Illinois Tourist Attractions

Special churches

First United Methodist Church of Chicago
The First United Methodist Church of Chicago is a church on the top floor of a skyscraper in Chicago. The church is located at the top of the Chicago Temple Building at a height of 173 m, making it indirectly the highest spire in the world. The building was built from 1923 to 1924, but the church was only built in 1952 and was donated by the Walgreen family, the founders of the Walgreens drugstore chain.

Big celebrations and events

St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago
On this occasion in mid-March, more precisely on March 17, the Chicago River is colored green and there is a big move. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago is one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parades in the world and has been taking place in Chicago since 1843. This is mainly due to the large community of Chicago Irish residents. However, not only do they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, many other residents of the city also take part.

Chicago Blues Festival
The Chicago Blues Festival is one of the largest free blues festivals in the world. It has been held annually in Grant Park since early June 1984 and lasts three days. Big names of the Chicago blues genre perform on a total of 5 stages together with newcomers to the scene.

• Countryaah: Lists all towns and cities of Illinois in alphabetical order. Also includes top 10 cities by population in Illinois. Check medicinelearners for medical schools in Illinois.

Chicago Jazz Festival

The Chicago Jazz Festival has been held annually in Grant Park since early September 1978 and is the meeting place for the best artists on the American jazz scene. Before 1978 there were three festivals that united into one. Whoever gives his heart to jazz should be right here, because the sizes of jazz occur here for 4 days and the whole thing is also free.

Zoos, parks and amusement parks

Grant Park in Chicago
This is a huge green space that separates the loop from Lake Michigan. This is also the place where numerous festivals and concerts take place. The park was created in 1844 and today covers an area of ​​approximately 1.3 km². Grant Park houses the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum Campus Chicago with the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum of Natural History, as well as the famous Buckingham Fountain, which is the beginning of each episode of the TV series “Eine terrible nice Family “can be seen.

Shedd Aquarium in Chicago
The Shedd Aquarium in the city of Chicago was opened in 1929, making it one of the oldest aquariums in the world. Not enough of the superlatives, it is the largest covered aquarium in the world. Visitors will find over 32,000 animals, including 25,000 fish, from over 1,500 species. With over 2 million visitors annually, it is one of Chicago’s main attractions, and rightly so, because the variety and, above all, selection of animals to admire is really enormous.

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago
The Lincoln Park Zoo in the city of Chicago was founded in 1868, making it one of the oldest zoos in the United States. The zoo covers an area of ​​140,000 m² with a total of 1,250 animals. The zoo’s main attractions include big cats, polar bears, gorillas and much more. There is still an oak tree in the zoo, although it is not an animal, it dates from 1830 and is therefore 3 years older than the city of Chicago. If you don’t like the Lincoln Park Zoo, you can visit one of the other 4 zoos in Chicago. These are the Brookfield Zoo, Phillips Park Zoo, Cosley Zoo and Indian Boundary Park. Perhaps another but very important feature of the Lincoln Park Zoo should be mentioned. Entry is free!

Lincoln Park in Chicago
Lincoln Park is an oasis in the city that is ideal for long walks, cycling or even skating. The park is located in the north of Chicago and borders Lake Michigan. The park, which was created in 1843, covers an area of ​​approximately 4.9 km², making it the largest park in Chicago. Lincoln Park Zoo is located in the park.

Road trips

Historic National Road
The Historic National Road is a very special holiday or panoramic road, as its status as a National Road suggests. The Historic National Road is historically the first federal-funded highway in the United States. Construction of the highway known back then, but still today, as Cumberland Road began in 1811. Cumberland Road was to connect the Potomac to the Ohio River. Cumberland Road thus became an important route during the western expansion of the United States. From 1830, construction sections were macadamized, making Cumberland Road the first street in the United States to be built using the macadam method. The Cumberland Road thus ran from Cumberland (Maryland) to Vandalia (Illinois) over a length of approx. 1,000 km. Today, the Historic National Road is 1,326 km long and runs through the 6 states of Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Along the way there are numerous historical interesting sights such as the historic bridges, customs houses or milestones as well as numerous buildings that are on the list of historic places. Along the Historic National Road are the statues of the Madonna of the Trail.

Ohio River Scenic Route
The Ohio River Scenic Route runs for approximately 1,518 km through the US states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois along the banks of the Ohio River. The Ohio River Scenic Route overlooks the river almost the entire route, but that’s not all. The Ohio River Scenic Route in Ohio, for example, passes the Wayne National Forest, prehistoric, Indian cult sites and several state parks. In Indiana, the Ohio River Scenic Route runs through the Hoosier National Forest, past the historic Angel Mounds site, and in Illinois through the Shawnee National Forest. Of course, the Ohio River Scenic Route offers many more attractions than could be shown here. The pure travel time of the route is up to two and a half days, but of course you need about 8 days to really experience something. The Ohio River Scenic Route has been a National Scenic Byway since 1998.

National parks

The state of Illinois has no national parks, but does have a number of state parks. There are currently 140 state parks, but due to austerity measures and budget cuts, around 50 state parks will be closed in the next 5 to 10 years.

Other natural beauties

Union County
Union County is an administrative unit in southern Illinois. Here you will find numerous wineries and orchards. You can reach 12 wineries via the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, where you can also try the wine.

Shawnee National Forest
This area is a balance to the otherwise rather flat landscape. It is located in the south of the state and is characterized by hilly landscape and rock formations. Despite the name, it is not a national park. The protected area covers an area of ​​approximately 1,075 km² and has existed since 1933.

Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park
Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park in northwest Illinois was established in 1970 and covers an area of ​​244 km². This makes Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park by far the largest state park in Illinois. Basically, it is an unused canal from 1907 that stretches 168 km through Illinois. A hiking trail runs along the canal and fishing in the canal is recommended.

Mississippi Palisades State Park
The Mississippi Palisades State Park in northwestern Illinois is best known for its numerous cliffs and caves. The State Park is located on Mississippi and covers an area of ​​approximately 10 km². It was established in 1973. There are a total of 5 hiking trails in the park with a total length of approx. 24 km. Camping, fishing are very possible in the park. The hiking trails and camping areas are closed three days a year, as the hunting season is then.