- Plan Your Visit
Plan Your Visit
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Things to Do
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Places to Go
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Places to Stay
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Explore Our Past
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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
- 48 Hours on the I&M Canal
- Fall Colors on the Great River Road
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Events
Events
Find out what's on in Illinois and Chicago with your guide to events, festivals, markets, music, theater, sports and more.
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Road Trip
Stories & Highlights
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Seasonal Adventures
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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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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 FavoritesShopping, Architecture, and Idyllic Towns Along a Historic Byway
Journey Along the Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway – US-30 for much of its way across northern Illinois – was born when Midwest visionaries saw the need for a New York-to-San Francisco route. In 1914, crews poured the first concrete, creating a marvel beside the rutted paths that defied early motorists. Now, I-80 and I-88 parallel almost all of the 179-mile route through Illinois.
Frankfort
A thriving Chicago south suburb ranked as one of the nation's fastest growing suburbs by Forbes Magazine.
See HighlightsThings You Might Like...
Illinois Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural - Frankfort
The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has produced 35 Interpretive Murals along this Nati...
Frankfort Area Historical Museum
This museum features area coal mining history, memorabilia from 1802-1976, a genealogy lib...
Country Market Frankfort
Outdoor farmers market featuring fresh produce, vegetables and homemade food.
Specialty and antiques shops occupy well-kept Victorian-era buildings downtown. Stop in The Family Hearth General Store for old-time penny candy. The restored Trolley Barn, which once housed a tram that followed the Lincoln Highway, includes a children’s museum and a cafe with an outdoor patio.
Joliet
A stop by Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquete in 1673, Joliet is now the third largest city in Illinois.
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Rialto Square Theatre
"The Jewel of Joliet" has hosted Jerry Seinfeld, Kacey Musgraves, Tony Bennett, Billy Idol...
Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel
Harrah’s Joliet is your epicenter for fun!
I&M Canal State Trail
Enjoy hiking, jogging, cross-country skiing, camping, snowmobiling, fishing, boating, cano...
Straddling the Des Plaines River, the limestone-clad downtown buildings recall a prosperous past forged on steel production. Highway travelers follow a winding path through town. The road passes the Rialto Square Theatre, a restored movie palace, as well as Harrah’s Joliet Casino and Hotel, with on-site restaurants The Reserve and Flavors the Buffet. Joliet anchors the northern end of the I&M Canal, a mid-1800s water route from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. In nearby Lockport, you’ll discover a path for biking and hiking that follows the old canal.
Aurora
One of the most progressive towns in the history of Illinois, the state's first free public school district was established here in 1851.
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Chicago Premium Outlets, Aurora
More than just a shopping center, Chicago Premium Outlets is a destination for shoppers an...
Aurora Downtown Walking Tour
Take a self-guided tour of Aurora's historic downtown. Tour brochures are available at the...
Aurora Architectural Tours
Discover the diverse historical architectural heritage in Aurora.
Dubbed the City of Lights in 1881 after becoming the first town anywhere to illuminate its streets with electricity, Aurora still sparkles along the Fox River. In 1914, the first street lamps along the Lincoln Highway shone here. The route now weaves through town on one-way streets, clearly marked with Lincoln Highway signs. Along the way, it passes architectural treasures, including commercial buildings Frank Lloyd Wright disciple George Grant Elmslie designed. On the modern end of the spectrum, Chicago Premium Outlets features more than 170 name brands including Coach, Ugg, Hanna Andersson and Vera Bradley.
Batavia
Many of Batavia's limestone factory buildings that were used to make majority of the windmill operated pumps once essential throughout America's farms are still in use today as government and commercial offices
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Batavia Depot Museum
Experience railroad and war history alongside Batavia-related exhibits. The original bed a...
The byway heads north as Illinois-31 to the heart of the Fox River Valley. This stream meanders through gently rolling farmlands and towns rich in 19th-century character. In Batavia, Victorian homes line a string of riverside parks, and seven historic windmills catch the breezes along the river.
Geneva
A town rich with history, Geneva has more than its fair share of stories to tell.
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The Herrington Inn & Spa
Nestled in to the banks of the Fox River, The Herrington offers romantic getaways, executi...
Downtown Geneva
One of the best shopping & dining experiences can be found in downtown historic Geneva whe...
Geneva History Museum
These facilities, combined with multiple award-winning exhibits, educational programs, cut...
Meticulously preserved homes in 19th-and early-20th-century architectural styles line the scenic byway as it rambles north. More than 100 specialty shops and boutiques crowd along the business district’s tree-shaded streets. The Herrington Inn and Spa, a posh historic hotel beside the Fox River, pampers guests in style.
DeKalb
Named in honor of Johann de Kalb, a decorated German war hero who served in the American Revolutionary War, DeKalb is a town that shows it's classic character.
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Northern Illinois University
Chartered in 1895, Northern Illinois University first opened its doors as the Northern Ill...
Egyptian Theatre
The Egyptian Theatre hosts film festivals, special movie screenings, and live entertainmen...
Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural -- DeKalb
The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has produced thirty five Interpretive Murals along ...
The tricolored Lincoln Highway signs mark Illinois-38 as it meanders west. Settle back and savor country scenery on the way to this vibrant college town. You can stop and stretch your legs on the tree-shaded campus of Northern Illinois University. Galleries, trendy coffee bars and specialty shops mingle with hometown restaurants and other businesses in early-1900s downtown buildings. Explore the historic Egyptian Theatre, a one-of-a-kind example of 1920s style.
Rochelle
80 miles west of Chicago, the railroad industry is alive and well.
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Illinois Lincoln Highway Interpretive Gazebo – Rochelle
Enjoy the 16 Interpretive Gazebos along the Illinois Lincoln Highway, a 179-mile National ...
Rochelle Railroad Park
Anywhere from 80 to 120 trains pass through Rochelle in a 24 hour period. This has made Ro...
Fill up with byway information at the old-time Standard Oil Filling Station, restored as a visitors center. Then, head for Railroad Park, southwest of downtown, where the main lines of the Burlington Northern, Santa Fe and Union Pacific cross. Beside that intersection, an open-air observation pavilion rises 20 feet. Railroad buffs picnic as they watch 120 iron horses a day that lumber past. A visitors center in the park sells conductor hats, railroad uniforms and signs.
Franklin Grove
A small town of just over 1,000 with tangible Lincoln family history.
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Lincoln Highway Association National Headquarters
Visitors from around the world enjoy researching highway information in this restored 1860...
Signs lead travelers through this quiet farm town to a restored 1860 general store, which a distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln built. The two-story limestone building now houses the Lincoln Highway Association’s National Headquarters. Inside, you’ll find all sorts of memorabilia, including old road signs, photographs and reprinted guidebooks. An original Lincoln Highway signpost marks the entrance.
Dixon
Where Lincoln joined the Illinois militia, this town has seen the likes of a few presidents.
See HighlightsStill Illinois-38, the byway rolls into the factory town along the Rock River where Ronald Reagan lived as a child. Visitors glimpse the former president’s early years at his boyhood home. With its wide front porch and simple furnishings, the modest white clapboard two-story recalls the 1920s. You can also visit the Lincoln Highway Interpretive Center downtown. Just south of the Rock River, the Lincoln Highway meets the Blackhawk Trail. A six-mile side trip north along the river on Illinois-2 leads to Grand Detour and the impeccably restored John Deere Historic Site. A white picket fence surrounds the rebuilt 1840 blacksmith shop, whitewashed home and a prairie laced with walking trails.
Morrison
The railroad sparked the growth of this city in the 1850's.
See HighlightsThe byway dips and curves through rich farm country before following US-30 into this agricultural community’s solid-brick business district. Dine at The Forest Inn Restaurant and Lounge, serving Greek saganaki (flaming cheese) as well as an extensive variety of steaks and seafood.
Fulton
Just on the banks of the Mississippi, Fulton is named for the inventor of the steamboat, Robert Fulton.
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Fulton De Immigrant Windmill
Fulton's authentic Dutch Windmill, "De Immigrant", was prefabricated in the Netherlands an...
Signs route visitors through the small downtown to a nine-story windmill. Built in Holland, the landmark proclaims Fulton’s Dutch heritage. Climb to the top for Mississippi River views. You also can stroll a path on the levee.
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