Honestly this one's a tossup between 3 and 4 stars. It seems that the Illinois State Fair, compared…read moreto some of the other state fairs, is kind of boring and doesn't offer a lot. Iowa and Minnesota's state fairs have a better selection of foods to offer, for instance. But I think I'll just stick to the positives of Illinois's. The fair does pay great tribute to the Prairie State, like agriculture, dairy and midwestern life. I'm very surprised and glad that Chicago isn't mentioned all that much, although I wish some Chicago foods would be offered at the fair! The buildings and architecture are nice. The Route 66 Experience (which is open year-round) is a must for everybody. No fair visit is complete without checking out the livestock barns as well as going to livestock judging competitions. Oh and I can't leave out the butter sculptures. As far as the entertainment part, they do have a great eclectic mix of cover bands and popular acts performing there. Again, despite of everything that I said - I do think Illinois needs to step up its game and re-define itself as a popular destination. After seeing what Iowa State Fair has to offer, it definitely made Illinois SF look very weak.

Updated review: I came back earlier in the fair to see the animals which was fascinating, with the…read morefamily culture of camping out by the animals and displaying/competing them. This time around I had a hard time tolerating any of the food, everything I tried other than ice cream just did not seem appetizing. It was hot ! Always fun to see the bustling nature of things here, explored the Route 66 and some of the other parks filled with all kinds of activities.

Great bartenders, cheap drinks, & good times. Coldest and cheapest drafts in the JVille Square…read more Chad and Frosty are a couple of the best bartenders you could find and Randy is a great owner that knows how to start a party and keep it rolling. Can't miss S-I-N-G-O (have personally won a trip to Nashville thanks to it). Doesn't matter if you want to have a relaxed night with a couple buddies or getting everyone you know to show, this is the perfect place

Hidden gem downtown and they also have a location at the mall. The downtown location is awesome,…read morestop in and see Pepperoni Pizza the cat and play some pinball. You can't miss the huge green elephant out front! Awesome shirts and hoodies.

This is a great little record store in Springfield, IL. Even though I don't collect vinyl and…read moreprefer CD, I was very fun looking through their small selection of CDs. Their vinyl collection was pretty big for a small store and also very organized. The prices here are exceptionally good, you can find loose records for literal cents ¢ if you're looking to paint them. The arcade in the back is pretty cool as well, with lots of classic machines featuring classic games! I have yet to see a live performance, but I intend to at some point. Very cool record store, just wish they had more CDs for us CD collectors.

This is such a whimsical and rockin' (I think I'm funny lol) store! They have a nice selection of…read moredifferent rocks, gemstones, fossils, and more fun earthy things! The owners seemed super cool, down to earth, and real about everything too! Stop on by and look at their rocks!

Went in here today, and had an amazing visit! Service was amazing and so friendly! Big variety of…read moreproducts and information attached to each item! They also has a great mix and match deal on several of their products, and reasonable prices! Definitely will be back soon!

What a fun theater for such a small town. I haven't seen a couple plays here now. They have a…read moreparking structure that is attached to the theater. However, parking paying was a little confusing in the parking structure. During warmer months you can park for free on the street. They host multiple different events with local organizations. The price for the actual ticket too was a reasonable price. I think we paid $16 each for our seat. We saw Phantom of the opera & Toy story there recently. The high school kids did a wonderful job. The snacks were a reasonable price. It was $2 for a drink & $2 for snacks. Not sure if that's what it is all the time or if those items just went to benefiting the high school theater program. Can't wait to see more items more items here in the future.

A nice place to catch a musical, play or concert. Comfortable and ample seating, good acoustics…read moreand nice lighting setup. Also hosts the PAVE Arts and Theater camp ran by The Springfield Theater Center for several sessions in the summertime.

We were here for the Charlie Robison show and had a bit of time in the front bar area since the…read moreband had transportation issues and were delayed. They serve cheap drinks in plastic cups and comfortable seating. The double doors opened into a larger area with the stage, another bar, and seating along the back wall. It was a great show, but I thought the sound was somewhat distorted. I'm not sure what the issue was, but I saw everyone having a great time. We were able to stand pretty close to the stage. They deserve special recognition for booking Charlie R., as he doesn't come up north too often from Texas. After the show, he was led away for the meet and greet, which was organized and such a treat.

Inexpensive place to see great music. Clean. Lots of tall tables, long bat with barstools. Clean…read morespacious ladies room. Men's room had stalls with doors. Bartenders were on top of things. The act was Leon Russell and there was plenty of room and seats for the tickets sold. Definitely will return.

What a fun afternoon and evening. The band was amazing, the setting was beautiful and the concert…read morecrowd was happy. A perfect way to spend a summer day at Springfield Lake.

We reserved a free tour at Eventbrite. Jennifer brought 15 of us through this massive, historic…read morehome. She pointed out specific pieces, told stories about the owners & was very knowledgeable about Frank Lloyd Wrights work. We started our tour with a brief video about the glass work. We went into several sitting areas, Dana's bedroom, nursery, dining room, pantry & kitchen.library, bowling alley & billiards room. The 3rd largest home Frank Lloyd Wright ever designed. this remarkably preserve Prairie School icon dates from 1902 until 1904. It's more interesting than his home in Oak Park. The 16 floor home was considered experimental with a duckpin bowling alley & 2 barrel vaulted ceiling's. There is exquisite color shifting art glass & 90% of the furniture is original. Susan Lawrence Dana (1862-1946) was an heiress to a silver mines fortune . She was widow in 1900 & had complete control over her household & fortune. She was a leading philanthropic figure in Springfield. Dana decided to completely remodeled her home commissioning Frank Lloyd Wright. Her new home reflected her flamboyant personality & was designed for display & entertainment. The concept of "expanding space" was evident throughout the house with windows placed to continually draw the attention to the outside. Wright designed approximately 450 art glass windows, skylights, door panels, sconces & light fixtures for the house. The interior Torii gates are magnificent.hallway into two of the largest rooms in the house. The musical gallery for entertaining and the library contains special easels. Wright designed white oak furniture for Dana to display Japanese prints. In1928, Dana had dementia & financial constraints. In1944, the home and its contents were sold to Charles C. Thomas, a medical publisher. Thomas lived here & used this home as his publishing company. He sold the house to the state for a million dollars. It became a historic site. Jennifer shared that the house is still being utilized for social community events.

Absolute perfection! This is one of the best Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the world. It is the…read morebiggest. it also has 95% of the original furnishings inside including a lamp that the state of Illinois had to pay $700,000 to reclaim. They also paid $1 million for the property. It's a bargain at any price. FLW fans cannot miss this one! No pictures are allowed inside, but it is stunning! Look at the pictures on their social media and then go see this place. My wife and I have toured several Frank Lloyd Wright homes including Taliesen West. This one takes the cake. By far. Marcel was our guide and he was amazing. Just go see this place. It's a national treasure!