Thoroughly Enjoy Illinois!

You may know that I really like taking advantage of all the great things my state has to offer. Even though it’s right in the middle of the country and is totally flat in landscape, Illinois is FUN.

You may not know that I wrote a book called Chicken In The Car And The Car Won’t Go: Nearly 200 Ways To Enjoy Chicagoland With Tweens and Teens. (I know: longest title EVER.) I am very proud of this book. I worked really hard on it and in the research stage, my family had a blast checking out all kinds of fun places in the Chicago area.

Believe it or not, there are lots of things to do in Illinois that aren’t anywhere near the Chicago area. (I KNOW!) I didn’t write a book about those things, and but the Illinois Office of Tourism has just released its 2013 Illinois Travel Guide, which is available for free from their official website, enjoyillinois.com. You can also call 1-800-2CONNECT to order one.

The guide is 152 pages long and can even be viewed on an iPad if you prefer to go the digital route. It includes feature articles such as Meet the Chefs (Illinois’ award-winning chefs, tastemakers, world-champion pitmasters and farm-to-table pioneers), Behind the Scenes (Illinois attractions that offer insider access to the animals, pit rows, science experiments, and foods that make them famous), Play List (activities for every season including ski slopes, golf trails, waterparks, scenic drives, and corn mazes), and Of Mummies and Masterpieces (attractions like the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, Cahokia Mounds National Historic Landmark, and the Art Institute of Chicago).

Jen Hoelzle, Director of the Illinois Office of Tourism, says, “A getaway in Illinois is about the experience – the memorable destinations, and the friendly people you meet along the way. Our new guide aims to inspire travelers to plan a customized trip they will never forget.”

Between their new guide and my book (currently 25% off on Amazon, ahem), you and your family can plan an AWESOME Illinois vacation, or even a staycation if you’re “one of us” already. Check it out!

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any form by sharing this with you: just wanted to share my state pride!

4 Comments

  • Tara R.

    I found out recently that one of my favorite History Channel people (Danielle from American Pickers) has a vintage store in Chicago – 4 Miles 2 Memphis, in Wicker Park. That is somewhere I’d love to check out, you know, that next time I visit Chicago.

  • Grandma W

    OK OK your book is not only for tweens and teens but adults too they would like it I have sold several to my ADULT friends and they loved it. So people if you live in the area or are thinking of visiting Chicago please buy it. Also you don’t have to live there to do that, you can just buy it, iI gives great ideas to find out if you have some of those things in your area.

    Love
    Grandma W

  • Abigail

    Thanks for the recommendation. I definitely need to check both books out as I’ve done my fair amount of touristy stuff in Chicago but the rest of Illinois? It’s kind of embarrassing how little I’ve explored considering I’ve lived here for years.