ILLINOIS

Illinois a state in the Midwestern States, with Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal, timber, and petroleum in the south, Illinois has a diverse economic base and is a major transportation hub. The Port of Chicago connects the state to other global ports from the Great Lakes, via the Saint Lawrence Seaway, to the Atlantic Ocean; as well as the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, via the Illinois River. For decades, O’Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the world’s busiest airports. Illinois has long had a reputation as a bellwether both in social and cultural terms and politics.

Three U.S. presidents have been elected while living in Illinois: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Barack Obama. Additionally, Ronald Reagan, whose political career was based in California, was the only US President born and raised in Illinois. Today, Illinois honors Lincoln with its official state slogan, Land of Lincoln, which has been displayed on its license plates since 1954. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is located in Springfield.

Illinois may be named the Prairie State, but in actuality it is a wonderland of diversity from the bustling city of Chicago, to the rivers to the west, to the stretches of prairie and farmland in central Illinois, to the wooded hills to the south. Whether you are a nature-loving, adventure-seeking, sports-craving, superhero- worshiping, or an animal-loving type of family, Illinois offers a plethora of activities that will satisfy anyone’s needs.

Capital: Springfield

Best Time of Visit:

Illinois experiences four seasons. The most popular time to visit is during the summer high season, when the weather is warm and school is on break. The spring and fall can be good alternatives to the heat and crowds of summer, as many events and festivals still take place all over the state.

High season: March to August

Low season: November to February

Shoulder season: September to October

Min Days Required: 4 days

Places of Interest: 

Chicago

A dramatic skyline, a vibrant arts scene, tremendous ethnic diversity, great business opportunities — Chicago has all this and more. One of the great cities of America, Chicago is an ode to modern architecture with its spectacular buildings. It is also rooted in the country’s past, serving as the link between the civilized East Coast and the Wild West frontier. Chicago also has plenty to offer in terms of sporting action — the Chicago Bulls basketball team, Chicago Cubs baseball team and the Chicago Bears football team allow for some great spectator sports. This city is a true mélange of multi ethnic communities ranging from the Chinese to Greeks, Polish to Italians, Jews to Germans, Indians to the Irish – all of whom are here seeking the American Dream!

Places of Interest: Wrigley Field, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, The Art Institute of Chicago, Lincoln Park Zoo

Springfield: Nathanael Greene Park/Close Memorial Park, Pythian Center, Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, Ozark Empire Fairgrounds

Shawnee National Forest

Climate:

Illinois has a temperate climate, with cold, snowy winters and hot, wet summers.

The seasons are sharply differentiated: mean winter temperatures are 22°F (–6°C) in the north and 37°F (3°C) in the south; mean summer temperatures are 70°F (21°C) in the north and 77°F (25°C) in the south.

Currency: US Dollars

Things to carry:

Illinois is a pretty long state, north to south. It depends on where you are going for temperatures and what you should pack. The north end of the state could be buried in snow and the southern part might just have rain. Or in the summer, the north could be mid-70’s and the south in the 80’s or 90’s. And the southern part is kind of swampy too.

Chicago is called the windy city and the name should speak for itself. There are strong gusts and in the fall/winter/spring it can get downright cold. Bring a windbreaker or some kind of wind proof jacket appropriate for the season.

Good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable clothes that you wouldn’t mind getting muddy.

Light clothes for the summers and woollens for the winters.

Don’t forget to carry sunglasses, sunscreen lotions.

How to get there:

Air:

Chicago has two major airports, O’Hare and Midway. Midway is smaller and closer to the downtown.

There are many other airports with regional service in the state, including in Moline, Springfield, Rockford, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, and in St. Louis, across the river from Illinois.