Visas & entry
Illinois follows United States entry rules. Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries generally need an approved ESTA for short tourism visits; many other nationalities need a B-2 visitor visa. Passport, ESTA and visa rules can change, so verify with U.S. Customs and Border Protection or the U.S. State Department before booking.
Getting in
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport: The main international and long-haul gateway, with the best rental-car supply and direct CTA rail access into Chicago. Use it for nearly any Illinois itinerary beginning in Chicago.
- Chicago Midway International Airport: Useful for domestic arrivals, especially Southwest routes, and often easier than O'Hare for a Chicago-only trip. CTA rail connects it to the city; collect a car only when leaving Chicago.
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport: A practical gateway for Metro East, Cahokia Mounds, Springfield-bound road trips and southern Illinois, though it is across the river in Missouri. It can save a punishing final drive from Chicago on a north-to-south itinerary.
- Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Springfield: A small regional option for travelers whose trip centers on Lincoln sites, Route 66 and central Illinois. Flights are limited, so it works best when schedules align rather than as a default entry point.
- Quad Cities International Airport, Moline: Useful for northwest Illinois, the Mississippi river corridor and Galena-area road trips. It is a regional airport, so compare fares and connections against Chicago before committing.
Getting around
Chicago is easy without a car using the CTA, Metra, walking and rideshare; driving and parking downtown are usually a bad trade. Amtrak is useful on the Chicago–Springfield–Carbondale, Chicago–Quincy and Chicago–St. Louis corridors, but it does not solve last-mile access to parks, wineries, Galena or most Route 66 stops. Rent a car for any itinerary beyond Chicago and Oak Park, and expect traffic around Chicago, summer construction and winter weather to stretch drive times.
Money
The currency is the U.S. dollar. Cards and contactless payment work almost everywhere, but carry a small amount of cash for tips, rural businesses and incidental purchases. Tipping is expected: roughly 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, plus customary tips for taxis/rideshares, hotel staff and guides.
Daily budget · USD
- Value
- US$150–250; allow roughly US$190–300 in peak-summer Chicago.
- Mid-range
- US$300–500; expect roughly US$375–550 in Chicago on summer or major-event weekends.
- High-end
- US$650+; in Chicago, US$850–1,200 is common for luxury hotels, top dining and premium tickets.
- Figures assume two people share a room and, on road-trip legs, share car costs; international flights are excluded.
- Hotel timing is the biggest budget variable: Chicago weekends from late spring through early fall and Galena foliage weekends are disproportionately expensive.
- A car is unnecessary and costly in Chicago because parking, rental charges and traffic add up; collect one only when leaving the metro area.
- Paid attractions can materially move the budget: architecture cruises, Frank Lloyd Wright tours, major museums, sports and concerts are not minor add-ons.
Eating well
- For Italian beef, the classic order is wet or dipped, with sweet peppers or hot giardiniera; a combo includes Italian sausage.
- Do not use downtown Chicago alone as a food itinerary—build meals around neighborhoods and reserve sought-after restaurants in advance.
- Chicago's best-known restaurants, major tasting menus and popular weekend brunches often require reservations weeks ahead.
- In small towns and southern Illinois, check opening days before driving out: independent restaurants, wineries and roadside stops may have limited weekday or seasonal hours.
Book before you land
Chicago Architecture Center river cruise during the operating season, especially summer and fall weekends · Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio tours in Oak Park · Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House tours in Hyde Park · Major Chicago sports games, concerts and summer-festival tickets · Top Chicago tasting-menu and destination restaurant reservations
- Base in Chicago without a car; parking fees, congestion and garage logistics are rarely worth it until you leave the metro area.
- Pick up a rental car after Chicago, not on arrival, then use it for Starved Rock, Galena, Springfield, Route 66 or southern Illinois.
- Check park conditions immediately before heading to Starved Rock, Matthiessen or Shawnee: floods, drought, trail work, hunting closures and winter ice can change access.
- Do not rely on public transport for Galena, wineries, most Route 66 sights, or Shawnee National Forest; these are genuinely car-dependent areas.
- Book fall weekends in Galena and Shawnee, and Chicago summer weekends, before locking in the rest of the itinerary.
- Southern Illinois has scattered services and patchy cell coverage; download maps, carry water and fuel up before heading into Shawnee back roads.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.
Season by season
December–February
Chicago is cold, windy and sometimes disrupted by snow or ice, with short days; downstate is usually milder but still gray, cold and prone to reduced rural hours.
Chicago museums and theaterIndoor diningHoliday eventsWinter sports and games
Avoid a long road trip unless comfortable driving in winter conditions; seasonal cruises and many outdoor operations are unavailable, and park trails can be icy or closed.
March–May
March is erratic, while April and May bring improving city weather, gardens and greener landscapes; by late May, Starved Rock, Galena and Shawnee are appealing, though trails may be muddy and rivers high.
Architecture cruisesChicago neighborhoodsGardensSpring waterfall hikesSouthern Illinois scenery
Lakefront Chicago can still feel like winter, and Memorial Day crowds raise prices and fill popular park and small-town lodging.
June–August
Long days bring beaches, baseball, patios, outdoor concerts and Chicago's full festival calendar, but heat, humidity and thunderstorms are common statewide.
Chicago lakefront activitiesFestivals and concertsBaseballOutdoor diningSummer road trips
This is the priciest, busiest period for Chicago hotels and ticketed experiences; southern Illinois hiking can be hot, buggy and storm-prone.
September–November
September is generally pleasant, October is prime foliage and hiking weather in Galena and Shawnee Hills, and November becomes darker and more variable as seasonal operations wind down.
Road tripsFall foliageGalena weekendsShawnee hikingHistoric towns
October weekends book heavily, especially in Galena and Shawnee; check hunting-related park closures, trail conditions and reduced late-fall hours.
Events worth planning around
Chicago St. Patrick's Day celebrations and river dyeing · Usually the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day in March. · Downtown Chicago, especially the Chicago River and Loop.
Central hotels become expensive, streets and transit are crowded, and restaurant reservations near downtown need to be made early.
Lollapalooza and major Chicago summer festival weekends · Usually late July or early August; other major festival and sports weekends run through summer. · Chicago, principally Grant Park and downtown-adjacent neighborhoods.
Downtown hotel rates spike and popular restaurants, flights and ticketed attractions can sell out well ahead of time.
Illinois State Fair · Usually mid-August. · Springfield.
Springfield rooms, rental cars and restaurants tighten substantially; book lodging before committing to an event-week itinerary.
What to eat
Eat by region rather than chasing a single Illinois checklist. Chicago rewards neighborhood-specific eating across Italian American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Polish, Black Southern and barbecue traditions; central Illinois is more diner, tavern and Route 66 territory, while southern Illinois means smoked pork, barbecue and Shawnee Hills wine country.
Chicago-style Italian beef, ordered wet or dipped with sweet peppers or hot giardinieraChicago hot dogDeep-dish pizza and Chicago tavern-style thin-crust pizzaMaxwell Street Polish sausageJibarito sandwichGarrett-style popcornHorseshoe sandwich in SpringfieldMurphysboro-style smoked pork and barbecueShawnee Hills wine
Chicago: Italian beef · Chicago hot dogs · Deep-dish and tavern-style pizza · Mexican and Puerto Rican neighborhood food · Polish sausage and contemporary fine dining
Springfield: Horseshoe sandwich · Cozy Dog corn dogs · Route 66 diners and casual Midwestern tavern food
Murphysboro and southern Illinois: Smoked pork and barbecue · 17th Street Barbecue · Shawnee Hills Wine Trail wines
Galena and northwest Illinois: Small-town supper-club and farm-country cooking · Local wine and regional products