Eye On Illinois: Time for readers to weigh in on state’s best tourist experiences

It’s almost summer, which means two things: warnings about illegal parking at Starved Rock State Park and another state tourism campaign.

Last June the state spent $6 million on its Time for Me to Drive effort to encourage in-state road trips. On Monday, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which oversees the tourism office, debuted its first video with Cook County native Jane Lynch as spokeswoman for the new Middle of Everything branding.

Aside from her natural charisma and acting experience, Lynch’s contributions – at least according to her page on the state website – are a list of suggestions for places to go in Chicago, then plugs for Avanti’s Italian Restaurant in Bloomington, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield and the Grafton SkyTour at Aerie’s Resort.

A photo of the Aerie’s zipline is a stunning cover image on the new Enjoy Illinois spring/summer guide, which seems a much better resource than Lynch’s list (if you haven’t heard of Second City and Wrigley Field by now … ). It’s safe to assume Lynch has been to Lock 16 in La Salle for a ride on The Volunteer, a mule-pulled replica of a boat that traveled the Illinois & Michigan Canal.

According to the Illinois State Historical Society, the canal opened from Ottawa to Chicago on this day in 1848. So perhaps 2023 will be a banner year as the canal marks its 175th anniversary, but for today’s purposes it serves as a reminder of the types of Illinois experiences that not only go beyond all Chicago has to offer but also remind us of a state before the Windy City became so dominant.

(The Illinois State Archives note Chicago didn’t even have railroad lines when the canal opened, and the I&M Canal National Heritage Area reports La Salle had more people than Chicago at the time.)

Lynch’s page aside, the state’s tourism website is an excellent resource. Like the print guide, it is visually stunning and stirs the spirit of someone tired of looking out the window waiting to break out the shorts and sunscreen.

Although there’s no way to account for everyone’s personal taste – the print guide references Manny’s Pizza in Savanna, a local institution I’ve never fully appreciated despite several attempts over the decades – I’ve enjoyed a couple of past efforts to have readers share their favorites in this space.

We’ve highlighted Illinois-made products for holiday gifts and made a list of must-eat menu items at restaurants all over the state, so let’s try a new one for 2022.

What’s your favorite tourist spot? Permanent site, one-time festival or natural wonder — where do you take people to show off the Middle of Everything? Select responses printed as space allows.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Media. Follow him on Twitter @sth749. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.