Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge

You certainly don't expect to find a Southern-style swampland, complete with moss-draped cypress trees and croaking bullfrogs in Illinois. But it's here, at Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Check it out from the Bellrose Viewing Platform off Cache Chapel Rd. Or head to Section 8 Woods and take a short stroll on the boardwalk for a taste of the waterlogged, primeval landscape; it's near the Cache River Wetlands Center, which also has hiking and canoeing information.