June Illinois Tourism Monthly

Ready to Welcome the World at IPW Chicago 2025

IPW 2025 begins in Chicago this Saturday, bringing thousands of international travel buyers and media through our front door. We're ready to connect these decision makers with destinations from every corner of the state, starting with a must-visit Illinois aisle created with our CVB partners.

There'll be plenty more for them to visit, too. After the show ends, we're hosting attendees on seven incredible FAM trips, including Route 66 experiences, Frank Lloyd Wright architectural journeys, and Mississippi River adventures. Be sure to give them a warm welcome if you see them on the road!

Welcome to our New Class of Illinois Makers

We're thrilled to welcome 20 incredible small businesses into the Illinois Made program, bringing our family of Makers to 277 statewide. As with every Illinois Made class, they represent a true celebration of Illinois creativity, offering everything from handcrafted harps in Chicago to fragrant lavender in Edwardsville. They also represent the real diversity of our state, with 13 of the businesses being owned by women, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, or people of color. Discover all the new additions and plan your next Illinois Made adventure!

Showing Our Pride All Month Long

Pride Month is in full swing across Illinois! Springfield and Buffalo Grove have already kicked off the celebrations, but there's still plenty of rainbow-filled fun ahead. We've compiled a comprehensive Pride guide on EnjoyIllinois.com to help you find the perfect event.

Chicago's legendary Pride Festival (June 21-22) and Parade (June 29) anchor the month, but don't miss gems like Ottawa's family-friendly PrideFest on June 14 or the Rainbow Run at Woodstock PrideFest (June 14-15).

From Rockford to Champaign, Illinois Marks Juneteenth with Statewide Events

Juneteenth celebrations are taking place throughout Illinois, honoring 170 years of African American history and culture with parades, performances, and community events. In Champaign, the African American Heritage Trail offers guided tours of landmarks and murals, sharing stories of local and national heroes. Rockford hosts the state's longest-running Juneteenth observance, now in its 35th year. Founded in 1990 by community leader Tommy Meeks, this celebration on June 19 at Sinnissippi Park features live music, educational activities, local vendors, and a community awards ceremony, uniting people of all backgrounds in remembrance and joyful celebration.

Great American Road Trip Initiative Spotlights Illinois Attractions

The Department of Transportation and Brand USA just launched the Great American Road Trip website, featuring 250 must-visit road trip stops across the country for America's 250th anniversary in 2026. The site helps travelers find interesting stops in every state as they plan their road trips.

Illinois landed several spots on the list, including the Lincoln Tomb, Chicago Food Tours, Navy Pier, and the World's Largest Catsup Bottle. With Memorial Day road trips hitting a 20-year high at 45 million travelers, Americans are definitely ready to hit the road, and this should help them see the sights with ease. It's also a nice complement to Route 66's centennial next year, and our collection of road trip itineraries on EnjoyIllinois.com.

Localhood Platform Wrapping Up After Supporting 300 Illinois Stories

CrowdRiff has announced it will wind down the Localhood storytelling platform next month. During our time on the platform, we partnered with CVBs across the state to create nearly 300 stories highlighting itineraries, hidden gems, and can’t-miss attractions throughout Illinois.

Access will end on July 30. CrowdRiff pointed to shifts in Google's emphasis on short-form video and AI-generated summaries as key reasons. We're actively exploring how to preserve and share this valuable content moving forward. Thank you to all our CVB partners for helping bring these stories to life—we’ll keep you updated as we navigate next steps.

German Travel Experts Get the Full Midwest Welcome

In partnership with TUI and Lufthansa, last month we brought a group of top-selling German travel advisors here on a week-long FAM, sharing with them the kind of firsthand experiences that will help them sell Illinois confidently to German travelers. The trip showcased what makes our state a must-visit destination, from Chicago's city buzz, to Route 66's iconic attractions, to the charm of river towns like Galena and Quincy.

Huge thanks to our amazing partners who rolled out the red carpet: Choose Chicago, Heritage Corridor Destinations, Visit Springfield, Great Rivers and Routes, Galena Country Tourism, Quincy CVB, and Rosemont's Fashion Outlets of Chicago. It's work like this that keeps our international visitors climbing.

Botanical Tourism Blooms

Skyscanner reports that 46% of American travelers now rank gardening as their top leisure activity. Naturally, it influences their vacation habits, too, with 72% saying they enjoy garden visits when exploring a destination. It probably won't surprise many people to hear that fall foliage, tulips in bloom, and cherry blossoms top their lists of must-see floral phenomena. Check out Skyscanner for more on this trend, as well as other blossoming activities.

When browsing the Spring/Summer issue of the Enjoy Illinois inspiration guide, you'll feel like you're already out there enjoying the best the state has to offer. Luckily, the excitement doesn't need to stop there, because it's your first step on the way to road trips, the best summer events, luxury getaways, delicious dining, and more! There's always something new to explore.

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