Places to go in Southern Illinois

Going to the “Prairie State” on a family vacation?

You’d be glad to know that the state of Illinois is more than Chicagoland!


Illinois boasts beautiful natural scenery, natural attractions, historic sites such as the Cahokia Mounds, and some of the best Beaches on Lake Michigan.

Down in southern Illinois, the region known as Little Egypt, you'll find the majestic Shawnee National Forest which has to be one of the top 10 natural wonders in the USA.

Quaint Places like Springfield IL and Galena IL are great for quite and relaxing tours enjoying historical tours and visiting museums.

Along the Illinois- Missouri border, you can also check out nearby attractions like the Gateway Arch and Mark Twain Boyhood home, two of the most interesting places to visit in Missouri.

As you can see, there are plenty of things to do state-wide and the city of Chicago is not your only option to vacation when visiting the Prairie State.

I’ve come up with some of interesting places to visit in Illinois that I’d like to share with you. Hope you enjoy my list:

Galena

The small town of Galena Illinois is certainly one of the most interesting places to visit in Illinois because of this town’s rich history and cultural attractions.

If you’re interested in history and architecture, you’ll enjoy visiting Galena’s historic sites such as U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site where you can learn about the history of General Ulysses S. Grant, his home and his family.

Chicago

Chicago is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting places to visit in the state because of the many things to see and do such as exploring the parks and enjoying a tour.

Millennium Park has to be one of my favorite downtown Chicago attractions because it offers beautiful views of the city and the park is a great place to spend the day in Chicago taking in the sights.

If you want to take a fun tour, and love all things sweet – in particular cheesecakes – you shouldn’t miss a visit to Eli’s cheesecake factory and enjoy the tour there.

You get to go on a guided tour of the premises, stand near an assembly production line, learn how they make cheesecakes and even make your own cheesecake to take home.

Marion

If you love nature, you’d love exploring the beautiful Crab Orchard refuge located in Marion Illinois.

The Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is an excellent place to get close to nature while enjoying outdoor activities like fishing and hiking.

If you have a kids with you, you'll love enjoying a camping vacation at the refuge getting close to nature.

This place is also on my list of interesting places to visit in Illinois because the refuge has a lovely three-mile driving route, excellent for enjoying a wildlife tour.

Collinsville

If you’re visiting Illinois first time, you can’t miss a visit to Cahokia Mounds Site in Collinsville. The town of Collinsville is on my list of interesting places to visit in Illinois because the Cahokia Mounds was the site of the largest prehistoric Indian city in the region.

Today, the mounds are an amazing historical site where you can enjoy a fun time learning about the cultures that thrived here.

If you’re traveling with kids, Cahokia Mounds Site has interactive exhibits and activities for the little ones such as face painting activities.

Alto Pass

If you are exploring southern Illinois, you may want to pay a visit to the small town of Alto Pass to check out Bald Knob Cross of Peace, which is a 100 foot white cross on top of Bald Knob Mountain.

Shawnee National Forest

Cave-In-Rock is a stunning natural wonder located within the Cave-In-Rock state park in Shawnee National Forest, and it is an stunning 50 feet wide cave naturally carved in a bluff.

Cave-In-Rock is on my list of interesting places to visit in Illinois because it used to be a hide-out for famous bandits such as the pirate Samuel Mason.

The Shawnee National Forest is also one of the best places to see fall foliage in the Midwest hands down, so if you're traveling this autumn to Illinois, don't miss the eye-filling color in the forest!

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Things to do in the Midwest

Are you looking for interesting places to visit in Missouri?

If you’re wondering what attractions and things to do the state offers, Missouri boasts beautiful forests, stunning caves, many historic sites, plenty of cultural attractions and even free attractions such as the Anheuser Busch Brewery Museum where you can even enjoy free beer tasting.

So without further ado, I present to you my list of interesting places to visit in Missouri:

Branson

Branson Missouri has to be one of the best vacation spots in the Midwest because of the variety of things to do and attractions that this city offers.

If you’re looking to stay busy during your trip to Missouri, there is surely no better place in the state where you can enjoy attractions day and night than in Branson MO.

During the day you can visit an amusement park like Silver Dollar City, and head to Table Rock Lake or Lake Taneycomo to enjoy fun activities like camping, picnicking, boating, fishing and swimming.

Branson MO is also on my list of interesting places to visit in Missouri because of the variety of night entertainment and shows on offer like magician shows, comedy shows and country music shows.

St Louis

St Louis is on my list of interesting places to visit in Missouri because the city offers plenty of cultural things to do like visiting museums and historic places. Four of my favorite historical places to visit in St Louis include:

- The Gateway Arch
- Jefferson Barracks Historic
- Ulysses S Grant National National Historic Site
- Mastodon State Historic Site

If you’re traveling with the family, St Louis also offers many family-oriented attractions to keep little ones entertained. A few worth checking out include:

- Miniature Museum-Greater St Louis
- St Louis Science Center
- St Louis Zoo

Hannibal

If you are a fan of Mark Twain ( like me) you should include a visit to the small town of Hannibal, where he was brought up.

The Mark Twain Museum does a good job at bringing Mark Twain’s best works to life, and you get to see buildings such as Huck Finn's house, as well as the actual home where Mark Twain grew up himself.

Meremec & Fantastic Caverns

Missouri is home to some of the top 10 natural wonders in USA, and if you’re looking for fun attractions that kids won’t be able to resist, you must visit at least a few caverns in the state.

There are over 4000 caves in total, and two caves I would suggest visiting include Meremec Caverns, near the town of Sullivan, and Fantastic Caverns in the outskirts of Springfield MO.

Kansas City

Kansas City is another of the interesting places to visit in Missouri because of the stunning amount of fountains the city boasts. But, if you are also a history buff and are interested in historical places to visit in Missouri, you should definitely add a visit to Kansas City Missouri (near the border with Kansas)

In Kansas City, you’ll find the beautiful Union Station, Liberty Memorial and a bronze statue of George Washington in Washington Park.

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Looking for interesting places to visit in Iowa?

things to do for fun while visiting Iowa

It is surprising how many people don’t think much of Iowa as a vacation spot in the Midwest, only to be blown away by the many sights and attractions that the state has to offer. Believe me, corn and hogs aren't the only thing to be seen in Iowa...there are also many other cool places to go that you will definitely enjoy visiting:


Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry is one of my favorite places to visit in Iowa and a cool place to Indian burial mounds such as the one located at Fire Point in Effigy Mounds Park

At the park’s visitor center you can also watch a short movie on American Indian mound building as well as a cool demonstration on ancient tools used by Native American tribes.

Effigy Mounds Park also offers many outdoor activities and programs such as hiking trips for the whole family .
If you’d like to visit, Effigy Mounds National Monument is located right on the Iowa-Wisconsin border and about 100 miles west of Madison in Wisconsin.

Loess Hills

Loess Hills are certainly one of the top 10 natural wonders in the USA because of the silt formations and wonderful grassland prairies, which are quite beautiful to watch during the fall foliage.

Apart from the lovely natural scenery, Loess Hills is one of my favorite places to visit in Iowa because of the  many earth lodges left by the Glenwood culture. In fact, you can see an earth lodge replica in Glenwood Lake Park, and check out ancient artifacts at the park’s museum.

Amana

Not far from Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, you’ll find perhaps one of the most interesting places to visit in Iowa – the Amana Colonies.

Iowa Must See Sights

The Amana Colonies consists of seven villages settled by German immigrants in late 1800’s. There is a visitor’s center right in Amana where you can find more information about the Amana Colonies and book a fun tour that includes checking out hundred-year old barns and historic sites.


Dubuque

If you’re looking for a good mixture of cultural attractions and fun things to do during your trip to the state, make sure you add a visit to Dubuque to your itinerary.


The city is one of the most interesting places to visit in Iowa and one of the top places to vacation with kids in the state.

Things to do in the Midwest

Two attractions that you and your family will enjoy in Dubuque include:

- Taking a cable ride on the Fenelon Place Elevator to the top of the bluff to get lovely views of the city.

- Visiting the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium where you can see cool animal exhibits and short films on the Mississippi River, and even experience an trip down the Mississippi River on the interactive theater.

Winterset

Winterset is known for its famed covered bridges and natural scenery, but if you’re a fan of old westerns (like myself), you’ll be glad to know that Winterset is the birthplace of John Wayne.

You can take a tour of John Wayne's childhood house and see where the ‘Duke’ grew up. Even, if you’re not a fan, the house in itself is historic and gives you a good idea of how houses were like in early 1900’s, and people used to live.

Fort Dodge & Fort Madison

You can’t truly say, you’ve seen Iowa, if you haven’t been to one of the reconstructed forts in the state.

Fort Dodge and Fort Madison are the places where you can glance and marvel at a typical frontier outpost.

In Fort Dodge, Fort Museum has a recreation of the original Fort Dodge including a trading post, court jail, a blacksmith shop, a general store and more.

While iIn Fort Madison, you can see the reconstruction of Fort Madison outpost, and get lovely views of the beautiful Mississippi River flowing in the background.

Bonaparte

The town of Bonaparte is another of my favorite places to visit in Iowa because of the town’s yesteryear feel. The historic Riverfront district is the main focal point as it features charming shops, 19th century cottages and beautiful Victorian houses.

Every Tuesday, the town also holds a lovely Farmers Market where you can mingle with the locals while tasting some yummy foods!

There is also a crafts show and flea market normally in mid September, where you can find handmade goods and collectable items.

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