For those of you who have been long-time readers, you know how we love to curate road trips! Today's road trip will take you from Starved Rock State Park, which is considered the state's best park, all the way down to the vast expanse of the Shawnee National Forest. So, gas up the car and head out on this scenic road trip through Illinois.
For your convenience, follow this interactive map and go ahead and add any additional stops along the way!
Considered Illinois' best state park by Travel + Leisure, Starved Rock State Park is 2,630 acres of beauty. Filled with canyons, waterfalls, and plenty of scenery, you will fall in love with Starved Rock. If you want to spend the night, book a room at Starved Rock Lodge. (Pictured here is Kaskaskia Canyon and its waterfall.)
Located a few miles south of Starved Rock State Park, Matthiessen State Park is also worth a visit. It also happens to be a bit smaller and less crowded than Starved Rock, yet no less scenic. Stop here for a hike to take it all in! Visit the web page for more information.
At just 2.5 miles, Grand View Drive in Peoria is short, sweet, and oh so scenic! Enjoy views of the Illinois River Valley as you drive along the bluffs. Read our previous coverage to learn more.
Mineral Spring Park in Pekin offers plenty of outdoor recreation. Within its 200 acres, you'll find a bike trail, dog park, water park, minature golf course, a lagoon where you can go fishing and boating, and a whole lot more! It's the perfect place to spend an afternoon! Read our previous coverage to learn more.
Take a stroll through this gorgeous botanical garden in Springfield for free! This urban oasis provides a tranquil and scenic place to escape. Over 1,200 plants and flowers can be found throughout the garden. Visit the Springfield Parks website for more information.
A hidden gem along this route, the 266-acre Shoal Creek Nature Conservation Area offers native hickory and oak woodlands. It's also home to 700 plant species, as well as 70 butterfly species. There are two loop trails to enjoy the scenery at this preserve. Head to the Visit Litchfield website for more information.
Southern Illinois is an incredible place to explore, especially the 289,000-acre Shawnee National Forest. This area has so much to offer including the Pomona Natural Bridge, Garden of the Gods (pictured here), and the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.
Are you ready for this scenic road trip through Illinois? Let us know in the comments if you've been to any of these places before.
With so many cities, small towns, and wide open spaces, the Land of Lincoln is a great state for a road trip. Whether you have a few hours, a day, a few days, or longer, check out these Illinois road trip ideas for your next adventure. These are some of the best road trips in Illinois you can take!
Route: Burden Falls > Jackson Falls > Cache River Basin Vineyard & Winery > Ferne Clyffe State Park > Feather Hills Vineyard and Winery
Distance: 64 miles
Trip Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Go chasing waterfalls throughout Illinois with this epic road trip. Pack your camera and jump in the car to see some of Illinois' finest! And then treat yourself to some wine at a couple of vineyards. This wine and waterfalls day trip in Illinois is a unique adventure!
Route: Gold Pyramid House > Leaning Tower of Niles > Gemini Giant > Hippie Memorial > Two Story Outhouse > World's Largest Wind Chime > World's Largest Catsup Bottle > America's Largest Cross > Piasa Bird > Superman Statue
Distance: 823 miles
Trip Time: 13 hours 43 minutes
If quirky roadside attractions in Illinois are your thing, this road trip is for you! Take some time on a long weekend and have fun discovering the weird side of Illinois. From the Gold Pyramid House in Wadsworth to some of the world's largest attractions in Casey, this trip will put a smile on your face!
There are certainly plenty of hidden gems to discover, and you can use this Illinois road trip itinerary to find some of the most extraordinary ones! You'll start your adventure at an awe-inspiring natural bridge, head to a winery, dine on some mouthwatering BBQ, shop at a market, and explore some wetlands. This hidden gems road trip through Illinois has a little bit of everything!
Route: RavenStone Castle > Aurora Sunken Gardens > Allerton Park and Retreat Center > Castle Of Palmyra > Villa Kathrine > Boo Castle Park
Distance: 649 miles
Trip Time: 11 hours 42 minutes
Most children and even some adults dream of being in a fairy tale. And we have a wonderful road trip of a lifetime to some of the most fairytale-like places in the state. On this Illinois road trip itinerary, you'll see several castles, a garden, and even a playground the kids will absolutely love.
Route: Ferne Clyffe Waterfall Trail > Kinkaid Lake Spillway > Cedar Falls > Little Pakentuck Waterfall Trail > Jackson Falls > Burden Falls
Distance: 119 miles
Trip Time: 3 hours
One of our favorite road trips you can take during the spring is to see some of its most beautiful waterfalls. Not only will you view several beautiful cascades, but this waterfall road trip gets you outdoors and breathing in the fresh air. Weekend road trips in Illinois are a ton of fun, so pick out a fun place to stay nearby and start exploring those waterfalls.
Route: Sunrise Park > Three Oaks Recreation Area > Anderson Japanese Gardens > Fox Hollow Tubing Adventure > I & M Canal Boat > Starved Rock State Park > Grand View Drive
Distance: 250 miles
Trip Time: 5 hours 25 minutes
Looking for an epic summer adventure? How about a road trip to some of the best summer spots in Illinois? Start your day at one of Lake Michigan's finest beaches. Stroll through Anderson Japanese Gardens then go tubing on the Fox River. These are just a few of the highlights!
Route: Long Hollow Scenic Overlook > Mississippi Palisades State Park > Black Hawk Statue > Lowden - Miller Forest >
Distance: 77 miles
Trip Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Nothing is more beautiful than the changing colors of the leaves in the fall. Take it all in during this autumn road trip, one of the best road trips in Illinois. And it just goes to show that quick road trips in Illinois can be just as stunning as long ones.
Route: Chicago Botanic Garden > Lincoln Park Zoo > Starved Rock Lodge > Folepi's Winter Wonderland > McIntosh Christmas Road > Shelbyville Festival of Lights
Distance: 331 miles
Trip Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Turn up the Christmas music and cruise through Illinois to see the most beautiful lights. It's sure to get you in the holiday spirit! You'll have to wait until the holiday season for this one, but it's worth it.
Route: Junction Diner > Lincoln Park Zoo > Leaning Tower of Niles > Great Wolf Lodge > Jurassic Gardens > Illinois Railway Museum > Pilot Pete's
Distance: 137 miles
Trip Time: 3 hours 27 minutes
Need an Illinois road trip itinerary the whole family can enjoy? With roadside attractions, train-themed stops, and even a waterpark hotel along the way, kids and adults alike will have a blast!
Route: Illinois Beach State Park > Mississippi Palisades State Park > Starved Rock State Park > Matthiessen State Park > Pomona Natural Bridge > Giant City State Park > Ferne Clyffe State Park > Cache River Natural Area > Garden of the Gods > Cave-in-Rock State Park
Distance: 733 miles
Trip Time: 3 hours 23 minutes
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So much beauty in Illinois, so little time. That's why we created one big road trip to let you see some of the most gorgeous places in the state! From the shores of Lake Michigan to views of the Mississippi River, and exploring some of the state's most magnificent parks as well as a cave, this is one of the best road trips to take in Illinois if you love state parks and natural wonders.
Route: Clarendon Hills > Harvard > Woodstock > Cherry Valley > Galena > Mount Carroll > Fulton > Morrison > Franklin Grove > Sycamore
Distance: 365 miles
Trip Time: 8 hours
We've got a lot of charm going on here in Illinois. Take this road trip to enjoy the small towns that make our state great. This Illinois small-town road trip focuses on the northern part of the state and really showcases small-town charm.
Which of these Illinois road trip ideas do you like the best? There's so much to see in this state that it's a good idea to go with an itinerary. Tell us, what are some of the best road trips in Illinois you have taken?
Make sure you check out some of the best places to stay in Illinois so you can break up your road trip with a nice relaxing vacation rental. Before you go, stock up on some of our favorite road trip snacks too! Well, you have to get your own, of course.
Springtime in Illinois is such a wonderful sight. Our hiking trails, fields, and meadows burst forth with vivid colors and gardens come alive with beautiful blooms. If you’re looking for places to see flowers in Illinois this spring, take this road trip to six of the best places to experience them. The road trip runs for 10 hours and 27 minutes of driving time, so you’ll want to make a whole weekend of it.
Starting off in Harrisburg, Peony Hill Farm is the first destination, and all through April and May you’ll be able to see a swath of these gorgeous flowers. See them before they’re sent to flower shops all over the Midwest.
Next, we head to the Makanda area and hike the Rocky Bluff Trail which has wildflowers blooming all over the place and in so many varieties. This short and easy trail will show you trilliums, bloodroot, poppies, lilies, and many more. It’s a wonderful springtime trail.
This beautiful botanical garden in Springfield is a must-visit whether you’re on this road trip or just visiting the city. Wherever you wander in the Washington Park Botanical Garden you’ll see flowers lovingly arranged in garden beds, along walls, under trees, and pretty much everywhere you look. It’s a lovely spring stroll that shouldn’t be missed.
On the western outskirts of Springfield is the beautiful Lewis Memorial Acres Outer Loop Trail. Springfield locals love this trail, especially in the spring when the wildflowers open up and display their natural grandeur. This easy trail is less than two miles long and is great for bringing the kids along.
If you like Virginia bluebells, then this short hike is just for you. During the spring, Hidden Acres Park becomes a sea of bluebells. It’s a lush carpet from which the verdant trees grow creating a soothing landscape of purple and green. Either of the two trails on this 28-acre preserve will be a stunning sight.
The final stop on our flower road trip is at one of the best flower fields in Illinois. The Casper Bluff Land and Water Reserve has fields upon fields of them. The hiking trails here will show you every color of wildflower as well as ancient Native American mounds. This place is simply mesmerizing.
Have you been to any of these places to see flowers in Illinois? Do you have any other favorite places during springtime in Illinois? Let us know in the comments. If you’re looking for more natural beauty in Illinois, head back out on the road and check out these lovely places:
