{"id":84963,"date":"2018-08-09T08:00:05","date_gmt":"2018-08-09T06:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehappyjetlagger.com\/springfield-illinois\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T21:11:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T20:11:38","slug":"springfield-illinois","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehappyjetlagger.com\/en\/springfield-illinois\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Things to Do in Springfield, Illinois"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Located 300 kilometers from Chicago, Springfield, Illinois<\/strong> is one of the most historic places in the United State. And no, it’s not The Simpsons’ Springfield: It’s only called that because Springfield is one of the most common names for small towns in the US. This Springfield is on the one hand the capital of the state of Illinois<\/strong> (not Chicago, who would have known?) and on the other hand the place of work of the probably most important US president: Abraham Lincoln<\/strong>. Historic Route 66<\/strong> also runs through Springfield, so a stop in Springfield on our Route 66 road trip<\/a> was an absolute must for a full load of American history. <\/p>\n\n

Springfield Illinois: The main attractions<\/h2>\n\n

History always sounds so dull anyway – and what’s a European to do with American history? The whole of Springfield, Illinois, revolves around Abraham Lincoln,<\/strong> there’s no escaping it, and at first glance, the city that is so meaningful to Americans seems only moderately interesting to us. But turns out, Springfield is so interesting! First of all, Lincoln was a great person who changed not only America but also the world. And second, Springfield, Illinois, is a charming town and the Lincoln attractions are so wonderfully designed that even if you’re a culture vulture, you’ll be enthralled. And you also learn something along the way. (By the way, as so often on this trip, I thought that such a road trip is also a nice trip for families: many museums and sights are designed to be kid-friendly and kids are always welcome in family-oriented Illinois anyway!)<\/p>\n\n

\"Springfield<\/figure>\n\n

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum<\/h2>\n\n

Dedicated exclusively to the life and work of Abraham Lincoln, the museum is a mix of interactive exhibits and multimedia demonstrations. It’s very informative and people put so much detail into it! Don’t miss the screening of “Ghosts of the Library”<\/strong> at the Holavision Theatre – and afterwards puzzle over whether the narrator was a hologram or actually on stage. And be sure to look out for costumed guards: they are part of the exhibition and perform pieces throughout the museum! <\/p>\n\n

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum website<\/a><\/p>\n\n