Illinois
While Illinois is most known around the world for the windy city of Chicago, this midwestern state offers a lot more than skyscrapers. Nicknamed the ‘Prairie State’, Illinois is actually primarily marked by farmland, forests, rolling hills, and wetlands. In fact, 75% of Illinois are farmlands. Now, the cities may be gorgeous, but wait until you get to Illinois’ the great outdoors. Illinois is actually home to some of the most beautiful rock formations, waters, and sandstone canyons.
Illinois is also entrenched with so much history. The first official recorded exploration of the Illinois area was in 1673 by French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette. Back then, Illinois was called the ‘Land of Illini’, which means ‘the land of warriors’. These warriors referred to are believed to be the Native American tribes of Peoria, Sauk, and Potawatomi. Tribes that inhabited the land of Illinois before the French explorers arrived.
First under French rule, Illinois was eventually ceded to Britain. After the American Revolution, Illinois officially became a state under the United States of America in 1818. While Illinois remains to be referred to as the ‘Prairie State’ by many people, they are slowly transitioning to being proudly known as the ‘Lincoln State’.
While the cities already hold plenty of adventures of their own, there are more outdoor adventures to untuck in this gorgeous state than you might expect.
Key information about Illinois
📍 Area: 149,996km2
👥 Population: 12,671,821
🏛️ Capital: Springfield
🏢 Major cities: Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, Rockford
🔢 Number of counties: 102
📋 Postal Abbreviation: IL
📖 Primary language/s: English, Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Tagalog, and Chinese
📌 Nearby states: Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky
Adventure Guides In Illinois
Put this on your bucket list: Things to do while in Illinois
Top Outdoor Destinations in the State of Illinois
