Illinois is located in the Great Lakes region along with seven other states and the Canadian province of Ontario. It is home to the scenic Shawnee National forest in addition to many wonderful orchards, wineries, the Sears Tower and of course, the Great Lake Michigan. From the Sears Tower, you can see past the plains of Illinois and across Lake Michigan to Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin on a clear day. The Tower is the tallest building in the U.S. and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state with over one million visitors each year.

Considered to be an international hub for finance, industry, telecommunications and commerce, Chicago, the largest city in Illinois is actually the third most populated city in the United States with more than 2.7 million residents. It is home to O’Hare International Airport which is the second busiest airport in the world. Illinois includes some of the richest, most productive farmlands supplying the highest production of soybeans and corn in the U.S. It is one of the nation’s manufacturing leaders in chemical, food, transportation and electronic products. Many of the major sports leagues have teams headquartered in the state including the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Bulls.

Illinois has a temperate climate with cold, snowy winters and hot, wet summers. Chicago, known as the “Windy City”, gets its naturally breezy air due to its location on the shores of Lake Michigan. Known as a great starting point on the famous Route 66, Illinois allows you to experience world class attractions, presidential history, stunning architecture and the true American way of life.

Major cities in Illinois include Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Naperville, Joliet, and Springfield.