Illinois (IL), often referred to as the "Land of Lincoln", offers a nice variety of scenic Midwestern motorcycle rides, interesting history, and notable cultural attractions. Cultural and tourist highlights include the Anderson Japanese Gardens, the numerous Amish villages throughout the state, and the Southern and Southwestern Illinois wine trails. Scenic attractions include Starved Rock State Park, the Garden of the Gods, the Shawnee National Forest, and Spoon River Valley. Historical places of interest include the homes of Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Ronald Reagan, the Illinois Railway Museum, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, and the Cahokia mounds.
Note: the motorcycle rides below have been divided into two general regions:
- Northern Illinois (anything north of Springfield)
- Southern Illinois (anything south of Springfield)
… on this route you will become one with the landscape. Rolling hills, valleys and plenty of trees will make you forget the stresses of your daily routine ... you'll find more twists, curves & hills than most of the roads I have been on in this state
… Rural road that twists and undulates for almost 15 miles. A couple of great views of the Mississippi River ... lots of hills and turns. Very enjoyable ride, even on a trike. Offers the closet thing to "The Dragon" that Illinois offers
… takes you across the Illinois river into Peoria with a trip along the river and back across into the small town of Lacon... something for everyone on this route. Beautiful scenery, antique shops, flea markets, as well as mall shopping if that's your thing
… starts out in rural Sterling Township with views of local farms and gently rolling hills. The closer one gets to Thompson the more dramitic the vistas and views become
… lots of trees and rolling hills. it has a couple of sharp curves, so be careful and when you get to the top on the hills, you'll be able to see for miles. the road opens up to beautiful fields and long swooping curves
… ride follows the Mississippi pretty closely at times and offers very nice scenic views … Palisades State Park provides some great views from the top of the bluffs ... a scenic overlook over the river (this is a relatively unknown place)
Fabulous Mississippi River scenic views along entire length of road … smooth road surface, slow sweeping corners that hugs the path of the river the entire time … an interesting & extensive Mormon settlement history in Nauvoo
… very hilly for Illinois, with thick woods, and deep ravines at certain points … nicely paved, some areas are narrow for a two lane road, twisty like the Tennessee hills … starved Rock State Park has a fascinating history and a nice lodge, camping, hiking, boat access
… wonderful example of "small town Midwest" coupled with beautiful shots of nature as the ride hugs the Rock River … statue of Chief Blawkhawk sits high on the bluff overlooking the waterway … I recommend stopping in Oregon and grabbing a sandwich at The Cheese Shop in Conover Square
… slower pace allows a rider to appreciate the small towns and surrounding farmland typical of this central Illinois area … great Amish buffet with crafts to keep those on a diet occupied while the rest of us eat! … an old-fashioned drive up root beer stand with free root beer refills and tasty
… once across the border and into Beloit and beyond, the view becomes pure Americana; from the enduring beauty of the river-front life to the occasional small-town local rural lifestyle - certainly a "top 3" ride
… a get away from the city congestion .... you'll see many farms, an ultralite airfield, a competition go-cart track and a beautiful state park … the road turns twisty for a few miles
… go from the prairies to the "mountains" of Illinois while enjoying some really winding roads with great scenery and riding thrills … in Galena, you'll find plenty of antique shops, boutiques and fine restaurants along the way
Scenic river road …. Mississippi River views and bluffs at south end … you'll want to start out with a stop at Fast Eddies ... caters to the motorcycle crowd ... live bands ever weekend and great/inexpensive food like 29 cent shrimp and 1/2 pound burger for only 99 cents
… takes you through the southern part of Illinois ... a stop at Garden of the Gods then down to Elizabethtown on the Ohio River … a number of wineries in the Alto Pass/Makanda area … you can eat fish at the Floating Resturant on the Ohio River
… as you work your way further south on this ride the more the scenery and elevation changes for the better - you'll enjoy it! … check out the childhood cabing/home of President Lincoln … several good restaurants in Vincennes
… passes by Turkey Run State Park with it’s incredible scenery - take the time to get off the bike and explore - it's loaded with gorges and ravines and plenty of great nature trails
Fields, open road, light traffic, small towns is what you'll see … has some curves but is level for the most part … you cross Rend Lake where you can observe at times, various water fowl … a GREAT restaurant, we suggest you take - The Depot Supper Club
… Mississippi river is on one side, and typically there are bluffs, caves, beautiful farm fields, wetlands or something beautiful on the other side to see … you'll see LOTS of bikes along the way as well as boats on the river … be sure and stop by Pere Marquette State Park as it has some great roads too
… area is called the Illinois Ozarks located … unlimited scenic views of the area from the hills and cliff tops ... watch for waterfalls along the roadside in the spring
… you drive on top of a series of Army Corps of Engineers flood levees … later the route takes you into and up on some huge cliffs that parallel the flood plane … EXTREMELY beautiful in the fall due to the colors displayed by the surrounding woods
Scenery:
Road Quality:
Amenities:
Key
Read this to understand our rating system.
All our motorcycle roads and trips are rated on three key categories:
Scenery
Road Quality
Roadside Amenities
Read the description below for each of the categories to understand what qualities give a road a strong or weak rating in each of the categories.
Category
A 5 star rating indicates ...
A 1 star rating indicates ...
Far above average scenery for that state. (Ex. mountain views, lakes, rivers, hills, or forests.)
Below average scenery for that state. (Ex. an area that simply is lacking in overall natural beauty.)
Outstanding driving conditions. Plenty of twists, turns & hills; well maintained roads with smooth pavement.
Straight roads over flat land or rough road conditions with
some potholes or driving
hazards such as gravel
Plenty of things to do when it's time to pull over. (Ex. museums, restaurants, pull-outs, historical sites, entertainment etc.)
Little to nothing to do when it's time to pull over. (Ex. lack of museums, restaurants, pull-outs, historical sites, entertainment etc.)
