4 of the Best Things Illinois is Known For

The state of Illinois is appealing for many folks looking to relocate to the midwest. Areas like Chicago offer urban amenities, and the more rural parts of Illinois showcase some of the nation’s most stunning natural beauty. There are plenty of reasons that living in Illinois is the absolute best. Check out this list of some of the best things Illinois is known for.

1. Food… Definitely

The city of Chicago is an undisputed food city in Illinois and throughout the country. Travelers flock to Chicago to visit high-end restaurants and well-loved grease pit style restaurants alike. Chicago is lucky enough to have a large multi-ethnic population that brings all kinds of delicious cuisine to the city. Chicago is home to deep dish pizza of course but is also home to some others that locals constantly crave. The jibarito, invented in Chicago, is a perfect example. It is a Puerto Rican inspired sandwich. It substitutes bread for two thin slices of fried plantains. If you have never had a jibarito, then you are severely missing out.

2. Their Sports Teams

Chicago sports teams are loved throughout the entire state of Illinois. Although not every team on Chicago’s roster is known for their wins, locals still associate their much-loved team to the hometown they remember fondly. Illinois is home to the Chicago Bears football team, the Chicago Bulls basketball team and two baseball teams, the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. Many Cubs fans blame their questionable record of wins, or lack thereof, on a rumored curse from 1945. The story states that owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, Billy Sianis, was asked to leave a playoff game due to the odor of his pet goat. Thus began the curse of the billy goat.

3. Arts and Culture

Illinois is also home to a number of historic museums and art galleries featuring an array of styles of art. Chicago alone has a huge amount of attractions, including the Nature Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Adler Planetarium, and of course the Shedd Aquarium. These locations are only really just a small portion of what Illinois has to offer. The mega-famous Art Institute of Chicago hosts traditional as well as historic art pieces and has been featured numerous times in television and film. The most notable perhaps is its feature in the classic film, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Chicago also has a lovely zoo that does not charge admission, the Lincoln Park Zoo. There is plenty for locals and tourists alike to check out to experience art and culture.

4. Cost Of Living

Although Illinois is not necessarily known for being an inexpensive state to live in, residents that enjoy living in an urban environment find Chicago to have a more reasonable cost of living compared to other major cities like New York City or Los Angeles. Just like in any state, there also certainly are ways to find rentals in your price range, like aiming for specific neighborhoods or also living slightly outside of the city to reduce the cost of living.