100 miles west of Chicago

Find Your Real Getaway

2,700 square miles of “ooh, what’s that?” and “let’s go there!” — history, outdoor adventure, waterways, shopping & dining across four counties of Northwest Illinois.

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Welcome to Northwest Illinois

Lose Yourself (in the best way)

Ever dreamed of getting gloriously lost? Welcome to Northwest Illinois — from the Mississippi’s mighty swagger to the Rock River’s eastern embrace, we’re a treasure map disguised as a region. Pick a direction, roll the windows down, and see where the road takes you.

Go your own way

Choose Your Adventure

Outdoor Adventures Bluffs, trails & two great rivers Eat & Drink Supper clubs to farm-to-table History & Culture Windmills, castles & presidents Where to Stay Cabins, B&Bs & cozy hotels

2,700square miles to roam

4counties, one big backyard

2legendary rivers — Mississippi & Rock

100miles west of Chicago

Four counties, four personalities

Meet the Neighbors

Carroll Palisades, river towns & Timber Lake Playhouse Lee Bison at Nachusa & Reagan’s boyhood home Ogle Castle Rock, art colonies & the Eternal Indian Whiteside Dutch windmills & the Great River Road

From the blog

Windows Down | Whiteside County

Sometimes the best trips aren’t planned down to the minute — they’re the ones where you pick a direction, roll the windows down, and see where the road takes you. River views, quiet trails, and a string of small towns that lead all the way to the Mississippi.

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Ready to wander?

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