Scenic Drives & Byways in Illinois
Illinois has 7 scenic drives and byways to explore — including 2 National Scenic Byways and 5 State Scenic Byways. Pick any road below to see it on the map, or plan a Illinois trip in the Road Sorties route planner with scenic-road routing turned on.
All scenic roads in Illinois
Types of scenic byways in Illinois
- National Scenic Byway 2
- National Scenic Byways are roads recognized at the federal level for at least one outstanding quality — scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational — that gives travelers a reason to seek them out rather than just pass through.
- State Scenic Byway 5
- State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Featured road trips in Illinois
- Route 66 East: Chicago to Amarillo
1,300 miles of the Mother Road from Lake Michigan to the Texas Panhandle — diners, neon, and roadside Americana.