Do Wisconsin folks vacation in Illinois?

I have gone hunting in amboy. High quality bucks in that part of the state. Also spent some time hunting around arsenal rd. Salmon fishing out of winthrop, smelt fishing behind McCormick place. Decent pheasant hunting to, down south. 

I've done trips to Chicago that were always fun. I've also fished in Illinois multiple times and the fishing was excellent on the lakes I fished. Couple guys lease land for deer in IL and there are some BIG deer where they hunt. As has been said there are definitely things to do and see there if you really wanted too, depending what your likes are. I've lived in WI my whole life in 4 different places. It's nice but it's not perfect either. Im almost 50 and when I can I'd like to move out of the midwest completely and live in another area of the country. I've seen alot of the midwest over the years. I'd like to spend my final years exploring a different area of the country.

Born and raised in Chicago. Been living in WI since '98. News makes it seem like if you go there you WILL be assaulted/shot at/robbed. Not saying it's not a possibility but it is honestly far from the norm. If you use your head, you'll in all likelihood be completely fine. It is definitely a place people should experience at least once. So much to do, so many attractions, such amazing food that's whatever you want whenever you want it. I miss going back home to visit. Until I get stuck in gridlock traffic...then I remember why I don't live there anymore lol.
If anyone is considering a trip to Chicago, I highly recommend the City Pass. Gets you admission to the museums, Art Institute, Hancock and Sears Tower observation decks, etc. You save money doing it this way and you also get to skip the general admission lines which on a nice day in the summer can be long. 

RC, there is definitely some great whitetail deer here in Hellinois. Problem is almost all on private land. Very little public land compared to WI. Big deer as well. I know a guy from Georgia who comes to southern IL to deer hunt because deer down there are the size of a large dog. 😎

I've found...as a motorcycle rider that has been all over much of IL...

Let's see. Galena. Not my bag but clearly many folks like it. Same with Lake Geneva. Oh,that's right. technically in Wisconsin but kind of a similar vibe. Galena has the "history" thing going on though...

There's a nice ride along the Rock River south of Rockford.  The Mississippi "Great River Road" in Illinois is nice. Maybe not as nice as in WI and IA but still nice and worth the ride...Down that way is Poopy's - an iconic biker destination. Farther down - and directly north of St Louis is the bluffs by Grafton IL. It seems a pretty popular area but mostly from St Louis riders.

Then all the way down the state: The Shawnee National Forest. The Garden of the Gods is awesome and worth the drive. Nice area to camp and there's other attractions (for nature folks) like Cave City or across the Ohio River (by ferry) in the Trail of Tears national...whatever they're calling it. But the Shawnee NF is worth a visit...

Chicago IS a legitimate draw for concerts and other big city stuff. Gotta get in a Brewers/Cubs game at Wrigley Field at least once. Women like to shop on Michigan Ave. If it's MY wife though, I hope she doesn't buy anything. We can't afford it.

We can point fingers over who's big cities or politicians suck more, or that we don't like big city money coming up buying "our" best real estate, or whatever....or that big city folks aren't always the most considerate (in many ways) but that goes for Milwaukee, Madison or Minneapolis/St Paul people too.

Point is,there's things worth seeing in Illinois. If you're afraid to drive there - and are willing to dismiss things you're ignorant about - that's on you....And by "you",I mean in general, not anyone specifically....Personally, living in SE WI,I prefer not to work east of Hwy 100 but that's because of the traffic and my big trucks/trailers. I also prefer not to ride a motorcycle in Milwaukee or Chicago but I have and I will again. Milwaukee is better in that regard by far but still...it's certainly not relaxing.

I've actually had some good fishing in IL. Hopefully it still exists in those places (that I won't mention).

I know there's some other cool natural places downstate. It's not all cornfields. The people outside the big cities  - in Illinois - are a little more friendly than in some other regions of the country and that includes much of WI.

Anyway,a sports rivalry or a mild dislike of really big cities is just fine but a deep seated emotional - I don't like the word "hate" but it's applicable -  of anything and anyone south of Kenosha county is simply irrational.

I would probably agree with you on that category. 

I would gamble that illnoyans own more high quality water frontage than sconnies.  and by that I mean sand gravel, gentle sloped, accessible water not surrounded by swamp and muck and cat tails

That’s totally possible RC, But my guess would be 60/40 Wisconites. Dont know though.

It would be a curious discussion of which state has higher quality whitetail deer hunting.  I guess it depends on what defines quality deer hunt.
If a paranoid hunter behind every tree is the definition of quality then Wisconsin wins by a long shot.  OK I exagerate.  But for trophy hunting and lack of crowd I wonder if Illinois has ​an advantage.

It could be the illnoyans own  more lake frontage than sconnies. 

I think it has more to do with trees. I would guess we have more. More lakes too.
people love the feeling of tree infested areas. Lakes and Trees. I think Illinois residents own a lot of land in Wisconsin. If anybody has a % it would be interesting.

Nope. Booked a 2 night stay in Galena years back, left after 1 night. What a boring town, was a nice area though

When people vacation to wisconsin...they don't go to Milwaukee....but millions of people vacation to Chicago.....

Talk all you want...Milwaukee loses every year

https://usabynumbers.com/cities-with-highest-crime-rate/