Illinois, the home state of Walt Disney, Bill Murray, Oprah Winfrey, Miles Davis, and Abraham Lincoln, has a thriving population, land rich in natural resources, and prime location as a major transportation hub. The name, Illinois, means "tribe of superior men," and is based on a word from the Algonquin Native American language.
Most of the Illinois population gravitates to Chicago and its surrounding areas in the northeast. Noteworthy attractions in the city include art performances from Millenium Park and the boardwalk at Navy Pier. The Chicago Botanic Garden is also worth a visit to see a wide variety of flora and fauna in an urban setting.
The state capital, Springfield, is the hometown of the nation's beloved president, Abraham Lincoln. Visitors can see the house he lived in before he moved to Washington D.C. to serve as the 16th president of the United States.
In central Illinois, the vast prairielands represent a similar view of the open spaces Lewis & Clark once explored. Now, a fun place to experience the prairie is at the Wildlife Prairie State Park. As its name implies, the park is an idyllic location to view wildlife that has roamed the Midwest for centuries. Wolves, elk, bison, cougar, and otters are among the residents at this family-friendly zoological park. The white-tailed deer, the state animal of Illinois, is also likely to make its presence.
Flower-lovers, naturally, can find their own entertainment throughout Illinois. The state's wetlands, prairielands, and woodlands are havens for flowers and grasses of all sorts. The state flower, the violet, just might catch one's eye when it's in bloom. Sunflowers are also a stunning delight in the open plains of the dazzling state of Illinois. Send a lovely Happy Hearts Bouquet of Sunflowers and lavender colored flowers and vase for a nod to Illinois' state flowers.
