Sightseeing Sunday: Weird Things to Do in Illinois
Looking for weird things to do in Illinois? We’ve been collecting roadside oddities, oversized objects, offbeat attractions, and stops that make you wonder how one small town ended up with a dozen “World’s Largest” things.
Fun Facts About Illinois
The first McDonald’s opened in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955.
Twinkies were invented in River Forest, Illinois, in 1930.
The tallest man ever documented, Robert Wadlow, was born in Alton, Illinois, standing 8 feet 11 inches.
Illinois is the largest producer of pumpkins in the country.
Illinois is home to some serious roadside weird — a town with a dozen “World’s Largest” attractions, a giant Superman statue, and the world’s largest ketchup bottle. Some of these we’ve visited, others are still on our list. When we’ve been somewhere, the link takes you to our photo page with details and snark. Otherwise, you’ll head to their official site — assuming one exists, since sometimes that’s half the adventure.
Unique Attractions & Weird Things to Do in Illinois
Weird Roadside & Oddities
Ashmore
World’s Largest Abraham Lincoln Statue – Located at 9699 County Rd 2000 E. Coordinates: 39.5170, -88.1060
Berwyn
World’s Largest Laundromat – Massive coin laundry facility.
Casey
World’s Largest Barbershop Pole – Part of Casey’s collection of giant everyday objects.
World’s Largest Gavel – Oversized judge’s gavel on display.
World’s Largest Golf Driver – Giant golf club attraction.
World’s Largest Golf Tee – Massive golf tee to match the driver.
World’s Largest Mailbox – Fully functional giant mailbox.
World’s Largest Pitchfork – Agricultural implement gone supersized.
World’s Largest Rocking Chair – Actually rocks!
World’s Largest Swizzle Spoon – Bar spoon on a massive scale.
World’s Largest Teeter Totter – Functioning playground equipment.
World’s Largest Truck Key – Oversized semi truck key.
World’s Largest Wind Chime – Creates actual musical tones.
World’s Largest Wooden Shoes – Dutch-style clogs at giant scale.
Chicago
World’s Largest Bean – Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park.
Collinsville
World’s Largest Catsup Bottle – 170-foot water tower shaped like a Brooks ketchup bottle.
Metropolis
Giant Superman Statue – World’s largest collection of Superman memorabilia.
Niles
The Leaning Tower of Niles – Half-scale replica of Italy’s famous tower.
Factory Tours & Behind-the-Scenes
East Moline
John Deere Harvester Works Factory Tour – See heavy equipment manufacturing in action.
Plan Your Illinois Road Trip
We’re always adding new weird things to do in Illinois to this list, so check back for more roadside attractions, quirky museums, oversized oddities, and future road trip discoveries.
Where to next? Check out our Indiana roadside attractions guide for more Midwest weird, browse our complete roadside attractions by state guide, get tips for traveling with pets, or head back to the Right At The Light homepage.
Interactive Map: Weird Roadside Stops We’re Tracking
This map includes weird roadside attractions, big-rig friendly stops, and places still on our running road trip list across the country.