What's in Illinois? (Chicago, Peoria, Joliet: how much, homes, buying)

[LilMountain]

Doing a roadtrip along I-80 next week and was curious what's of note in the state near that area? Won't be hanging out too much, just curious if there's any can't miss type attractions, restaurants, etc. anywhere along 80 that I should make a point to stop for.

Also, if you've been anywhere else along 80 and have any suggestions I'll be driving along the entire length of the highway and we'll be looking for neat things to take a break and see.
(more details here: The Transition: I-80 » Big Apple or Bust)

[urza216]

I-80, huh?

Well, Harold's Chicken Shack is amazing. It's the best fried chicken ever. Not too far across I-57, exit SOUTH onto Halsted and just down the street on your right side is the Harold's location in Homewood, Illinois.

A little ways before that on I-80, you can exit into the city of Joliet and explore (especially if you're bringing a GPS device). There are multiple exits. You can go to one of the casinos there and/or see the old Joliet State prison.

http://www.visitjoliet.org/index.html

[atcshane2]

Originally Posted by LilMountain

Doing a roadtrip along I-80 next week and was curious what's of note in the state near that area? Won't be hanging out too much, just curious if there's any can't miss type attractions, restaurants, etc. anywhere along 80 that I should make a point to stop for.

Also, if you've been anywhere else along 80 and have any suggestions I'll be driving along the entire length of the highway and we'll be looking for neat things to take a break and see.
(more details here: The Transition: I-80 » Big Apple or Bust)

Although you asked for Illinois, just a bit past the border, I would stop at the Indiana Dunes beach and take a walk around. Should be a great break from your trip.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by atcshane2

Although you asked for Illinois, just a bit past the border, I would stop at the Indiana Dunes beach and take a walk around. Should be a great break from your trip.

The OP asked this question in the Indiana forum too. And the Iowa forum, Utah forum, Pennsylvania forum and every state I-80 runs though.

[linicx]

Fortunately, Illinois i-80 is not the widest part of the state. You will come in on the Quad -City side and exit on the Indiana side. You are entering into America's bread basket. Iowa and Illinois are the largest producers of coarn in the United States. You will drive through neary 600 miles of it before you reach Indiana which is another farming state.

World's Largest Truckstop located in Walcott, Iowa. Interstate 80 and Exit 284.
Amana Colonies: 622 46th Avenue, Amana, IA.

Moline, Illinois: The John Deere Pavilion, the world’s largest agriculture museum.
Princeton, Illinoiis is a small historical town on !-80/ IL 26 that is two hours West of Chicago. It is a great place to unwind and kick back for an hour or a night. You can take a train to Chicago and return to Princeton.

Chicago. You cannot see Chicago in one day or even two but you can hit some of the highlights:
Lunch or dinner on the 95th floor or drinks on the 96th floor of the Hancock building in downtown Chicago. The Historic Gold Coast. The Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue; Take a Lake Cruise or architecturalc cruise, or the City trolly tour. Chinatown is definately worth a stop but it is not downtown. If you like architecture you might like to take a side trip to Oak Park (about 9 miles from the Loop). OP has the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright designed building in the world. It is a walkable tour. You will find the Ernest Hemmingway childhood home and several Prairie style homes, too.

Utica, Illinois: If you have the time and want to do something really different, your can detour off I-80 to Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort. located near the entrance at Starved Rock State Park. It features Illinois first indoor water park and first class accomodations. I believe a washer and dryer is included in most units. If you like to hike you will love the state park.

The Midwest can have some very wild weather. You might consider buying a NOAA radio that is battery and AC for your trip. It will change channels as you drive across the entire United States. I found mine at Radio Shack for under $20

[urza216]

Originally Posted by linicx

Chicago. You cannot see Chicago in one day or even two but you can hit some of the highlights:
Lunch or dinner on the 95th floor or drinks on the 96th floor of the Hancock building in downtown Chicago. The Historic Gold Coast. The Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue; Take a Lake Cruise or architecturalc cruise, or the City trolly tour. Chinatown is definately worth a stop but it is not downtown. If you like architecture you might like to take a side trip to Oak Park (about 9 miles from the Loop). OP has the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright designed building in the world. It is a walkable tour. You will find the Ernest Hemmingway childhood home and several Prairie style homes, too.

hmmm.. Fine ideas but other than China Town, none of them are on the south side. And geeze louise, Oak Park is way out of the way. Most tourists spend very little time on the south side. The OP was vague about how much he wanted to go out of the way on this trip. You can take I-80 to the I-57, I-94 or I-90 ramp and be in the south side in no time at all. Twenty minutes tops. But if you're actually trying to get to downtown, the north side or gentrified west side areas (where most tourists go), it's a little out of the way for someone just "stopping by" on a cross country road trip. Unless he actually plans on getting off I-80 and spending a day in the city of Chicago during this cross county road trip.

Maybe the OP can be a little more clear.. I don't know. But then again, it would seem like a waste to pass I-57, I-94 and I-90 on I-80 and NOT go to Chicago.. I gave him some recommendations for stuff just off the expressway though.

[atcshane2]

Originally Posted by urza216

No, Lininx. I surely was not suggesting such a thing. But in this thread the OP asked about Illinois not Indiana or Iowa. If you want to recomend something in Indiana or Iowa, it would make sense to do it the apropriate thread, right?

You're assuming everyone bothers/has time/likes to track down all the threads the OP may or may not have posted. Strange thinking.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by LilMountain

What's in Illinois?

1. Chicago.

2. Corn.

3. Soybeans.

4. That's about it.

[linicx]

History and cultures

Diversity and variety

13,000,000 population

Top rated colleges and universities

Large farms, tiny villages, cities large and small

Soybean export #1 in America

Corn export #2 in America

Cattle, hogs and lamb exports

Flowers, candy and furniture exports

Small brewpubs and wineries

Caterpillar and John Deere

Sports: hunting, fishing, trapping, trolling, sailing, bowling, skeet, hiking, walking, car/boat/motorcycle/foot races, swimming, golf, lacrosse, soccer, hockey, baseball, football, basketball, dancing, volleyball, softball.

Performing Arts, dancers, singers and musicians

Visual Arts and planetariums

The world's busiest airport

The largest inland wetlands in America

The Illinois River and the Port of Peoria

The Des Plaines River and the Port of Chicago

Zoological parks, botanical gardens and museums

State parks, large lakes, large rivers and streams

Primitive and RV camping.

[LilMountain]

Originally Posted by urza216

It's off topic to mention neighboring towns in Northwest Indiana in threads about the south suburbs, right? Of course it's off topic to discuss neighboring states in a thread titled What's In Illinois, right?



Track down? Quite a dramatic way of describing one click on a computer mouse. This takes ten seconds.

All you have to do is click on the OP's profile and you'll see the threads immediately. Not hard. The OP only has 27 posts.

Man, we really are SPOILED by modern technology if this is "tracking down" and time consuming.

It's cool, I asked for ideas anywhere along 80 in case anyone was only looking in one state's subforum but had experiences elsewhere. I appreciate all the suggestions