Amish Country Tours

A step on guide will accompany your tour of the Amish countryside. The tours will also include meals in Amish homes, and Amish home, buggy shop, dairy farm and woodworking tours. Additional highlights include an Amish museum, local attractions, restaurants, and accommodations.

CITY: Arcola

Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion

Located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, Krannert Art Museum is the second-largest fine art museum in Illinois—placing it among the top tier of university art museums nationwide. The museum’s diverse permanent collection contains over 10,000 works of art, and represents the cultures of African, Asia, Europe and the Americas. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum features outstanding temporary exhibitions throughout the year.

CITY: Champaign

ACM Tours

ACM Tours is a full service, receptive tour guide company with many special services available at no additional cost. We literally open the door to fabulous Illinois Amish Country! We are ready to assist you with meals, attractions, lodging and step on guide service. We have available trained, professional, local step-on guides who are well versed in the history, customs and folklore of this most unique part of Illinois.

CITY: Arthur

Ferrel Clydesdale Farms

In operation since 1850, the farm features a blacksmith shop and Clydesdale horses. Chuck wagon cookouts are available.

CITY: Lovington

John Phillip Sousa Library and Museum

John Phillip Sousa's personal band music library, willed to the University of Illinois, is on display along with period band uniforms and musical instruments. Relive a time forgotten, when the sounds of marching band music filled a town on a lazy Sunday afternoon, when you step into this museum homoring a true "music man." FREE

CITY: Champaign

Illinois Amish Center

Recently relocated to Rockome Gardens in the countryside near a prominent community of Old Order Amish, the largest in Illinois. The museum originally opened in 1996 and features exhibits on most aspects of Amish life, as well as an introductory video about the Central Illinois Amish. Through the museum, tours can be scheduled of the Amish countryside, Amish homes, farms, businesses and meals in Amish homes.

CITY: Arcola

Olympic Tribute & Laborer's Memorial

Honoring the extraordinary achievements of Champaign County residents who have participated in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, this granite platform inscribed with the names of the athletes and the Olympic symbol is surrounded by playing fields, gardens and a community college campus. Tribute to Olympic Athletes rises from an ordinary prairie landscape transformed by playing fields, gardens and a community college campus.

CITY: Champaign

Spurlock Museum

The Spurlock Museum celebrates the people of the world with feature galleries on Africa, Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, the Americas, and the Ancient Mediterranean. Special facilities include a focus gallery for temporary exhibits, learning center, auditorium, and educational resource center.

CITY: Urbana

University of Illinois

An atmosphere of innovation at Illinois is based on a history of interdisciplinary exploration. Faculty and students pursue projects with other top scholars from around the world and across disciplines. Campus resources include the world’s largest public university library, outstanding centers for the arts, and many world-class research facilities, including the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. In 2003, Illinois’ faculty members won national and international awards including two Nobel Prizes, the Crafoord Prize in Biosciences, and two Guggenheim Fellowships. Students choose from more than 150 majors and 1100 clubs and organizations.

CITY: Urbana

Thomas Lincoln Cemetery and Shiloh Church

This cemetery is the final resting place for many Civil War veterans, as well as Thomas and Sarah Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's father and stepmother.

CITY: Charleston

Monticello Railway Museum

Offers vintage train rides on Sat. and Sun. May through Oct. View various pieces of steam and electric railroad equipment.

CITY: Monticello

Arcola Historic Train Depot & Information Center

This 1885 train depot displays Illinois Central Railroad memorabilia, the largest Louis Klein collection of antique brooms and brushes in the United States, and interesting Arcola relics and keepsakes. Because Arcola is the birthplace of Raggedy Ann creator Johnny Gruelle, Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls and collectibles are also on display.

CITY: Arcola

Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum

Charleston's newest heritage tourism attraction. Learn more about the 1858 political debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. This site is a designated, "Looking for Lincoln" site.

CITY: Charleston

Mattoon Welcome Center/Peterson House

The historic Peterson House serves as the Mattoon Welcome Center, offering information about area events and attractions.

CITY: Mattoon

Wind Water & Light Gallery

Located in historic Lincoln Square Mall next to the Framer's Market, this store features all sorts of arts from paintings, sculptures, and pottery works. Stop in and just browse, or perhaps purchase one of these fine pieces of art.

CITY: Urbana

University of Illinois Library

The largest public university library in the world and the third largest academic library in North America. Self guided audio tours may be checked out at the Information Desk in the Main Library.

CITY: Urbana

Harris Agricultural Museum

The museum houses an agricultural display that includes antique tractors (1922-1937), engines, a 1919 grain/dump truck, a replica of a 1920s farmstead kitchen, and more.

CITY: Atwood

Champaign County Historical Museum at the Cattle Bank

The museum is located in the oldest commercial building in Champaign County, the beautifully restored Cattle Bank, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Exhibits showcase more than 150 years of Champaign County's people, events, architecture and lifestyles. A feature of the museum is the 19th century dry goods store and businesses. The museum has a gift shop and publishes the Champaign County Historical Quarterly.

CITY: Champaign

Charleston Historic District

Downtown Charleston includes a historic courthouse and many historic homes listed on both the Coles County Register for Significant Places and the National Register of Historic Places.

CITY: Charleston

Historic Charleston Courthouse Square

See the majestic Coles County courthouse and discover historic murals in Charleston's Courthouse Square.

CITY: Charleston

Hiram Rutherford Home

Home of Oakland's first physician, the restored 1850s Dr. Hiram Rutherford Home features a summer kitchen, doctor's office and a museum of agricultural history.

CITY: Oakland

Independence Pioneer Village

Visit this log home village from the early 1800s, including a blacksmith shop, church and schoolhouse.

CITY: Oakland

Dennis Hanks Gravesite

View the burial site of Abraham Lincoln's tutor in the Old City Cemetery.

CITY: Charleston

Atwood Visitor & Information Center

Early trains made an "at-the-woods" stop, and in 1873 the town of Atwood was formed. Main Street today features split-rail fences, benches, grassy areas and country crafts, collectibles and antiques.

CITY: Atwood

Eastern Illinois University

This campus consists of 316 acres. German Gothic architecture of Old Main towers above the campus.

CITY: Charleston

Douglas County Museum

The award-winning museum features short-term exhibits about a wide range of topics pertinent to the history of Douglas County and East Central Illinois. The museum’s collections include clothing and textiles, military and medical equipment, decorative arts, archives and more! Plus, it’s also host to the Rural Life Antique Show held in March and November of each year

CITY: Tuscola

Andrew Carnegie Library - The Arcola Public Library

An original Andrew Carnegie built in 1905. The library boasts all of its original classic revival architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

CITY: Arcola

Reeser Embryo Farm

Tour this farm, which is a commercial embryo transfer station that uses donor cows.

CITY: Monticello

Syngenta Seeds

Take one-hour seasonal tours through Syngenta Seeds, a soybean processing plant.

CITY: Tuscola

Foellinger Auditorium

Foellinger Auditorium is a unique facility situated at the Southern end of the U of I Quadrangle. Since its construction in 1907, Foellinger Auditorium has been a cultural and entertainment center for the campus by serving two distinctly different functions: classroom and performance.

CITY: Urbana

Wards Museum

Visit the museum's beautiful grounds and see a collection of over 10,000 items that include sea shells, primitive furniture and antique glassware.

CITY: Sullivan

University of Illinois Champaign Urbana

Visit this scenic college campus, which made its Hollywood debut in With Honors.

CITY: Champaign