Illinois

From The California State Automobile Association Unofficial Wiki

Evanston Illinois - If you're going to Chicago to look at skyscrapers, sample cuisine from around the world, check out quality theatre, or just to see how a large city can be well run, that's fine.

If you're in the mood for something just a little different, though, do something natives do. Climb aboard the local commuter train - the METRA - and head up to Evanston. (It's pretty much the first town north of Chicago).

Evanston is a town that even Hollywood couldn't make up about life in the Midwest. Hugging Lake Michigan, there are miles of walking and jogging paths that occasionally give teasing views of the metropolis to the south. There's a local historical society that's adjacent to a lighthouse and sand dunes (something that always surprises 'coastal' US residents). There are broad cottonwood shaded streets and rambling Midwestern frame houses that still have swinging benches. Home of Northwestern University and the highly respected Kellogg Business School (yes - the same Kellogg family), Evanston has its share of bookstores, inexpensive restaurants and coffeehouses. One recommendation: Kaffeine is a coffee house that's open till the wee hours of the morning, 7 days a week. Predictably enough, it's often full of local students doing homework -- and perhaps not as predictably, ALL its espresso drinks are doubles.