15 days in Illinois Itinerary

Springfield is the capital of Illinois, but its real significance is as the hometown of Abraham Lincoln.

Get out of town with these interesting Springfield side-trips: Great Rivers Scenic Route (in Alton), Grand View Drive (in Peoria) and Christ Apple Orchard (in Elmwood). The adventure continues: browse the collection at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, identify plant and animal life at Lincoln Memorial Garden, contemplate the long history of Lincoln Home National Historic Site, and admire the striking features of Elijah Iles House.

To see other places to visit, maps, traveler tips, and other tourist information, refer to the Springfield trip planner.

Richmond to Springfield is an approximately 5.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or do a combination of train and subway. Traveling from Richmond to Springfield, you'll gain 1 hour due to the time zone difference. Plan for slightly colder nights when traveling from Richmond in July since evenings lows in Springfield dip to 66°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 23rd (Thu) early enough to drive to Rockford.

Rockford is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, the 171st most populous city in the United States, the largest city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area, and the city of the 148th most populous metropolitan area in the United States. Explore Rockford's surroundings by going to Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. (in DeKalb), Krape Park (in Freeport) and Galena (Ulysses S. Grant Home, Blaum Bros. Distilling Co., &more). The adventure continues: brush up on your military savvy at Historic Auto Attractions, admire the natural beauty at Anderson Japanese Gardens, trek along Stone Bridge Trail, and admire the majestic nature at Matthiessen State Park.

To find other places to visit, traveler tips, where to stay, and other tourist information, use the Rockford trip website.

You can drive from Springfield to Rockford in 3.5 hours. Other options are to fly; or do a combination of train and bus. Expect a daytime high around 83°F in July, and nighttime lows around 63°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 27th (Mon) early enough to drive to Chicago.

A huge and vibrant city, Chicago is home to top-notch theaters, shops, museums, galleries, and restaurants.

Chicago is known for sightseeing, museums, and nightlife. Your trip includes some of its best attractions: admire the masterpieces at The Art Institute of Chicago, engage your brain at Museum of Science and Industry, admire the landmark architecture of 360 Chicago Observation Deck, and get a new perspective on nature at Field Museum.

For maps, photos, ratings, and more tourist information, use the Chicago trip itinerary tool.

Getting from Rockford to Chicago by car takes about 1.5 hours. Other options: take a bus; or do a combination of bus and subway. In July, plan for daily highs up to 83°F, and evening lows to 67°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 2nd (Sun) so you can catch the flight back home.