Did you know Illinois is home to 300-miles of Route 66? “The Mother Road” is dotted with cute small towns, classic diners, roadside curiosities, museums and is full of history. Starting in the heart of Chicago, this route will teach you about Illinois’ past while experiencing Illinois’ present.

Built in 1926, the Illinois portion of route 66 has quite a few attractions for travelers and nostalgia seekers alike:

Chicago:

Lou Mitchell’s

Joliet:

Old Joliet Prison

https://roadtorock.org/

Pontiac:

Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum

Oakland Automobile Museum

Need an escape from city life or want to spend more time outdoors? Get in touch with nature this summer and spend a calm and relaxing day at one of the hundreds of fishing spots Illinois has to offer. Loved by local anglers and visitors from across the state, the following fishing spots offer beautiful scenery, additional outdoor activities and best of all – a great catch!

Northern Illinois – Shabbona Lake

Located in DeKalb County, Shabbona Lake is a 318.8-acre fishing lake within Shabbona Lake State Park. Dubbed as the “muskie capital of Illinois,” the lake is has produced six state record fish including four muskies. The lake is stocked with large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, black and white crappie, black and brown bullhead, channel catfish, walleye, muskie and perch.

Boat rentals and bait and tackle supplies are available on site at the park. Spend a full day at the park enjoying additional facilities for picnicking and hiking. For more information, visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website.

Did you know there are canyons, springs and giant boulders in Southern Illinois? Everyone from families to hikers and rock climbers have enjoyed the beautiful campgrounds and hikes in the Shawnee National Forest. South of the Metro East, near Carbondale and Cairo, is over 1,000 square miles of federally protected forest preserve, with access to a multitude of outdoor activities. Here are some of the best spots to visit and unplug:

Giant City State Park

Located near Carbondale, Giant City is a perfect location for tourists to explore incredible rock formations and forests in comfort. Come for the awesome hikes complete with massive boulders (where the city gets its name), stay for the amenities of Giant City Lodge. Complete with a large cabin complex with full amenities, a swimming pool and the best fried chicken in Southern Illinois. Giant City is perfect for tourists and families looking to explore Illinois’ natural beauty for a weekend.

The 16th Annual History Comes Alive summer experience is kicking off in Springfield! Starting Friday, June 6 through Aug. 9, Abraham & Mary Lincoln will lead a cast of characters on a trip back in time. This is a chance for people of all ages to meet the Lincolns at historic sites throughout the city and learn about their lives in Springfield.

From historic portrayals at locations such as the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Historic Old State Capitol, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to a Flag Lowering Ceremony at the Lincoln Tomb with the 114th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry Reactivated, visitors are invited to become a part of living history. Listen to Abraham deliver some of his most famous speeches at the Lincoln Depot, meet and greet both Mary Lincoln and General Ulysses S. Grant.

Throughout spring, summer, and fall months, you can experience the joys of modern day carnivals. You can experience everything from rides, animals, food, and so much more. One of the prominent parts of a carnival is a Ferris wheel. Today, hundreds of Ferris wheels tower over cities and fairgrounds around the world. Today’s wheels are very different from the original wheel, which originated in Chicago during the World’s Fair of 1893.

George Washington Ferris Jr. was a civil engineer specializing in bridges and other structural-steel designs when Chicago announced a competition for a centerpiece for its 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.  Ferris proposed building a 264-foot wheel with suspended carriages that could take 2,160 passengers at a time for a bird’s-eye view of the fairgrounds. Ferris was declared the contest winner — and his success would attach his name to all subsequent versions of the device, including the new Ferris wheel.  

In 1893, Ferris certainly gave Chicago what they were looking for. Ferris’ contraption rotated on a 71-ton, 45-foot axle that had, at the time, the world’s largest hollow forging.

Although the original wheel was not preserved, Ferris’ idea lives on at small town carnivals and at major landmark attractions across the globe. In addition, the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier shares a few similarities with the original: its gondolas are larger and enclosed and its height is closer to the original’s dazzling 264 feet. Get out, ride the wheel, and remember the history!