Chicago may steal the Illinois spotlight but dig a little deeper and you will find a diverse state which has much more to offer than merely its most famous city.

While the majority of tourism is focused on the Windy City with its fabulous art museums, architecture, blues clubs, and famous comedy scene, the rest of Illinois provides an abundance of cultural, historical and natural delights.

From the picturesque Great River Valley dotted with historic towns, to the southern plains with their charming little farms and over fifty excellent state parks, Illinois offers an array of outdoors opportunities.

Canoeists can enjoy weaving through 1000-year-old cypress trees on the Cache River, cyclists can freewheel through ghost towns on the Tunnel Hill State Trail and hikers can explore impressive rock formations in Shawnee National Forest’s Garden of the Gods.

Travellers discerning enough to explore the lesser known areas of the Lincoln State, will discover a diverse and exceptionally scenic state full of wonderful attractions just waiting to be discovered.