Top Places to Visit in Illinois

Illinois's visitor attractions range from Chicago's world-class architecture and museums to the cave-and-canyon scenery of Shawnee National Forest.

Chicago
One of the great cities of the world — the Chicago Lakefront (Navy Pier, Millennium Park, the Museum Campus), the Loop's architectural landmarks (the Chicago Cultural Center, Sullivan's Rookery Building, Mies's Federal Center), the Art Institute of Chicago (one of the finest art museums in the world), the Field Museum (natural history), the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium occupy the lakefront. The Chicago Architecture Center river tour (boat tours of the Chicago River corridor) is the finest urban architecture experience in the US. Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park Zoo (free admission), and the Museum of Science and Industry complete the city's visitor attractions.

Millennium Park and the Bean
Cloud Gate (Anish Kapoor's "Bean" sculpture) in Millennium Park has become the most photographed public artwork in the world since its installation in 2006. The park also hosts the Pritzker Pavilion (Gehry-designed outdoor concert hall), the Crown Fountain (interactive video sculpture), and free summer concerts.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield)
The finest presidential museum in the US — an immersive experience covering Lincoln's life, the Civil War, and his assassination. The adjacent Illinois State Archives and the Old State Capitol (where Lincoln gave his "House Divided" speech) complete the Lincoln landscape of Springfield.

Shawnee National Forest (Garden of the Gods)
In extreme southern Illinois — the Garden of the Gods Recreation Area has remarkable sandstone formations (Camel Rock, Anvil Rock) rising above the Shawnee Hills forest. The Garden of the Gods Wilderness is the finest wilderness hiking in Illinois. The area is striking for a state otherwise defined by flat prairie.

Starved Rock State Park
On the Illinois River west of Chicago — 18 canyons cut into St. Peter Sandstone by glacial meltwater streams, each ending in a waterfall (strongest in spring). The park draws 2+ million visitors per year, making it the most-visited state park in Illinois.