Travel Midwest Magazine Travel Midwest Digital ReplicaSUM17 | Page 140
Illinois
THe BeST of {ILLINOIS}
Chicago is one of the biggest cities in the
United States and perhaps the most pop-
ular tourist site in Illinois. Chicago is fa-
mous for its food, cityscapes, and
architecture, but there are also tons of
theaters, shopping districts, and muse-
ums to embrace as well. Chicago may be
known for its hot dogs and pizza, but the
seasonal restaurant weeks in the city
offer up more unique dishes than ever
before. During restaurant weeks, you can
sample different creations from participat-
ing restaurants that will vary in status, from
authentic “mom and pop” shops and
street BBQ, to five star fine-dining cuisine. public sculpture displays. Walk through
the nearby downtown streets where you
will find all sorts of shops to browse for
souvenirs, from famous designer brands
to local boutiques. Head into Garrett’s
popcorn shop for an iconic flavor, avail-
able in gift tins and regular bags. Garrett’s
has been popping out their Chicago tra-
dition since 1949, and they offer flavors
and mixes like Garrett’s mix, a combina-
tion of caramel corn and cheddar cheese
popcorn. You can create your own tin
and sample all of the other flavors, such
as buttery ranch, buffalo cheese, and
macadamia caramel crisp.
If you like art, head to the Navy Pier for Summer in Alton is a melting pot of ro-
138 | Summer 2017 | Travel Midwest
mance, music, riverside events, and fam-
ily fun, where you will be able to taste
local dishes and listen to the fine-tuned
sounds of local musicians all season
long. Take a drive down the Great
Rivers National Scenic Byway for cam-
era-worthy sights and local history les-
sons. Take a ride on the Hakuna
Matata River Rambler Cruise, via
Grafton Harbor, where you will be on a
49-passenger tour boat that will take
you what locals like to call, “The Key
West of the Midwest.” While you’re
there, you can visit the floating winery,
where you’ll float in the Mississippi and
Illinois Rivers while enjoying samples
and glasses of locally-made wine.