ILLINOIS LAND OF LINCOLN

The history of Illinois is intertwined with that of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president. With much fanfare, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum opened in April in Springfield, the state capital. Lincoln's home and tomb and the restored Old State Capitol are among other Springfield sites that are part of the Lincoln Heritage Trail, as is the nearby New Salem State Historic Site, a living history village that recalls his young adult years. In the town of Lincoln, the Lincoln College Museum houses a large collection of memorabilia relating to Abe Lincoln's life in central Illinois.

Heading east of Springfield, you find the Amish towns of Arthur and Arcola, where horse-drawn teams plow the fields, quilts hang on clotheslines, and delicious home cooking is served in simple restaurants.

In the scenic hills of northwest Illinois, the well-preserved 19th century town of Galena offers dozens of restaurants, shops, and B&Bs.

In the south, there's the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, a string of wineries in and around Shawnee National Forest. Hike the forest's Garden of the Gods Trail with its 200-million-year-old rock formations. Top off a day's excursion with dinner and a good night's sleep in the timber-and-stone lodge at Giant City State Park.

The Mississippi River town of Alton, near the confluence of the Missouri River and just 20 minutes from St. Louis, abounds with historic homes and boasts several sites associated with Lewis & Clark, who made their first fortified encampment in the area. Alton draws browsers and serious collectors to its 40-shop antique district. The Alton Belle riverboat casino is another draw. In autumn the river bluffs blaze with color.

And, of course, there's Chicago. City highlights include the observation decks of Sears Tower and the John Hancock Center, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute of Chicago, Navy Pier, and shopping on North Michigan Avenue, the "Magnificent Mile.'"

Northwest of Chicago, in the northern Fox River Valley, Elgin offers great dining and shopping, an intriguing historic district, a lively cultural scene, and riverboat gambling.

INDIANA THE HOOSIER STATE

Explore the Amish Country of northern Indiana on the scenic Heritage Trail, a 90-mile loop that includes Amish Acres historic farmstead in Nappanee, the Midwest's largest outdoor flea market in Shipshewana, and Das Dutchman Essenhaus family-style restaurant in Middlebury. Covered bridges hark back to a simpler time, too, and Parke County has 32 of them. The west-central Indiana county celebrates with a 10-day Covered Bridge Festival each October.

Nashville, a quaint town in south-central Indiana, is known as the art colony of the Midwest, with dozens of specialty shops and restaurants. Brown County State Park, the state's largest, is near Nashville. Hoosier National Forest in far southern Indiana has four lakes ideal for fishing, swimming, and camping. A beautiful section of the Ohio River Scenic Byway, between Tell City and Leavenworth, passes through parts of the forest. Attractions near this National Scenic Byway include the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial at Lincoln City, where Abraham Lincoln lived from age 7 to 21; the town of Santa Claus, where Christmas is in season all year at Holiday World theme park: and Historic New Harmony, site of an early 19th century communal society.

Be sure to visit West Baden Springs National Historic Landmark to see the restoration-in-progress of what has been called the Eighth Wonder of the Architectural World. The beautiful domed atrium is part of the 1902 former spa resort. You can take a tour, have tea. and stroll around the restored formal gardens. Just down the road is French Lick Springs Resort and Spa, a vintage grand hotel also built in 1902.

Indianapolis, the state capital, overflows with attractions, including the outstanding Children's Museum. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway offers a narrated bus tour for race fans. Bordering downtown is White River State Park, an urban treasure with trails, grassy areas, and waterways. The park is home to the Indianapolis Zoo, White River Gardens, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indiana State Museum, and NCAA Hall of Champions. On the northeast side of Indianapolis in Fishers, you'll find Conner Prairie, an open-air living history museum and frontier village where the year is always 1836.

IOWA THE HAWKEYE STATE

The bridges of Madison County are famous, thanks to the Robert Waller novel and Hollywood film of that name. The five covered bridges, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, are scattered around the county near Winterset, not far from Des Moines. The big news in Des Moines is the new $60 million Science Center of Iowa, which features six dynamic learning areas and changing exhibitions, plus an IMAX dome theater. Train enthusiasts will enjoy a 15-mile ride on the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad through the Des Moines River Valley and across two towering trestle bridges.

You can step into the past at the Amana Colonies, seven villages founded as a religious commune in 1855 by German immigrants and preserved today as a National Historic Landmark. The colonies celebrate their sesquicentennial this year with special events.

America's immigrant story comes to life at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah. The complex includes a 1700s farmhouse from Norway, early pioneer homes, a church, and a stone mill. The state's Danish heritage is celebrated in Elk Horn (with an authentic windmill from Denmark) and Kimballton.

Fans of Andy Williams, the crooner best known for "Moon River," will want to visit his birthplace in Wall Lake. Williams was born there in 1927 and sang at the local Presbyterian church with his three brothers. Visitors to West Branch, site of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, will learn about the Iowa-born president.

KANSAS THE SUNFLOWER STATE

The state's new theme--"Kansas. As big as you think."--reflects the wide-open spaces that allow people to dream big and make great things happen. Visitors will find the "big as you think" message at attractions throughout the state.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was one of the world's big thinkers. He called Abilene home, and the Eisenhower Center there includes his Presidential Library and boyhood home. Learn all about the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean at the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum. Also in Abilene is the Greyhound Hall of Fame, which spotlights the dog and greyhound racing.

The country's last great stand of tall-grass prairie, more than five million acres in east-central Kansas, includes the only unit of the National Park Service dedicated to the big prairie. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Strong City tells the story of the native grass ecosystem that once flourished. Flint Hills Covered Wagon Train offers overnight adventures on the prairie.

Sunflowers, the state flower and symbol of Kansas, are big business around Goodland, a western town known for sunflower growing and oil processing. A giant painting of Vincent Van Gogh's sunflowers rises above Goodland.

The buffalo, the state animal, still roams the plains of Kansas. Visitors to Finney Game Refuge in Garden City and Maxwell Game Preserve in Canton can take guided tours that offer up-close looks at these big animals.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the TV show Gunsmoke, which was set in Dodge City. It's a good time to visit the real Dodge City with its Boothill Museum, Trail of Fame, Gunfighters Wax Museum, and other Western-themed attractions. Famous lawmen such as Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok, and Bat Masterson roamed the Kansas plains, keeping the peace in the Wild West towns of Dodge City, Abilene, Ellsworth, Hays, and Wichita.

MICHIGAN THE GREAT LAKES STATE

Michigan's position amid the Great Lakes contributes to its many outdoor recreational attractions. The Grand Traverse Bay area is known for its sand dunes along Lake Michigan, especially Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a park with 64 miles of sandy coastline and two islands off shore from Leland. Lake Superior boasts Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore at Munising.

Mackinac Island, in the Straits of Mackinac between lakes Michigan and Huron, is a picturesque summer resort island still steeped in the 19th century; foot, bicycle, and horse are the chief means of transportation. At the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, you can watch some of the busiest locks in the world raise and lower freighters to link Lake Superior with the other lakes and Atlantic Ocean.

In Detroit, lovers of the Motown Sound can visit Motown Historical Museum at Hitsville USA. In Dearborn, the automobile and American technology are showcased at the Henry Ford Museum, which houses 12 acres of exhibits under one roof. Nearby Greenfield Village is an outdoor museum with more than 80 historic buildings, including the Menlo Park Laboratory of Thomas Alva Edison and the Wright Brothers Bicycle Shop.

You'll think you've been transported to the Old World when you arrive in Frankenmuth with its German restaurants and festivals, or in Holland, with its tulip gardens, windmills, and other Dutch attractions.

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids includes the largest tropical conservatory in Michigan and the most significant outdoor sculpture experience in the Midwest. The Gerald R. Ford Museum tells the story of our 38th president, Grand Rapids' favorite son.

MISSOURI THE SHOW-ME STATE

Where the rivers run" is an apt slogan for Missouri. The state is crisscrossed with 50,000 miles of rivers and streams, including the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, plus many lakes, including Lake of the Ozarks, one of the largest manmade lakes in the world. Missouri also is home to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the nation's first federally protected, natural, free-flowing streams. Encompassing more than 130 miles of shoreline along the spring-fed Current, Eleven Point, and Jack's Fork rivers, the riverways' gentle wilderness is a favorite canoeing, kayaking, and tubing destination.

The Ozarks is home to Branson, the music show phenomenon and one of the nation's top vacation destinations. In Springfield, just north of Branson, is one of the state's largest tourist attractions--Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. This mega-store includes museums, aquariums, a four-story waterfall, shooting range, restaurants, and more. Next door is Wonders of Wildlife, the American National Fish and Wildlife Museum and Aquarium.

The most unique of the state's 79 parks and historic sites is Katy Trail State Park, the longest rail-to-trail conversion in the country. Missouri is home to dozens of caves, including the ride-through Fantastic Caverns near Springfield and Meramec Caverns at Stanton, where Jesse James is said to have hidden both men and horses in the 1870s.

Missouri's most popular wine district lies in the rolling green hills of the Missouri River Valley, where immigrants from Germany's Rhine River planted vineyards in the 1800s. The towns of Augusta, Hermann, and Washington anchor the scenic Missouri Weinstrasse, offering winery tours and tastings.

Mark Twain fives on in Hannibal, the Pony Express tides again in St. Joseph, and the Jesse James legend continues around Liberty and Kearney. In Independence, "the buck stops here" at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Museum and Library.

Anchoring either side of the state are its two largest cities, St. Louis and Kansas City, connected by the Missouri River. This year marks the 40th anniversary of St. Louis' signature attraction, the Gateway Arch, which symbolizes President Thomas Jefferson's vision of a continental United States and the Gateway to the West.

MINNESOTA STAR OF THE NORTH

You can shop till you drop at the Mall of America in Bloomington, and chances are you still won't have seen it all. The largest enclosed retail and entertainment complex in the nation is the state's top attraction. In addition to more than 520 stores, you'll find Camp Snoopy amusement park, Lego Imagination Center play area, Underwater Adventures aquarium, and NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway, plus movie theaters, nightclubs, and restaurants.

With more than 12,000 lakes in Minnesota, the great outdoors beckons. Voyageurs National Park, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and St. Croix National Scenic River lure canoeing and boating enthusiasts from around the world. The scenic North Shore along Lake Superior, anchored by the city of Duluth, offers all sorts of outdoor activities and makes a colorful fall drive.

On any given weekend in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul), you'll find more than a dozen professional theater productions to attend, plus a variety of museums. This year is the centennial of the State Capitol in St. Paul, and guided tours by costumed guides will be offered each Saturday. The signature event will be a July 4 parade from the Capitol through downtown St. Paul across the Mississippi River to Harriet Island, where Taste of Minnesota will be in full swing.

Another centennial is being celebrated by the Red Wing Shoe Company in Red Wing. Highlights of the July 29-Aug. 1 event include a giant warehouse sale and the world's largest boot on display.

NEBRASKA THE CORNHUSKER STATE

If you're interested in geology and fossils, you'll really "dig" Nebraska. World-famous fossil sites abound, including Agate Fossil Beds, a national monument near Agate, and Ash Fall State Historical Park, near Orchard. At Ash Fall, hundreds of intact fossils have been found at this former watering hole, where the animals were covered by ash from a volcanic eruption 10 million years ago. Archie, the world's largest fossil elephant, found near Wellfleet, and many of his "cousins" are housed at Morrill Hall in Lincoln.

The Sandhills cover almost one-fourth of the state. More than 500,000 sandhill cranes pass through the Platte River Valley in central Nebraska each year en route to their breeding grounds in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. The great sandhill crane migration occurs from late February through early April.

The Oregon, Mormon, and California Trails played major roles in Nebraska history, and many of the pioneer landmarks are visible today. Chimney Rock, near Bayard, was frequently mentioned in pioneer diaries. Wagon ruts are still visible at Ash Hollow, near Lewellen, and Scotts Bluff National Monument, near Gering.

William Frederick Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill in his Wild West Show, epitomized the frontier man. His 275-acre spread in North Platte includes an 18-room Victorian mansion.

Omaha and Lincoln, built as prairie outposts, stand as monuments to the Old West, yet are alive with the present, offering museums, shopping, theaters, and many other attractions. At Omaha's world-class Henry Doorly Zoo, the Desert Dome is the world's largest geodesic glass dome and houses the world's largest indoor desert. The impressive State Capitol in Lincoln features a 400-foot domed tower, capped in bronze, that is visible from miles away.

WISCONSIN THE DAIRY STATE

For many, the perfect Wisconsin vacation is a laid-back fishing trip to the northwoods. But for those who prefer a busier vacation, there are plenty of options. The House on the Rock in Spring Green is a world-famous architectural marvel perched on a 60-foot chimney of rock. It features out-of-the-ordinary collections and attractions, such as the world's largest carousel and the Infinity Room, a 218-foot-long glass walkway resting on a single support column.

Outdoor lovers flock to Door County's five state parks. The most popular is Peninsula State Park on the shores of Lake Michigan, featuring forests, limestone bluffs, beaches, bicycle paths, campsites, a golf course, and great fishing. Don't miss a traditional Door County fish boil if there's one happening during your visit. In Green Bay, north of Door County, football fans make a pilgrimage to the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame.

In south-central Wisconsin, about 55 miles north of Madison, family-friendly Wisconsin Dells boasts more indoor and outdoor water parks than anywhere, most of them in themed hotels. Noah's Ark claims to be America's largest water park.

No trip to Dairyland would be complete without a visit to a cheese factory. Some factories offer tours, observation windows, and, of course, the opportunity to buy cheese.

Milwaukee, the state's largest city, offers major league baseball at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers; tours of Miller Brewing Co.; and family-fun attractions like the Milwaukee County Zoo. West Allis, a suburb, hosts the Wisconsin State Fair every August.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT THE TOURIST OFFICES of the following Midwestern states:

Illinois, www.enjoyillinois.com, (800) 2 CONNECT.

Indiana, www.enjoyindiana.com, (888) ENJOY IN.

Iowa, www.traveliowa.com, (888) 472-6035.

Kansas, www.travelks.com, (800) 2 KANSAS.

Michigan, www.michigan.org, (888) 784-7328.

Minnesota, www.exploreminnesota.com, (888) TOURISM.

Missouri, www.visitmo.com, (800) 810-5500.

Nebraska, www.visitnebraska.org, (877) NEBRASKA.

Wisconsin, www.travelwisconsin.com, (800) 432-8747.

COPYRIGHT 2005 World Publishing, Co. (Illinois)
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group