Western Illinois is full of history, adventure and Midwest hospitality. Made of smaller communities than other parts of the state, the whole region has a pleasing laid-back atmosphere with lovely natural areas and interesting local history. Set out on a road trip, following the rivers or meandering between communities.
Peoria, the region’s biggest city, founded in 1691 by the French, was one of the first European settlements in Illinois. Drive down Grandview Drive, a wooded road through the town’s highlands that Theodore Roosevelt once supposedly called the “world’s most beautiful drive.” Catch a baseball game at locally beloved Dozer Park or take a rambling walk down the popular Illinois River Bluff Trail, connecting four of the town’s park districts.
Drive west to the fishing town of Havana, named for its similarity to a Cuba-shaped island, which was once a glittering gambling destination for people like Al Capone. In Lincoln’s New Salem, costumed docents bring visitors around a reconstruction of the village where Lincoln once lived.
Connect with the area’s Native American history at the Rockwell Mound, built in A.D. 150. It is the largest known mound of the Hopewell culture that once dotted the banks of the Mississippi.
Spot eagles, go fishing and pick berries in the Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, a beautiful park atop the Manito Blacktop.
In Quincy, have dinner and a stroll in the South Side German Historic District, known for its well-preserved architecture, built by newly arrived German immigrants. Nearby Woodland Cemetery has a great hill for watching the sunset as the Mississippi flows lazily below.
Fly into Peoria, where General Wayne A. Downing Airport offers connections to other destinations in the Midwest and Canada. Drive from downtown Chicago to Peoria in 2.5 hours. The region is best explored with a car.
The United States’ most famous series of debates, between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, offer a great way to structure a Western Illinois road trip, starting in Quincy, the biggest of the seven communities where they verbally sparred.
