- Plan Your Visit
Plan Your Visit
-
![]()
Things to Do
-
![]()
Places to Go
-
![]()
Places to Stay
-
![]()
Explore Our Past
-
![]()
Trip Ideas
Trip Ideas
- Eco-Friendly Hotels and Green Getaways in Illinois
- College Football in Illinois
- 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
- Fall Road Trips in Illinois
- Fall Colors on the Great River Road
-
![]()
Events
Events
Find out what's on in Illinois and Chicago with your guide to events, festivals, markets, music, theater, sport and more.
-
![]()
Road Trip
Stories & Highlights
-
![]()
Seasonal Adventures
-
![]()
Maps & Visitor Guides
-
![]()
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.
-
![]()
My Favorites
-
![]()
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.
-
Things to Do
Places to Go
Places to Stay
Explore Our Past
Trip Ideas
Events
Road Trip
Seasonal Adventures
Maps & Visitor Guides
Getting Here & Getting Around
My FavoritesEagle Action: Where to Watch Bald Eagles in Illinois
Once a rare sight in Illinois, bald eagles now make the state one of their favorite winter hangouts—only Alaska draws more of the birds. A top photographer shares how and where to take peeks and pics.
As a kid in Galesburg, Dan Westergren didn’t exactly dream of photographing bald eagles one day. “I don’t think I ever saw an eagle when I was growing up there in the ’70s,” he says. But conservation efforts increased the regal birds’ numbers, and they now flock to Illinois for its friendly habitats, especially the open water often found around river locks and dams in winter. Dan, an outdoors photographer who spent 25 years with National Geographic, follows.
Open water draws eagles looking for fish. “They move south in winter to get away from the ice up north,” Dan says. And the promise of dramatic shots beckons him. So between gigs in places like Antarctica and Australia, he spends time in Alton, Grafton and other prime eagle-watching spots.
Dan relies on two main tools: binoculars and a camera with a serious telephoto lens. He says amateurs can try a hack called digiscoping—using an adapter to connect a digital camera (or smartphone) to a bird-watching spotting scope.
Dawn and dusk are the best times to photograph eagles, especially a little before sunrise. “You can catch them as they’re starting to get active,” Dan says. Plus, “it’s the best light.”
Where to See Eagles in Illinois
Alton
The Beall Mansion bed-and-breakfast inn offers eagle getaway packages.
Gladstone
Along the Mississippi River, the sky is full of eagles at Lock and Dam 18. In 2018, the largest numbers of adults were recorded on January 3 (491) and 10 (453).
Oglesby
Both Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks attract large eagle populations in winter, thanks to the nearby Plum Island Eagle Sanctuary on the Illinois River. Watch eagles from the top of Starved Rock or catch an eagle trolley tour from the park lodge.
Quad Cities
Weekend guided tours lead groups to the top of the historic clock tower on Arsenal Island in Rock Island for prime views of eagles. You also can schedule a bald eagle safari in the area, led by retired biology teacher Bob Motz.
Love the Story?
Chicago Food Authority turned Galena Food Authority
Chicago Food Authority turned Galena Food Authority
in
Eat & Drink,
Regional Getaways,
Local Experts
Chicago foodie and Instagrammer Samantha Roby visits Galena, and shares her exp...
Great Wolf Lodge: A Family Weekend Getaway
Great Wolf Lodge: A Family Weekend Getaway
in
Regional Getaways,
Activities
Writer Lisa Link recaps her family's recent weekend getaway at Illinois' newest ...
Holiday Lights Shine On!
Holiday Lights Shine On!
in
Family Fun,
Activities
Twinkling, sparkling and shining brighter than ever!
Enjoy 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.
Order a Copy
Order a copy of Enjoy Illinois and also receive the Illinois State Park Guide and an Official Highway Map.
Order Print VersionGrab a Digital Copy
Read Enjoy Illinois magazine online or download the PDF and start exploring trip ideas around Illinois.
View it Online Download PDFSend me Enjoy Illinois Magazine
Get inspired by top travel stories, and discover even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois.
Order a Copy!
Discover top travel stories and even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois with our free magazine.
Get Your Copy Now!
