For most visitors Illinois means Chicago, and the city has its own page with twelve experiences, from the Art Institute and the Skydeck to the blues clubs, Wrigley Field and Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park; the USA page adds deep-dish pizza at Lou Malnati's.
This page adds three trips beyond the city: Springfield, the state capital, where Abraham Lincoln lived and is buried; the canyons and waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park on the Illinois River; and Route 66, which starts in downtown Chicago, runs 301 miles across the state and turns 100 on 11 November 2026.
Follow Lincoln through Springfield, from his home to his tomb
Springfield, the state capital
A full dayNo booking needed
Three stops that fit in a day: four restored blocks around Lincoln's house, the White House of 1861 recreated, and his tomb.
What it is
Springfield keeps Abraham Lincoln's life in three stops. The Lincoln Home National Historic Site can only be seen on a free guided tour of about 30 minutes. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, 212 North 6th Street, has a copy of the White House as it was in 1861 and a Treasures Gallery that rotates pieces such as a handwritten Gettysburg Address. At Lincoln's Tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery, visitors rub the nose of the bronze bust.
How to do it
Start at the house: tickets are handed out first come, first served on the day at the visitor centre, 426 South 7th Street, open 9 am to 5 pm. The museum opens daily from 9 am to 5 pm. End at the tomb, free from 9 am to 4:45 pm.
Good to know
From March to November the wait for a house tour can top an hour, so collect your ticket first and walk the four restored blocks around it.
Hike to the waterfalls in the canyons of Starved Rock
Starved Rock State Park, near Utica
A full day from ChicagoNo booking needed
Trails run into 18 canyons where waterfalls flow in spring and freeze into ice falls in winter, 90 miles from Chicago.
What it is
Starved Rock State Park, near Utica on the Illinois River and about 90 miles from Chicago, opened in 1911 and now gets more than two million visitors a year. Its 13 miles of marked trails, open all year, run along the bluffs and into 18 canyons. The waterfalls that last longest are in French, LaSalle, Ottawa and St. Louis Canyons.
How to do it
The falls flow best in spring and early summer; in winter, 14 of the 18 freeze into ice falls, and bald eagles fly over the river from December to February. Starved Rock Lodge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933 and opened in 1939, runs guided seasonal hikes on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 am for $25, and trolley tours of the park.
Good to know
Dogs are allowed on a leash. Trails get slippery, so take care, and do not drink from the falls, creeks or the river.
Time needed
A full day from Chicago
Best time
Spring for waterfalls, December to February for ice falls
Drive the first miles of Route 66, from Chicago to Springfield
Route 66, from Adams Street in Chicago to Springfield
Two days by carNo booking needed
Route 66 turns 100 this year, and its 301 miles across Illinois start with a photo at the sign on Adams Street.
What it is
Route 66 was created on 11 November 1926, so it turns 100 this year, and it starts in Chicago. Its first terminus was Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue, extended to Lake Shore Drive in 1938.
How to do it
Today the Begin Historic Illinois U.S. Route 66 sign stands on Adams Street at Michigan Avenue, the place for the photo. From there the old road runs 301 miles across Illinois, through Joliet, Wilmington, Pontiac and Atlanta to Springfield, where it passes the State Capitol and the Old State Capitol, and on to the Chain of Rocks Bridge, opened in 1930 and closed to cars in 1967.
Good to know
In Springfield, follow the Route 66 Mural Trail, stop at Shea's Gas Station and eat at the Cozy Dog, which claims to have invented the corn dog. The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway lists the centennial events along the way.
Give Chicago at least four days: it holds most of what a first trip comes for, and Oak Park is a train ride from the Loop. With one more day, Starved Rock, about 90 miles from Chicago, makes a full day out by car. With two or three more, drive Route 66 to Springfield for Lincoln and spend a night there. Springfield also has the Dana-Thomas House, one of Frank Lloyd Wright's best-preserved early Prairie houses, if Oak Park left you wanting more.
How to combine them
Spend the Chicago days without a car, then rent one for the rest. Starved Rock is easiest as its own day trip. For Springfield, follow Route 66 from the Begin sign on Adams Street through Joliet, Wilmington and Pontiac, and come back on the interstate or by train. Without a car, Amtrak's Lincoln Service runs four round trips a day between Chicago and St. Louis with a stop in Springfield, where the Lincoln Home and the Presidential Museum are a short walk apart downtown.
When to go
Late May to September suits the whole state: Chicago's lakefront, concerts and fireworks are at their best, and Starved Rock's waterfalls flow in spring and early summer. October brings autumn colour to the canyons and usually dry days in Chicago. From December to February Chicago is cold and snowy, but 14 of Starved Rock's 18 waterfalls freeze into ice falls and bald eagles fly over the river. The Lincoln Home is busiest from March to November. Route 66 turns 100 on 11 November 2026, with events along the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway.
Questions travellers ask
What is there to do in Illinois besides Chicago?
Springfield has Abraham Lincoln's home, the Presidential Museum and his tomb. Starved Rock State Park has 18 canyons and 13 miles of trails on the Illinois River, and the old Route 66 crosses the state from Chicago towards St. Louis. Oak Park, with the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, is a train ride from the Loop.
How far is Starved Rock from Chicago?
About 90 miles, a drive of less than two hours. Plan a full day to hike several canyons. Starved Rock Lodge, inside the park, has rooms and cabins if you want to stay the night.
Can you visit Springfield from Chicago without a car?
Yes. Amtrak's Lincoln Service runs four round trips a day between Chicago and St. Louis, stopping in Springfield. The Lincoln Home and the Presidential Museum are a short walk apart downtown, while Lincoln's Tomb is further out, in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Where does Route 66 start?
In downtown Chicago. The original 1926 terminus was at Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue, extended to Lake Shore Drive in 1938, and the Begin Historic Route 66 sign now stands on Adams Street at Michigan Avenue. From there the road runs 301 miles across Illinois to the Chain of Rocks Bridge into St. Louis.
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