All the United States Illinois

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Illinois

371 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Illinois

Updated June 19, 2025

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Alton
  2. Alto Pass
  3. Arcola
  4. Ashmore
  5. Atlanta
  6. Batavia
  7. Bloomington
  8. Brookfield
  9. Cairo
  10. Chester
  11. Chicago
  12. Collinsville
  13. Des Plaines
  14. East St. Louis
  15. Evanston
  16. Freeport
  17. Galena
  18. Geneva
  19. Joliet
  20. Lincoln
  21. Lombard
  22. Mattoon
  23. Maywood
  24. Oak Park
  25. Paris
  26. Park Ridge
  27. Peoria
  28. Rockford
  29. Springfield
  30. Urbana
  31. Wilmington
  32. Woodstock

Unusual Attractions in Illinois

See All 371 Things To Do in Illinois

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Illinois

See all 23 Places to Eat in Illinois
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

A Feminist Road Trip Across the U.S.

Atlas Obscura has a tradition of exploring the stories of women who changed the world, from wildlife biologists and mountain climbers to Civil War spies and tattoo artists. To celebrate these daring women who struck out on their own, we’ve put together a cross-country road trip. Over 12 stops and more than 3,000 miles, this route will give you a front-row seat to women’s history in America.

View Itinerary

Explore Illinois

Architecture 45
Museums 33
Architectural Oddities 29
Shops 28
Statues 26
History 25
Sculptures 23
Collections 23

Illinois Leaderboard

Recent Illinois Activity

Stories About Illinois

This Arachnid in Illinois Had Armored Spikes on Its 8 Legs

The new species is too strange to be assigned a category.
by Olivia Young
Conspiracy theorists believe X marks the spot over Carbondale.

Why Doomsayers Think the Eclipse Will Bring Disaster to Illinois

The town of Carbondale sits in the middle of an astronomical crossroads.
by Leah Hudson

Podcast: Jerry’s Hat Museum

A worship of over 16,000 hats… plus 32,000 pens and pencils.
by The Podcast Team

Podcast: The Super Museum

Two father-daughter Superman fans have dedicated much of their lives to curating this tiny museum.
by The Podcast Team
Following the introduction of chemical weapons in World War I and into the World War II era, concerns about unseen dangers spread to the homefront.

Airing Out the Mystery of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon

What a strange spate of "gas attacks" tells us about what was really lurking in mid-century America.
by Colin Dickey
Red means higher than average anomalies, and blue means lower than average ones.

Uneven Gravity Makes You Weigh More in Illinois Than in Indiana

A number of factors cause you to be lighter or heavier in different parts of the world.
by Frank Jacobs

Podcast: Phone Booth on a Roof

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team

Podcast: Leaning Tower of Niles

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team

Lists Featuring Illinois

Rats of Karni Mata Temple
Paxton Gate Exterior
Albino Squirrels of Olney, Illinois

A Rat Lover's Tour of the World

15 places where rodents are celebrated, feared, preserved, and studied.

15

Including Karni Mata Temple, Nutty Narrows Bridge, and Paxton Gate

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