A Day Trip to Springfield, Illinois

Jacksonville sits west of Springfield and there are numerous ways to reach the Illinois capital. The easiest is for guests to take the 36-mile drive via Interstate 72. Another option is Old Jacksonville Road, which is 33 miles but will take longer because of shorter speeds. Springfield (114,230) is significantly larger than Jacksonville (18,859)

There are plenty of restaurants in Springfield to choose from when you visit. There is a good mix of local and chain restaurants spread throughout the city, meaning there's always a place to eat regardless of where you visit. Some of the options include burgers, Mexican, pizza, bakeries, sub shops, Japanese food and Chinese food. For a full list of restaurants in Springfield, check out this list.

Lake Springfield is a 4,200-acre reservoir situated on the southern edge of the city. The reservoir features 57 miles of shoreline and is a great place for boating, fishing, swimming and other water sports. This is a popular spot as it draws about 600,000 visitors per year. Along the shore, visitors can find 735 residences, eight public parks and a host of public boat docks and launches.

Visitors can take a variety of boats out on the lake including both motorized and non-motorized options. Anglers can find about 15 different types of fish, which you can catch from a boat or the shore. There are also opportunities for swimming in the lake, making this an ideal spot to spend some time.

Springfield also serves as the capital city of Illinois, meaning visitors can take some time at the Illinois State Capitol. This iconic structure embraces a renaissance revival/second empire style capped with a 405-foot dome. Tours at the capitol are free and there are a lot of spots to roam on the grounds. The capitol has served as the hub for Illinois politics since 1877. 

Springfield is home to a bevy of parks and golf courses. These parks are spread throughout the city and offer great opportunities for picnics, playgrounds or just enjoying the outdoors.

The Springfield Park District has been around since 1900 and manages the parks throughout the city. Most of the parks open at dawn and close at 10:30 p.m. There are some, however, that open at dawn and close at dusk. These include the Riverside, Carpenter, Enos, Gehrmann and Gurgens parks.

Illinois and Abraham Lincoln are often synonymous with each other. Lincoln spent a good chunk of his life in Illinois and its politics. Thus, there are plenty of historical Lincoln sites around Springfield that are worth visiting. Some of these include the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum; Oak Ridge Cemetary; and the Lincoln Home.

This guide will help you find some of the more prominent Lincoln sites in Springfield. There are also plenty of Lincoln sites in Jacksonville that are worth visiting.

Springfield is a great place to spend the day when you stay at Villa DeWolf. There is no shortage of activities that can keep you busy when you visit. This includes museums, walking tours and many memorials.

Springfield is also home to plenty of arts and entertainment options that are sure to keep you busy. It never hurts to spend some time exploring Illinois's capital.