Great American Road Trip: Chicago to Springfield

Origination: ChicagoDestination: SpringfieldTotal Miles (One-way):202 MilesPerfect for:Sports fans, wine lovers, history buffs.Best time to go:Late-August, early-SeptemberWeather:Cooling to mid-80s.

Travel through American history, visiting some of the Midwest’s most notable landmarks, on this short trip from Chicago to Springfield, Illinois. From Wrigley Field to Abraham Lincoln, you’ll finish this journey with a better sense of the people and places that shaped our country.

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Chicago Landmarks

The vibrant heart of the Midwest, Chicago mixes a thriving cosmopolitan scene with Midwestern charm and strong ties to its Industrial-era roots. Explore the city’s heritage on a boat trip with Chicago Line Tours. Wind your way down the Chicago River while taking in some of the city’s architectural and historical highlights including the Willis Building, the Civic Opera House, and the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier.

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Baseball History

No trip to Chicago would be complete without a visit to Wrigley Field. Built in 1914, it’s the second oldest Major League baseball park (after Fenway, erected in 1912) and home to the Chicago Cubs. Chicagoans love their hot dogs and no place serves them better than Superdawg Drive-In on North Milwaukee Drive. Grab a signature Superdawg from the drive-through on your way out of town.

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Park Retreat

After pounding the city pavement, Starved Rock Park in Utica will be a welcome retreat. One of the seven wonders of Illinois, the park has been home to humans since as early as 8,000 B.C. It was later home to the Illiniweck tribe from 1500-1700, and saw the arrival of the French in the 1600s. The park now offers 13 miles of trails, waterfalls, and a visitor’s center, complete with a sliver of a tree trunk with a Civil War-era bullet lodged in it. Canoe along the Illinois River, ride horses through the park’s 18 box canyons, or take a dinner cruise down the river on the Belle Rock, an authentic paddle wheel boat. Stay at the lodge, or camp out for the night, before heading towards Peoria.

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Wine Country, Illinois

Take a quick detour from your trip down history lane with a stop at the Kickapoo Creek Winery. Twenty minutes outside of Peoria in Edwards, you’ll find 250 acres dotted with vineyards, gardens, and patios. Grab lunch and indulge in a wine tasting (lunch served 11 AM to 2 PM). Be sure to try Kickapoo’s award-winning 2011 Chocolate Raspberry variety or the 2011 Peche Blanc. For a minute, you might forget you’re in central Illinois.

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Destination: Springfield

Continue your ride through history upon arriving at your final destination, Illinois’ state capital Springfield. Visit the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Presidential Library, a must-see for any Civil War aficionado, or American for that matter. After perusing notable items such as one of only five known copies of the Gettysburg Address written in Lincoln’s own hand and a printing of the EmancipationProclamation signed by the late president, head to Lincoln’s Tomb. The final resting place of our 16th president, the tomb is a tribute to Lincoln and features his burial vault, sculptures of him in various stages of his life, and outtakes from some of his most famous speeches. For good luck, rub Lincoln’s nose on Borglum’s statue. Don’t forget to visit the WWII and Korean War memorials also on sight.

After this easy trip, you’ll be rested, relaxed and full of knowledge. What more could you ask for?

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