America’s Midwest is filled with hidden destination gems. For honeymoon romance in Illinois, look no further than Rockford, Galena, or the Shawnee National Forest. Of course, Illinois has Chicago, one of the U.S.’s most dynamic metropolises, situated by Lake Michigan. Chicago’s architecture is breathtaking. Lake Michigan has lovely beaches, sports’ talk never ends, and the food is world-class. Even their hot dogs are outstanding.
What has been called “Second City” is a city second-to-none when it comes to art and culture, with its great symphony and fantastic Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago is also a shopper’s paradise. And if you are in the mood for some naughtiness, take one of Chicago’s mob tours.
Explore our guide to the best honeymoon destinations in the USA.
When you feel the need to leave the city, there is no better place in Illinois than the Shawnee National Forest located in the extreme southern part of the state. No big city sophistication here. Just the great outdoors for hiking and camping. There are several romantic cabins near the forest.
One secret held by the Shawnee National Forest is its wine trail. The majority of Illinois residents don’t know it exists. There are about a dozen wineries within a 40-mile range. You can easily drive the trail and indulge in some serious wine tasting. A perennial favorite is the Blue Sky Vineyard. It has its own Bed & Breakfast suites. You’ll be waking up to the sign of the vineyard stretching to the rolling hills of the Shawnee Forest. It’s a very popular wedding destination, should you wish to combine your destination wedding with your Illinois honeymoon.
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Table of Contents
Best Hotels for Your Illinois Honeymoon 🏨
About Illinois 📖
Best Time to Visit Illinois 📅
Top Things to do in Illinois 👫
Weather in Illinois ☀️
LondonHouse Chicago, Curio Collection by Hilton
Offring many services and facilities, LondonHouse is one of the luxurious hotels in Chicago. Their warm hospitality and first-class service will please you.
LondonHouse provides taxi service, meeting rooms, banquet room, ATM on-site, spa, gym, nightclub, etc. Travelers love this hotel’s modern decorations and features. Besides, rooms are spacious and decorated with comfortable stuff. You can enjoy the views of the city from your room.
They serve a complimentary coffee as soon as a guest arrives. Also, their meals are delicious, and their drinks are excellent. Have a drink in your hand and enjoy yourself in the rooftop bar.
Many attractions and restaurants are within walking distance. Visit them in your free time. Moreover, LondonHouse offers a romantic environment and secluded area for honeymooners. This hotel is also available for romantic getaways, destination weddings, and other vacations destination. Experience your dream luxury vacation in LondonHouse.
More Information on LondonHouse Chicago, Curio Collection by Hilton
Average Price Range: $114 to $399
All Inclusive: No
Adults Only: No
Villas Available: No
Number of Rooms: 452
Virgin Hotels Chicago
Virgin Hotel is one of the excellent hotels in Chicago. Offering many facilities and services, Virgin Hotel is famous amongst travelers.
They offer taxi service, meeting rooms, banquet room, sun terrace, nightclub, gym, etc. Besides, rooms are spacious and decorated with lots of comfortable furniture.
Virgin Hotel serves guests complimentary coffee. Besides, their meals are amazing and healthy. If you’re on a diet, try their special diet menus. You can also enjoy breakfast in your room. Have a glass of wine and enjoy the views of the city.
In addition, enjoy their evening entertainment hour. Many attractions and restaurants are within walking distance. Visit them in your free time. If you want to travel with your loving pet, remember Virgin Hotel is a pet-friendly hotel.
Virgin Hotel is available for vacations like honeymoons, romantic getaways, and other vacations. Try Virgin Hotel for your upcoming vacation and make memories.
More Information on Virgin Hotels Chicago
Average Price Range: $177 to $410
All Inclusive: No
Adults Only: No
Villas Available: No
Number of Rooms: 250
The Talbott Hotel
The Talbott Hotel welcomes guests cordially and offers luxurious services. Standing at Chicago, The Talbott Hotel is one of the excellent hotels in Illinois.
They offer property amenities, including an ATM on-site, taxi service, meeting rooms, bar, gym, and so on. Rooms are spacious and decorated with lots of useful stuff. This hotel tries to deliver elegant and magnificent hospitality to its guests.
In addition, they serve healthy meals and drinks. Have a drink and enjoy the views of the town. Remember, this hotel is pet-friendly. Besides, many attractions and restaurants are within walking distance, visit them in your free time. You can also explore the city and experience the lifestyle of locals.
The Talbott Hotel offers a romantic environment, private space for newlyweds and honeymooners. This hotel is available for other vacations destination. Try The Talbott Hotel for your upcoming vacation and experience luxury.
More Information on The Talbott Hotel
Average Price Range: $138 to $665
All Inclusive: No
Adults Only: No
Villas Available: No
Number of Rooms: 178
Loews Chicago Hotel
Located at the heart of the city of Chicago, Loews Chicago is one of the excellent hotels in Illinois. This hotel is famous amongst travelers as this hotel offers many facilities and services.
They provide property amenities, including an ATM on-site, rooftop terrace, meeting rooms, banquet room, car hire, bar, gym, and so on. Besides, rooms are spacious and decorated with comfortable furniture.
They serve delicious dishes and excellent drinks. Guests can enjoy complimentary coffee during their visit. Have a glass of wine and enjoy the views of the city.
If you want to travel with your pet, Loews Chicago is a pet-friendly hotel. Moreover, you can enjoy many activities. Many attractions and restaurants are within a few distances, and you can visit them in your free time.
In addition, Loews Chicago is secluded, romantic and offers a luxury environment. This hotel can make your dream of a perfect vacation come true. Try Loews Chicago and make it a part of your memories.
More Information on Loews Chicago Hotel
Average Price Range: $182 to $385
All Inclusive: No
Adults Only: No
Villas Available: No
Number of Rooms: 400
Viceroy Chicago
Viceroy Chicago is one of the luxurious hotels in Chicago. Offering many facilities and services, this hotel is famous amongst travelers.
They offer property amenities including taxi service, meeting rooms, banquet room, bar, sun terrace, gym, car hire, and so on. Besides, rooms are spacious, decorated with modern features and comfortable furniture.
They serve amazing and healthy meals. Drinks from their bar are excellent. If you’re on a diet, you can try their special diet menus. Have a drink and enjoy the views of the city.
In addition, Viceroy Chicago is pet-friendly, and you can visit with your pet. Here you can enjoy many activities. Besides, many attractions and restaurants are nearby, visit them in your free time.
Viceroy Chicago is available for vacations like honeymoons, romantic getaways, and other vacations. This hotel is romantic, secluded, and friendly, so this can be a great choice for newlyweds. Experience luxury and make memories.
More Information on Viceroy Chicago
Average Price Range: $215 to $447
All Inclusive: No
Adults Only: No
Villas Available: No
Number of Rooms: 180
About Illinois
Illinois is bordered by Wisconsin, Indiana, and the Mississippi River along its western border. With its central location for trains and waterway shipping, the state has always ranked in importance for agriculture and manufacturing.
Illinois’s largest city, Chicago, is nicknamed the “Windy City.” The name originated because Chicagoans continuously brag about their city – their marvelous architecture, their pizza, their hot dogs, and everything else. There is a lot to brag about. The name stuck because of the harsh gust of winds frequently soaring over the city from Lake Michigan.
The shores of Lake Michigan provide the best views of Chicago’s skyline. Grab your beloved and enjoy a picnic by the shore and enjoy both the food and the spectacular view. For the most romantic dining in town, visit the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the Sears Towers. They serve brunch, but the best meal may be dinner, when you are dining with miles and miles of twinkling lights below.
The top of the Sears Tower (now referred to as the Willis Tower) does provide the best view of Chicago. When the weather is clear, you can see Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana.
Quite a few well-known people have called Illinois home. Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield, the state’s capital. You can still visit his old house and his grave. Writer Carl Sandburg grew up in Galesburg. Ronald Reagan was raised in Tampico. And crime boss Al Capone wreaked havoc in Chicago.
Rockford, Illinois’s second-largest city, is surrounded by 20,000 acres of lush forest. Its Anderson Japanese Gardens have been called the best Japanese gardens in North America. This is 12 acres of sheer peace and tranquility with ponds, winding paths, gardens, streams, waterfalls, and more. This 16th century traditional Japanese architecture fits perfectly into the 21st century.
Classes in tai chi, yoga, and meditation are held on the lawn. Greet the sunrise with a walking meditation, then enjoy some coffee and refreshments. There are healing baths inside.
Galena is a small city approximately three and a half hours from Chicago. You may consider Galena the anti-Chicago. Surrounded by scenic green hills, Galena is the place to come to get away from everything else. The most romantic place to stay in Galena is the Goldmoor Inn. Once a private estate, it has been turned into an inn with luxury rooms, enchanting cabins, fine dining, and enchanting gardens, all overlooking the Mississippi River. Breakfast in bed will be served upon request. Don’t forget the beef wellington for dinner.
Galena is the quintessential small American town. Stroll the cobblestoned streets and check out the boutiques and restaurants. Indulge in a plate of the best pasta in town at Vinny Vanucchi’s. Find the shop that sells bacon covered in chocolate.
Best Time to Visit Illinois
Like most states, Illinois has something happening year-round. Make your choice of favorite events and enjoy.
Festival of Lights
Starting in November, East Peoria fills with lights during the annual Festival of Lights. Everything is lit. A parade kicks off these holiday lights. Everyone gets into a festive mood.
Route 66 Festival
The Route 66 Festival in Edwardsville in June is a car-lovers fantasy. It’s all about exhibiting and cruising in classic cars. This celebration of all things Route 66 features a classic car cruise and what might be your best chance to run a 10k race down Route 66 itself.
Long Grove Strawberry Festival
If you love strawberries, don’t miss Long Grove’s Strawberry Festival at the end of June. There are fried strawberries, barbequed strawberries, and ice cream and shakes. Lots of juicy strawberries.
Galena Oktoberfest
Perhaps you prefer beer over strawberries. No problem. Join the Galena Oktoberfest on October 2nd. Eat unlimited wieners and drink unlimited beer. Dance to polka music and watch – seriously – the wiener dog race.
Illinois State Fair
The Illinois State Fair takes place in Springfield at the Springfield Fair Grounds in Mid-August. Hundreds of thousands of visitors invade the city for this fair. There are parades, rides, music, and plenty of beer.
Taste of Chicago
Taste of Chicago is Chicago’s biggest annual food festival taking place early in July in Grant Park. Just about every restaurant has a booth, and local chefs give demonstrations. So much food, so little time.
Top Things to do in Illinois
The Midway Village Museum in Rockford
Midway Village Museum provides a wonderfully unique experience for history lovers. There are 20,000 square feet of exhibits relating to Rockford history. The Victorian Village is a recreation of life in the 19th century with guides in period dress. The “village” includes a school, store, church, hotel, and a bank. These Victorian structures are nestled within beautiful, manicured gardens. The Iris Garden has Iris blooms going back to the 1500s. It’s a living museum taking visitors back to a past era.
Antiques
If you have a new home to decorate, or even if you don’t, Hidden Treasures in Rockford is the place to visit. More than 300 antique booths take up 37,500 square feet filled with rare, vintage items that you can pick up at a bargain. The place is huge, and you will surely find something.
Al Capone Gangster Tour
Chicago is well-known for its prohibition gangster activities. Secretly, the city takes a bit of pleasure in its dangerous and colorful past. The Gangster Bus Tour is led by actors in period outfits and gangster attitudes. The tour is factual and takes you to actual crime scenes involving Capone, Moran, Dillinger, and their friends. Wander through the site of the St. Valentines’ Massacre and, the Biograph Theatre, where Dillinger met his just rewards. It’s both an entertaining and educational tour. Just don’t mouth off to the guides!
Fabulous Allerton Park
Allerton Park at Monticello is 1,500 acres of wonderment. This fabulous manor and its 14 gardens is the early 20th century brainchild of philanthropist Robert Allerton. The gardens were formally designed to exacting standards, with each flower planted just so. The gardens are a combination of breathtaking nature and spectacular manmade art. The paths are lined with statues collected by Allerton during his travels.
Incredibly, you can spend the night at Allerton’s. The large mansion has over 17 guest rooms and several guest houses with antique furnishings chosen as carefully as the flowers in the gardens.
There is an eight-bedroom house hidden in the gardens. It used to house the staff; now, guests can spend the night. The head gardener lived in the secluded Gate House, which has six guest rooms.
Chicago Architectural Tours
There is no way to really see Chicago without taking a Chicago River Board Architect Tour. Chicago has one of the most amazing skylines, with art deco, modern, neo-classical, and gothic towers stretching toward the sky. There are a number of tours, from architectural, Saturday night cocktail tour, which includes live jazz and Dixieland, and a Chicago history tour. In addition, each Saturday, there is a fireworks’ cruise.
Weather in Illinois
Like much of the Midwest, Illinois can have hot, humid summers and extremely cold winters. Summers can bring dangerous heat waves, which the winter months are the time for serious blizzards. Along the shores of Lake Michigan, only spring and fall enjoy moderate temperatures. Illinois definitely has four specific seasons.
The lake has cooling breezes that can bring more moderate summer weather. The summer months can also bring severe thunderstorms.
During the winter, those lake breezes increase the effects and energy of a winter snowstorm and make it more powerful. Chicago sees more snow than any other part of the state.
