While Chicago is undeniably the most famous destination in Illinois, drawing in millions of tourists annually, the state offers countless lower-profile getaways showcasing a rare side of the Prairie State. Beyond the hustle of the big city lies a range of distinct communities and locales perfect for mini-breaks to escape bustling crowds. 2024 encourages opportunities to veer off the major highways and uncover the true heart of Illinois during a relaxed weekend trip in the overlooked backcountry.

From historic settlements saturated in Americana to pastoral prairies blanketing millennia-old scenic views, these ideal Illinois destinations guarantee immersion in authentic Midwest charms. Over three unforgettable days, exploring off-the-beaten-path routes presents a unique glimpse of the state at a relaxing pace. Those who appreciate quality over quantity should consider venturing along picturesque backroads to recharge in these intimate countryside delights.

Oglesby

Spend a fabulous weekend surrounded by picturesque natural beauty and small-town charm in this adorable village of LaSalle County. Oglesby is the famous home of Starved Rock State Park, one of Illinois’s most unique wilderness areas. Straddling the Illinois River, it boasts wooded trails, sandstone canyons, and seasonal waterfalls that promise adventurers endless recreational opportunities. Enthusiasts come from across the state to hike, camp, fish, kayak, and watch wildlife across its 2,600-acre territory. The town further offers Matthiessen State Park, which offers additional space for outdoor adventures and a great alternative if you want to escape the crowding in Starved Rock State Park.

After a fulfilling adventure in the great outdoors, guests can relax and unwind with a cocktail while listening to music in the cozy atmosphere of Lizzie’s Lounge. Afterwards, they can sleep a comforting night and experience delightful accommodation that won’t break the bank.

Macomb

A rich mix of attractions in this bustling college town in McDonough County promises tourists a jam-packed long weekend in the fringes of Illinois. Home to Western Illinois University, this harbors a lively art scene that welcomes newcomers for a unique visual art experience at the WIU Art Gallery. The recognized exhibits diverse works by regional and national artists featuring various art forms. History lovers get insight into the town’s past by touring the Western Illinois Museum. Inside, a diverse artifact collection with archives and memorabilia paints a vivid picture of McDonough County’s colorful history.

A wide array of nature spaces ensure outdoorsy travelers are spoilt for choice when stepping into the open. The Malcomb Park District enriches the tourist experience with acres of recreation opportunities. Options remain just as abundant when it comes to accommodation, although the Hampton Inn is definitely among the best local hotels.

Woodstock

From its popular annual festivals to its charming historic district and its beautiful outdoor spots, Woodstock has something for everyone. A weekend escape during the Woodstock Folk Festival is the perfect way to experience the rich cultural vibes in this adorable McHenry County community. However, there is plenty of fun for those visiting outside the festival period. Woodstock boasts a quaint historic district with an incredible display of old-world architecture, perfect for exploring at a snail’s pace. Strolling down its quiet streets reveals iconic landmarks like the Woodstock Opera House. The historic venue is housed in an 1880s building and provides moving live art performances for the public’s amusement.

Meanwhile, one of the best times to be downtown is during the Woodstock Farmers Market. The atmosphere is consistently energetic on Tuesdays and Saturdays as vendors bring out their fresh produce and traditional crafts. For accommodation, consider staying at the Quality Inn & Suites.

Casey

A small town with a “big” profile, this quiet community boasts a fair share of Guinness Book of World records that never fail to delight first-timers. These constitute quirky roadside attractions that stand out for their extraordinary size, including the 46,000-pound World’s Largest Rocking Chair and the 12-meter-long World’s Largest Wind Chime. Collectively, they are charismatic landmarks enticing tourists with fantastic photo opportunities. When not checking off the list of “World’s Biggest” attractions in Casey, you can revel in its serene natural scenery at Fairview Park. This riverfront oasis encourages tourists to enjoy the ultimate outdoor experience with its multiple campsites.

While discovering the different points of interest lining the downtown corridors, remember to stop by Wildflour Bakery & Candy Co. to indulge your sweet tooth with delicious chocolates, gourmet candy, and novelty baked goods. With this, staying at Eighteen-Ninety Sleepover keeps you at a central location in the town for easy exploration.

Freeport

Rich history naturally blends with bustling arts in this lovely town along the Pecatonica River in Stephenson County. Freeport hosts a fair share of historical markers, notably the actual site of the second Lincoln-Douglas debate. You can witness the landmark location at the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Square. The site features lush park surroundings, with the focal point being life-size statues of the two great men of history. Furthermore, there is even more detailed history to uncover at Silver Creek Museum. This magnificent facility harbors diverse artifacts that hint at the town’s and country’s heritage.

Freeport is renowned for its lively arts community, and newcomers can join locals inside the Winneshiek Playhouse to enjoy entertaining and family-friendly performances. Additionally, you can book a room at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson for luxurious accommodation without compromising your budget.

Galena

If you are up for an immersive trip down memory lane during your weekend retreat, Galena is one of the ideal Illinois destinations for this. Boasting a heritage dating back to the 1820s, the town’s rustic charm shines through a classic display of old-world architecture throughout its historic downtown district. You can discover some of its most treasured gems through taking the narrated Galena Trolley Tours, which highlights the individual landmarks in the site-rich neighborhood. Consider touring the U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site to uncover rich American history. The storied legacy of the 18th president of the United States comes alive in the modest Italianate building.

You will also want to check out the bustling craft brewery and distillery scene in Galena, where you can taste freshly crafted beers and spirits at establishments like the Galena Brewing Company. Finally, cap off your day with a unique, yet comfortable, accommodation experience at the historic DeSoto House Hotel.

Pomona

This isolated community in the Shawnee National Forest promises tourists a laid-back short vacation where they can revel in Mother Nature’s majesty. Pomona presents plenty of natural wonders perfect for exploration, notably the Pomona Natural Bridge. This hidden treasure stretches around 30 meters and is the ideal hiking trail for adventurers who prefer quiet and secluded routes. The Little Grand Canyon is another scenic hiking opportunity, spoiling tourists with dramatic canyon vistas along the Big Muddy River.

Pomona lies in the Shawnee Hills wine country region and houses several wineries where oenophiles can sample tasty local crafts. Tourists have the chance to visit establishments like Pomona Winery and Hickory Ridge Vineyard and Winery along the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. While there aren’t many B&Bs in Pomona, you can find decent accommodation in nearby small towns, such as Makanda Inn, which is about 20 minutes away.

Litchfield

Located south of Springfield, this south-central Illinois gem is a major highway stop that welcomes many in-transit visitors. Litchfield is enveloped by lush landscapes offering a pleasant outdoor escape, with access to a lovely swimming lake. Milnot is popular during the summer, with locals and tourists flocking to its sandy shores to enjoy a cool dip and sunbathe. Those who enjoy good-natured social encounters will love the atmosphere at Litchfield Pickers Market. Bustling with spirited vendors and buyers, it is a hub for souvenir hunters with various antiques, primitives, and collectibles.

However, historically inclined travelers may gravitate towards the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center. This fantastic facility preserves the community’s historic artifacts in a premier venue along Route 66. Multiple hotels and inns, including Baymont by Wyndham Litchfield, provide lodging services to the many people passing through Litchfield.

Savanna

This Mississippi River town near the Iowa border delights tourists with 19th-century charm and relaxed rural scenery. Outdoors enthusiasts can look forward to exciting adventures in Savanna thanks to Mississippi Palisades State Park. Covering over 2,500 acres, this recreation hub beckons campers, picnickers, hikers, and bird watchers to discover its spellbinding river bluffs and dramatic rock formations. Besides the beautiful outdoors, Savanna interests the indoor inclined at the Savanna Museum and Heritage Center. Inside, a vast collection of archives, artifacts, and relics tell the unique story of Savanna through the years.

Alternatively, visitors can catch the latest Hollywood installations at Savanna Times Theater. The family-friendly venue screens classic and new movies at very reasonably priced tickets. You don’t have to search too long for a hotel in Savanna, with top options like Savanna Inn & Suites available.

Wrapping Up

Illinois’ unbeatable charms come from the authentic experiences in its lesser-known small towns. From the historic riverfront settlement of Freeport to the dynamic communities of Macomb, these hidden gems offer a genuine taste of prairie living. Whether simply relaxing on picturesque courthouse squares, hiking diverse trails, or enjoying parades and festivals with locals, visitors gain notable insight into the true heartland character shaping the state outside its large cities. For those seeking to fill limited time with quality cultural immersion, any of the above ideal Illinois destinations will be an excellent choice.

Residents of a tiny town are in uproar over plans to replace a street housing disabled people with those with mental health and drug problems.

The remote neighborhood of 20 homes on Turkey Hill in Belleville, Illinois, was for 40 years used for adults with developmental disabilities.

St Clair Associated Vocational Enterprises gave them a community, often with their families, and provided them with jobs at its nearby facilities.

But the program was shut down last year after state policy changed to favor integrating disabled people into the community rather than segregating them.

SAVE lost its Illinois Department of Human Services funding as a result and discontinued the program, though it maintained its vocational day programs.

With the homes sitting empty, SAVE made a deal with Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center to house its clients in 15 of the 17 remaining buildings.

CBHC has a $537,000 federal Department of Housing and Urban Development grant to provide low-income housing to people with behavioral disabilities.

The people who would move in include those with mental illness, substance abuse problems, homelessness, or struggling with other crises.

‘Our mission is to provide quality individualized essential services for people in need of emotional, rehabilitative and social support, on a twenty-four (24) hour basis, in the least restrictive environment,’ its website reads.

However, rumors ran like wildfire through nearby neighborhoods who originally thoughts the homes would house migrants from Chicago.

When they discovered who would actually be moving in, they instead feared an influx of violence into their community.

St Clair Associated Vocational Enterprises gave them a community, often with their families, and provided them with jobs at its nearby facilities

Residents erect a structure as part of their vocational training

‘I worry about more than anything are drive-by shootings or people getting into fights, and then you have gunfire going off,’ Ginger Miller, who lives nearby, told the Belleville News-Democrat.

‘I know the Freeburg police don’t have the manpower to patrol it regularly, and our county police are already stretched thin.’

Frank Heiligenstein, who lives in nearby Freeburg, runs the Citizens Federation of St. Clair County and put the issue on the agenda for its meeting on Wednesday.

He originally titled it ‘the relocation of migrants from Chicago to the Turkey Hill SAVE site’ until he learned the truth.

‘We might have been better off with migrants coming in because they aspire to go to work someplace,’ he said. 

‘We have several facilities out here… that use migrants, legally and illegally. Some of them have to use them to sustain their operations.’

The small, basic-build frame houses, seen here getting maintainence, were built to house personnel at a US Air Force radar base in the 1950s and 60s

Disabled residents work in a garden within the small neighborhood

SAVE executive director Paul Wibbenmeyer said leasing the homes to CBHC would give the organization some income and still help people.

‘The homes will be put to a use that isn’t very different from what we’ve done in the past. We served a population that had challenges,’ he told the newspaper.

‘The people that the HUD grant is designed to assist have challenges of their own.’

CBHC executive director Joe Harper said the people who would move in were already in the community and needed its help.

‘We’re attempting to help them by giving them a stable place to live so they can become contributing members of the community,’ he said.

Wibbenmeyer said CBHC would have an employee on sight at all times, and more than one much of the time.

The group was looking into providing a shuttle bus to move residents in an out of the isolated neighborhood, and some may have their own cars.

The neighborhood is remote, with SAVE’s facilities (top right) including warehouses and assembly and packaging plants nearby where disabled clients, both residents and those who just come for the day, lean vocational skills and work for pay

CBHC provides therapeutic counseling, psycho-social testing, individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, consultation, community intervention, psychiatric evaluation, case management services, referrals, and outreach services.

Other services include drug treatment, teen-parenting classes, and transition from homelessness.

The small, basic-build frame houses were built to house personnel at a US Air Force radar base in the 1950s and 60s.

The government let SAVE use it in 1975 and later gifted it the land and buildings.

SAVE has warehouses and assembly and packaging plants nearby where disabled clients, both residents and those who just come for the day, lean vocational skills and work for pay.

(WGN) — Boston Market restaurants have been quietly closing over the past few months, leaving just one store in operation across Illinois.

Workers at a west suburban Boston Market confirm they are not closed, telling WGN News: “We’re the last one, but we’re not closing.”

The location is just outside Chicago at 830 W. North Ave. in Melrose Park.

Once known as “Boston Chicken,” the restaurant pioneered healthier fast-food takeout with its popular rotisserie chicken.

The Washington Post reported on the company’s extensive legal problems earlier this year, “with landlords claiming unpaid rent and a fresh barrage of lawsuits and investigations over overdue bills and wages.”

According to a March Restaurant Business Magazine report, the chain, which once had more than a thousand locations nationwide, was down to a few dozen.