Top Summer Road Trips To Take In And Around Illinois

ACROSS ILLINOIS — If you're looking for a fun road trip to take this summer but don't want to venture too far from home, we have great news! There are plenty of great summer road trips to take in and around Illinois!

Patch rounded up the best summer road trips in Illinois for 2022. Check out our top picks below.

1. Starved Rock State Park, Oglesby

Located less than 100 miles south of Chicago, in Oglesby, Illinois, Starved Rock State Park is an epic summer road trip destination with plenty of picture-worthy waterfalls, breathtaking rock structures, canyons and other natural features.

The park, which consistently tops roundups of the best attractions in Illinois, features 13 miles of hiking trails and 18 canyons to explore. Visitors can set out on their own adventures to explore Starved Rock State Park or can take part in a variety of guided activities.

Guided activities include waterfall and canyon hiking tours, boat tours and historic trolley tours that wend through the park and downtown Utica.

Visitors can also bring their tents and buy firewood to take advantage of the scenic campsites nearby. Click the link to learn more about camping at Starved Rock State Park.

2. Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum, Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum, More in Pontiac

Take a trip back in time with a summer road trip to the Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum, located in Pontiac, Illinois. The museum occupies a historic fire station that is filled to the brim with Route 66 memorabilia, including historic signs, vintage cars, old-time gas pumps and more.

The Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum is located at 110 W. Howard St., Pontiac.

If you want to see more classic cars, visit the Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum at 205 N. Mill St., Pontiac. Dedicated to the preservation of vintage and newer Pontiac and Oakland cars, the museum offers plenty of vehicles for the classic car aficionado or casual fan to admire.

The museum also features a display with more than 2,000 oil cans and a cache of historic highway maps, owners manuals, ads and brochures.

While you're in Pontiac, be sure to grab a bite to eat. Edinger's Filling Station offers up breakfast and lunch favorites in pumping station that has been converted into a family-friendly restaurant. Pfaff's Bakery makes for a great spot to have dessert. The mouthwatering menu features root beer cake donuts, gooey apple fritters and more.

3. Historic Galena Country and Galena Wineries

Famous for its local vineyards, breweries and historic buildings, Galena Country offers the perfect summer road trip with friends, but it also has plenty to offer for families.

Here's a roundup of the wineries you can tour and explore in Galena Country:

• Fergedaboudit Vineyard and Winery, 4595 W. Speer Rd., Hanover
• Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery, 4746 N. Ford Rd., Scales Mound
• Massbach Ridge Winery, 8837 S. Massbach Rd., Elizabeth
• Rocky Waters Vineyard & Winery, Inc., 2003 W. Hanover Rd., Hanover

Historic Galena Country is filled with old farmhouses, beautiful Victorian-era mansions, history museums and old-fashioned blacksmith shops. Trolley tours and walking tours are available to help spotlight some of the historic gems in and around downtown Galena.

These are just some of the historic sites worth visiting in and around Galena:

• Belvedere Mansion and Gardens, 1008 Park Ave., Galena
• Chicago Great Western Railway Depot Museum, 111 E Myrtle St., Elizabeth
• The Old Blacksmith Shop, 245 N. Commerce St., Galena
• Woodbine Glass Museum and Gift Shop, 3799 E. Woodbine St., Woodbine

4. Mississippi Palisades State Park, Savanna

Spanning more than 2,500 acres just south of Galena, Mississippi Palisades State Park is a hiker's paradise, with its soaring bluffs, natural caves and tree-lined ravines. Fishing and boating are popular pastimes in the park, where you can also spot wild turkeys, bald eagles and other wildlife.

Click the link to find camping near Mississippi Palisades State Park.

The park edges up on the Mississippi and Apple Rivers, making the photo opportunities all the more abundant. To really step into the past, you can take a steamboat ride on the Mississippi River.

Other fun stops in and around Savanna include the Savanna Train Car Museum and Circa 1888, which serves up grass-fed beef burgers, shawarma spiced tofu sandwiches, brunch items and other inventive fare.

5. Indiana Dunes National Park, Porter, Indiana

Indiana Dunes National Park offers more than 15,000 acres of sand dunes and coastlines to explore and is conveniently situated about an hour outside Chicago in and around Porter, Indiana. In addition to hiking, the park offers swimming, fishing, boating and camping.

Guided tours and kayak and canoe rental are also available for visitors.

There's no shortage of family-friendly fun to be had in the towns surrounding Indiana Dunes National Park. You can take in a movie at the 49-er Drive-In, immerse yourself in pioneer life at Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm and grab a burger at Industrial Revolution Eatery and Grille.

Do you have any favorite Illinois summer road trips we missed? Let us know in the comments.