Summer is the perfect time to go on a road trip in Illinois, which is home to many parks, historical sites, and for those who are brave enough, creepy roads. However, Illinois not only has cool destinations, but also some awesome roadside attractions. We’re bringing you a list of Illinois roadside attractions that were ranked “Major Fun,” courtesy of RoadsideAmerica.com, so you have an excuse to get out and stretch your legs on your next Illinois road-trip.
Dungeons & Dragons Park After the death of his nineteen year-old son Jeremy “Boo” Rochman, Barrett Rochman bought 3.5 acres of land near his home to build a memorial Dungeons & Dragons themed park in honor of his son, and avid D&D player. The park opened in 2005 and contains an extensive castle, sculptures of fantastic creatures and gardens.
Address: 31 Homewood Drive, Carbondale, IL
Hours: 8 AM- dusk
Admission: free, donations welcome
World’s Largest Cross Standing at 198 feet tall, 113 feet wide and made with over 180 tons of steel, this cross not only can withstand winds up to 145 miles an hour, it is two feet taller than the famed Groom Cross. The cross itself is surrounded by interactive monuments of the Ten Commandments, in addition to church music. There is a small theater at the Effingham Cross Welcome Center that documents the construction of the cross.
Effingham Cross, the World’s Largest Cross, is located in Effingham, Illinois right off of Interstate 57.
Address: 1900 Pike Ave, Effingham, IL
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Super Museum The Super Museum, located in Metropolis, the home of Superman himself, houses Jim Hambrick’s Superman collection, which he claims is the world’s largest. Hambrick started his collection in 1959 and the museum houses everything from Reeves’ original Clark Kent eyeglasses and the phone booth used by Kirk Alyn, the first film star to portray Superman. Superman spinoffs, such as Superboy and Supergirl, even have their own galleries.
Address: 517 Market St., Metropolis, IL
Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM daily
Admission: Adults $5
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Superman Statue Also located in Metropolis, home of Superman, this 12-foot tall, projectile-proof bronze Superman Statue was funded by the town after plans for a $50 million Superman-themed park and 200 foot statue were shut down over two decades earlier. The current statue replaces a 7-foot tall fiberglass statue that was placed in the town square in 1986.
This 12-foot tall Superman Statue is located in Metropolis, Illinois.
Address: Superman Square, Metropolis, IL
Raven’s Grin Inn Raven’s Grinn Inn, built in 1870, is considered one of the best haunted houses in the country. The current owner, Jim Warfield, bought the house, which had no plumbing or electricity, for $3,000 in 1988 and converted it into a real-life haunted house.
Address: 411 N. Carroll St., Mount Carroll, IL
Hours: 7 PM- 12 AM Monday-Friday, 2 PM- 5 PM Saturday and Sunday
Admission: $12
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Leaning Tower of Niles Built in 1934 by businessman Bob Ilg, The Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-sized replica of The Leaning Tower of Piza (94 feet tall and 7’4 tilt versus 177 feet tall and a 13 foot tilt). The building was originally designed as a utility tower designed to hide water filtration tanks. The plaza surrounding the tower was renovated in the 1990s to include a fountain and a reflecting pool, in addition to other amenities.
The Leaning Tower of Niles, a half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Piza, is located in Niles, Illinois, about fifteen minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
Address: 6300 Touhy Ave., Niles, IL
Miniature Golf in a Funeral Home This nine-hole mini golf course is located in the basement of Ahlgrim Acres, a family-owed funeral service. The course has been operating informally since the 1960s and includes headstones and coffins as obstacles and screams and spooky music for ambiance. The course is offered as part of the funeral package at Ahlgrim’s, but outside organizations also use the course regularly.
Address: 201 N. Northwest Hwy., Palatine, IL
Hours: 9 AM- 9 PM, Daily
Admission: Free
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Tug Fest- East Side of Mississippi Tug-of-War This competition pits LeClaire, Iowa against Port Byron, Illinois as part of a weekend-long street fair. A giant rope is thrown across the Mississippi River and a tug-of-war ensues between the two towns and two states.
Address: Cherry St., Port Byron, IL
Hours: Once a year, mid-August
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Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum This 10,000 square foot museum, which contains two 4-D theaters, opened in 2005. Unfortunately, many Lincoln artifacts were claimed by other museums, so there are not that many featured here. The museum winds the viewer through Lincoln’s life with a series of dummies and photos.
Address: 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield, IL
Hours: 9 AM- 5 PM, daily
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Gold Pyramid House
The Gold Pyramid House was built in 1977 by Jim Onan and is a 17,000 square foot, six story replica of The Great Pyramids at Giza. The House is guarded by a 64 foot statue of Ramses II and contains a replica of King Tut’s tomb. The house also holds the title of the “largest 24-karat gold-plated object in North America.”
The Gold Pyramid House, located in Metropolis, Illinois, is a replica of The Great Pyramids of Giza and is surrounded by a moat and guarded by a giant statue of Pharaoh Ramses II.
Address: 37921 Dilleys Rd., Wadsworth, IL
Hours: Tours Sunday at noon, weather permitting
Admission: $20 adults, $10 children
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Gemini Giant- Space Age Muffler Man Standing in the parking lot of the Launching Pad Drive-In on Route 66 since 1960, the Space-Age Muffler Man honors the success of NASA’s project Gemini, the second manned flight into space.
The Gemini Muffler Man is located in the parking lot of Launching Pad Drive-In off Route 66 in Wilmington, Illinois.
Address: 810 E. Baltimore St., Wilmington, IL
Russell Military Museum
Owner Mark Sunday opened the fifteen-acre Russell Military Museum (formerly the Kenosha Military Museum) in 1986 after his collection of military artillery outgrew his home. The museum is home to a variety of aging military gear, including eight M-$ Sherman tanks and a variety of missiles, jeeps, trucks, and helicopters.
Address: 23363 Old Hwy 41, Zion, IL
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 AM – 5 PM, weather permitting
Admission: Adults $10
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Leah is a summer intern at Reboot Illinois and is a rising second year student at the University of Chicago majoring in public policy.