EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

Amtrak trains from Chicago and St Louis roll in at Third and Washington downtown, at manageable times. Greyhound drops off two miles east of downtown at 2351 S Dirksen Parkway. The Convention and Visitors Bureau , 109 N Seventh St (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; tel 217/789-2360 or 1-800/545-7300), has brochures and maps. The best selection of budget accommodation , including a Days Inn (tel 217/529-0171; $50-75), lies off I-55 at the Dirksen Parkway exit. Downtown accommodation is reasonably priced - even the swanky politicians' hotels offer affordable deals on the weekend. Central options include the Best Western Lincoln Plaza , 101 E Adams St (tel 217/523-5661 or 1-800/528-1234, ; $75-100), next to the capitol and Amtrak, and the Mansion View Inn & Suites , 529 S Fourth St (tel 217/544-7411 or 1-800/252-1083, ; $75-100). The Inn at 835 , 835 S Second Ave (tel 217/523-4466, ; $100-130), is a charming eleven-room B&B converted from a 1900 downtown apartment block.

Springfield's cafés seem to have exclusive rights to a phenomenon known as the Horseshoe - ostensibly a sandwich, but fried, covered in melted cheese and very tasty. Norb Andy's , 518 E Capitol Ave (tel 217/523-7777), musters up the best Horseshoes around. The Cozy Dog Drive-In at 2935 S Sixth St (tel 217/525-1992) claims to be the birthplace of the Cozy Dog (also known as the corn dog), a deep-fried, batter-drenched hot dog on a stick. At the other end of the health spectrum, Augie's Front Burner , 2 W Old State Capitol Plaza (tel 217/544-6979), serves up good California-style and vegetarian meals, while Sebastian's Hideout , 221 S Fifth St (tel 217/789-8988), has a wide-ranging Mediterranean menu with good couscous dishes and occasional jazz or blues.