Travel Tuesday, October 30

Happy almost Halloween!

I can’t believe October is coming to a close. Luckily, the last day of the month is one of the best for festive fun around the state. Over the weekend, I appeared on ABC7 to talk about some of the most haunted places to visit in Illinois.

If you’re into historic hauntings, locals in Galena say just about every building is haunted, and Alton is known to be one of the "most haunted small towns in America." There, you can take tours of all sorts of haunted sites. For a different kind of scare, Hellsgate Haunted House in Lockport is a multi-level mansion hidden deep in the woods — woods that happen to be overrun with zombies!

Speaking of Halloween, this week the Illinois Office of Tourism is hosting influencers from Mexico on a FAM trip to experience all the Illinois thrills for themselves. Starting in Chicago, they visited Jack's Pumpkin Nights, a pop-up corn maze, and ate at Zombie Taco before heading to Alton for a haunted tour of the former Mineral Springs Hotel and a Haunted Craft Beer Experience at Old Bakery Beer. Today's itinerary includes a tour of the Old Joliet Prison before the group returns to Chicago for a Halloween filled with a ghost-themed walking tour, a trip to the National Museum of Mexican Art, and the Northalsted Halloween Parade. Thank you to all our participating CVBs for arranging visits to all these fun, spooky attractions in Illinois.

Every fall, I'm reminded of how wonderful it is to travel around the state to meet with tourism partners and enjoy the sites throughout Illinois. Last week, I was in Mount Vernon where I visited the Cedarhurst Museum as well as Marlow’s Pumpkin Patch. Then I continued on to Collinsville, where I spoke at the State of the City event held in partnership with the Great Rivers and Routes CVB. In my speech, I talked about the vital economic power of tourism and the halo effect it has on broader economic development. Did you know that in Illinois alone, the tourism industry has created nearly 20,000 jobs in the last two years?

I’ve loved being on the road enjoying all that fall in Illinois has to offer. And while I know things are going to cool down soon enough, I look forward to saying goodbye to the lovely fall and gearing up for another incredible holiday season. Illinois is amazing all year round.

Your friend in Illinois Tourism,

Congratulations are in order for Roger Carmack of Great Rivers Country, who recently received the 2018 Stewardship Award by the Mississippi River Parkway Commission at their annual meeting in Arkansas. As one of the region's biggest champions of the Mississippi River's boundless potential for tourism, Roger is more than deserving of this recognition for his outstanding service and contributions to the Great River Road National Scenic Byway and other attractions along the river.

Among his accomplishments, Roger helped to secure Federal Highway Administration funds in the amount of $2,895,564 for the funding of projects along the Great River Road in Illinois — just one of the ways he has served as a tireless representative of the entire Great Rivers Country region.

In 2026, the famous highway known as the Mother Road turns 100 years old. In anticipation of the anniversary of Route 66, the state of Illinois has created the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission, whose members will develop plans for the upcoming celebrations. Along with designees of state legislators and other officials, the commission will include three public members — one of whom will lead the commission — to be appointed by the governor.

All members of the public are encouraged to nominate themselves or qualified peers for positions such as the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission. To submit a nomination, visit this page at the Illinois state website.

On October 31, head to Chicago's Boystown for a Halloween party ranked one of the 10 Best Halloween Celebrations in the U.S. by Fodor’s Travel Guide. Every year, a horde of zombies resurrects Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" dance to kick off the parade. If you dare, enter the costume contest judged by a panel of drag queens, or just enjoy the fall festivities in one of Chicago’s most spirited neighborhoods. And as always, you can search EnjoyIllinois.com to find Halloween parades and festivals throughout the state.

With miles of wooded trails and stunning gorges, Starved Rock and Mathiessen state parks in LaSalle County are already massive places to take in some nature — but all that protected land is about to get even bigger. Last Thursday, Governor Rauner announced the state has acquired 2,629 acres of property to protect natural resources and expand recreation opportunities, tourism and economic development near the state parks. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources purchased the property for $11,050,000 through the state’s Open Land Trust, established to acquire property for conservation and recreation purposes.

College football: a good teammate for local tourism
One of the biggest tourism trends won't come as any surprise to any American who looks forward to Saturdays in the fall. According to Skift, college football is "a boon to local tourism, pouring tens of millions of dollars into college town economies." As many towns know, business can jump as much as 200 percent for homes games on Saturdays. Even as tourism continues to evolve, never discount the power of good old tradition for attracting visitors to your region.

On November 3 and 4, the 11 wineries of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail come together to showcase the qualities of Southern Illinois wine. Throughout the weekend, each winery offers a unique pairing of wine and food, such as Pumpkin Risotto with Goat Cheese and Dried Cranberries paired with Rocko Red (Alto Vineyards) or Corn Dog Shrimp paired with Canyon Gold or Cider (Von Jakob Vineyard). Raise a glass to Southern Illinois and head to the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail to taste it for yourself.