5 Things Illinois Does Way Better Than Wisconsin

Wisconsin may dominate Illinois when it comes to playing football, drinking beer, and making cheese, but here are 5 things even Wisconsinites have to agree that Illinois excels at.

The Battle Between Illinois and Wisconsin

The rivalry between Illinois and Wisconsin is a tale as old as time. As an Illinoisan who spends a good chunk of their leisure time in Wisconsin, I feel I am well versed in what makes Illinois and Wisconsin different and what each state does better than the other.

While the things I am to list are purely my opinions based on a lifetime of Wisconsin "research", I think many of you will agree that these are 5 ways that Illinois truly outshines its Northern neighbor.

Things Illinois Does Better Than Wisconsin

1. Deep-Dish Pizza: Deep-dish pizza might not be my favorite, but I've eaten it enough to know that Illinois does it the best HANDS DOWN. Wisconsin's love affair with cheese can't even help them in this category.

2. Skyline: Wisconsin has many very beautiful places to visit, but most of them involve lakes and countryside. Illinois wins this category due to towering skyscrapers and architectural marvels.  (Thank you, Chicago!)

3. Museums and Culture: Illinoisans are truly blessed to have a vast world of arts and culture at their fingertips. Illinois is home to some of the most renowned museums in the country, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry. Illinois also has an array of theaters, music festivals, and art galleries to keep us entertained year-round. Sorry, Wisconsin, your Spotted Cow Brewery may be fabulous, but it alone can't measure up to award-winning museums.

4. Architecture: Illinois is home to some of the most impressive architectural wonders in the United States. From the Willis Tower (it will always be the Sears Tower to me) to Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces sprinkled throughout a few Illinois cities, Wisconsin's breweries and cheese factories just can't measure up.

5. Higher Education: Wisconsin may be home to one of the biggest party schools in the nation (hello, UW Madison), but Illinois has some of the top-ranked universities and colleges in the country. From the prestigious University of Chicago to Northwestern University and the University of Illinois, our state colleges have a long and strong academic reputation. (and paying in-state tuition for a first-class education is a pretty big perk too!)

Now, if you're from Wisconsin and thoroughly ticked off at me right now for dissing your state, please know that I love it very much. I'm a huge fan of Wisconsin, and often prefer your state over my own. Sometimes I just need to write/read articles like this to remember that my home state is a pretty fabulous place to be too.

Will you forgive me if I make fun of Illinois a bit too? These should do the trick...