A mid-1800’s architectural wonder helped make Chicago the city it is today. The 96-mile Illinois & Michigan Canal (I&M Canal) connected the Great Lakes in Bridgeport, Chicago to the Illinois River at LaSalle-Peru, and amazingly unique towns sprung up that maintain their authentic charm to this date.
Freedom. The Open Road. The American Dream. All are still alive on The Mother Road. The nostalgia of diners, museums, tourist stops and neon lights are there for you to visit as you make the drive from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA. You can still get your Kicks on Route 66!
A visit to Starved Rock State Park consists of many sights to behold, including breathtaking views of its many canyons and awe-inspiring scenes of eagles flying during the winter month.
Are you looking for a specific type of place to visit in the I&M Canal Heritage Corridor? If you're a craft beer fan, you will love the Heritage Corridor Ale Trail? Seeing a thrilling journey or just an escape, check out Adventure Outside Chicago. We've got all the info to unlock your next trip right here.
05/22/2023 by Lauren Las
National Road Trip Day 2023 is this Friday, May 26th and the Official Destination is Pontiac, IL!
The Friday before Memorial Day is declared National Road Trip Day and serves as the official kickoff of the summer road trip season. Millions of Americans hit the road e...READ MORE
05/11/2023 by Lauren Las
Massive congratulations to Noon Whistle Brewing and Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling on their awards at the 2023 World Beer Cup® Awards in Nashville on May 10th!
The World Beer Cup® is “the most prestigious beer competition in the world, hel...READ MORE
05/09/2023 by Lauren Las
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW)! The annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry spotlights the essential role that travel plays in driving economic growth and innovation. This year&#...READ MORE
05/03/2023 by Lauren Las
Featuring gifts from Illinois artisans, makers and attractions.
248 W. Canal Street, North Utica, IL
Open 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. every day!
Featuring items from makers in the Illinois Made program:
Fine Field Potte...READ MORE
05/02/2023 by Lauren Las
Heritage Corridor Destinations, in coordination with more than a dozen municipalities, has been awarded a $1.6 million grant under the Route 66 Grant Program administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO...READ MORE
04/11/2023 by Lauren Las
The Heritage Corridor Ale Trail is back and in full effect! It’s time to take an adventure through the Corridor and explore our wonderful breweries with some of the best tasting beer! We are excited to get you set up for the 2023 passport so that you can win ...READ MORE
04/06/2023 by Lauren Las
We welcomed four new members to our leadership team at the March Board of Directors meeting in Morris.
Current Board Chair, Lemont Economic & Community Development Director Jason Berry, commented, It's an exciting time to be part of Heritage Corridor Destinations,...READ MORE
03/24/2023 by Lauren Las
Back 2 Business Small Business Recovery Grants
The Back to Business (B2B) grant program provides recovery grants for businesses in the hardest-hit industries.
Eligible restaurants, hotels and creative arts businesses are eligible to apply for $175 million in ...READ MORE
03/24/2023 by Lauren Las
We're thrilled to announce that both Princeton & Utica, IL have made the World Atlas list of best small towns in Illinois for a weekend escape! Though we know better, they call these destinations "undiscovered gems." The towns featured boast vibrant do...READ MORE
03/13/2023 by Lauren Las
Romeoville & Lockport were recently selected to receive Energy Transition Community Grants from DCEO. These grants are an initiative under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) that provides funding for communities that have been impacted by fossil fuel plant or coal...READ MORE
03/04/2023 by Lauren Las
Tours at the Old Joliet Prison are OPEN for the season!
Built in the 1850's with Joliet limestone, the Prison house infamous criminals both in real life and in movies/TV. Take one of their sheduled tours, or opt for a self-guided tour where you can walk arou...READ MORE
02/15/2023 by Lauren Las
The Joliet Park District just announced that the 5-time platinum band Train is coming to the Taste of Joliet on June 23rd, 2023!
The San Francisco pop rock band found mainstream success with their debut album Train in 1998. Their 2001 al...READ MORE
02/11/2023 by Lauren Las
The Rialto Square Theatre just announced that the legendary Patti LaBelle is coming to Joliet on May 19th, 2023!
Beautiful simply does not describe the incomparable force known to the world as Patti LaBelle. As time continues to evolve, the soulful songbird...READ MORE
02/08/2023 by Lauren Las
Finance site MoneyGeek published a ranking of the 15 safest cities in America recently, and Joliet made the list at #8!
Joliet, the seat of Will County, is full of history, culture, shopping and great sporting activities. Start exploring with a visit to the Joliet Ar...READ MORE
02/07/2023 by Lauren Las
Congratulations to Starved Rock Lodge & Conference Center, The Jacob Henry Mansion Estate, & The Barn at Hornbaker Gardens for being selected as 2023 winners of The Knot Best of Weddings!
To determine the winners, The Knot analyzed millions of ...READ MORE
01/12/2023 by Lauren Las
The Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 is about to get a gigantic delivery!
As part of the $1.5 million IL DCEO Route 66 Grant that Heritage Corridor Destinations was awarded last year, a giant guitar sculpture was commissioned from the artist Shannon MacDonald. Th...READ MORE
11/15/2022 by Lauren Las
There are countless holiday markets happening around the Heritage Corridor this winter season. From Christkindl to Chris Kringle to Christmas Market, you'll find the perfect place to shop and celebrate the season.
Ottawa, IL - Chris Kringle Market
Dates: November 2...READ MORE
02/18/2022 by Lauren Las
Welcome Back to New Beer Releases!
Don't forget to get your 2022 Heritage Corridor Ale Trail Passport
New Releases - Hot Spot Drops
Want to get these updates in your email? Sign up here.
Thursday, February 17
...READ MORE
02/16/2022 by Lauren Las
The 2022 Ale Trail Passport is live! Download the Heritage Corridor app on your phone or tablet to get started.
Once you've downloaded the app, select Passports, and on the next screen, tap the Heritage Corridor Ale Trail passport. Yo...READ MORE
01/10/2022 by Lauren Las
Planning the perfect day in the Heritage Corridor just got much easier!
We're excited to unveil the Heritage Corridor Widget on our site with integrated mobile apps, an interactive way to map out everything you don't want to miss in the Her...READ MORE
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