Winter Road Trip
Chicagoland (St. Charles, Geneva, Aurora, Lisle, Naperville, Oswego, Plano, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Downers Grove, Lombard), Friends/Indulge/Explore

Gather your friends and take a road trip out to Chicago’s western suburbs. Here you can indulge yourselves at the European-style Herrington Inn & Spa or the popular Pheasant Run Resort & Spa. Shop in quaint historic towns and upscale malls. See a touring Broadway play or get your laughs at Zanies Comedy Club. Dine in restaurants on the picturesque Fox River waterfront. And make memories to last a lifetime.

Rural Retreat
Northern (Galena, Elizabeth, Hanover, Scales Mound), Couples/Indulge/Discover/Explore

Galena is the perfect romantic retreat, nestled in the snow-covered hills of Northern Illinois. Spend time at a spa to gear up for a day of shopping on Main Street. Fly down the slopes of a leading Midwest ski resort, or join a bus tour to see over 3,000 eagles soaring in the wild. Tuck in for the night at a comfy bed and breakfast or enjoy the perks of an upscale resort.

Snowy Sights
Northern (Utica, Ottawa, LaSalle), Family/Explore/Play

Families will find lots of winter fun in the Starved Rock area of Northern Illinois. Bundle up and take a hike to see sparkling ice falls. Discover one of the world’s largest assemblages of bald eagles as they soar along the Illinois River. Strap on a pair of cross-country skis or get revved for a snowmobile ride. Then again, you could ignore winter altogether and spend your days frolicking at an indoor water park resort.

Winter Romance
Southern (Carbondale, Du Quoin, Golconda, Metropolis, Alto Pass, Makanda, Cobden, De Soto, Pomona, Murphysboro, Carterville, Benton, Marion, Vienna, Whittington), Couples/Explore/Discover

You’ll be charmed by the romance of Southern Illinois, where the two of you can truly get away from it all. Spend the day sipping vintages along the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Hike the towering sandstone bluffs of the Garden of the Gods. Travel the Ohio River Scenic Byway that whisks you through the lush hills of the Shawnee National Forest. Buy a piece of Illinois artwork as a souvenir of your special trip taken together.

Frosty Fun
Southwest (Alton, Grafton, Hartford, Hardin, Belleville, Carlyle Lake), Family/Explore

Head to the Southwest part of the state for family good times. Take an eagle-watching tour and spy majestic flocks of the wintering birds that nest in area cliffs. Play explorer at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. Learn how to steer a barge at the National Great Rivers Museum.

Get Into the Outdoors
Western (Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Savanna, Taylor Ridge), Couples/Explore/Discover

The Illinois half of the Quad Cities—Moline and Rock Island—offers plenty for the hearty winter outdoors enthusiast. Watch bald eagles soar over the Mississippi River. Ice skate at a picturesque riverside park. Ski or snowboard along the slopes of Ski Snowstar. Don’t leave without discovering two local legends: farming icon John Deere and a Native American warrior known as Black Hawk.