Illinois is a wonderful state, which was considered one of the leaders in social, cultural, and political spheres. Now, worldwide it is best known for corn, farmlands, and nuclear power plants. Nevertheless, the state has plenty of interesting places and attractions to offer. Many of them tend to be quite unusual! You might be needed car rental services to reach all the destinations. So let’s start and note the best ones!
Willis Tower Glass Platform
The 3rd tallest building in the western hemisphere! You just can’t skip it! The tower beckons travelers with its stunning Chicago views from its 103rd floor. The main thing – all the rooms are made of glass. Each glass platform supports up to 5 tons, with 3 1.5 inches thick layers in total. Three completely transparent walls, bottom, and top developed to make you feel like hovering over breathtaking Chicago. A panorama may expand up to 48 miles on a clear day.
By the way, the glass was designed with a concept allowing not to clean it often – there are almost no smudges left. Only some footprints from fearless children and handprints from anxious adults, who try to ensure that walls haven’t disappeared.
Morton Arboretum
It’s not only a public garden but an outdoor museum with a library, and herbarium. The rotating exhibits and gardens would make every visit memorable. A lovely spot for a walk, bike ride, or car ride. The arboretum would impress you with many species of plants and trees, play areas for kids, picnic areas, and lots of special events throughout the year. Parking is free with admission. Keep in mind, that you have to purchase tickets in advance. The art exhibits that are incorporated within the park are absolutely charming, and the area is large enough you wouldn’t be able to get to everything in a full day there. We recommend you to use under 25 car rental Chicago services. Thus, you’d be able to save your time and look around fully.
Brookfield Zoo
Or just Chicago Zoological Park, here you can meet a wide range of animals, nearly 440 species of animals totally, in the huge area of 88 ha. Here you could observe the next species:
- Cheetah
- llama
- Red Panda
- Sungazer
- Timor python
- Polar bear
- Amur leopard and the others;
Brookfield zoo rapidly received international recognition on grounds of its usage of ditches and moats separating animals from people instead of cages. Also, Brookfield Zoo is the first one, which presented giant pandas to the public in America. Its area is easy to navigate and divided into different region zones, depending on where certain species come from Australia to Africa. The zoo has something even for extinct animals lovers – over 40 dinosaur skeletons are represented there! If you plan to visit a few times it pays to get a membership. You are allowed to bring your own wagon, food, snacks, and drinks. Notice, the rental car under 25 services might be really useful when it comes to a comfortable journey!
Starved Rock State Park
Visit this a world apart from any other locations in Illinois! Situated in Deer Park Township, a bit southeast of the village of Utica, the park is famous because of its outcrops of St. Peter Sandstone. Amazing spring waterfalls and fantastic panoramas wouldn’t leave you indifferent! Sandstone, that tends to be buried, is exposed in this zone because of an anticlinal and convex fold in the underlying layers. Oh no, don’t stop reading if you haven’t got the idea! This area is rich enough in archaeological sites. For example, you may see the well-known prehistoric Shaky Shelter at the base of the sandstone bluff! You may find there are 18 profound canyons. There are plenty of good hiking paths that go throughout the cliffs and rivers. Rent a car to get around easily. The restaurant and conference center are good places to rest and enjoy great views.
Shedd Aquarium
Check out various, world animal collections with astonishing architecture. Shedd Aquarium is built on Lake Michigan and has nearly 32,000 animals, it’s about 1,500 species, including sea mammals, fish, amphibians, insects, and snakes. Moreover, exactly this aquarium started exhibiting saltwater fish species permanently! There is a lot of entertainment for children: different animal encounters and tours, even 4D movies. The aquarium offers a wonderful view of the waterfront of Chicago. You also can get free entry by becoming a member, in that way best of all your contribution goes to good use. It’s definitely better to plunge into the ocean’s majesty with the whole family! If possible, book the tickets in advance.
Now, you may pack your bags and off on an adventure! Hope our list gave you some ideas. Download our Chicago car rental app to check available vehicles and have fun!
