5 Incredible Illinois Day Trips You Can Take By Train

The next time you have a free day or weekend and you want to plan something new and exciting, we have the perfect options. For anyone searching for “train trips near me” in Illinois, there are several options. There are some unique train trips in Illinois that can be completely round trip and take you to different parts of the state that maybe weren’t an option otherwise. Amtrak train routes spread across Illinois allow for many opportunities for fun and exciting day trips. Grab your tickets at the nearest train station, hop on, and explore our beautiful state! Here are some suggested train rides in Illinois you can take:

Quincy, IL, USA

Galesburg, IL 61401, USA

Malcom Tredinnick/Flickr

Enjoy a day in Galesburg at the Galesburg Railroad Museum, try some wine at Vintages Tasting Room, and have a delicious French meal at Landmark Cafe. Sounds like the perfect day trip to us!

Check out this video of the Galesburg Railroad Museum by @WTVP:

Alton, IL, USA

Bloomington, IL, USA

Secondarywaltz/Wikimedia

Bloomington-Normal is full of fun places to visit, from the Castle Theatre to Miller Park Zoo. Guests can also visit the McLean County Museum of History or the Children's Discovery Museum, too! This could possibly be one of the best day trips in Illinois!

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Kankakee, IL, USA

Champaign, IL, USA

Dori/Wikimedia

Visit Champaign to take in a game at the University of Illinois or explore the Krannert Art Museum. Or spend a day at another museum, the Spurlock, before heading to Hessel Park for a picnic.

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Springfield, IL, USA

Chicago, IL, USA

Jeramey Jannene/Flickr

There are endless things to do in Chicago, so you really will have your pick of how you want to enjoy your day here. But first-time visitors should start out at Millennium Park and go from there! Visiting Chicago is easily one of the most unique day trips in Illinois.

Take a look at this video of Millennium Park by @LizzyFay:

Mattoon, IL 61938, USA

Carbondale, IL, USA

Augiejv/Wikimedia

Spend some time outdoors in Carbondale, nicknamed "Little Egypt" at Evergreen Park, or gain some knowledge at The Science Center of Southern Illinois. Or, if you're traveling there on a warm day, you can always visit Super Splash Park on one of the best train rides in Illinois.

Don’t you just love train travel? If you’re ready to start planning your train rides in Illinois, then head to the Amtrak website to create your day trip itinerary. It’s as easy as entering in your starting location and visiting destination, and voila!

How do these incredible scenic train rides in Illinois sound to you? What trip are you planning to take first? Let us know in the comments section!