Best Camping in Central Illinois

Don’t just visit the land of Lincoln, live it as he did. Much of it remains in still-pristine form, so keep it real by camping in central Illinois. The main draw here is, of course, our 16th president, and you can visit his presidential library, law office and tomb.

On the opposite end of the serious-and-solemn spectrum, central Illinois also features the heart of Route 66. The so-called Mother Road is a mother of Americana and this stretch is the place to slow your roll. Some suggestions: take a selfie with a 19-foot Paul Bunyan holding a massive, don’t-try-this-at-home-size hot dog; scarf down a (regular-size) corndog at the iconic Cozy Dog; ponder a beardless Lincoln in a colorful 60-foot sculpture of him; and park it at a drive-in for a double feature under the stars.

Finally, if the kitsch of Route 66 leaves you searching for more oddities, look no further than the town of Olney and its population of albino squirrels. Just don’t run over one. It would cost you $750.