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the USA🇺🇸 | regionsIllinoisChicago skyline, Lincoln sites, Cahokia mounds, Starved Rock canyons | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Illinois
🌟 Highlightregion ranked #17
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 20, 2026

Chicago’s Cloud Gate is nicknamed the Bean, but the quieter detail is Abraham Lincoln’s tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, where visitors rub the nose of the bronze bust outside until it shines. Illinois sits in the Midwest of the United States, and Chicago is its big draw. Skip the downtown parking garages (priced like a mortgage) and ride the L instead. I paid about US$9 for a deep-dish slice and a beer, and the slice won. Unlike Wisconsin’s Milwaukee, Chicago is huge, and its architecture is far taller.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #17 region in the USAWhat sets this place apart

Illinois rewards backpackers because Chicago’s architecture river cruises and L train put world-class skyscrapers, jazz clubs and museums within one walkable, rail-linked core. Then the state flattens into small-town Route 66 stops and Starved Rock State Park, with 18 canyons carved into sandstone, so you can swap city noise for waterfalls without changing your base. Springfield adds Lincoln history in one compact downtown, and Amtrak lines link these places cheaply, letting you string a slow loop together without renting a car for every leg.

💡 HighlightsDon't-miss highlights and experiences

  1. Cloud Gate (the Bean), Chicago: a mirrored steel sculpture in Millennium Park, free to walk under and best photographed at an angle.
  2. Art Institute of Chicago: Impressionist collection, including Seurat and Hopper’s Nighthawks.
  3. Chicago Architecture River Cruise: guides explain the skyline building by building from the water.
  4. Starved Rock State Park: sandstone canyons and seasonal waterfalls above the Illinois River.
  5. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield: vivid exhibits on his life and the Civil War.
  6. Lincoln’s Tomb, Springfield: a granite memorial with a free entry and the bronze nose tradition.
  7. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site: the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico, with Monks Mound rising about 30 meters.
  8. Pullman National Historical Park, Chicago: a preserved
… read more 👉
  1. Cloud Gate (the Bean), Chicago: a mirrored steel sculpture in Millennium Park, free to walk under and best photographed at an angle.
  2. Art Institute of Chicago: Impressionist collection, including Seurat and Hopper’s Nighthawks.
  3. Chicago Architecture River Cruise: guides explain the skyline building by building from the water.
  4. Starved Rock State Park: sandstone canyons and seasonal waterfalls above the Illinois River.
  5. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield: vivid exhibits on his life and the Civil War.
  6. Lincoln’s Tomb, Springfield: a granite memorial with a free entry and the bronze nose tradition.
  7. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site: the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico, with Monks Mound rising about 30 meters.
  8. Pullman National Historical Park, Chicago: a preserved railroad-worker town that few visitors reach.
  9. Shawnee National Forest, Garden of the Gods: sandstone formations in the far south, a quiet area locals love.
  10. Galena Main Street: a hilly 19th-century town with brick storefronts, near Ulysses S. Grant’s home.
Illinois is best started with the Art Institute of Chicago, since it fits any weather and any budget.
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⌛️ 5 days5-day itinerary for Illinois

Start in Chicago early, because the city has the rail network that sets your pace everything else follows.
Day 1: Chicago: Spend the morning at the Art Institute, then take a river cruise in the afternoon. The L and Metra trains make a car unnecessary here, so walk and ride.
Day 2: Pullman: Take a short train ride south to see the old company town. It is a quiet counterpoint to the loop.
Day 3: Starved Rock: Amtrak and shuttles reach the Illinois River valley, but trains are sparse, so hike the canyons in one long day.
Day 4: Springfield: Rail returns you south to the Lincoln sites, which cluster within a few downtown blocks.
Day 5: Cahokia Mounds: A detour toward St. Louis adds a ruined city that changes how you see American history.
If I had one day, I would choose Day 3, since the canyons give the trip its room to breathe.

🌤️ When to go?Best time to visit Illinois

  • Spring (April to May): Highs of 15 to 24°C (59 to 75°F), frequent storms, green prairies, low prices.
  • Summer (June to August): Hot and humid, 28 to 33°C (82 to 91°F), with about 15 hours of daylight. Chicago festivals peak and hotels cost the most.
  • Fall (September to October): Highs of 14 to 27°C (57 to 81°F), color in Shawnee National Forest by mid-October, thinner crowds.
  • Winter (December to February): Highs of -4 to 3°C (25 to 37°F), snow, short days, cheapest beds outside holiday weeks.
Book Chicago beds early for summer weekends, since big events can double rates.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: below average for travelingFEBFebruary: below average for travelingMARMarch: good for travelingAPRApril: highly recommended for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: fair for travelingAUGAugust: fair for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: good for travelingDECDecember: below average for traveling
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An offline-friendly backpacking guide with optimized travel routes, ranked highlights, transport advice, and the best areas to stay.
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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas to stay in the USA

Chicago is the best base for most backpackers, with the most hostels, the easiest transit and the strongest social scene. Stay in Wicker Park, Lakeview or the Loop (near the L) for walkable nightlife and cheap eats, with dorm beds around US$35 to 70. Outside the city, Champaign-Urbana works for a young, student-driven crowd, cheap meals and safe, walkable streets. Springfield suits a short Lincoln-focused stop, with modest motels and a quiet downtown. Galena is a pretty small town with B&Bs and cabins that fill on weekends, good for hikers and cyclists. For Shawnee National Forest, Carbondale … read more 👉
Chicago is the best base for most backpackers, with the most hostels, the easiest transit and the strongest social scene. Stay in Wicker Park, Lakeview or the Loop (near the L) for walkable nightlife and cheap eats, with dorm beds around US$35 to 70. Outside the city, Champaign-Urbana works for a young, student-driven crowd, cheap meals and safe, walkable streets. Springfield suits a short Lincoln-focused stop, with modest motels and a quiet downtown. Galena is a pretty small town with B&Bs and cabins that fill on weekends, good for hikers and cyclists. For Shawnee National Forest, Carbondale gives the best budget access to trails and campgrounds.
Best hostels in the USA


Best quality hotels in the USA

🚌 Getting aroundMoving around without the hassle

Illinois punishes the traveler who plans to wing it without a car, usually by renting one in downtown Chicago and then paying US$40 to 60 a night to park it. Chicago is the one place where a car is a burden. The smarter move is to go car-free in the city and rent only when you leave it.
  • Chicago L trains and buses: A day pass costs about US$5 to 10, and the trains run to O’Hare for the same fare. Parking costs more than the whole trip, so skip the car.
  • Amtrak: Trains reach Springfield (about 3.5 hours, US$25 to 50), Champaign-Urbana and Carbondale. Service is limited to a few daily runs, so book the day before and you get the cheaper fares.
  • Metra commuter rail: Lines fan out to suburbs and towns like Joliet and Aurora for US$4 to 12. Weekend passes cost around US$10 and cover unlimited rides.
  • Intercity
… read more 👉
Illinois punishes the traveler who plans to wing it without a car, usually by renting one in downtown Chicago and then paying US$40 to 60 a night to park it. Chicago is the one place where a car is a burden. The smarter move is to go car-free in the city and rent only when you leave it.
  • Chicago L trains and buses: A day pass costs about US$5 to 10, and the trains run to O’Hare for the same fare. Parking costs more than the whole trip, so skip the car.
  • Amtrak: Trains reach Springfield (about 3.5 hours, US$25 to 50), Champaign-Urbana and Carbondale. Service is limited to a few daily runs, so book the day before and you get the cheaper fares.
  • Metra commuter rail: Lines fan out to suburbs and towns like Joliet and Aurora for US$4 to 12. Weekend passes cost around US$10 and cover unlimited rides.
  • Intercity buses: Greyhound and FlixBus reach Springfield, Peoria and Champaign for US$15 to 35. Stops are often curbside, so check the pickup address, because buses leave on time.
  • Rental car: Needed for Starved Rock, Galena and Shawnee, at US$45 to 80 a day. Rent from an airport or suburban office, where taxes and fees run lower than downtown.
Hubs are far apart and distances are long, so group rural stops into a single loop rather than returning to Chicago each time.

🍲 FoodLocal Flavors for Backpackers

Start with Chicago deep-dish pizza, a knife-and-fork slab with a buttery crust and chunky tomato sauce, and the Chicago-style hot dog, loaded with pickle spears, neon relish and sport peppers. Never add ketchup. Italian beef, dripping with giardiniera, is eaten leaning over the wrapper. Downstate, try the pork tenderloin sandwich and Springfield’s horseshoe, an open-faced pile of toast, meat, fries and cheese sauce. Backpackers eat well at taquerias in Pilsen, food halls and farmers markets. Craft breweries pour local pints for US$6 to 9. Tip 18 to 20 percent at sit-down places.

FAQCommon questions from travelers

Three to four days covers Illinois highlights if you stick mainly to Chicago. Spend two or three days in the city for museums, architecture cruises and neighborhoods, then add a day trip to Starved Rock State Park, about 1.5 hours by car. Add two more days for Springfield’s Lincoln sites and Galena.
Chicago is easy without a car thanks to the L trains, buses and Metra rail, with day passes around US$5 to 10. Between cities, Amtrak reaches Springfield in about 3.5 hours for US$25 to 50, and buses cost US$15 to 35. Illinois’s small towns and state parks such as Starved Rock and Shawnee mostly need a rental car at US$45 to 80 a day.
Illinois is known for Chicago, with its skyscrapers, deep-dish pizza, blues and jazz clubs, and lakefront. It is also the Land of Lincoln, so Springfield has the Lincoln Presidential Library and the Lincoln home site, and entry to many state sites is free or low cost. Outdoor draws include Starved Rock canyons, Galena’s historic streets and Shawnee National Forest.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other American regions near Illinois

Explore more nearby:

  • Indiana—Speedway bricks, Lake Michigan dunes, Columbus modernism, limestone caves| 244 km away
  • Missouri—Gateway Arch, Ozark river floats, Katy Trail, barbecue smoke| 331 km away
  • Iowa—Field of Dreams, Amana villages, Mississippi bluffs, paved trails| 427 km away

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We 💚 feedbackFinal thoughts on visiting Illinois

Illinois suits travelers who love architecture, history and food more than mountains or beaches. Distances between its gems are real, so I would pick a rail-friendly route and spend extra time in Chicago. Skip rushing the state in a weekend.

✈️ When did I visit the USA?
In January 2023 I visited New York. Many years before, before digital cameras existed, I discovered most of the national parks in the West.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in the USA, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

This site is built on a combination of firsthand travel experience and carefully curated insights from other backpackers. Many guides are based on places I’ve personally visited, while others bring together tips, observations, and practical advice shared by trusted travelers I’ve met along the way.

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