Illinois, or “IL”, is an American state in the mid-west area of the USA. If you hire a car in Illinois you’ll find it’s a mostly flat plain to the southwest of Lake Michigan. Its largest city is the major metropolis of Chicago on the shores of the Lake, which is a wide-ranging visitor attraction. Elsewhere in Illinois you’ll find much smaller cities like Springfield, the state capital, and Aurora, Rockford, Joliet and Naperville. Other attractions to look out for include Route 66 and the meeting place of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
Chicago is the most visited part of Illinois and has the most popular sights. These include the glossy boutiques and designer stores of the ‘Magnificent Mile’ on Michigan Avenue, the after-dark jazz and blues clubs, the enormous Shedd Aquarium, and the Navy Pier on the Lake Michigan waterfront. You can’t miss the Sears Tower or the John Hancock Centre, two of America’s tallest buildings. They offer spectacular observation decks. If you hire a car in Illinois you can explore the rest of state too. Highlights to look out for include the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Tomb in Springfield, and the meeting place of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers near Cairo.
Driving in Illinois is as safe and easy as the rest of the US. Away from Chicago, of course, the roads are much less congested. As usual the state has a few unusual driving rules that need to be noted: using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited in towns or near schools. All passengers must wear seatbelts, unless they are riding in the load bay of a pick-up truck. You must stop between 15 and 50 feet of a railroad crossing if you see a train coming or the signals are flashing. And if you are using your windscreen wipers, you must turn on your headlamps.
