THE TOURISM POTENTIAL2 A MIDWEST VACATION DESTINATION 1 71 IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIESCATCHY • IL 53 CORRIDOR PLAN • 2014 TITLE REGIONAL TOURISM Door County, WI oers visitors wineries, DESTINATIONS beaches, shopping, and more . The Door County Penninsula is approximately a four hour drive from Chicago. The Wisconsin Dells proclaims itself the “Water Capital of the World”. Other attractions include Dells Boat Tours, golf courses, mini golf, go-kart tracks, water sports, horseback riding, thirll shows, museums amusement parks WISCONSIN and a casino. Michigan’s Harbor Country oers Chicago residents an escape from the Lake Geneva is an outdoor escape City, beach activities, and small town for Chicago residents complete with charm. small town charm, boating, camping, and water recreation. Gelana oers small town charm, wineries, shopping, golf, cruises, and outdoor recreation opportunities. 1 N MICHIGAN A 5 G I 0 H C I ILLINOIS 7 M M 5 E MILWAUKEE DISTRICT NORTH LINE K M E T M R A E A T - M I R NORTH CENTRAL SERVICE U A- N U I L NI O ON N P PA A CI C L FI I C N F OR IC TH N W O ES R T L T IN H E L I N E I METRA STAR LINE E The Corridor has the benefit of L S METRA- MILW E AUKE E DIS TRIC T WEST IOWA METRA-U S NION PACIFIC WEST being the closest to the Chicago CHICAGO SF -BN OR ETRA RID M COR E G A IT R E H A- R L ET M A K CE E VI R M E I S C T H S I G A N E W H T U metro area compared to other O S D N A SL I K C O R NORTHWSET C I R INDIANA T C E L E A R T E M popular vacation destinations in ILLINOIS INDIANA Wauponsee Trail the region. The IL 53 Corridor provides Chicago residents and tourists a unique getaway with history, sports, outdoor INDIANA recreation, and natural beauty Nearly 20 million people in a 2 hour drive live within a three-hour drive of the Corridor, vastly more than the other regional vacation destinations. 18 IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES • IL 53 CORRIDOR PLAN • 2014 THE UNTAPPED TOURISM POTENTIAL • THE PEOPLE ARE NEAR Population within a Three Hour Drive IL53 There is no mechanism in place today to accurately Door County estimate the number of SW Michigan tourists visiting the corridor. Spring Green/Madison Over 30,000 tourists are Wisconsin Dells estimated to drive this section Galena of Historic Route 66 every year. 5 10 15 20 Millions This estimate is based on tourists signing in at the Pontiac Automobile Museum, and probably does not reflect the hundreds who drive the road without stopping at the museum. Population within a Five Hour Drive Chicago Speedway alone brings SW Michigan huge volumes of visitors every year. NASCAR estimated over IL 53 150,000 people attended Spring Green/Madison events at the Speedway in Wisconsin Dells 2012. Speedway visitors are probably not even aware that Door County they are right on Historic Galena Route 66 with many other 5 10 15 20 Millions attractions nearby. 19 IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES • IL 53 CORRIDOR PLAN • 2014 W H A T O T H E R D E S T I N A T I O N S OFFER Galena, Illinois Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin As a tourism destination, the TOURISM AMENITIES TOURISM AMENITIES Dellsn o Tap 50,000 guests per day Galena History Museum Corridor would compete directly 35 Waterparks Wisconsin Dells More than 8,000 hotel Dowling House 10 Amusement Parks Waterslide-athon rooms with other regional destinations, EVENTS Downhill skiing Turner Hall 12 Scenic Tours Wisconsin Dells Music Fest 19 campgrounds, 3,200 including: Old Blacksmith Shop Galena Convention Center River Walk Dells Chili Cook Off sites Old Market House State Mid-Continent Railway Tastef o Wisconsin Dells Accommodates Galena, Illinois Apple River Stagecoach Event Historic Site Center Museum approximately 3 million The Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Pathwayn o the Levee Circus World LODGING AVAILABILITY visitors annually Galena Lead Rush Half 6 Bed and Breakfasts Spring Green, Wisconsin Ulysses. S Grant Home State Marathon Canyon Creek Riding Approx. f half o all visitors Historic Site Stables 36 Cabins and Cottages from out-of-state Door County Wisconsin Nightf o the Luminaria 19 Campgrounds Linmar Gardens Country Bicycle Ride International Crane 35%f o visitors from Harbor County, Michigan 23 Condominiums Galena River Bicycle Trail Massbach Wine Tasting Foundation Chicago area Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Belvedere Mansion Timbavati Wildlife Park 80 Hotels and Motels Annie Wiggins Ghost Tour 34 Resorts Goldmoor Gardens Galena Country Fair Wisconsin Deer Park Wooded Wonderland LODGING AVAILABILITY: Woodside Ranch ACCOMMODATION When compared to 10 Golf Courses 41 vacation rental homes Dells Comedy Club ABILITIES Ballooning 10 resorts and hotels 4 Theaters Wisconsin Dells Center at these major regional 3 Wineries 4 motels Wollersheim Winery Chula Vista Resort tourist destinations, All within Galena or Jo Zipline Tours Largest single meeting Daviess County Devil’s Lake State Park facility: 100,000 square the Corridor has the Ho-Chunk Gaming feet 6 Golf Courses Largest single exhibit benefit of being the JustAGame Fieldhouse space: 90,000 square feet Largest single meeting EVENTS closest to the Chicago space: 21,000 square feet Autumn Harvest Fest metro area with the Can host more than entire metro area residing within 75 miles of the Corridor. 20 IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES • IL 53 CORRIDOR PLAN • 2014 Spring Green, Wisconsin Door County, Wisconsin Harbor County, Michigan TOURISM AMENITIES EVENTS TOURISM AMENITIES EVENTS Harbor Country, Michigan is the 9 Bed & Breakfasts Housen o the Rock Spring r Green Ca Show 53 Public beaches Fall Corn Festival and Maze Southwest portion of Berrien County, 13 Cottages and Rentals Frank Lloyd Wright Taliesin Summer Concerts 5 State Parks Fourthf o July Celebration which includes Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, Union Pier, Events and Visitors Center Spring Green Literary Festival 11 Lighthouses Pumpkin Patch Festival Lakeside, Harbert, Sawyer American Players Theatre BobFest 300 f miles o shoreline Door County Half Marathon and Three Oaks. ESRI data was taken HCPAI Birdhouse Auction Gard Theater BeatlesFest Miller Art Museum Cherry Fest using Union Pier as its focal point. Harbor County Chocolate Classic River Valley Players Fall Art Tour Washington Island Ferry Fall Fest Art Attack tour Tourism Amenities Cavef o the Mounds Spring Green Country Washington Island Art and Annual Flag Day Celebration Eleven Michigan wineries Cedar Grove Cheese Inc. Christmas Nature Center LODGING AVAILABILITY Ship and Shore 15 f miles o beach front along Lake Rush Creek Sportsman Club Guenzel Gallery 13 Lodges/Inns Harvest Days Michigan Weggy Winery LODGING AVAILABILITY 3 Wineries 10 Resorts Musicn i the Park Four Winds Casino Wisconsin Artists Showcase 6 Hotels and Motels Anderson Store 6 Hotels Warren Woods State Park Visitation 3 Golf Courses 8 Bed and Breakfast Inns Door County Maritime Nelson House New Buffalo Railroad Museum Amtrak station in New Buffalo Avoca Prairie Fireside Campground Museum Square Rigger Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail 36 miles from South Bend, Indiana Ferry Bluff 2V R Parks Door County Historical GETTING THERE Warren Dunes State Park 70 miles from Chicago, Illinois Spring Green Preserve 9 Vacation Homes Museum Accessible via I-43 Capt. Mikes Fun Park 78 miles from Kalamazoo, Cedar Valley Preserve 2 Resorts American Folklore Theatre Ferry access from eastern U-Pick Farms Michigan Architectural Driving Tour 5 Cottages/Cabins Third Avenue Playhouse shoref o Lake Michigan Acorn Theater 110 miles from Grand Rapids, 3 State Parks and 1 County Trueblood Performing Arts Commercial airport, Austin Fernwood Botanical Gardens Michigan Park Center Straubel International 160 miles from Indianapolis, Door Community Auditorium Grande Mere State Park Airport, located in Green Bay, 12 Bicycle Routes Indiana Birch Creek Music Wisconsin 195 miles from Detroit, Michigan Performance Center Lodging Availability Peninsula Players Theatre 10 Hotels, Resorts, and Inns Francis Hardy Center for the Arts 21 IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES • IL 53 CORRIDOR PLAN • 2014 AN ABUNDANCE OF UNDISCOVERED TREASURES IT Visitors to individual destinations may not be aware of all the other ACTIV IES The Corridor has an nearby attractions. Collectively, these destinations have the long Hiking Swimming term potential to create a major vacation destination serving Biking Boating Picnicking Snowmobiling abundance of Chicagoland and the Midwest. Hunting Cross Country Skiing Horseback Riding Plant Identification Archery Fossil Collecting Star Gazing Wildlife Watching undiscovered Scenic Drives Camping CIVIC & CU Fishing And many more... C, LT I U R HISTORIC ROUTE 66 R treasures, O Launching Pad Drive-In A T L NATURAL AS S Gemini Giant statue OR SET I Polk-a-Dot Restaurant AJ S H Rialto Square Theatre M unknown to the Von Heindecke’s Chicago Festival & Ballet Joliet Area Historical Museum Joliet Area Sports Hall of Fame Jacob Henry Museum Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Kankakee River majority of P. Seth Magosky Museum of Victorian Life Birdhaven Greenhouse and Conservatory Kankakee River State Park & Joliet History Braidwood Dunes & Savanna Preserve Laughton County Forest Preserve Slovenian Woman’s Heritage Museum Channahon State Park Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Des Plaines Dolomite Prairies Reserve McKinley Woods County Forest Preserve Joliet Union Station potential visitors. Des Plaines Fish & Wildlife Area Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Manhattan Metra Station Des Plaines River Pilcher Park Nature Center Mar Theatre Dresden Cooling Lake Rock Run Rookery Briscoe Burial Mounds Forsythe Woods