List your favorite things about Illinois (Chicago, Oak Park: how much, houses, live)

[Steve-o]

Just a fun thread I figured Id start. I see some other forums have some fun threads, we might as well have one too! Just list some things about Illinois that make you proud to call this place home.

1. Standing 1,353 ft above downtown in the Sears Tower.
2. Strolling around Galena, listening to horse hooves click and clack on the brick streets.
3. Taking a bite out of a juicy Portillos Italian beef.
4. Walking through dense woods, following a heavy snowfall, it looks like a dream.
5. Pumpkin farms, hot apple cider and the smell of burning leaves in the fall.
6. Taking a drive along the Mississippi near Galena, smelling the crystal clean air, watching the eagles soar and admiring the beauty of the changing leaves.
7. Hiking down into Starved Rock State Park's many canyons, particularly in fall.
8. Standing atop the awesome rock formations at the Garden of the Gods State Park.
9. Feeling all the energy and buzz in downtown Chicago, admiring the architecture.
10. Entering through the turnstyles at Wrigley Field, something Ill never, ever tire of.
11. Stepping outside on a arctic night, the air so still that nothing seems to be alive, and seeing a bright moon reflecting off of crunchy snow. Very surreal!
12. Sitting next to a pool on a breezy, humid day.
13. Sitting along the Rock River in Oregon, listening to the water and watching deer.

What are some memories/activities that you do here that will forever give you memories/dreams about Illinois?

[Drover]

Gino's East stuffed pizza!

Or, even better, a stuffed pizza from Calo in Andersonville.

There are a couple places that have tried to franchise the concept of Chicago-style stuffed pizza nationally, like Pizzeria Uno and Old Chicago (based in Denver!!). But for those of you in the other parts of the country who are getting the wrong idea that these places accurately represent Chicago-style pizza, you need to come to Chicago and experience the real thing. (I realize Pizzeria Uno is based in Chicago and the pizza at their actual downtown locations are just fine, I have NEVER had pizza at one of their franchises that comes close to the real thing.)

[Drover]

Can't forget Shawnee National Forest

[Steve-o]

Actually, I believe Pizzeria Uno was the founder of deep-dish pizza.

Ill add a few more to my list:

Eating a pizza from Lou Malnati, Rosatis and Pal Joey. Mmmmm.

Taking a lakefront boat cruise on a summer night.

Freezing to death at a Bears game, but having a blast at the same time.

Touring the Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Oak Park.

Fishing at the Chain o' Lakes State Park.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Drover

Can't forget Shawnee National Forest

Yes, thats beautiful too. Thats where the Garden of the Gods State Park is. Beautiful country!

Also, Matthiesson State Park has some beautiful small canyons too, and a few nice waterfalls.

I also love visiting the Nachusa Grasslands, and listening to the prairie grasses blowing the wind. Very comforting and serene.

[Bex]

Favorite thing about Illinois......ummmmm...it's not Texas

[mdz]

great posts above, here's a few more things that I love

1) The cheering during the national anthem at the Blackhawks' games. not as fun as it was when the team was good and they were playing at the smaller chicago stadium, but still good enough to give me chills before each game. Or at least me and the 55 fans that are still left.

2) My neighbors. Everywhere I've lived in the city and the burbs I've had great neighbors that I get along with and loved talking to over the fence. One poster on an Arizona board mentioned how much they loved the privacy their high walls between houses afforded them. Yuck

3) Watching the bald eagles soar over the Mississippi during the winter at the Fulton Lock and Dam.

4) Superdawg

5) the fireworks on the third of july on the lakefront. A million people around you (only about 0.1% of whom are jerks) all a little liquored up and everyone in a good mood.

6) the lakefront bike trail and the Prairie Path.

7) the bison grazing at Fermilab

8) Cog Hill

9) tailgating before a Bears game

10) having a tall fosters on the metra ride home on friday after work

[Drover]

Fosters on the Metra! I love it! Though that must mean you're not a floor trader or you'd be drinking Heinekin.

It always fascinated me that you're allowed to drink on the Metra trains. I know of no other public transportation system that allows that.

[Switch625]

1. Shedd aquarium
2. Looking across Lake Michigan from the observation deck of the Sears Tower
3. Hole in the wall restaurants serving Greek food
4. Driving through what seems like remote countryside and happening upon a housing development in the middle of nowhere
5. Being able to look across the barren prairie in the middle of a winter night and really see the stars
6. Saying hello to someone on the street and getting a smile and a hello in return
7. Enjoying one of the many summer fairs (lemon shake-ups, tacos in a bag, funnel cakes)
8. Hundreds of other things I take for granted every day but wind up missing whenever I'm away from the state

[lonelychicagoan]

the only thing that i like about illinois at all is six flags great america.