Located in the northeast corner of the state in Zion, the Illinois Beach State Park has unfortunately suffered from beach erosion and loss of habit for three costal bird species over the years, including the piping plover, common tern and Caspian tern.

To protect the state’s last remaining natural shoreline, major investments were made into an impressive and historic shoreline stabilization project that was recently completed in October. The $73 million investment allowed for the necessary construction of new offshore stone breakwater structures to shelter the Lake Michigan shoreline from wave energy.

The park – located roughly 50 miles north of Chicago – is a major source of tourism for the area. In 2015, 1.2 million visitors came to the park to enjoy boating, hiking, swimming and more along its 4,160 acres. The shoreline stabilization project was also selected for the 2024 Best Restored Beach award through the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association. 

Illinois has plenty to offer – whether it is the rich culture, delicious food or scenery, there is something for everyone. It is no secret that fall is around the corner with the trees starting to turn to beautiful hues of yellows and reds, displaying the natural beauty of our state. This week, we have compiled a list of the 10 BEST hiking trails to visit in the fall months!

1. Starved Rock and Sandstone Point Overlook Trail: Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby)
2. Dells Canyon and Bluff Trail: Matthiessen State Park (Oglesby)
3. Garden of the Gods Observation Trail: Shawnee National Forest (Near Harrisburg)
4. Little Grand Canyon Trail: Shawnee National Forest (Pomona)
5. Waterfall Glen Trail: Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve (Darien)
6. Eagle Cliff Overlook and La Salle Canyon: Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby)
7. Sag Valley Yellow Trail Loop: Swallow Cliff Woods (Near Palos Park)
8. Saint Louis Canyon Trail: Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby)
9. Pontiac Canyon, Wildcat Canyon and Beehive Overlook: Starved Rock State Park (Oglesby)
10. Indian Point Trail: Garden of the Gods Wilderness (Near Harrisburg)

Starved Rock State Park has several locations on this list and brings in an estimated 3 million visitors annually from all over the world, cementing its place as one of the crown jewels of Illinois for its beauty. With an impressive 270 trails that total more than 700 miles in Illinois, we hope you have the chance to visit one of these hiking trails and enjoy the nice weather!  

“If nobody else is going to invent a dishwashing machine, I’ll do it myself,” were the renowned words of an Illinois woman whose invention impacted domestic living for generations across the U.S. Josephine Cochran is the original inventor of the first practical dishwasher and established the Garis-Cochran Dish-Washing Company in 1897 to manufacture the new, innovative device. After moving to Illinois from Ohio, Cochran built her prototype in a shed behind her house in Shelbyville. It could fit plates, cups and saucers inside a set of wire compartments and pumped hot soapy water onto the dishes, avoiding common issues like chipping and unwanted wear.

In 1886, Cochran secured a patent for her dishwasher design with the assistance of mechanic George Butters. Her design featured a motor, water wheel, a boiler to heat the water, and a rack system to hold the dishes neatly in place as they were sprayed with the soapy water. While Cochran’s dishwasher was the first to be commercialized, she initially sold them to hotels and restaurants to demonstrate its value in multiple settings. The large-size model of the dishwasher could wash and dry 240 dishes in two minutes. The success of her dishwasher enticed hospitals and colleges to purchase the machine for its effortless sanitizing effects.

Cochran’s dishwasher gained support and recognition from businesses, hospitals and schools, but it was not until the 1950s when dishwashers became popular and successful in American households. She was posthumously inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006. Thanks to her persistence in seeing her invention succeed, Cochran formed a legacy for herself and changed the domestic experience for all Americans.

May 14 is Illinois Innovation Day! Illinois is a complex Midwestern hub rich in innovation, economic development and tech growth. Illinois Innovation Day serves as a recognition of the triumphs of creativity and innovation for the overall development and evolution of humankind. In celebrating this significant day, let’s recognize some of the unique and popular innovations created in Illinois:

• The first mobile cell phone: Developed by Martin Cooper in Schaumburg and launched in 1973, the cell phone changed history and further evolved the way we communicate. Cooper’s innovation opened the doors for other grand inventors.
• Plasma TV: In 1964, University of Illinois professors Donald Bitzer and Gene Slottow built the first plasma prototype display using technology that led to the creation of the plasma TV.
• Web browser: Mosaic, the first popular web browser, was built in 1992 at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina created Mosaic and helped popularize the World Wide Web. Mosaic was credited with leading the internet boom of the 1990s.
• Prostate and breast cancer breakthrough: In 1951, University of Chicago physiologist Charles Huggins discovered that breast and prostate cancer cells are dependent on hormones, paving the way for the development of hormone therapy treatment for cancer patients.
• McDonald’s: Ray Kroc revolutionized the franchise fast food industry when he opened the nation’s first McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines in 1955, complete with the golden arches.
• GrubHub: The online restaurant delivery business GrubHub was formed in Chicago in 2004, eventually expanding to more than 13,000 restaurant listings.

Illinois is a state that embodies innovation, craft, surprise and creativity, so it is no surprise that 2.16 million international travelers visited the state in 2023. This boosted the Illinois economy by nearly $2.7 billion, a 47% increase from the previous year.

In 2023, Illinois welcomed visitors from Canada, Mexico, India, the UK, Germany and many other countries. This vast increase in international tourism shows a growing global appeal of Illinois. 

Illinois is full of attractions. The state boasts beautiful state parks including Matthiessen, Garden of the Gods and Starved Rock, attractions such as  Henson Robinson Zoo, Grady’s Park and Sea Lion Aquatic Park, and museums like the Art Institute of Chicago, The Schweikher House and Curiosity Museum.