exploring Casey, IL and 3 more small towns with a twist (or theme) in illinois: metropolis, belknap & chester
Where do you go when you run out of ideas? You’ve gone to all the places your hometown is known for, explored all the distinctive neighborhoods, and tried out all the up-and-coming trendy spots and restaurants. So now what? After exploring your hometown as a tourist, then figuring out the best spots as a local, how about learning all the odd little places that exist within a few hours’ drive? A look at the different themes small towns champion in Illinois to get your interest.
Why odd towns? the themes, of course!
Small towns must get creative if they want to convince people to stop by their semi-remote spot, even if only along the way to their ultimate destination. Having a few landmarks and a cute main street just won’t do the further away from a major city. Therefore, little towns offer unique or themed experiences. Examples in my home state of Illinois include:
Casey: A tiny town full of giant things, a collection of World’s Largest items.
Metropolis: Town dedicated to all things Superman, featuring a large statue and museum.
Belknap: Unique diving experience, sunken plane, train, automobiles allowing you to explore.
Chester: Birthplace of Popeye creator and illustrator, Elzie Crisler Segar. Cartoon statues sprinkled all over this town.
These towns are currently on my “must visit” list but I’ll focus this post on the only town I’ve visited, Casey. Don’t worry, I have a bit more info on the other towns towards the end in case you’d like to visit. I’ll be visiting the rest of the towns later in 2025, so stay tuned. All of the images in this post are from casey, illinois except for two that are noted as such.
casey, IL: the tiny town of giant things
Casey is easily the most known for its big personality. This is the tiny town full of giant things for its theme. It carries a collection throughout the town, mostly outdoors, of the World’s Largest items. Everything is open to the public so just park your car and go exploring. Some shops will also carry something giant, you’re free to look and interact with the items, unless otherwise noted. Located a little 200-miles from Chicago, a 3hr. drive, I took the day trip in September 2023.
Upon arriving at the Welcome Center, there was giant ruler with the town tagline, Big Things in a Small Town. There was also a giant sculpture of a cactus. Inside the welcome center, it’s pretty much a shop but carries souvenirs. And, more importantly, maps of where to spot all the giants. Although you don’t need a map for most the things, there are a sprinkling of additional items that you’ll need to drive out for but nothing is significantly far. It also lets you know which shops carries an item indoors.
As you explore, you’ll notice music playing while you’re on main street. It felt like a little like a theme park since it’s not common to have speakers when you’re outside. Some of these items are out in the open and others have an association with businesses. You’re always allowed to come and see if you need to enter the business to get access to the particular landmark. For instance, I could see the World’s Largest Windchime but from outside but you can also enter a café to get closer. There’s also a pull rope so you can interact with it.
Giant things all around – Have fun exploring
Just pulling into the town, you are spotting things immediately. Like I had with this World’s Largest Rocking Chair. It might be the largest item there, or perhaps the mailbox, but I’ll let you decide. Have fun taking pictures of these massive structures but also get creative with figuring out how to take pictures with these. Everything is beautifully landscaped in Casey. I recommend coming during the warmer months.
the big stuff
The fun thing about this mailbox is, you can go inside it and there’s an actual mail box inside. You’ll also get a view of the main street in town. That view is the final picture in this post, so keep scrolling to take a look.
There also was a giant teeter totter that moves once enough people are on it. However, when I visited it wasn’t operating. But a fun experience for strangers when realizing it could potentially move if everyone joined. A sign read Saturdays 10am-2pm and I had been there on Saturday just before noon. I don’t know if it’s a seasonal thing and September was out of season for it?
There was a cute wooden trolly around if you’d like to take a ride. It’s actually a tour but there is no information online. My family drove, so we opted out. The tour might be a great option to get a little bit more info since the there’s a guide.
Some of things are more fun to look at than others so don’t feel the need to go out of the way. And at times, I didn’t even realize a giant thing was around, like when my group was taking a break on a bench. As we left, we spotted the giant knitting needles.
Casey, IL also had a few things honoring our veterans. The current population is under 2,500 but had multiple messages of thanks to veterans.
Wait, there’s more — if you take a quick drive
Not all things are within walking distance, and most of the off-site locations usually have parking and space around to look around. They’re usually just the giant landmark but are spread out. Keep in mind there won’t be anything else to do if you take the drive to the off-site locations. The John Deere Antlers are actually positioned on that company’s property, I took a picture from afar and it didn’t look like you could visit on foot. But it’s a fun sculpture for sure, and despite the distance gap, still a part of this themed town.
One of the furthest things was a giant gavel at a courthouse that was in the next town over. I headed over to it but there was a festival going on that town. The courthouse lawn was packed with locals so we could only see the gavel from afar. There was shopping, lots of food options and music. However, I wasn’t aware of what exactly was going being celebrated. But it was nice to get a look at a community coming together. And although I titled this article about odd small towns, it directly led to the opposite in Marshall.
Casey is about 30 miles from the Indiana border and this town is pretty fun place to visit at least once. There are also historical markers, a log cabin landmark, and a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Illinois is the Land of Lincoln, after all. I wished planned out my trip a bit better to include these stops on my way to Casey.
Casey was a great place to visit so I’m exploring these sometime this year. They’re all located in Illinois but close to other states, so easy to incorporate into a road trip to your ultimate destination.
metropolis, IL the official home of superman
officially named as home of Superman in 1972 by DC Comics, the town of metropolis has leaned into this comic Book theme. There is a 2- ton, 15-foot-tall bronze statue of Superman in full color. The ground underneath this statue is etched with the Superman ‘S’ logo. There’s also a museum a few feet away with a phone booth for all your Superman transforming needs. Not to be outdone, there is also statue of actress Noel Neil, who played Lois Lane in the 1950s film and television series. Metropolis sits near the border between Illinois and Kentucky. I’ve yet to visit and the museum itself looks more like a vintage store, please keep that in mind.
Find Sunken Treasures belknap, IL — a must for adventurers!
Belknap is 20 miles from Metropolis but carries secrets in its waters. Or more so, sunken planes, trains, and automobiles. Mermet Springs has come up with a fun theme for a diving school. you can sign up and go exploring. underwater to find different types of transportation. There’s also a submarine, ambulance, and fire truck. The site also notes an underwater bike trail in which you follow directions and use a total of 8 bicycles to certain checkpoints. This town also features a beautiful state park. If you happen to be driving through, or make the trip for both, this would be a great long weekend.
chester, IL: home of popeye & perfect for pop culture enthusiasts
Chester is the birthplace of Popeye creator and illustrator, Elzie Crisler Segar. Popeye was first published in 1929. In 1977, a bronze statue of Popeye was erected at the Chester Welcome Center. Despite Segar being born in 1894, his illustrations are still in the hearts of many. So much so, that in the early 2000s, the town began displaying more statues of various Popeye characters around the town. a cute town theme that upholds local pride has inspired visits to this small town in Illinois. Every few years, Chester debuts another statue and for a total of 19 as of 2025. Last thing to mention, there seems to be a little patten developing as Chester sits near the border with Missouri and just 60 miles from another stunning Illinois state park, Garden of the Gods.
These themed towns are great options to visit at least once along your ultimate destination on a road trip. Or, a great stop along with an Illinois state park if you’re an adventurer and nature lover. I hope this inspires you to think about the small odd towns in your home state. Small towns all over offer all sorts of exciting and themed experiences. Large cities are beautiful, impressive, and full of culture. But there is room for small towns to offer you a more unique experience, especially if it was something you’ve even considered. So the next time someone is boasting about all the things their state is known for, why don’t offer the little interesting nuggets our small towns have to offer?
