1. Chicago Beaches
The city is lucky enough to have two great downtown beaches right on Lake Michigan: Oak Street Beach is located just off the Magnificent Mile, where Oak Street meets Lake Shore Drive. North Avenue Beach is a bit further north, near Lincoln Park. Both beaches are great for sunning, swimming and people-watching.

2. Six Flags Great America
Fun for kids of all ages, Six Flags Great America theme park in Gurnee is known for its daredevil roller coasters, kiddie amusements (including visits from Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes pals) and breathtaking IMAX films shown in the Pictorium.

3. John Deere
Learn about the man from Moline who changed farming forever with his now-famous tractor. Local must-see sights include the John Deere Pavilion and Collectors Center, plus the Deere-Wiman and Butterworth mansions.

4. Taste of Chicago
The city’s annual eating extravaganza celebrates its 25th year this summer. Held in Grant Park from June 24-July 4, you’ll find food samples from more than 70 local restaurants, along with live music and family activities.

5. Jane at the Burpee Museum of Natural History
Be one of the first to get a glimpse of Jane, one of the most important dinosaur discoveries of the past 100 years. Rockford’s Burpee Museum will unveil Jane’s skeleton on June 29 with the launch of the exhibit Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur.

6. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum/Looking for Lincoln
Springfield pays tribute to one of the most popular U.S. presidents in history with its newly opened presidential museum (the largest in the nation). Highlights include two separate theaters with dazzling special effects that feature everything from battleground cannon rumblings that viewers actually feel in their seats, to a live storyteller who interacts with historical ghosts. Rare Lincoln artifacts include an original copy of the Gettysburg Address. Next, learn about the Looking for Lincoln program, which will direct you to some of the best Lincoln sites in Springfield and Central Illinois.

7. Oak Park
This west Chicago suburb is famed for its two one-time residents: architect Frank Lloyd Wright and author Ernest Hemingway. Wright’s many architectural marvels, including his actual Home & Studio and Unity Temple, can be found throughout Oak Park. Hemingway buffs should not miss touring the legendary writer’s birthplace home and museum.

8. Shawnee National Forest & Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
The lush Shawnee National Forest sprawls across the Southern tip of Illinois. Hike the bluffs of the awe-inspiring Garden of the Gods or walk through the wetlands of the Cache River State Natural Area. The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, which winds through Jackson and Union counties, is made up of seven wineries located along a scenic 25-mile drive through the Shawnee Forest.

9. Chicago Cubs/Chicago White Sox
Chicago is home to two major league baseball teams. Cheer the Chicago Cubs on the city’s North Side at historic Wrigley Field, one of the oldest ballparks in the country. The Chicago White Sox call U.S. Cellular Field home base, located on the city’s South Side.

10. World Free Fall Skydive Convention
Dive head-first into fun at the World Free Fall Skydive Convention in Rantoul. This annual event, taking place August 5-14 at the Rantoul National Air Center, brings together 2,000 professional skydivers from around the world.

11. Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa
Ranked as one of the best golf resorts in America by Golf Digest, Galena’s Eagle Ridge is home to four fantastic courses, including the famed General. Check out the resort’s new Stonedrift Spa, offering a variety of pampering services.

12. State Fairs
No visit to Illinois is complete without a trip to the state fair. The Illinois State Fair, held August 12-21 in Springfield, features agriculture showcases, samples from the state’s award-winning wineries, carnival rides, concerts and great state fair eats. The DuQuoin State Fair, taking place August 27-September 5, features similar attractions, along with auto racing and horse events at the new Equine Pavilion.

13. Tempel Lipizzans
Graceful white Lipizzan stallions are poetry in motion at Tempel Farms in Wadsworth. Styled after the shows at Vienna's Spanish Riding School, the Austrian stallions perform June 22-August 31 on Wed. and Sun. After the show, visit Tempel Farms’ historic stables and view the antique carriage collection.

14. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
This U.N. World Heritage Site in Collinsville shelters the remains of an ancient Mississippian Indian city. Sixty-eight original earthen mounds have been preserved, including the 100-foot-tall Monks Mound.

15. Starved Rock State Park
This 2,600-acre state park in Utica is known for its hiking trails that take you past sparkling waterfalls and spectacular sandstone canyons. The 1930s Starved Rock Lodge & Conference Center is a popular place to stay, with modern guest rooms and rustic cabins.

16. Illinois Gardens
See what's blooming in Illinois’ lovely gardens. Arcola's Rockome Gardens, set in the heart of Amish country, features manicured flower and rock gardens, specialty shops and carriage rides. Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford boasts formal Japanese gardens, waterfalls and a replica 16th-century tea house.  Walk or take a tram tour through the Chicago Botanic Garden, located in Glencoe. Don’t miss the English Walled Garden and three Greenhouses. Dine outdoors at The Garden Grille.

17. Wildlife Prairie State Park
Peoria’s Wildlife Prairie State Park is home to bison, cougars and black bears, as well as an 1800s Pioneer Farmstead complete with a one-room schoolhouse and log cabin. Stay overnight in a renovated caboose or lakeside cottage.

18. Millennium Park
Chicago’s new 25-acre showcase for the arts features impressive sculptures (including the popular “Bean”), the awesome outdoor Jay Pritzker Pavilion (designed by architect Frank Gehry), the Harris Theater (a performance space for music and dance groups) and the playful Crown Fountain, which features projected faces of Chicagoans who occasionally spurt water on the children (and adults!) splashing in the shallow pool below.

19. Decatur Celebration
This three-day celebration, held August 5-7 in downtown Decatur, is Illinois' largest free family street festival. Stroll the 20-plus blocks packed with live entertainment stages, arts and crafts vendors, more than 70 food booths, a carnival and even a Kids Block.

20. Splashy Water Parks
The new Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Gurnee, located right next to the theme park, features a massive wave pool, 25 water slides and Skull Island, the world’s largest interactive water playground. Best of all, Hurricane Harbor is free with admission to Six Flags Great America. Also new this summer is the indoor Grand Bear WaterPark, located at Grizzly Jack’s Grand Bear Lodge in Utica, Illinois’ first water park resort. Grand Bear features a wave pool, water slides and a lazy river. Take the plunge at Raging Rivers Waterpark in Grafton, right across the road from the Mississippi River. Splash the day away in the giant wave pool, body flumes and relaxing lazy river. Make waves in Rockford at Magic Waters Waterpark, featuring body and tube slides, a wave pool, river ride, the five-story Abyss water slide and a sprawling interactive water complex.

21. Blue Sky Vineyard
Illinois’ newest vineyard (expected to open mid-summer) is located in Makanda, on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. This Tuscan-themed winery features a beautiful mural, two suites for overnight stays and a gift shop.

22. Arlington Park
This racecourse in Arlington Heights, home of the Arlington Million, is the place for exciting thoroughbred horse racing. Arlington also hosts festivals, concerts and special family days during the racing season, which typically runs from May through September.

23. Navy Pier
Located right on Chicago’s lakefront, Navy Pier’s many attractions include the Chicago Children’s Museum, an IMAX Theater, the outdoor Skyline Stage, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, a sky-high Ferris wheel, specialty shops and a variety of restaurants. Several sightseeing and dinner cruises depart daily from Navy Pier.

24. Chicago Architecture Boat Tour
Get a different perspective on Chicago's famed cityscape aboard Chicago’s First Lady. A Chicago Architecture Foundation guide points out more than 50 important buildings as the Lady cruises the Chicago River.

25. Sensational Shopping
Chicago’s North Michigan Avenue, better known as the Magnificent Mile, is one of the ritziest shopping streets in the world. You’ll find upscale boutiques such as Chanel, Burberry and Tiffany & Co., along with shopping centers that include the 900 North Michigan Shops (home of Bloomingdale’s) and Water Tower Place (with more than 100 stores). Gurnee Mills in Gurnee houses more than 200 manufacturer and retail outlet stores, including Abercrombie & Fitch, the Gap and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. On-site entertainment includes Rink Side Sports, Serpent Safari Reptile Zoo and the 20-screen Gurnee Marcus Cinema. In Aurora you’ll find designer bargains at Chicago Premium Outlets, featuring 120 outlet stores that include Versace, Kate Spade and Ralph Lauren. Woodfield Shopping Center in Schaumburg is one of the largest shopping malls in the U.S. The more than 300 stores here include Nordstrom, Marshall Field’s, Lord & Taylor, JCPenney and Sears, among others.