Although you won’t find Moe’s Bar or the Kwik-E-Mart anywhere, there are plenty of things to do in the most prominent of America’s real-life Springfields. Here are a few fun things for adults to do in Springfield, Illinois:
Learn about Lincoln: Springfield is often called the Land of Lincoln because President Abraham Lincoln spent most of his adult life there. The people of Springfield are extremely proud of Honest Abe’s legacy in the city, so there are a ton of historical places you can visit to learn more about his life. We recommend the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Lincoln Home, where he and Mary Todd lived for almost 20 years, and the Lincoln Tomb, where the Great Emancipator was buried after his assassination.
See the Dana-Thomas House: Designed in 1902 by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Dana-Thomas House is a terrific example of the Prairie School style that Wright helped create. Prairie School buildings were intended to evoke the flat, treeless expanses of the North American prairies and featured horizontal lines, flat roofs with overhanging eaves, grouped bands of rectangular windows, and simple decoration.
Architects like Wright considered the Prairie School style to be the first architectural style to have roots in North America instead of Europe, as well as a step away from dehumanizing mass-production techniques.
Relax at the Washington Park Botanical Garden: If you want to step away from all the historical sites on your Springfield tour, we recommend spending some time at the Washington Park Botanical Garden. Located in the center of the city, the garden features over 1200 species of plants and offers a place to relax and take in nature.
To make the most of your trip, check out our Springfield Self-Guided Walking Tour, or you can sign up for Action+ to gain access to over 100 tours for a single yearly price.
Essential Travel Guide:
