Highest-rated free things to do in Illinois by visitors

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Illinois.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Illinois using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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Tripadvisor

1 / 30

#30. The Rookery Building

- Rating: 4.5/5 (420 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

2 / 30

#29. Maggie Daley Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,351 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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3 / 30

#28. Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum (ISAC)

- Rating: 4.7/5 (570 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

4 / 30

#27. Riverwalk

- Rating: 4.7/5 (806 reviews)
- City: Naperville DuPage County
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Tripadvisor

5 / 30

#26. Macy's on State Street

- Rating: 4.2/5 (1,328 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

6 / 30

#25. Chicago Skyline

- Rating: 4.8/5 (750 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

7 / 30

#24. Lakefront Trail

- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,455 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

8 / 30

#23. Chicago Chinatown

- Rating: 3.5/5 (644 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

9 / 30

#22. Water Tower Place

- Rating: 4.3/5 (806 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

10 / 30

#21. Lincoln Park Conservatory

- Rating: 4.6/5 (804 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

11 / 30

#20. The Loop

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,264 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

12 / 30

#19. Lincoln Tomb

- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,028 reviews)
- City: Springfield
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Tripadvisor

13 / 30

#18. Matthiessen State Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (524 reviews)
- City: North Utica
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Tripadvisor

14 / 30

#17. Lake Michigan

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,853 reviews)
- City: not available
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Tripadvisor

15 / 30

#16. Union Station

- Rating: 4.0/5 (1,171 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

16 / 30

#15. Garden of the Gods

- Rating: 4.8/5 (419 reviews)
- City: Harrisburg
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Tripadvisor

17 / 30

#14. Chicago Fed's Money Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (536 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

18 / 30

#13. Holy Name Cathedral

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,124 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

19 / 30

#12. Lincoln Home National Historic Site

- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,918 reviews)
- City: Springfield
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Tripadvisor

20 / 30

#11. Clarence F. Buckingham Fountain

- Rating: 4.4/5 (3,450 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

21 / 30

#10. Chicago Cultural Center

- Rating: 4.6/5 (3,085 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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22 / 30

#9. Route 66

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,265 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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23 / 30

#8. Starved Rk State Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,636 reviews)
- City: Oglesby
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24 / 30

#7. Garfield Park Conservatory

- Rating: 4.7/5 (874 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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25 / 30

#6. Navy Pier

- Rating: 4.0/5 (15,249 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

26 / 30

#5. Chicago Riverwalk

- Rating: 4.6/5 (3,157 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

27 / 30

#4. Lincoln Park Zoo

- Rating: 4.5/5 (6,025 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

28 / 30

#3. Cloud Gate

- Rating: 4.7/5 (18,312 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

29 / 30

#2. The Magnificent Mile

- Rating: 4.5/5 (15,834 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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Tripadvisor

30 / 30

#1. Millennium Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (25,251 reviews)
- City: Chicago
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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