A mythical bird etched into the face of a rock doubles as the mascot for a nearby school.

In the Shawnee National Forest, amazing rock formations peer through the treeline.

Fresh wooden posts have been added to ancient holes to recreate a primitive henge clock.

The dream home of an iconoclastic renaissance man still stands as a monument to his domestically mundane vision.

A hidden grotto on the grounds of the Kane County Government Center.

A sprawling outdoor museum filled with larger-than-life works of art.

One of Chicago's last seafood smokehouses perfects a dying breed of fishcraft.

In the loving memory of a tragically deceased role-player this Illinois park is decked out with both dungeons and dragons.

Oversized statues are just the tip of this nostalgic Americana roadside attraction.

This architectural stunner is one of the few surviving Egyptian Revival theaters in the U.S.

This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.

Once called the "Polish Gold Coast" it is an icon of the neighborhood that bears its same name.

Cold War missile launch site which has been converted to a public park.

Eclectic collection of rare and beautiful stones in a historic home.

Taxidermy, Cigar Store Indians, A Model of a New York Tenement and Delicious Draft Root Beer.

A six-story-tall golden pyramid, surrounded by a moat.

Once one of the world's great cities, Cahokia was a place of religious worship, trade and mass human sacrifice before being mysteriously abandoned.

Former hotel turned into haunted playground.

Beloved bar home to musicians of all eras and reputations.

River pirates, murderous bandits, and serial killers used this Illinois cave as their debauched hideout.

Internationally known record store and purveyor of "dusties."

Nonprofit art center that promotes outsider, intuitive, and self-taught art.

A century-old hotspot for jazz, frequented by everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Al Capone.

A speakeasy takes on Chicago's drinking culture.