Dont miss the original seedling mile in Malta. The whole family will love hiking the oak-hickory forest with its incredible geological formations. Top Illinois Scenic Drives: See reviews and photos of Scenic Drives in Illinois, United States on Tripadvisor. It is home to Starved Rock state park, possibly the most popular state park in Illinois. Many campsites, hotels, and inns are available along the way in case visitors desire to extend their stay whenever they may land! Here are some places in Chicago to enjoy the autumn: Lincoln Park in Autumn Lincoln Park and Lincoln Park Zoo This road really holds some of Americas most fascinating history. And if you are looking for some fresh from picking produce, the numerous roadside stands are bound to have whatever fruit or vegetable you are craving. It is a rural byway, boasting all the very best views of Illinois, not to mention charming small towns rich in Civil War history such as Marietta, Ripley, and Aberdeen. TheIllinois River Road website lists the unique attractions,activities, andevents (although COVID has impacted scheduled events), as well assample tour routes andvideo tours. Head west and drive the Great River Road along the Mississippi, with its bluff-top views, river sights, charming B&Bs and sprawling vineyards. In the heart of Illinois is Fulton County and the Spoon River Valley. Also, know what the health guidelines are in the various locales and bring along plenty of PPE (personal protective equipment), including masks. From Ottawa, pass through the Illinois Waterway Visitors Center that overlooks the Illinois River Basin. Everyone in the family will love exploring the Starved Rock State Park. This is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites without extra cost to you. Share your TAB, TAG or Cirrus experience for a chance to be featured on our website! All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com, Enjoy the 8 Most Beautiful Cities in Illinois, These Towns in Illinois Have the Best Main Streets, 7 Most Scenic Road Trips to Take in Alaska, 9 Most Scenic Road Trips to take in Maine, 8 Ideal Destinations For A 3-Day Weekend In Wisconsin, 9 Ideal Destinations For A 3-Day Weekend In Utah, 11 Most Charming Central California Coast Towns. While this region of southern Illinois definitely can feel off the grid, there is no shortage of restaurants offering tasty meals after a day of driving, hiking, or wine tasting. If you love the idea of a good old-fashioned Sunday drive then youll love getting into the car and heading down Grand View Drive in Peoria. One of the best ways to explore the middle of the USA is with a Midwest road trip! You can plan to spend a week or simply take a day trip from Chicago. Perfect for a short, fun trip, this scenic backroad is only 2.5 miles long. But in fact, this beautiful drive is one of the wonderful Illinois scenic roads. for information about the visitors centers serving the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway and the Illinois River Valley region. Getting around Chicago and Illinois is easy with our guide to ways to travel around the state. What are some of the best small towns in Illinois? Read Enjoy Illinois magazine online or download the PDF and start exploring trip ideas As the first federally funded roadway, the Historic National Road originally ran from Maryland to Illinois. The Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway is a 33-mile section of the much longer 550-mile Great River Road in west-central Illinois. 1. The Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive Fall Festival was created in the 1960s to generate enthusiasm for visitors to enjoy the area. Plan Your Visit Long Hollow Scenic Overlook, 2918 US Hwy 20 W, Elizabeth, IL 61028, USA. Beautiful views! Originally from the quaint beach town of Fenwick Island, Delaware, Stephanie has called Chicago home for nearly a decade. Share your experiences and photos with us! Enjoy all that Southern Illinois has to offer. Located at the convergence of the Mighty Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois Rivers, the byway winds west and north, with. A typical Sunday drive might leave you finding a new general store to stock up on sweets and other treats. The red, yellow, and orange leaves on the trees are straight from a postcard. Also, be sure to check out the famous Cahokia mounds and visit the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower where you can experience breathtaking 150-foot views of "Ol Man River." Check out these, If you want to take a unique boat tour along the Illinois River and Lake Michigan, check out, Meet The Farm Animal That Inspired An Iconic Restaurant Chain In Illinois, Youll Never Forget Your Stay At This Charming Vintage Home In Illinois With Its Very Own Heated Pool, You Could Spend Forever Exploring This Illinois Small Town, But Well Settle For A Weekend, Eat Asian-Fusion And Be Serenaded By Celebrity Impersonators At This Family-Owned Tiki-Themed Illinois Restaurant, The 10 Best Backroads In Illinois For A Long Scenic Drive, 7 Paved Trails In Illinois That Make Hiking The Great Outdoors Easier, Theres A Mule-Pulled Canal Ride In Illinois That Is The Most Unique Thing Youll Ever Do, Take This Road To Nowhere In Illinois To Get Away From It All. A must-see for everyone. Learn More Ready for Every Adventure Learn more about The Morton Arboretum on the website. Plan on visiting in October if you want to participate in the countys annual drive event and witness the activities and entertainment. For spectacular views, unique stops, and plenty of activities, the Ohio River Scenic Byway has everyone covered! Interested in historic sites? Address: Long Hollow Scenic Overlook, 2918 US Hwy 20 W, Elizabeth, IL 61028, USA Our route. With 164 miles to travel in the Land of Lincoln, the Illinois National Road makes it possible to follow the life and political career of Abraham Lincoln, as well as enjoy amazingly old and rare automobiles at MY Garage Museum, just to name a few. One of the major features of LSD is the Outer Drive Bridge, also known as Link Bridge, which carries LSD traffic over the Chicago River. Glacial Park in northern Illinois is a lesser-known park filled with wetlands formed by a glacier that was once here. There are festivals and celebrations happening every month of the year along the Great River Route. In the last century, this corridor has seen a lot of change including the building up of communities and the development of larger roadways. Hikers should check out the Pere Marquette Outer loop. Here youll learn about the history of this iconic company and see its awesome machines past and present. The national byway preserves the nature along the river, providing amazing views of serene Illinois woodlands and wetland as well as prairies and lakes, which makes it perfect for nature lovers. 37 reviews 25 helpful votes Day trips with scenic drives 12 years ago Save Good day everyone, I am visiting Chicago for work but will have a couple of days free. If you live in the city, take a break from the hustle and bustle and enjoy a leisurely drive through these picturesque country roads in Illinois. Only a fraction of Illinoisans are lucky enough to travel sections of these roadways let alone the entire byway as part of their daily commute. We have been enjoying visiting several of the Presidential libraries, museums, historic homes, etc. You may even find a new greasy spoon with all the comfort foods you could imagine. Meet The Farm Animal That Inspired An Iconic Restaurant Chain In Illinois, Youll Never Forget Your Stay At This Charming Vintage Home In Illinois With Its Very Own Heated Pool, You Could Spend Forever Exploring This Illinois Small Town, But Well Settle For A Weekend, Eat Asian-Fusion And Be Serenaded By Celebrity Impersonators At This Family-Owned Tiki-Themed Illinois Restaurant, This Butterfly Garden In Berwyn, Illinois Is So Little-Known, You Just Might Have It All To Yourself, 15 Waterparks In Illinois That Are Pure Bliss, Here Are The 12 Absolute Best Places To Stay In Illinois, If You Didnt Know About These 10 Swimming Holes In Illinois, Youve Been Missing Out, Friends of Hennipen Canal / Friends-Hennepin-Canal.org. Additional stops include Batavia, home to old limestone factory buildings, and Rochelle, a popular railroad town. In the past, the Great River Road was also more than a way to travel. Forming a gigantic loop, half of the road hugs the east side of the river bank and the other the west. That way you can drive nearly 300 miles with a different perspective at every mile. We welcome you to visit our Community Involvement webpage for more information on how to get involved in building a more positive transportation environment for you and your community. As far as color variety goes, these trees will blow you away. It also offered a path to freedom for African-Americans who escaped via the Underground Railroad. The Great River Road covers 2,069 miles and travels south from Minnesota, through Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Its a road trip into the past, with plenty of kitsch and nostalgia to go around. Matthiessen State Park OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. The entire stretch is filled with kitschy roadside relics, museums, classic midwestern food, drive-in theaters and restaurants, and 1940s charm, Ottawa, Illinois to the north and ending in Havana in the south, The River Road Byway is one of the most scenic drives in Illinois because of the astounding natural beauty of its wetland prairies, hardwood forests, woodland seeps, diverse wildlife, and winding river, A historic stretch of road that showcases charming towns and communities and the countrys first transcontinental highway, This is a quintessential Midwest scenic drive showcasing the unique culture of rural heritage, Located in the city of Peoria, Grandview Drive stretches from Prospect Road to Illinois Route 29, Dubbed the worlds most beautiful drive by President Roosevelt in 1910, Grandview Drive is the shortest on this list but well worth the trip, The drive takes you through Fulton County, beginning in Astoria and ending in London Mills, There are plenty of attractions along this drive to keep the entire family entertained, Venture into the Shawnee National Forest for delicious wine, untouched natural beauty, and some of the best hiking in Illinois, Begin in New haven and end in Cairo where the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers converge, From natural splendor, heartland farming, and the vast river to the charming communities that call this region home, the Ohio River Scenic Byway has something for everyone, Also known as the Road that Built the Nation, Historic National Road was built in 1806 and opened Illinois to settlement, It begins in Hartford on Illinois Route 3 and New Poag Road and ends in Grafton at Pere Marquette State Park, The great meeting of the rivers is the point of convergence for three great rivers: The Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois rivers. While there isn't anything else in the immediate vicinity relating to Route 66, it's an easy way to pay homage to this world-famous All-American route. Located at the convergence of the Mighty Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois Rivers, the byway winds west and north, withfour regions to explore: the northwest, the northeast, the southwest, and southeast. This incredible route is the iconic American road trip. A circus performer, stuntwoman, professed travel buff and lover of Tom Waits, Stephanie is looking forward to sharing her favorite Chicago haunts with both adventurous locals and curious travelers. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. The River Road National Scenic Byway showcases Illinois natural wonders and theyre truly breathtaking. Definitely make time for Horseshoe Lake and hiking to Inspiration Point in LaRue Pine Hills. Here is a list of more fun stuff to do in Illinois. For more about Route 66, visit the, Camper Checks To Do Before Heading Out This Spring. It's a byway that marks the meeting of three major waterways: the Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois Rivers. Alton was a great stop along the way will come back when we can stay for a couple days. Some of the most popular stops along the way include the restored 1891 opera house, the Spoon River Dam, and the London Mills Docks along the Illinois River where visitors can enjoy a picnic or spend time fishing. There is also coastal motorcycle driving along Lake Michigan in the upper northeastern Illinois area and some rolling hills in the northern and southern parts of the state. Fall the Spoon Valley Scenic Drive Festival falls on the first two weekends of October every year. These are just a few of the interesting details you can learn while youre enjoying your trip to this Midwestern state. 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