Illinois Car Hire - Did You Know?
- Illinois has produced 3 US Presidents, Lincoln, Grant and Obama.
- Despite being the largest city, Chicago is not the capital
- Its capital, Springfield is only the 6th largeest city in the State
- Its name is derived from the word 'men' or 'man'
Illinois Mini Guide
You will certainly need a car in the Midwestern state of Illinois as it is relatively empty and the distances are large. Illinois is mostly made up of farmland and if you access the state via the interstate 80 road coming from
Iowa you are sure to see many fields. Other routes into Illinois are from
Indiana and the interstates 70, 74 and 80 or via the interstates 90 and 94 through
Wisconsin. As you get closer to
Chicago you will find that many of the roads are toll roads.
Chicago is the largest settlement in Illinois and one of the world’s most underrated cities which has art, culture and architecture to compare with anywhere else in the world. Also make sure you try the hot dogs and the pizzas which are the world’s best outside of
New York.
Chicago has a fantastic skyline and it is where the idea for the skyscraper was first conceived, as well as being the home of blues and jazz music. Situated around the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is known as the Windy City and can get bitterly cold in winter. Car rental in Chicago is the best way to see this vast and ethnically diverse city which has a large population of people of Irish origin. Most of them can be found on the far south west side of the city at Mount Greenwood and Beverley.
Other neighbourhoods of interest in Chicago include the South Side which is home to large Chinese and Black populations as well as the University of Chicago, the north side which has many great theatres and LGTG friendly areas and of course down town which is the central hub of Chicago. In downtown Chicago you will find Illinois’ main airport at Midway, while there is another airport in the city at O’Hare.