, Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument commemorates the attack by a white mob on the Black community in August 1908. It also conveys the connection between the event and the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP. Activities at the monument address the history of the race riot and civil rights in Springfield.

Lincoln, Pullman, and Visible History

The Lincoln Home was the first and only house Abraham Lincoln owned. The interior is accessible only as part of a guided tour. The tours are free; tickets are available at the Visitor Center reception desk. Your visit therefore involves a clearly defined form of access that differs from freely accessible trails and self-guided tours at other historic sites.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum tells Lincoln's story through immersive exhibits, theaters with special effects, and original artifacts. Central Illinois is also home to the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, a heritage area that encompasses 43 counties. It is the only heritage area named after an American president.

Pullman offers a different historic townscape. Pullman was a planned industrial town and is known for its urban planning and architecture.

Road Trips, Wine, and Regional Cuisine

Along the Illinois sections of historic Route 66, you will find diners, quirky roadside attractions, and numerous museums, especially between Chicago and Collinsville. Route 66 runs for 301 miles through Illinois. For a trip with frequent changes of location, this corridor offers a different structure from the long hiking and cycling trails or a stay in a single natural area.

Illinois's seven scenic byways pass state parks, limestone bluffs, tranquil rivers, and small-town landscapes. In the south, Garden of the Gods offers massive sandstone formations and impressive views along a short hiking trail. Both types of landscape are useful points of reference for a drive in which the route and stops along the way are just as important as the individual destination.

The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail follows a scenic 40-mile route through Shawnee National Forest in the hills of southern Illinois. Along the trail are 11 independent wineries in southern Illinois. The state's culinary culture also includes deep-dish pizza and Chicago hot dogs.

With Illinois Made, you can discover handcrafted products from Illinois manufacturers, creatives, and artisans firsthand. The regional selection thus ranges from wine and typical dishes to products made by local makers.

Regional Orientation

For further regional context, you can also compare Cook and Kane.

For the higher-level travel overview: USA.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Maryland, Missouri, Vermont, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska.