A fun schedule of events at the museum includes film series like the Richard Pryor Film Festival and activities like Yoga Under the Stars. Any visiting duo is practically required to take a picture with "The Bean" (officially titled Cloud Gate), the iconic reflective sculpture in downtown's Millennium Park. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content. You are in When you're both ready to tuck in, the Beall Mansion B&B will serve you well, with fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, included continental breakfast and free Wi-Fi. As the biggest city in Illinois and home to a wide variety of art and culture, Chicago is a great starting place for any trip to Illinois. By night, consider holding your loved one close for a walking ghost tour: Alton is considered one of the most haunted small towns in the U.S., and locations such as the McPike Mansion have been featured on paranormal TV series. Davie School Inn is the perfect getaway for wine lovers as its right along the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Weekend Plans: 14 Fun Options to Explore Across Illinois Whether its lunch before relaxing on the greens or a nice dinner while watching the sunset, the Navy Pier restaurants simply add to the overall experience. Rather than taking in nature slowly, canopy tours create a fast-paced and adventurous activity. Millennium Park is one of the most iconic places to visit in Illinois. Lincoln Park Zoo is located inside the beautiful Lincoln Park and is a great addition to a day at the park. Starved Rock State Park is known for its sandstone canyons several of which have waterfalls. For those more interested in science and the natural world, the Field Museum may be a better fit. There are many beaches and lakes in Illinois where kayaking is available as an activity, and many of these offer guides or lessons, making it accessible to all experience levels. This allows the zoo to have a strong focus on conservation and animal care. Here we have some of the best water parks in Illinois. Venturing away from the largest mounds also allows for great unhindered views of nature. Spanning the Mississippi River into St. Louis, the bridges most interesting feature is the 22-degree bend it makes towards the middle of the bridge. The Market Street Bed & Breakfast has a few beautiful buildings to customize your getaway. To see our guide to the best water parks in Illinois, check our post here. But Springfield is not just for history fanatics: Spend a retro date night at the Route 66 Twin Drive-In theater, open from April through September. With beautiful mild weather, stunning autumn foliage, and fun events galore, fall is often recommended as the ideal time to visit. Typically held the Saturday before St. Patrick . 157. Head to Zion, on the border with Wisconsin, where Illinois Beach State Park extends for 6.5 miles along Lake Michigan. Illinois is ideal for family vacations with everything from theme parks and water parks to educational yet fun museums and tours. Customize your romantic stay with a romance package or a spa package as well. There are also many nature preserves, such as Sag Valley Forest Preserve which go almost untouched and show winter in its purest form. Chicago is one of the most romantic cities in the American Midwest. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Chicago is one of the most popular with over 100,000 skaters each year. Taylorville is home to delicious restaurants, great shopping, and even some Illinois history - Abraham Lincoln practiced law in one of the most historic buildings in the town. U.S. News rates the cheapest travel insurance options, considering expert and consumer recommendations. From late November through December, you can bundle up and browse the outdoor stalls in the city's Public Square selling handicrafts and gift items, as well as gingerbread and hot mulled wine. Goldmoore Inn & Resort doubles as the most romantic resorts in Galena as well as romantic couples resort Illinois has to offer. Set on 17 acres of land, this bed and breakfast is a hikers and bikers dream getaway; trails are available to two nearby state parks and the I&M Canal Trail. The Pullman National Monument is another unique part of history as the original site for the first planned industrial community in the US. Ottawa calls itself "The Middle of Everywhere," a motto that rings true for this destination and for much of Illinois. With so many winter activities available, it is a great opportunity to experience many of the popular places without the crowds, as well as take part in winter-exclusive experiences. Originally constructed as a permanent monument to the Worlds Columbian Exposition in 1893, the Field Museum still stands with 20 permanent exhibits featuring items from the Ice Age, Ancient Egypt, and even the time of dinosaurs. Starved Rock has many miles of hiking trails, as do many other state parks. Head into the Rustic and Reclaimed Market for home and decor finds or the Great Lakes Antiques & Boutique, which also features the work of local artists. They were designed by Hoichi Kurisu, a designer of various Japanese gardens throughout America and Landscape Director of the Garden Society of Japan for a number of years. Bring your partner to Belleville whose name means "beautiful city" in French for a romantic trip. Holly Johnson and Erin EvansMarch 1, 2023, Holly Johnson and Erin EvansFeb. Nestled in the Chain O'Lakes region of Illinois is Cypress Resort & Marine, a great escape for couples looking for a lakeside retreat. Eat & Drink, Located right in front of huge skyscrapers, the landscape is very unique. With Illinois many beautiful state parks and miles upon miles of hiking trails, it would be a waste to leave them untouched for months of the year, and so winter hiking is also popular. When its too hot to do anything else and youre too far from a beach, a water park is the next best thing. If you prefer a large shopping mall, Gurnee Mills might be the place for you as Illinois third-largest mall with over 189 shops and services. With Illinois location, it is no surprise that there are a range of places you can try out snow tubing. Chicago Architecture Cruise. Rich Harvest Farms is a more modern, but very unique course in that it has been designed purely to suit the whims of the billionaire owner, meaning it doesnt always fit regulation standards. Many of the beautiful waterfalls are frozen, making exploring the state parks of Starved Rock and Matthiessen even more unique and interesting. The Ledge is a glass balcony or glass box that extends 4.3 feet from the edge of the building. If you take a peek, you can still see the ruins of the original chimney. Chocolate lovers are in luck more than 20 varieties are available to nibble at all times of day for Beall Mansion guests at the complimentary chocolate buffet. Other elements play a secondary role, such as pagodas, bridges, and lanterns. Visitors to the grounds recommend a tour to see the beautiful garden and original furniture. Amid all the swishing and sipping, head to the Pomona Natural Bridge Trail within the Shawnee National Forest for a 0.3-mile loop through hickory and beech trees, with an overlook to a "bridge" formed naturally from sandstone. Watch the birds with a cup of coffee in hand or rent a canoe for a different view of the river. Autumn is an ideal time to visit when the leaves are at their peak fall colors. This Asian-fusion restaurant brings a modern twist to fusion cuisine with craft cocktails, nigiri, four different types of mac 'n' cheese, Thai doughnuts and burgers. For those more interested in the history of Lincoln, following the Lincoln and Civil War Legacy Trail in Alton could be a fun and informative activity. [See more of Chicago:Things to Do | Tours | Hotels | When to Visit | Photos]. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Trip Ideas Explore Things To Do PLACES TO EAT BREWERIES & DISTILLERIES WINERIES & VINEYARDS HISTORY Places to Stay Inn at Irish Hollow If you don't want to camp out where the wolves roam, maybe you'll opt for the Mark Twain Hotel for a boutique stay or the fully restored Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette downtown. A visit to this wonderful museum is one of the best fun things to do in Bloomington, Illinois, for history enthusiasts. The institute is located in one of the most well-known buildings in Chicago with two impressive bronze lions flanking the entrance. The gardens have been officially recognized by the Japanese government as an effort toward international friendship. Also potentially of interest in Herod is a roadside park on U.S. Route 34 that leads to a cave once home to the Fairy Cliff Caf. Looking for an adventure? 22, 2023, Up to 60% Off + Exclusive 5% Guaranteed Priceline Coupon, Up to 50% Off Travel Plans with Top Expedia Promo Code, Discount Travel Plans with 50% Off on Hotels.com bookings, 50% Discount on Getaways with Barcel Resort & Hotels, Booking.com Promo Code Up to 50% Off + Extra 10% Off. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no extra cost to you. Book your next cruise vacation on one of these floating megaresorts. For more information on the Cahokia Mounds, see our post here. Discover top travel stories and even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois with our free magazine. February 13, 2019, Courtesy of Greater St. Charles Convention & Visitor Bureau, Home A night out along the Magnificent Mile or a day browsing the many retail options, and taking advantage of the amazing culinary offerings is a must-do for those visiting Chicago. This festival caters to fans of various genres with over 160,000 attendees yearly. With a long history as the Peoples Pier, Navy Pier has always featured as a space for the public to gather and relax. If youre looking for a gorgeous, historical getaway, look no further than The Vrooman Mansion. Follow these steps (and allow plenty of time) to get your child a passport. Yes, that means you can have a beach day in Illinois, which also comes with the opportunity to soak in the serenity of the untouched North Dunes and Illinois Beach nature preserves, located inside the state park. A number of elements are key to this style, such as water through waterfalls or ponds, stones either rock paths or sculptures, and of course plants. Julia Scott Vrooman lived there for more than a century, befriending the families of two presidents (the Wilsons and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt) and baking bread that she sent to the Queen of England and other dignitaries. Eat your way through a long weekend in the Champaign-Urbana area with Zambian food at Stango Cuisine, a stop at the Black Dog Smoke and Ale House for local barbecue, and an all-natural milk tea at Bearology. Then head to Arts and Antique Row, which as the name suggests is the downtown antique shopping district. From the Shawnee Wine trail mentioned above to smaller clusters of wineries found in other parts of the state, there are many places to enjoy locally-produced wines. There are actually a number of places that are open year-round, as well as seasonal spots. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content with impressive! And interesting parks in Illinois this Festival caters to fans of various genres with over 100,000 each... 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