285 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Illinois - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Illinois

Chicago, Illinois

Oz Park

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

Chicago, Illinois

Tiffany Dome

This massive stained-glass masterpiece is thought to be the largest Tiffany dome in existence.

Chicago, Illinois

Woolly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities

This morbid, delightful curiosity shop offers everything from animal bones to human teeth.

Chicago, Illinois

Wicker Park Secret Agent Supply Co.

This shop for all your super spy needs hides an educational secret.

Chicago, Illinois

Willis Tower Glass Platform

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois

The Violet Hour

A speakeasy takes on Chicago's drinking culture.

Chicago, Illinois

International Museum of Surgical Science

A monument to the art of slicing people open.

Chicago, Illinois

Shit Fountain

A giant bronze coil of feces is both a tribute to doggie defecation and a reminder to pick it up.

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Upcoming Illinois Experiences

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Wonder From Home

Pollinators 101

Live from Illinois

Bees aren't the only pollinators...

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Wonder From Home

Cuban Poster Propaganda Art

Live from Illinois

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Wonder From Home

Unboxing an Antique Ghost Show

Live from Illinois

The World of Beekeeping & Native Bees

Chicago, Illinois

Unique Food & Drink in Illinois

Superman Ice Cream

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a classic Midwestern treat!

Tom and Jerry

A small industry of themed glassware was launched solely for the enjoyment of this hot winter punch.

Atomic Cake

This Chicago specialty stacks three cakes into one monster dessert.

Gym Shoe Sandwich

The South Side favorite is a cross between a meat-lover's sub and a gyro.

See all 13 things to eat in Illinois See all 13 things to eat in Illinois

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Chicago

Just when you thought you knew the Windy City, it finds new ways to surprise you.

Community Forums / United States / US: Midwest

Top Discussions in the US: Midwest Travel Forum

Post	Replies	Views	Activity
Enchanted Highway Sculptures	5 September 12, 2019	5146	September 12, 2019
Beaver Dam Pepper	3 July 3, 2019	2238	July 3, 2019
Hudson-Meng Bison Kill	4 May 19, 2019	1691	May 19, 2019
Windmill Island Gardens	2 August 7, 2019	2238	August 7, 2019
World's Largest Ball of Stamps	1 July 9, 2019	1611	July 9, 2019

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Stories About Illinois

Kevin Dzurny, chief cartographer at Replogle Globes, has to keep things up to date—and keep certain countries happy.

How a Globemaker Navigates a Digital World

“It’s kind of a joke, but in some sense, I almost feel like I could start a war.”

by Lauren Vespoli

The fossil skeleton known as Jane is on display at the Burpee Museum in Illinois.

How a 70-Year-Old Dino-Size Mystery May Have Finally Been Solved

Was it a teenage T. rex or another species entirely?

by Isaac Schultz

January 3, 2020

If you squint, you might just see the Kincaid Mounds shimmer.

The Glittery Legacy of Lead at a Historic Native American Site

A shiny mineral called galena, once prized by the Mississippian people, left its mark on the soil.

by Sabrina Imbler

November 7, 2019

The Masonic Temple in Aurora, pictured here in 2014, sat vacant for about a decade before it went up in flames in early October.

The Grandeur of Old Masonic Temples Also Makes Them Vulnerable to Fires

They're hard to reuse, and can be quick to burn.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

October 22, 2019

Some of the treasures found in the pilfered wallets.

Found: 15 Wallets From the 1940s, Stolen and Stashed Behind a Bathroom Wall

The cash is gone, but a lot of memories remain.

by Matthew Taub

Felicia on the job.

Why Physicists Tried to Put a Ferret in a Particle Accelerator

Felicia had a job to do.

by Jen Pinkowski

Monks Mound at Cahokia.

How Did Cahokian Farmers Feed North America’s Largest Indigenous City?

Native American farming was more sophisticated than your history textbook told you.

by Reina Gattuso

Jim Westerfield working in his Illinois garden during the summer.

The Plant Breeder Who Minted a New World of Flavor

Jim Westerfield created dozens of new culinary mints in his Illinois garden.

by Samantha Nobles-Block

Lists Featuring Illinois