Champaign and Urbana are side-by-side college towns, both home to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's more than 40,000 students. The renovated downtown area caters to the college crowd with restaurants, shops, bars and nightlife spots.

Decatur was founded in 1829 and grew rapidly in the 1850s when the railroad came to town. A central location within the state makes Decatur a popular stopping point for travelers and site for conventions and meetings. Decatur host several large festivals and events throughout the year.

Peoria sits along the banks of the Illinois River in a metropolitan area of more than 370,000. The city is often considered to represent the average American city. It has an growing economy based on agricultural products, manufacturing and information technology. The Illinois River Country Nature Trail provides access to outdoor activities along the river.

State capital Springfield is headquarters for President Abraham Lincoln history. Founded as a pioneer settlement in the 1820s, Springfield became the capital of Illinois in 1837. Railroads, coal mining, agriculture and government fueled the city's economy. In addition to Lincoln-centric venues, Springfield offers a variety of visit-worthy war memorials (Korean and Vietnam) and museums.

Utica is an outdoor recreation hub for north central Illinois. The area has rich Native American, explorer, trading post and pioneer history. Sitting along the Illinois River, the city provides easy access to three excellent state parks; Starved Rock State Park, Matthiessen State Park and Buffalo Rock State Park, as well as and other outdoor venues.