Not only is Illinois packed with iconic attractions and history, the state itself is an icon of the American heartland. Known as the Prairie State, Illinois is also the Land of Lincoln, featuring the City of the Big Shoulders, the Plow Capital of the World and the Garden of the West. All those names mean there’s a lot to uncover in this statewide jewel.
Willis (Sears) Tower, Chicago
Chicago is home to so many famed buildings and monuments, but one literally stands above them all: the Willis Tower, better known as the Sears Tower. The Windy City is the birthplace of skyscrapers, and through the latter half of the 20th century, the 110-story Sears Tower was the tallest in the world. It opened in 1973 and cemented Chicago’s place in architectural history.
Although it was passed by other buildings in the last 20 years, the renamed Willis Tower is still a top draw for groups. The Skydeck on the 99th floor is the loftiest observation deck in the country, and visitors can see Illinois plus three other states from the deck when the weather is clear. The Skydeck is also available for meetings, and can handle up to 300 for seated events or up to 400 for standing receptions. With a 360-degree view, sunset cocktail events are a top choice for groups as well. Although Sears Tower is in the heart of Chicago, it’s still a short distance from properties like 360 Chicago, Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel and the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort.
“While the Willis Tower, formerly called the Sears Tower, and Soldiers Field are best known, they are representative of dozens and dozens of museums, galleries, theaters, ballrooms, parks, attractions, restaurants and more that can provide meeting planners with tremendous opportunity and flexibility when choosing a venue or alternative event space to book in Chicago,” said David Whitaker, president & CEO of Choose Chicago.
Soldier Field, Chicago
Like most Chicago icons, Soldier Field has had a colorful history. It opened in 1924 and was named as a memorial to those lost during World War I. Soldier Field has served as a kind of town square for Chicago through the decades, hosting myriad events, from football games to tractor pulls. It gained the most fame, however, as the home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears, and was even de-listed from historical landmark status in order for the stadium to be renovated and keep its hometown team.
In a sports world where newer is always better, Soldier Field remains and is the second-oldest stadium still in professional use. Planners have a host of options for meetings and events, from a behind-the-scenes tour that includes the visitor’s locker room to renting the whole field for a private concert or holding receptions and meetings in the stadium’s various event spaces. Many spaces look out over Lake Michigan, and meetings can even use the venue’s massive video boards as part of the audiovisual equipment.
Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield
Illinois has long been known as the Land of Lincoln, and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield preserves the 16th president’s private home as a monument to liberty and the American Dream. Lincoln went from a Kentucky log cabin to this 12-room Greek Revival house, the only one Lincoln actually owned in his lifetime. Tours of the home are free, and tickets are available on a first-come, first–served basis.
Groups can round out their historical day with a trip to the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, which boasts incredible research materials and immersive exhibits into the life and times of Lincoln. The library welcomes daytime events like luncheons for groups, while the museum is best suited for evening gatherings such as dinners and receptions. Planners can also select from a variety of historical presentations and talks to enhance their event.
Just a few minutes outside Springfield in Petersburg is a living monument to Honest Abe’s life. Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site is a faithful reconstruction of the village where Lincoln spent his early adult years doing different jobs, from postmaster to store clerk. Craft demonstrations by blacksmiths, rail splitters and more are available, and visitors can shop for handmade goods or tour through 12 reconstructed log buildings, all containing antiques used in the period. Group tours are available.
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John Deere Pavilion, Moline
The familiar yellow and green tractors of John Deere provide an instant moment of nostalgia to anyone who grew up in the heartland. The headquarters of John Deere are in Moline, part of the Quad Cities area, and the John Deere Pavilion is a museum and showroom all rolled into one. The pavilion highlights the history and future of agriculture with exhibits and hands-on machines such as a dozer, combine and tractor.
“Groups can see vintage machines and climb aboard new ones,” said Jessica Waytenick, public relations and marketing manager for the Quad Cities CVB. “They can also operate a simulated excavator or dozer and watch feature films. It’s all free.”
Groups can enjoy a guided tour of the facility, or step it up a notch and have the Pavilion arrange a scavenger hunt as a teambuilding exercise.
Rock Island Arsenal, Arsenal Island
The largest island in the Mississippi River, Arsenal Island, holds an important key to America’s past: Rock Island Arsenal. The facility contains nearly 1,000 acres and has participated in supplying troops for American conflicts from the Civil War through World War II and the Gulf War.
“It’s still a working military facility,” Waytenick said. “Visitors are welcome to tour the Arsenal Museum, Colonel Davenport House, Lock & Dam 15, National and Confederate Cemeteries, tanks, artillery and many buildings built from native limestone.”
The Rock Island Arsenal Museum is noted for its collection of foreign and domestic small arms; more than 1,200 are on display, along with exhibits on military equipment historically produced on the island. Opened in 1905, the museum is the second-oldest Army museum in the country and offers a wide view of the American military through the centuries.
A trip to Rock Island Arsenal nicely rounds out a day on the river, along with a cruise aboard the Celebration Belle, which travels between Locks 14 and 15. The boat has four decks, two dance floors, five bars and can accommodate up to 800, and is the largest riverboat without a casino on the northern waters of the Mississippi.
“Groups love to use it for an off-site dinner,” Waytenick said.
The boat also offers big-band cruises and other specialty cruises.
Garden of the Gods/Shawnee National Forest, Harrisburg
Located near Harrisburg in Southern Illinois, the Shawnee National Forest illustrates the amazing natural beauty of Illinois. Between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers is a sumptuous patchwork of hills, bluffs, lakes and open land. With more than 400 miles of trails, it’s easy to sink into another world, far from the bustle of the city.
The most famous icon in this area is one made without man’s hands: the Garden of the Gods, a stunning space featuring sandstone formations and bluffs created 320 million years ago. The towering formations look like they’ve been carefully placed among the greenery, giving rise to the area’s famed name. The area also offers Jackson Falls, a region set aside for technical rock climbing. Both natural attractions are a great way to get out of the conference room and relax amid the beauty of nature, and planners can work with tour companies in the area for a memorable day out.
