Wisconsin

[warriorchick]

A year ago or so a MU classmate posted a picture on FB of his family at a park 2 hours west of Chicago.  I said to my wife, it was the first time I could ever remember a Chicago friend exploring the state of Illinois.  It seems every Chicagoan goes to Wisconsin, Indiana (dunes) or Michigan for quick getaways.  You never hear anyone say, we found a great little spot downstate.

Chicago definitely feels like it's not perfectly at home in Illinois.

Honestly, there isn't a whole lot to see in Downstate Illinois.  That's why the "visit Illinois" commercials are 90% about Chicago.  It's not really the states fault that they don't have much in the way of scenic beauty.

There is the Springfield area.  I highly recommend the Lincoln Presidential Library and New Salem, which is a mini Colonial Williamsburg-type place where Lincoln lived as a young adult.  Both are worth a visit.

Then you have the state parks.  Starved Rock is interesting.  But the downstate parks aren't anything remarkable, and as a general rule, the campgrounds in the Illinois state parks suck- every one of them that I have seen consists of an open grassy field with the sites on top of each other.

Galena is pretty cool. 

That's basically it.

[Galway Eagle]

A year ago or so a MU classmate posted a picture on FB of his family at a park 2 hours west of Chicago.  I said to my wife, it was the first time I could ever remember a Chicago friend exploring the state of Illinois.  It seems every Chicagoan goes to Wisconsin, Indiana (dunes) or Michigan for quick getaways.  You never hear anyone say, we found a great little spot downstate.

Chicago definitely feels like it's not perfectly at home in Illinois.

A bunch of Chicago people go to Starved Rock... and Shawnee forest is beautiful but let's be honest the rest of the state isn't that pretty. Driving down to St Louis is driving through a hell scape that may as well be Nebraska or Kansas.

Edit: heard the palisades are nice as is some park by Dubuque but never been.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

That I can agree with, and it baffling defies geography and socioeconomics.  It’s obviously commonly found in “trashy” MURICA folks, but I remember turning off Chicago sports talk radio one time in annoyance cause the hosts said why waste your time with time zone changes or “weird food” when you could just go to Cancun.

On the other hand, I had a roommate who dated a girl whose parents were both wealthy Chicago lawyers and they had a handful of vacation homes...yet she didn’t, nor had she ever, possessed a passport.  She found absolutely nothing odd or bizarre with that.  Same roommate moved to LA and got his MBA at USC. He had a classmate who went to UCSB, grew up in Calabasas, drove a Porsche and talked all the time about his parents matching Bentleys....but his first time ON A F-ING PLANE, was a summer group trip to Asia. Dude had never been farther than NorCal/Vegas/Zona despite growing up in extreme wealth. Just wild.

My son had a high school friend who went to college in California.  She said it was amazing how little most Californians travel.  She wanted to get a group of her friends to come to Wisconsin for a short visit over the summer, go to Summerfest, find a place on a lake somewhere.  You would have thought she asked them to climb Mount Everest. 

[The Lens]

Then you have the state parks.  Starved Rock is interesting.  But the downstate parks aren't anything remarkable, and as a general rule, the campgrounds in the Illinois state parks suck- every one of them that I have seen consists of an open grassy field with the sites on top of each other.

Galena is pretty cool. 

That's basically it.

That's where they went.  Was shocked to have just learned of it last year.  I guess it's a testament to everything Chicago offers but again, I would regularly see friends head North to Wisconsin to explore.

[Galway Eagle]

Honestly, there isn't a whole lot to see in Downstate Illinois.  That's why the "visit Illinois" commercials are 90% about Chicago.  It's not really the states fault that they don't have much in the way of scenic beauty.

There is the Springfield area.  I highly recommend the Lincoln Presidential Library and New Salem, which is a mini Colonial Williamsburg-type place where Lincoln lived as a young adult.  Both are worth a visit.

Then you have the state parks.  Starved Rock is interesting.  But the downstate parks aren't anything remarkable, and as a general rule, the campgrounds in the Illinois state parks suck- every one of them that I have seen consists of an open grassy field with the sites on top of each other.

Galena is pretty cool. 

That's basically it.

I always thought Galena was overrated. Went twice when I was young and neither time did I think "wow"

[mu_hilltopper]

I always thought Galena was overrated. Went twice when I was young and neither time did I think "wow"

Disagree, although I'm not sure many tourist areas make you go "wow."

We go to Galena every few years.  The physical natural beauty of the greater area is excellent, so if that's not your thing, I could see not being impressed. 

Galena the village .. it's a solid small tourist town.  ~8 blocks of shopping and restaurants.  What's not to like.    I think it does lack class family amenities, mini golf, multiple resorts, waterparks and the like, but we toss it in the mix with Door County every few years.

[Galway Eagle]

Disagree, although I'm not sure many tourist areas make you go "wow."

We go to Galena every few years.  The physical natural beauty of the greater area is excellent, so if that's not your thing, I could see not being impressed. 

Galena the village .. it's a solid small tourist town.  ~8 blocks of shopping and restaurants.  What's not to like.    I think it does lack class family amenities, mini golf, multiple resorts, waterparks and the like, but we toss it in the mix with Door County every few years.

Maybe I'll give it a shot now that I'm an adult. But as 12yr and 10yr old I did not enjoy it as much as some of the other historic towns my dad and I road tripped to.

[mu_hilltopper]

Maybe I'll give it a shot now that I'm an adult. But as 12yr and 10yr old I did not enjoy it as much as some of the other historic towns my dad and I road tripped to.

Yeah, no doubt there, it's not tops for kids. Chestnut Mountain has a decent "Alpine Slide" and has a fantastic patio for lunch, overlooking the Mississippi.    We've taken our 12 & 14 year old sons there a few times, including three weeks ago. 

With 4 golf courses at Eagle Ridge, solid restaurant options downtown .. beautiful scenery and hills everywhere .. it's a solid adult area.

[The Lens]

Is any state in the Union less connected to its home state than Chicago? 

[JWags85]

Honestly, there isn't a whole lot to see in Downstate Illinois.  That's why the "visit Illinois" commercials are 90% about Chicago.  It's not really the states fault that they don't have much in the way of scenic beauty.

My Grandma’s from Danville, and her side of the family is still there...I can co-sign.  That’s as unpleasant a drive down as you can get. Then you drive west to Champaign and the cow smell is overwhelming in a way I’ve never experienced.

Is any state in the Union less connected to its home state than Chicago? 

A couple....NYC and New York State are VERY different and opposing. The super cosmopolitan and eclectic demographics of Miami compared to most of the “Florida Man” population of the state. 

[Galway Eagle]

Is any state in the Union less connected to its home state than Chicago?

Austin vs Texas?

[Pakuni]

Is any state in the Union less connected to its home state than Chicago?

Lotsa weirdos in non-Seatle-Tacoma parts of Washington.

[warriorchick]

Lotsa weirdos in non-Seatle-Tacoma parts of Washington.

So you are saying there are no weirdos in the Seattle-Tacoma parts of Washington?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

So you are saying there are no weirdos in the Seattle-Tacoma parts of Washington?

I'll take my chances with the people think that pakuni think are weirdos, tbh.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

There are weirdos all over Washington.  They are simply different types depending on whether or not you are in Seattle / Tacoma or not.  I'd probably tire of all of them eventually.

[Pakuni]

So you are saying there are no weirdos in the Seattle-Tacoma parts of Washington?

No, I'm saying that the Seattle-Tacoma portion of Washington is very disconnected from the rest of the state ... which was the topic of the discussion.

[Pakuni]

I'll take my chances with the people think that pakuni think are weirdos, tbh.

Rural and eastern Washington are hotbeds of the Christian Identify and white nationalist movements, so if that's who you wish to cast your lot with....

[The Lens]

A couple....NYC and New York State are VERY different and opposing. The super cosmopolitan and eclectic demographics of Miami compared to most of the “Florida Man” population of the state. 

But many NYCers love the Adirondacks, send their kids to schools all over the upstate, etc.  Chicagoans seem to have no use for Illinois.   

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I have good friends that live in Anna, Illinois.

They live closer to Tupelo, Mississippi than they do Chicago.

[Jockey]

Rural and eastern Washington are hotbeds of the Christian Identify and white nationalist movements, so if that's who you wish to cast your lot with....

Trying to secede and form their own "christian" state.

[Hards Alumni]

Honestly, there isn't a whole lot to see in Downstate Illinois.  That's why the "visit Illinois" commercials are 90% about Chicago.  It's not really the states fault that they don't have much in the way of scenic beauty.

There is the Springfield area.  I highly recommend the Lincoln Presidential Library and New Salem, which is a mini Colonial Williamsburg-type place where Lincoln lived as a young adult.  Both are worth a visit.

Then you have the state parks.  Starved Rock is interesting.  But the downstate parks aren't anything remarkable, and as a general rule, the campgrounds in the Illinois state parks suck- every one of them that I have seen consists of an open grassy field with the sites on top of each other.

Galena is pretty cool. 

That's basically it.

It is shocking to me that Illinois can have the most mileage of the Mississippi River, and its all ugly.  There isn't anything scenic along that whole stretch?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Rural and eastern Washington are hotbeds of the Christian Identify and white nationalist movements, so if that's who you wish to cast your lot with....

You miss the point.  Yet again, Uncle Roman.

[Pakuni]

You miss the point.  Yet again, Uncle Roman.

Maybe go back to yelling at clouds.

[warriorchick]

You miss the point.  Yet again, Uncle Roman.

Hmmm, Christian Identity vs. CHAZ folks....

[warriorchick]

I have good friends that live in Anna, Illinois.

They live closer to Tupelo, Mississippi than they do Chicago.

To be fair, they do have that Casino Riverboat in Alton.  But if it is like any of the others I have seen, not exactly worth the trip.