Each of these cities has something unique to offer. From world-renowned museums to manufacturing and coal mining plants teeming with business, Illinois is basically a distillation of the nation as a whole. It has a diverse array of industries to its credit which span across the state, with Chicago functioning as the nerve center for Illinois in all things economic and cultural.
In fact, Chicago and its outlying areas serve as the home for 65% of the state’s population. In addition to that, it’s also one of the biggest and busiest transportation hubs in the entire United States. Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport service millions about million of travelers of year both coming to the Second City and heading to destinations around the world.
In addition to transportation to and from Illinois, Chicago has one of the busiest public transportation systems in the entire country. The Chicago Transit Authority’s elevated train system is second only to New York City’s subway system when it comes to servicing riders, with approximately 1.6 million riders on the CTA system on a given weekday.
Chicago takes up just 234 of the 57,913.55 square miles (25th in the United States) within Illinois’ borders, but it’s responsible for a lion’s share of the state’s economic health. Chicago is a Great Lakes port city which deals in a massive amount of exports and imports. It’s also the hub of the Chicago district which spreads into parts of Indiana – a national leader in meat packing, iron and steel production, railroad transportation, and grain processing.
Outside of Chicago, manufacturing is a key part of the Illinois economy. In addition to the manufacturing of food and agricultural products, there are host of factories churning out computer equipment, industrial machinery, transportation peripherals, and chemicals. The state is a top producer within the United States of pork products, soybeans, and corn. It also has strong imprints in the beef, oats, sorghum, and wheat markets.
All in all, Illinois pulls in about $909 billion for a Gross State Product that ranks fifth in the United States. If the State of Illinois was a standalone country, it would rank in the top fifteen in the world for GDP. A lot of that is thanks to Chicago, but it’s also because of a burgeoning manufacturing sector and gains in both retail and the service industry.
As for entertainment options, there are few cities in the world which can match Chicago. For starters, it has 26 miles of lakefront with 25 different beaches to enjoy. However, that’s just scratching the surface of things in the Second City. If you’re an art fan and have yet to experience Chicago, it’s time to do so. It’s home to a staggering 200 or so art galleries and 20 neighborhood art collectives. It’s also got over 250 theaters, 200 dance companies, and 225 concert venues within its bounds.
For history buffs, Chicago has 369 different landmarks to check out. For foodies, there are over 7,300 restaurants in the Second City serving up some of the most stellar cuisine from countries around the world. Chicago is home to one of the most diverse cultural populations in the United States. That’s led to a bevy of world-renowned restaurants cropping up serving everything from classic Italian food to Ethiopian cuisine. Whatever you have a taste for, Chicago has you covered.
And if you’re in the mood for an adult beverage, there are 167 different breweries in the Chicagoland area and dozens of other breweries in other areas of Illinois. The 167 breweries in the Chicago metropolitan area are the most in any metropolitan area in the United States. From stouts to lagers and everything in between, you will likely find a new favorite beer in Chicago.
Everybody knows that beer goes well with sports. Chicago is home to five different professional sports teams across the four major sports, a handful of professional squads in other sports, and a host of semi-professional and collegiate teams. It’s also home to the iconic Wrigley Field – a national landmark which also happens to be a functioning stadium for Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs. Well known for its ivy-covered outfield fence, Wrigley Field is a bucket list visit for hardcore and casual sports fans alike.
While Chicago is definitely the life of the Illinois party, that doesn’t mean other cities like the capital of Springfield are something to scoff at. Because rents in Chicago proper can be a bit exorbitant for working-class citizens, many Chicago-born citizens move to outlying areas and bring a bit of the Second City with them. There are a ton of great restaurants, historical sites, and points of interest throughout the state which are not associated with Chicago.
One thing to note is that Illinois is home to a whopping 186 different public use areas which include memorials, forests, state parks, and conservation areas. For American history buffs, the aforementioned capital of Springfield is a must as it serves as the home for Abraham Lincoln’s restored home, the Lincoln Tomb, and a beautiful restoration of the Old State Capitol. For those who practice the Mormon faith or have interest in its historical genesis, the home of Joseph Smith is a definite point of interest in the town of Nauvoo.
Looking for some pretty awesome Illinois trivia to wow your friends or impress the locals after moving to the Prairie State? Well, did you know that the final episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show was shot in Chicago after 25 years in syndication. Why, you ask? Well, Chicago is Oprah’s hometown! She has long professed her love for the city and the state as a whole.
To beef up your trivia knowledge of the Prairie State even more, we’ve also compiled a list of the various living and inanimate symbols of the State of Illinois:
Have you been listening to music while reading this? Do you consider yourself a music fan in the slightest? Are you a musician who’s looking to get better at their craft? Well, you better ship your car or truck as soon as you can because Illinois may in fact be the music capital of the United States! When it comes to music education, Illinois is a leader in both administration and practice. In fact, it’s the home base for one of the largest organizations of music educators in the country – the Illinois Music Educators Association.
Chicago itself has often served as a haven for musicians in all sorts of genres. It is often referred to as the birthplace of both the blues and house music, and it’s also an epicenter for everything from gospel music to punk. There are venues all over the city which keep its rich musical tradition alive, with some concerts feeling like time warps back to the heyday of jazz and blues in the first half of the 20th Century.
Whether you’re moving to Chicago proper or the outlying Chicagoland area, just know that your love of music is only going to grow with the bounds of the Second City.
While public transportation is a reliable option in Chicago itself, shipping your vehicle to your new home in the State of Illinois is your ticket to everything the Prairie State has to offer. From the Lincoln Tomb to the hundreds of other historical sites and points of interest around the state, a reliable vehicle is going to open up a true goldmine of experiences and opportunities in the state of Illinois.
