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All United States Illinois

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Illinois

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

Updated September 22, 2023

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Cities

Top Cities
Chicago
From the old model
Peoria
The front of the store. (Dave's Down to Earth Rock Shop)
Evanston
Lincoln Tomb
Springfield
Rockmen Guardians
Rockford
The American Football House.
Urbana
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
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories
Lists

Unusual Attractions in Illinois

Tin Man at Oz Park.

Chicago, Illinois

Oz Park

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.
Woolly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities

Chicago, Illinois

Woolly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities

This morbid, delightful curiosity shop offers everything from animal bones to human teeth.

Chicago, Illinois

Tiffany Dome

This massive stained-glass masterpiece is thought to be the largest Tiffany dome in existence.
The fern garden.

Chicago, Illinois

Garfield Park Conservatory

A lush green oasis in the middle of Chicago.
The exterior of the new store

Chicago, Illinois

Wicker Park Secret Agent Supply Co.

This shop for all your super spy needs hides an educational secret.

Chicago, Illinois

Willis Tower Glass Platform

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.
Shit Fountain

Chicago, Illinois

Shit Fountain

A giant bronze coil of feces is both a tribute to doggie defecation and a reminder to pick it up.

Chicago, Illinois

The Violet Hour

A speakeasy takes on Chicago's drinking culture.
See All 333 Things To Do in Illinois

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Illinois

Chicago, Illinois

The Violet Hour

A speakeasy takes on Chicago's drinking culture.
Frozen strawberry with wasabi

Chicago, Illinois

Alinea Restaurant

The subtle science of a master molecular gastronomist.
The hotel lobby

Chicago, Illinois

Palmer House Hilton

This historic hotel invented the chocolate brownie.

Chicago, Illinois

Rainbo Club

Beloved bar home to musicians of all eras and reputations.
See all 10 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

Architectural Oddities 27
Museums And Collections 26
Shops 26
Statues 25
Art 23
History 23
Sculptures 22
Monuments 20
Collections 20
Abandoned 17
Parks 14
Cemeteries 14
Unique Restaurants & Bars 13
Places To Stay 3

Illinois Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. Avatar image for timstafford78
    timstafford78
    11
  2. Avatar image for Rebekah Otto
    Rebekah Otto
    10
  3. S
    smfishel
    8
  4. L
    lizzieboyle
    7
  5. Avatar image for Anthony Settipani
    Anthony Settipani
    6

Places Edited

  1. Avatar image for Collector of Experiences
    Collector of Experiences
    29
  2. Avatar image for Darrell Powers
    Darrell Powers
    27
  3. Avatar image for Rachel
    Rachel
    25
  4. P
    Patron Editor
    25
  5. M
    Martin
    25
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Places Visited

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    kevsheb
    236
  2. S
    sheilacostelloe
    224
  3. Avatar image for apbreuhan
    apbreuhan
    199
  4. Avatar image for kevinpb
    kevinpb
    195
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    doptroutman
    176

Recent Illinois Activity

  • G

    girlofsteel377

    has been to Haymarket Square

  • G

    girlofsteel377

    wants to go to Concrete Traffic

  • G

    girlofsteel377

    has been to Couch Tomb

  • G

    girlofsteel377

    wants to go to S.S. Eastland Memorial

  • G

    girlofsteel377

    wants to go to Historic Garfield Station Entrance

Stories About Illinois

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, Big Think
September 22, 2023

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
June 7, 2022

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
May 23, 2022
Kevin Dzurny, chief cartographer at Replogle Globes, has to keep things up to date—and keep certain countries happy.

How a Globemaker Navigates a Digital World

“It’s kind of a joke, but in some sense, I almost feel like I could start a war.”
by Lauren Vespoli
April 6, 2020
Teenage T. rex would still have been plenty fearsome.

How a 70-Year-Old Dino-Size Mystery May Have Finally Been Solved

Was it a teenage T. rex or another species entirely?
by Isaac Schultz
January 3, 2020
If you squint, you might just see the Kincaid Mounds shimmer.

The Glittery Legacy of Lead at a Historic Native American Site

A shiny mineral called galena, once prized by the Mississippian people, left its mark on the soil.
by Sabrina Imbler
November 7, 2019
The Masonic Temple in Aurora, pictured here in 2014, sat vacant for about a decade before it went up in flames in early October.

The Grandeur of Old Masonic Temples Also Makes Them Vulnerable to Fires

They're hard to reuse, and can be quick to burn.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
October 22, 2019
Some of the treasures found in the pilfered wallets.

Found: 15 Wallets From the 1940s, Stolen and Stashed Behind a Bathroom Wall

The cash is gone, but a lot of memories remain.
by Matthew Taub
July 10, 2019

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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