scenic drives northern illinois

Beginning in Hartford, take Illinois Route 3 northwest to The Great River Road and cruise past the idyllic waterfront villages of Wood River, East Alton, Alton, Elsah, Chautauqua, and Graftonall. How do you put a rating on something that is just so serene? Spoon River Valley is one of the most beautiful scenic drives in Illinois. Scenic Drives in Illinois. The road has its northern source near Galena before tracking the Mississippi River all the way to Cairo, at the far south end of the state. If youre looking for a long meditative drive through Illinois, there has never been a better time to do it. Byway Bites How did we decide to drive? Each community has its own contribution, but one of the most scenic drives is in Alton, Illinois which is known for its historic homes that are perched on the bluffs overlooking the river. The road has its northern source near Galena before tracking the Mississippi River all the way to Cairo, at the far south end of the state. As the name suggests, the two-lane road was originally a stagecoach route connecting Galena with Chicago. Start in Murphysboro, south to Anna, and back up north to Carbondale. The ranch is situated on the front range minutes from I-25 and Highway 160, which crosses Colorado from east to west. Scenic drives to consider in Illinois are listed below. Galena in the north and Cairo to the south. This project was funded in whole or in part through a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation, This project was funded in whole or in part through a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation. Its no secret that the small towns of the Prairie State are charming, to say the least, and provide the perfect escape from daily life. Discover top travel stories and even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois with our free magazine. Thank you. FourSquare/Alex N. Start off your scenic drive with a visit to this old-fashioned soda fountain, tucked in Saults Drug Store in Fulton. Home Read more Photograph:. Sign up for our daily email to stay up to date with Illinois politics. Whether youre cruising the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River or winding through charming towns in the countryside, there are over 57,000 square miles of Illinois roads to explore. Click on any scenic byway or backway listed below for complete information. Go-Illinois.net, part of The Go Travel Sites family, is among the largest websites covering travel and vacationing in Illinois. Site Map, Copyright 2023 Great Rivers Country. Discover top travel stories and even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois with our free magazine. Route 66 doesn't exist anymore, except in history. Gary Ennis/Getty Images/iStockphoto. Below Galena, the US 20 rolls along inland out of sight of the river, but there is still plenty to see. The northern end begins near Elkhart Lake in northern Sheboygan County and the southern end begins at Whitewater Lake in southeastern Walworth County. Copyright 2017, 25 Top Easy-Care Plants for Midwest Gardens. We have been enjoying visiting several of the Presidential libraries, museums, historic homes, etc. This is the Badlands Loop scenic drive through the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. New Mexico is home to 25 magnificent scenic byways, totaling over 2,900 miles across a diverse landscape. Find out what's on in Illinois and Chicago with your guide to events, festivals, markets, music, theater, sports and more. It really helps take your mind off all the stressors in life. From there take US 30 west to the Mississippi River. With about 300 miles of highway in Illinois alone, you could make a whole day of sight seeing. Doing the road one way is just half the funits a new and different experience retracing your drive the other direction, and one youll enjoy just as much. One of the major features of LSD is the Outer Drive Bridge, also known as Link Bridge, which carries LSD traffic over the Chicago River. Not only is the drive peaceful and beautiful, but there are also fantastic spots to park, set up a blanket, and have a picnic on a bluff overlooking the river, enjoying the tranquility of the surrounding foliage. We'd love to have your business listed on our site. Starting in the state's southern delta, drive north to Pine Bluff, with museums, history, and numerous family-friendly attractions.. Continue to Little Rock, and explore the state capital and the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. Check out these, If you want to take a unique boat tour along the Illinois River and Lake Michigan, check out, Visit These 12 Incredible Charming Small Towns In Illinois, One For Each Month Of The Year, This Walkable Stretch Of Shops And Restaurants In Small-Town Illinois Is The Perfect Day Trip Destination, Few People Know One Of The Nicest Restaurants In America Is Hiding In Small-Town Illinois, The Illinois Resort Where You Can Go Ice Skating, Make Homemade Smores, And More This Winter, The 10 Best Backroads In Illinois For A Long Scenic Drive, 7 Paved Trails In Illinois That Make Hiking The Great Outdoors Easier, Theres A Mule-Pulled Canal Ride In Illinois That Is The Most Unique Thing Youll Ever Do, Take This Road To Nowhere In Illinois To Get Away From It All. If you want to take a trip back in time, then pack up the car and head down the historic Lincoln Highway. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The Great River Road is one of the most scenic road trips in the midwest. Time needed: 2.5 hours to 2 days. 9 years ago. Here are 15 of the best scenic drives in Illinois for you to take on your next road trip. You've probably worked up an appetite upon completing your hike. You pass by famous landmarks such as Navy Pier, Soldier Field, Lincoln Park Zoo and Calumet Park. Grandview Drive, Grandview Dr, Peoria, IL, USA. Spoon River Valley. Color Key: top-5 ranked routes in the state #1#2#3#4#5 Routes ranked below the top-5 are drawn in gray Newest Motorcycle Roads & Rides in Illinois The best part? Things To Do The downtown area here is meticulously preserved in its historical state, and there are plentiful things to doGrant Park, the Ulysses Grant Home, a three-state view from Horseshoe Mound, and the Blaum Brothers Distillery. This gorgeous road spans three states: Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Thats easy; everywhere you go turns into a classic Illinois road trip. Learn more about the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway on the website. THINGS TO DO 550 miles packed with adventure! I especially loved the Corpus Christi Church in Galesburg which was built in 1832 and is just a beautiful display of architecture. Beautiful views! Read our full coverage on the Ohio River Scenic Byway to learn more. 1. 1999 Wisconsin Act 9 directed the Wisconsin Department of Transportation . The entire stretch is filled with kitschy roadside relics, museums, classic midwestern food, drive-in theaters and restaurants, and 1940s charm, Ottawa, Illinois to the north and ending in Havana in the south, The River Road Byway is one of the most scenic drives in Illinois because of the astounding natural beauty of its wetland prairies, hardwood forests, woodland seeps, diverse wildlife, and winding river, A historic stretch of road that showcases charming towns and communities and the countrys first transcontinental highway, This is a quintessential Midwest scenic drive showcasing the unique culture of rural heritage, Located in the city of Peoria, Grandview Drive stretches from Prospect Road to Illinois Route 29, Dubbed the worlds most beautiful drive by President Roosevelt in 1910, Grandview Drive is the shortest on this list but well worth the trip, The drive takes you through Fulton County, beginning in Astoria and ending in London Mills, There are plenty of attractions along this drive to keep the entire family entertained, Venture into the Shawnee National Forest for delicious wine, untouched natural beauty, and some of the best hiking in Illinois, Begin in New haven and end in Cairo where the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers converge, From natural splendor, heartland farming, and the vast river to the charming communities that call this region home, the Ohio River Scenic Byway has something for everyone, Also known as the Road that Built the Nation, Historic National Road was built in 1806 and opened Illinois to settlement, It begins in Hartford on Illinois Route 3 and New Poag Road and ends in Grafton at Pere Marquette State Park, The great meeting of the rivers is the point of convergence for three great rivers: The Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois rivers. 1. Looking where to stay while exploring the Shawnee Hills Wine trail? Return to Main Site. Priceless. Our section is about 166 miles long. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. If you time it right, you can end your day watching the sun go down over the Big Muddy at Savanna. Considered the most beautiful state park, Starved Rock State Park is home to a surreal landscape of rock formations, canyons, forests, and waterfalls. Day spas in Illinois that are worh visiting. It stretches 15.83 miles from Hollywood Avenue or 5700 North to Marquette Drive and Jefferey Drive at 6600 South and is often described as the "most scenic roadway in the country" as it embraces the lakefront, the city's skyline and most major tourist attractions. Who doesnt love an adventure along one of the best scenic drives in Illinois? You'll also pass by some of the state's most beautiful rivers, including the Spoon River and the Illinois River, and the river starts . The Scenic Byways program is a cooperative effort between local communities and WisDOT to identify and promote state and local highway corridors with scenic and/or historical attributes that provide travelers an enjoyable visual, educational and recreational experience. The southern end is at Whitewater Lake in southeastern Walworth County. Your email and your recipient's email will NOT be shared with anyone. 2023 Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. Here is a list of scenic drives in Central Illinois. This incredible route is the iconic American road trip. Illinois Tourist Information Centers And thats where Patricia always brings it back to basics, one hand out the window, playing airplane just like a kid. This expansive route spans the entire length of the state, hugging the Mississippi River to the West as it winds past limestone bluffs and rushing waters. Why you should go: The ultimate great lakes drive when you have a few days to spare. Originally, the Illinois portion was an attempt to make it easier for farmers to get their crops to the markets but then began to draw in travelers in automobiles. Route 66, otherwise known as Main Street of America or Mother Road is one of the original and most famous highways in the United States and one of the most scenic byways in Illinois. This is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites without extra cost to you. The views over the Illinois River are beautiful and well worth the drive. Pick up a fall driving tour brochure in Freeport, and eat ice cream at Union Dairy, next to the site of a Lincoln-Douglas debate. About The Byway If you love a good, old fashioned drive through beautiful rural Illinois and have a spot thats your favorite we certainly want to hear about it in the comments. This byway was recently named one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois because of the stunning bluffs, mighty rivers, abundance of historical sites, and quaint villages. the Shawnee Hills Wine trail? The scenic park offers heavily wooded areas overlooking the river, and is named for the 55-foot wide cavern situated in the bluffs along the river's edge. The road is quite smooth and the traffic volume is very low. Saults Drug Store - Fulton. Part of HuffPost News. Pack a delicious picnic and enjoy a relaxing day at this peaceful spot before hopping back in the car and taking in the rest of the beautiful landscape laid out before you. Be sure to check out London Mills and Spoon River Dam along the Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive, one of the most beautiful drives in Illinois. 3. Drive Safe Beginning in Chicago and ending in St. Louis, you'll find an old, hand-laid brick road, a rabbit ranch, fried chicken, strange statues, and much more on this Illinois byway. Travelers keen on getting outside won't have to look far for thrilling . If you're looking to escape the bustle of the city, pack up the car and set out on one of these scenic drives in Illinois. Go at night for the sunset! 4. The Tunnel of Trees spans 20 miles, beginning . Very low time it right, you could make a whole day of sight seeing directed Wisconsin... Drive, grandview Dr, Peoria, IL, USA right, you could make a day! Northern end begins at Whitewater Lake in southeastern Walworth County volume is very low visit to this old-fashioned fountain. X27 ; t have to look far for thrilling go down over the Illinois River are beautiful and well the. Backway listed below Badlands National Park in south Dakota Highway in Illinois listed... 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