Illinois Travel Guide 2009 - (Page 25) Outdoor adventures abound in Illinois. Here you can soar in a hot air balloon, kayak the Chicago River, ski slopes overlooking the mighty Mississippi, hike waterfall canyons, bike an old railroad route through the Shawnee National Forest and scuba dive through a sunken Boeing 727 airplane. And that’s just for starters! Log on to enjoyillinois.com for exciting 3-Day Getaways that make the most of Illinois’ great outdoors. Rent a bike and ride along the city’s breathtaking Lakefront Trail with a guide from Bike Chicago, or pick up a free map and take your own personal tour. Rental locations include Navy Pier, North Avenue Beach Boat House, the Riverwalk (at Wacker and Columbus drives) and Millennium Park. Bike Chicago also hosts daily Segway Tours, departing day and night from Millennium Park. You can also wheel around town with City Segway Tours. During a guided three-hour day or evening tour, you’ll glide along the lakefront and through the Museum Campus on a smooth Segway, learning fun Chicago facts along the way. See sights that range from Chicago’s urban waterfront to rolling wild woodlands along the Grand Illinois Trail. The state’s longest continuous bike trail consists of 500 miles of interconnecting trails that loop around Northern Illinois, stretching from the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago to the banks of the Mississippi River and back again. In suburban Chicago, one of the most popular biking (and hiking) paths is the Fox River Trail, which runs between Aurora and Algonquin. The paved 36-mile-long trail follows the Fox River and passes by several scenic parks and picnic areas that make for great rest stops. Raging Buffalo Snowboard Park in Algonquin was established in the early 90s as Chicagoland’s first snowboard park. Although skiers are welcome, snowboarding is king here. Lessons and equipment rental are available, and the Snowboard Shop handles board tuneups and repairs. 800/2CONNECT b Y LAND In Northern Illinois, hike or go cross-country skiing among bluffs rich in American Indian history at Mississippi Palisades State Park in Savanna. A 13-mile trail system weaves between steep cliffs overlooking the Mississippi River. Intriguing rock formations include Indian Head and the Twin Sisters, perched atop the bluffs. Whoosh along slopes that pose a challenge for both beginners and experts at Galena’s Chestnut Mountain Resort, nestled in the hills above the Mississippi River. Rated by Ski Magazine as the number-one ski resort in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, Chestnut Mountain offers night skiing, a snowboarding park, ski lessons and a rustic lodge. MARK PALMER Clockwise: Learn the ropes of rock climbing with the Vertical Heartland Climbing School, hike spectacular cliffs that overlook the rolling Mississippi River, get a new view of the city with Chicago River Canoe & Kayak ILLINOIS. MILE AFTER MAGNIFICENT MILE. 25 http://www.enjoyillinois.com
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