The mid-Western American state of Illinois offers on one hand the giant, bustling city of Chicago , and on the other the experience of small-town America . Most of the state is covered in rich farmlands, dotted with agricultural communities and half a million acres of state parks. Tucked away in the rolling hills are some Amish communities carrying on their traditional rural way of life without modern conveniences.

The metropolis of Chicago on the shore of Lake Michigan in the north is the focus for most visitors to Illinois ; it is  America 's most representative big city, filled with awe-inspiring skyscrapers, world-class museums, neighborhood festivals and top-notch restaurants. The state capital, Springfield , 322km south of Chicago , is a city with a small-town atmosphere, reveling in its fame as having being the home of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th US President. Springfield has Lincoln 's tomb, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the state capitol

Visitors seeking life in the open air are drawn to the expanse of natural beauty in south Illinois where the Shawnee National Forest offers hiking, biking, camping, and fishing opportunities in serene woodlands. While Southeast Illinois is home to the city of Champaign , beautiful Lake Shelbyville and the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Reserve.

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