Tourism spending contributes $22 billion to the Illinois economy each year. With the Ford Calumet Environmental Center, Calumet Open Space Reserve, and proposed I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor extension, the region is poised to become a major destination for ecological, cultural, and recreational tourists, playing a key part in the re-growth of Chicago's southern metro area.

Only a half hour drive from downtown Chicago will take you to the Calumet region of Chicago. Find a preview of the area's assets below.

Come back soon to find more, including tour schedules, routes, more links, and maps.

Cultural tourism attracts visitors for the longest stays and prompts them to spend the most money in the local economy than any other type of tourist. Historic bridges, oral histories of former steel workers, the steel making structures themselves, the Underground Railroad, churches, industrial architecture, even The Blues Brothers movie all fit into the context of cultural tourism in Southeast Chicago.

Follow these links to learn more about Southeast Chicago's cultural assets:
Field Museum ~ Journey Through Calumet
Southeast Historic Society
Chicago Labor History Sites

Tour Opportunities:
Sign-up for a Toxics to Treasures Tour led by SETF.

Coming soon:
Chicago Neighborhood Tours
Self-guided driving tour with interactive map
The Blues Brothers Tour

Wildlife watching alone contributes $500 million annually to the Illinois economy. The Calumet region is host to a long list of species, including several threatened and endangered ones. The area is also host to Chicago's largest lakes and hundreds of acres of wetlands. Find opportunities to explore these treasures here.

Birding — Outings and Field Trips:

• Bird Conservation Network's Online Calendar
• DuPage Birding - DBC
• Chicago Audubon - CAS