Start your tour of all things Lincoln in Springfield at the dazzling Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Nearby, enter the hallowed halls of the Old State Capitol. Learn about Lincoln's family life at the Lincoln Home. Pay your respects at the Lincoln Tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Wander through the recently renovated Dana-Thomas House (re-opening in December 2011), one of architect Frank Lloyd Wright's best-preserved examples of his Prairie-style design. Grab lunch at Route 66's Cozy Dog Drive In, where the corn dog was invented. Then take a nostalgic trip over to Shea's Gas Station Museum, a popular stop along Historic Route 66. Get your theme park kicks at Knight's Action Park & Caribbean Water Adventure. For dinner, try a Springfield horseshoe (meat served on Texas toast piled high with fries and homemade white cheddar cheese sauce) served up at D’Arcy’s Pint. After dinner check out Scheels, a new sporting goods emporium that offers surprising entertainment options, including a Ferris wheel, shooting gallery, and NASCAR, baseball and hockey simulators.

Head to Lincoln's New Salem, where interpreters portray pioneers in this re-created 1800s village where a young Lincoln once lived. Stop in Decatur to explore the scenic Scovill Park, home to the Children’s Museum of Illinois and the Scovill Zoo. Have lunch in Decatur at Paul’s Confectionery, known for its family recipe chili and soda fountain treats. Then travel to Arcola, an Amish community that's home to the lovely Rockome Gardens, featuring the fascinating Illinois Amish Museum, a cheese factory, petting zoo, trading post, buggy rides and more. For dinner, arrange with Amish Country Tours to enjoy a family-style meal in an Amish home. In the evening, see a play at the nearby Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan.

Begin the day in Champaign at the Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, located on the University of Illinois campus, and view more than 8,000 works of art from around the globe. Also in Champaign is the William M. Staerkel Planetarium, the second largest in Illinois. Have lunch in Urbana at Silvercreek, which offers dishes made with fresh, local ingredients, including vegetarian options. In the afternoon rent a canoe from Kickapoo Landing, located in Kickapoo State Park, and paddle the scenic Middle Fork River. Then encounter a herd of friendly Alaskan reindeers at Hardy's Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul. Afterwards, head to Normal and take off on a simulated space mission at the Challenger Learning Center, located at Heartland Community College.