Spring is in the air and that means it's time to plan a spring break trip, or maybe a stay-cation to one of these top spring break location in Illinois. 

Spring is a little bit of a tease isn't it? It sneaks up on us in February, only to totally ditch us for a few weeks and hopefully stop by for good in the middle or end of March.

One thing a taste of spring always provides is an excuse to plan a trip!

Maybe this year you're off to Florida or Arizona, maybe somewhere very far away like Italy or Mexico... or maybe this year you're thinking you want to stay local and explore our home state of Illinois.

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According to Tripping.com, there are a ton of great cities to explore here in Illinois and get this... Rockford takes the number 2 spot on a list of '8 Best Spring Break Destinations in Illinois.'

Not a shocker, Chicago landed in the top spot, but Rockford was right behind.

Who else made the list?

Peoria, Galena, Ottawa, Moline, Joliet and Champaign.

Ok, fine so this list seems like it's also a collection of large cities in Illinois... but either way they're also places in Illinois you might want to visit!

I'm thinking to think... have I been to all of them?

I don't think so!

I've been to the Peoria zoo and the Joliet Prison, and I think Moline, but the rest are on my 'to-visit' list.

Where are you headed this spring break?

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Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Illinois using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

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