- Plan Your Trip
Plan Your Trip
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Things to Do
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Events
Events
Find out what's on in Illinois and Chicago with your guide to events, festivals, markets, music, theater, sport and more.
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Trip Ideas
Trip Ideas
- Fall Road Trips in Illinois
- Eco-Friendly Hotels and Green Getaways in Illinois
- College Football in Illinois
- Fall Colors on the Great River Road
- Journey Along the Lincoln Highway
- Illinois Shopping
- Route 66
- IL ♥ LGBTQ
- Golf Illinois
- Chicago Neighborhoods
- Family Fun in Illinois
- Everybody Outside!
- Bike Illinois
- Outdoor Adventures in Illinois
- Chicago to Alton
- Chicago to Carbondale
- Illinois Scenic Byways
- Chicago to Quincy
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Places to Go
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Road Trip
Stories & Highlights
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Amazing is...
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Seasonal Adventures
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Places to Stay
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Maps & Visitor Guides
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Getting Here & Getting Around
Getting Here & Getting Around
Find out how to get to Illinois by plane, train, bus and driving. Getting around Chicago and Illinois is easy with our guide to ways to travel around the state.
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My Favorites
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Around Illinois by Amtrak
Around Illinois by Amtrak
Step back in time to the golden age of train travel and settle in for a peaceful ride to discover some of Illinois’ most charming towns and hidden treasures.
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- History
History
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Historic Sites
Historic Sites
Visit the many historic sites in Illinois, from the Land of Lincoln, to the site of an ancient Native American city at Cahokia Mounds.
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Presidential History
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History Museums
History Museums
Visit the History Museums of Illinois. From the vast collection of the Chicago History Museum to small town historical museums, you’ll discover the stories and heritage of our towns and our people.
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Historical Reenactments
Historical Reenactments
History comes alive at Illinois historical reenactments. Meet Abraham Lincoln in the flesh, experience colonial life, or take a canal boat ride with a period costumed storyteller.
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Frank Lloyd Wright Trail
Frank Lloyd Wright Trail
One of America’s greatest architects, Frank Lloyd Wright called Illinois home—and filled it with some of his best works.
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- Taste Illinois
Taste Illinois
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Places to Eat in Illinois
Places to Eat in Illinois
Taste your way through the state with our guide to the best and closest places to eat in Illinois. Experience everything from fine dining to shared plates and takeaway fare.
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Bars and Nightclubs in Illinois
Bars and Nightclubs in Illinois
Put your dancing shoes on or unwind at one of the many bars and night clubs in Illinois. Locate the best cocktails, the perfect beer, local DJs, international artists and more.
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Illinois Wineries & Vineyards
Illinois Wineries & Vineyards
Taste the regional characteristics in our locally produced wines. Browse our guide to the closest and best Illinois wineries and vineyards for your next celebration or trip.
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Illinois Breweries & Distilleries
Illinois Breweries & Distilleries
Fancy a pint? Hunt down major Illinois breweries and distilleries for the best beers, ciders and spirits in the state. Support local production and taste your way through Illinois.
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Food Tours in Illinois
Food Tours in Illinois
Taste your way through the best of the state with food tours in Illinois. Enjoy everything from fine dining and wineries, to craft beer and pizza tours.
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Things to Do
Events
Trip Ideas
Places to Go
Road Trip
Amazing is...
Seasonal Adventures
Places to Stay
Maps & Visitor Guides
Getting Here & Getting Around
My Favorites
Around Illinois by Amtrak
Historic Sites
Presidential History
History Museums
Historical Reenactments
Places to Eat in Illinois
Bars and Nightclubs in Illinois
Illinois Wineries & Vineyards
Illinois Breweries & Distilleries 
Food Tours in IllinoisThe Best Sparkling Wine in Illinois
’Tis the season to be toasting. Illinois wineries step up with sparkling creations to ring in the new year or raise a glass to a new (or lasting) romance.
Sparkling Around the State
Illinois is not, in fact, Champagne, France, so its sparkling wines aren’t called Champagne. But these wineries still bring the bubbly.
Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery, Galena
Three generations of experience produce sparkling wine. Join a vineyard tour or visit the tasting room.
Read More
Illinois Sparkling Company and August Hill Winery, Utica
Using traditional methods, owner Mark Wenzel hand-blends every bottle for ISC, the sister brand to August Hill Winery.
Read More
Baxter's Vineyards and Winery, Nauvoo
Fifth-generation owners operate the state’s oldest winery, started in 1857. Sip Baxter’s Bubbly, made from melon, apricot and honeysuckle.
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Lynfred Winery, Chicago suburbs
At several tasting rooms, sample a handful of fruity sparkling wines made from Midwest fruits, along with snacks like savory and sweet fresh breads.
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Toast with Bubblin’ Blue, a sparkling version of the winery’s popular German-style Kishwaukee Blue wine. Nosh on apps, salad and panini sandwiches.
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Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants, around the state
Pair a sparkling flight (Blanc de Blanc, Rosé, Almond and Raspberry) with Key lime pie.
Read MoreCheers in the City
If it’s champagne you crave, get to Chicago, where the bubbles flow in both traditional and unexpected ways.
Margeaux Brasserie
On the third floor of the Waldorf Astoria, black-tie servers offer a variety of bubbles (it changes on a nightly basis) from a roving champagne cart.
Pops for Champagne
The ambience sparkles at the nation’s oldest champagne bar with nearly 150 champagnes and sparkling wines to choose from in the landmark Tree Studios building.
Odyssey Chicago River
Celebrate Global Champagne Day (mid-October) aboard the glass-top boat as it plies the Chicago River during a five-course champagne dinner cruise with stunning, climate-controlled views.
The Spa at Four Seasons
Sip champagne while your fingers (or toes) luxuriate in a bath of bubbly. Or book a couples’ massage, then toast during a private Skylight Swim under the stars.
Sugarfina Boutique
Grown-up gummy bears—made with Dom Pérignon Vintage—come in a few flavors at suburban Oakbrook Center, the state’s only outpost of the fancy grown-up candy chain.
RM Champagne Salon
Bring a date to this cozy candlelit spot for sips of champagne and sparkling wines while dining on oysters, steak frites and more from the French-bistro inspired menu.
Related Reads:
Illinois' African-American History and Heritage
Illinois' African-American History and Heritage
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Winter Fun in Lake County
Winter Fun in Lake County
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Regional Getaways,
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The best things to do, sights to see, and places to shop during a winter getaway...
Custom Cup Coffee
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Get the inside scoop on this coffee-lover's paradise and discover a custom brew ...
Travel Illinois Magazine
Find unexpected ways to enjoy Illinois in this biannual magazine that explores every corner of the state. Each issue offers a mix of travel stories, stunning photography and timely trip ideas that make the most of each season.
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Order a copy of Travel Illinois and also receive the Illinois State Park Guide and an Official Highway Map.
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Read Travel Illinois magazine online or download the PDF and start exploring trip ideas around Illinois.
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