Gordon's Guide
Check out vacations and adventure travel in Illinois
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Illinois Travel Deals
If you’re looking to take your family on a great American vacation, you’re probably considering Illinois. Travelers to this Midwestern state will enjoy plenty of travel deals on hotels, cars, and attractions throughout the state.
The first stop you should make when planning your Illinois vacation is to the states tourism website EnjoyIllinois.com. Here you will find the hottest deals on hotels accommodations for your stay. The site allows visitors to search the most popular travel websites from a single location to quickly find the best deals on the internet. A quick search of Chicago area hotels revealed hotel rooms available at the Red Roof Inn for only $47 per night!
There is plenty of information throughout the site regarding things to do and see. The intuitive design and careful organization allows users to easily find what they are looking for. There’s even an Enjoy Illinois mobile app you can download to your phone to use on the go.
The AAA website is another great source for Illinois travel deals. Use online resources or stop into a AAA branch for discount tickets and custom travel planning services. Showing your AAA discount around the state will earn you extra bonuses and discounts at many of the most popular attractions, hotels, and restaurants.
When traveling to Illinois, don’t be afraid to ask about discounts. Even if a business doesn’t have any discounts available, they may know about specials at other (non-competition) attractions and retailers.
Illinois, also known as the land of Lincoln and the prairie state, draws tourists from around the country to it’s busy metropolises and quaint Midwestern towns. The state, sometimes Refered to as the melting-pot of America, has a diverse population with people hailing from all over the country. The Northeast corner of the state borders Lake Michigan, otherwise Illinois is entirely land-locked.
More than 12 million people call Illinois home, and 3 of the states residents have gone on to become President of the United States. Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Barak Obama were all elected to office while living in Illinois. Ronald Reagan was also born and raised in Illinois, though he was elected to office while residing in California.
The worlds first skyscraper was built in Chicago, Illinois. The 10-story home insurance building, built in 1885, was constructed using steel load bearing frame. As of 2011, the tallest building in the United States is located in Chicago. The Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) is currently the seventh tallest building in the world, at a height of 1,451 feet.
Illinois is known for its extreme seasonal weather. Winter brings heavy snow and below freezing temperatures. Summer is known for scorching the Midwestern state and sending its residents indoors to the protection of their air conditioners. Spring is marked by heavy rainfall, and Fall carriers cooler temperatures and changing leaves. Illinois averages 35 tornadoes per year and sits in a portion of the country known as tornado alley.
The natural beauty, changing seasons, and sprawling cities draw plenty of tourists to Illinois each year. Visitors from around the country travel to the Midwestern state for vacations and business, creating a bustling tourism industry.
Illinois is highly developed state with many interesting and fun things to do and see. The state offers a variety of options of ways to spend your vacation and choosing where to begin your exploration of the state may seem impossible. No matter what types of activities you enjoy, rest assured that Indiana has what you’re looking for.
You may not think of heading to the beach while visiting the Midwest, but the Northeast corner of the state borders Lake Michigan, one of the Great Lakes. The shore around the lake offers visitors beautiful views and stunning beaches to play on. Water sports, swimming, and boating are all offered at the Northern aquatic playground.
After relaxing at the beach, take a tour of Chicago. The home of Oprah and Barak Obama is the Hollywood of the Midwest. The city offers high end shopping, innovative restaurants, and is home to the tallest building in North America. The city offers an endless array of activities for tourists.
In Southern Illinois, just off the Ohio River, Harrah’s Metropolis Casino welcomes visitor’s with over 1,000 slot machines and 27 table games. An attached hotel lets beckons visitors to stay and play.
Illinois offers visitors a diverse array of activities to entertain and delight them. No matter what part of the state you travel to, you are sure to find plenty of things to do and see in Illinois!
The Key Lime Cove hotel is an indoor water park resort full of lots of slides and lots of water. The Key Lime Cove also provides dining, entertainment and other event specials and deals. The Key Lime Cove is a family attraction, a place to eat, and a place to sleep all in one. Maybe you want to go exploring and come to a less busy and fun hotel to sleep, in that case you should look at some of the other hotels available in Gurnee.
Illinois has 18 state parks for residents and visitors to enjoy. Getting out and enjoying the outdoors is easy and there are plenty of activities to keep you entertained during your vacation. Nature lovers of all ages will find exciting and challenging activities to keep their minds and bodies busy.
The Cache River Natural State Area in Belknap, Illinois, is over 14,000 acres and spans two counties. Besides hunting and fishing, the Cache River Natural State Area gives visitors the chance to hike through a forest full of Cyprus trees that are over 1,000 years old! Many of the trees were around when Lief Ericsson first explored the area.
If you consider exploring nature a spectator sport, in Galena, Illinois, tourists can buy tickets for the Bald Eagle Bus Tour. The 4-hour bus tour takes tourists along the Mississippi River to view Bald Eagle wintering grounds. Sightings of 30 to 350 Bald Eagles is not uncommon during the tour if weather is favorable.
For tourists looking to challenge themselves on their vacation, the Garden of Gods recreation area in the Shawnee National Forest has several backpacking trails, a campground, and many rock formations and cliffs. The park covers 3,300 acres, and the local sediment rock is over 4 miles deep into the Earth!
No matter what type of activity you like to do, Illinois has plenty of options for a fun and entertaining vacation your whole family will enjoy!
Six Flags Great America is a Park with all kinds of rides, foods, and shows. The park has about seven miles of roller coaster tracks and has a very kid friendly environment. The Gurnee Mills Mall is another attraction you and your family might find enjoyable.
Illinois central location in the United States makes it a short journey from anywhere in the country. Whether you plan to drive, fly, or take the train, getting to Illinois is easy and enjoyable.
Several interstates cross Illinois, connecting the states major cities. Noteworthy roads include I-57, which runs North to South, and I-39, which also runs North to South from Wisconsin to Bloomington, Illinois. Interstates 80 and 74 both travel East to West. Most of the smaller roads in the state are laid out in a grid pattern, making it easy and simple for tourists to find their way around.
There are several passenger airports throughout the state of Illinois. The biggest, most heavily trafficked airport in the state is Chicago O’Hare International Airport. This airport sees thousands of passengers each year, and allows travelers easy access to the states biggest city, Chicago.
There are also railways throughout the state. Amtrak operates the passenger railways, while a series of underground tunnels are used for transporting goods. There are roughly 10 miles of trains running under the state carrying goods that will be distributed all across the country.
Bus routes are popular amongst travelers in Illinois. Buses are the most affordable way of traveling to and around Illinois, and with the numerous routes, finding a bus that’s running on your schedule is incredibly easy.
No matter how you chose to get to Illinois, whether by car, plane, train, or bus, travel to and around the state is only limited by your imagination. The highway system creates a well connected states and traveling between cities is both efficient and simple.