39 days in Illinois Itinerary

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

Get out of town with these interesting Chicago side-trips: Chicago Botanic Garden (in Glencoe), Morton Arboretum (in Lisle) and Naper Settlement (in Naperville). Next up on the itinerary: explore the world behind art at The Art Institute of Chicago, take a stroll through The Magnificent Mile, take in panoramic vistas at Skydeck Chicago - Willis Tower, and get a new perspective on things with Boat Tours & Water Sports.

To see other places to visit, more things to do, photos, and more tourist information, read Chicago trip builder app.

Ahmedabad, India to Chicago is an approximately 23.5-hour flight. Traveling from Ahmedabad to Chicago, you'll gain 11.5 hours due to the time zone difference. Traveling from Ahmedabad in December, things will get much colder in Chicago: highs are around 3°C and lows about -3°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 3rd (Tue) so you can drive to Oglesby.

You'll find plenty of places to visit near Oglesby: Minonk Chocolate Company (in Minonk), Weber House and Garden (in Streator) and Princeton (Bureau County Historical Society Museum, Bureau County Soldiers and Sailors Monument, &more).

To find maps, more things to do, ratings, and tourist information, you can read our Oglesby trip planner.

Traveling by car from Chicago to Oglesby takes 2 hours. In January, daily temperatures in Oglesby can reach 0°C, while at night they dip to -9°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 7th (Sat) so you can drive to Springfield.

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

You'll find plenty of places to visit near Springfield: Atlanta (Memories: Route 66 Museum & Atlanta Public Library), Lincoln Heritage Museum (in Lincoln) and Great Rivers Scenic Route (in Alton). And it doesn't end there: get engrossed in the history at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, contemplate the long history of Dana-Thomas House, ponder the world of politics at Mount Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site, and identify plant and animal life at Lincoln Memorial Garden.

To see more things to do, where to stay, maps, and other tourist information, you can read our Springfield road trip planning app.

Drive from Oglesby to Springfield in 2 hours. Expect a daytime high around 3°C in January, and nighttime lows around -8°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 12th (Thu) to allow time to drive to Peoria.

Explore Peoria's surroundings by going to David Davis Mansion State Historic Site (in Bloomington), University Galleries of Illinois State University (in Normal) and Funk Prairie Home Museum (in Shirley).

To see more things to do, where to stay, and tourist information, read Peoria route planner.

You can drive from Springfield to Peoria in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. In January, plan for daily highs up to 1°C, and evening lows to -9°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 17th (Tue) early enough to go by car to Rock Island.

Rock Island is a city in and the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. Rock Island is known for casinos, nightlife, and museums. Your trip includes some of its best attractions: look for gifts at John Deere Store, see the interesting displays at Hauberg Museum, get a new perspective on nature at Fryxell Geology Museum, and take in nature's colorful creations at Quad City Botanical Center.

To find maps, ratings, where to stay, and other tourist information, read Rock Island trip itinerary website.

Traveling by car from Peoria to Rock Island takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. Expect a daytime high around 0°C in January, and nighttime lows around -11°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 20th (Fri) to allow enough time to drive to Galena.

Galena is the largest city in and the county seat of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, with a population of 3,429 at the 2010 census. You'll find plenty of places to visit near Galena: Stockton Heritage Museum (in Stockton), Fulton (Windmill Cultural Center & Lock & Dam 13 Recreation Area) and Timber Lake Playhouse (in Mount Carroll). There's still lots to do: brush up on your knowledge of spirits at Blaum Bros. Distilling Co., pause for some photo ops at Galena Veterans Memorial Park, relax and rejuvenate at some of the best spas, and stroll through Chestnut Mountain Resort.

To see where to stay, other places to visit, traveler tips, and tourist information, read our Galena route planner.

You can drive from Rock Island to Galena in 2 hours. Another option is to take a bus. Traveling from Rock Island in January, you will find days in Galena are slightly colder (-3°C), and nights are about the same (-14°C). Finish your sightseeing early on the 25th (Wed) so you can 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. Change things up with these side-trips from Rockford: Tom's Farm Market and Greenhouse (in Huntley), Prairie States Winery (in Genoa) and McHenry County Historical Society (in Union). The adventure continues: brush up on your knowledge of spirits at Whiskey Acres Distilling Co., stroll around Sinnissippi Park, explore the engaging exhibits at Discovery Center Museum, and admire the natural beauty at Anderson Japanese Gardens.

To see ratings, photos, maps, and other tourist information, read our Rockford trip planner.

Getting from Galena to Rockford by car takes about 2 hours. Other options: do a combination of bus and taxi; or take a bus. In January in Rockford, expect temperatures between -1°C during the day and -12°C at night. On the 30th (Mon), wrap the sightseeing up by early afternoon so you can travel back home.