Ten Unexpected Things You Won't See After Leaving Illinois

After leaving Illinois, you’ll quickly realize there are some truly unique aspects of the state you won’t encounter elsewhere. Here are ten unexpected things you won’t see once you cross the border:

1. Miles of Endless Prairie

Illinois is renowned for its vast, flat prairies—once covering nearly two-thirds of the state—making it the quintessential “Prairie State.” Outside Illinois, such expansive prairie landscapes are rare.

2. The Mississippi River as a Border

Illinois’s western edge is defined by the mighty Mississippi River, a natural border that also shapes the state’s culture and economy. Few other states have such a prominent river boundary.

3. Lake Michigan Shoreline

Illinois boasts a stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline, home to Chicago’s iconic lakefront. Most other states lack direct access to a Great Lake, and certainly not with such a famous city on its edge.

4. The American Bottom Floodplain

This unique floodplain, stretching from Alton to the Kaskaskia River, is a distinctive geological feature you won’t find in most other states.

5. Shawnee National Forest’s Rugged Hills

Southern Illinois is home to the Shawnee National Forest, with its rugged hills and forested terrain—a surprising contrast to the state’s flat north and central regions.

6. “Little Egypt”

The southern tip of Illinois is called “Little Egypt” for its resemblance to the Nile Delta, complete with fertile soils and a hilly landscape. This nickname and terrain are unique to Illinois.

7. Charles Mound and the Driftless Area

Illinois’s highest point, Charles Mound, is part of the Driftless Area—a region of rolling hills and valleys that escaped glaciation. This topography is rare in the Midwest and unique within Illinois.

8. Historic Prairie Groves

In central Illinois, scattered patches of woodland known as “prairie groves” once provided the only local source of wood amid the sea of grass. This landscape feature is specific to Illinois’s prairie legacy.

9. A Patchwork of Canals and Levees

Illinois’s geography is marked by human-made canals, like the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and extensive levee systems—remnants of its history as a transportation hub and flood control innovator.

10. Cypress Swamps at the Southern Tip

The very southern tip of Illinois contains cypress swamps more reminiscent of the Deep South than the Midwest. Such wetlands are highly unusual outside of southernmost Illinois.

These features make Illinois’s landscape and culture distinct—and you’ll miss them as soon as you leave the state behind.

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