Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      One has conquered the world of plant-based baking. Another runs a microbakery from her home. Two own businesses with their spouses. And the fifth is a James Beard finalist chef. The common thread? Absolutely delicious cakes. Read More
    • The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      For many Midwesterners, holiday feasting kicks off with a relish tray. We dare not mess with an icon—at least, not too much. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    At Wisconsin supper clubs, the steak is served rare and the traditions are well done. Like the brandy in an Old-Fashioned, these timeless institutions only get better with age.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    This sleeper hit of a weeknight dinner comes from Food Network star Molly Yeh's cookbook Home is Where the Eggs Are—and is basically a vehicle for Parmesan and garlic toast. No complaints! (The alternate version, with ham and cream, is excellent too.)
    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    With visions of dinner parties and game nights dancing in their heads, a Chicago couple renovated their historic (and first) home, one DIY project at a time.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    Author Lisa Eldred Steinkopf shares how to make blooms last longer—and repeat.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Buses, trains and very few automobiles—check out these out-of-the-ordinary holiday lights displays.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Tamales are a project, but many hands—even tiny ones—make lighter work.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • DIY Pistachio Wheat Stalks for Fall Decorating
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    About Us

    About Us

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
    • Fall 2022 Issue
    • Winter 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Travel
  3. Illinois
  4. Best Illinois Road Trips

Best Illinois Road Trips

By Midwest Living editors Updated September 17, 2022
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Galena, IL
Credit: Courtesy of Visit Galena

Road trips in Illinois might lead to nostalgic finds (and modern surprises) down Route 66—or to destinations like Galena, with both outdoor rec and small-town charm; southern Illinois, with natural beauty like the rocky Garden of the Gods; or Springfield, the state's capital, with both serious history lessons and lighthearted Americana.

Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Galena

Galena, IL
Credit: Courtesy of Visit Galena

On the Galena River in northwest Illinois, this town's century-old buildings now house shops, galleries, wineries and restaurants. Beyond Main Street, find water sports, golf and other active outings. And you'll have no shortage of choices for places to stay—in a town of 3,500, guest beds reportedly outnumber locals. Select from award-winning B&Bs, luxury properties with spas and budget-priced alternatives.

Related: Top Things to Do in Galena

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Route 66

Gemini Giant, Wilmington
Credit: Ryan Donnell

This classic road trip symbolically begins at Chicago's Buckingham Fountain and continues for 300 miles southwest through Illinois (or about 435 miles if you take all the original side roads). It crosses the Mississippi River outside St. Louis and heads west to Santa Monica, California. Much of the Illinois section runs a few yards from Interstate-55, but in towns along the way, the road feels more like the two-lane sojourn that lives in memory.  Experience both small-town charm in places like Pontiac and Joliet as well as the amenities of larger cities such as Springfield.

Related: Getaway Along Illinois' Stretch of Route 66

2 of 8

3 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Southern Illinois

Garden of the Gods Camel Rock
Credit: Ryan Donnell

Nature draws travelers to this region of the state, where the Shawnee National Forest contains seven wilderness areas and the must-see ancient sandstone cliffs and rock formations of Garden of the Gods. Area parks, lakes and trails promise more active adventures. Hike through towering rock formations at Giant City State Park in Makanda, paddle around 1,000-year-old cypress trees in the Cache River State Natural Area, or bike the 45-mile Tunnel Hill State Trail from Harrisburg to Karnak. Wind down at breweries, restaurants and lodgings in small towns across the area.

Related: Getaway to Southern Illinois

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

River towns

San Vadalabene Great River Road Bike Trail, Grafton
Credit: Ryan Donnell

The 33-mile Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway connects Pere Marquette State Park to river ports such as Grafton and Alton on the eastern edge of Illinois. Museums, antiquing, birding, biking and ziplining fill a getaway—and you're right across the border from St. Louis, Missouri, too. Scope out bird species at Audobon Center at Riverlands, float through the air on the Grafton SkyTour and check out 12 miles of trails at Pere Marquette park.

Related: Top Things to Do in Alton and Grafton, Illinois

4 of 8

5 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Springfield

Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Credit: Bob Stefko

Springfield delivers both serious history lessons and lighthearted slices of Americana. But the city where Lincoln lived is known for informative sites that put a relatable face on a larger-than-life figure. Immersive galleries at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum portray key moments in his life; at Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site, a reconstruction of the town Lincoln lived in for six years, interpreters chronicle frontier life.

Related: Top Things to Do in Springfield, Illinois

5 of 8

6 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Peoria

Peoria

A visit to this metro along the Illinois River should start at the revitalized RiverFront; learn about the region at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. North of downtown, Grandview Drive winds past historic homes and overlooks of the Illinois River Valley. Spend the weekend in Peoria, or use it as a jumping-off point for an exploration of the Illinois River Road.

Related: Top Things to Do in Peoria

 

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Starved Rock State Park and Ottawa

Starved Rock State Park, LaSalle County
Credit: Ryan Donnell

In the middle of farmland 90 miles southwest of Chicago, Starved Rock State Park offers a surprising change of scenery: 18 sandstone canyons formed by glacial melt. You can easily spend a full day here, starting or ending your visit with a night in Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center.

In Ottawa, 10 miles east, bronze status and plaques at Washington Square Park commemorate the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate, in 1858. Learn about more local history through murals on eight downtown buildings. Ottawa is also the northeast gateway for the Illinois River Road, a National Scenic Byway that follows the water for 150 miles southwest to Havana.

Related: Illinois River Road Trip Guide

 

7 of 8

8 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

More to see in Illinois

River cruise, Chicago
Credit: Adam Alexander Photography/Choose Chicago

Read our guides to more destinations in Illinois to help plan your road trips throughout the state.

Top Things to Do in Chicago

Champaign-Urbana Trip Guide

Top Things to Do in Bloomington-Normal

Rockford Trip Guide

Top Things to Do in Quincy

I-70 From Vandalia to Marshall

Northwest Illinois Trip Guide

Top Things to Do in the Fox River Valley

Lake County Trip Guide

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Midwest Living editors

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 8 Galena
    2 of 8 Route 66
    3 of 8 Southern Illinois
    4 of 8 River towns
    5 of 8 Springfield
    6 of 8 Peoria
    7 of 8 Starved Rock State Park and Ottawa
    8 of 8 More to see in Illinois

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Best Illinois Road Trips
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.