• While Illinois is probably most famous for housing the glorious, multi-cultural and expansive city of Chicago, what many don't know about Illinois is that it also has several casinos about an hour outside of the city. You can reach these casinos by driving, of course, or you can travel by bus, and several bus companies offer day trips to the casinos of Illinois.
  
  

Empress Casino

• Us Coachways makes several trips daily to Argosy's Empress Casino in Joliet, Illinois. While there is a small fee to enter the casino, the casino offers more than 1,000 slot machines plus 32 gaming tables. If you don't know how to play blackjack or craps, the staff can show you the ropes pretty quickly. There's a fine-dining restaurant, a casual, but cozy cafe, and buffet-style restaurant.
  
  

Grand Victoria Casino

• The Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois, is so close to Chicago that you don't need to take a private charter bus to reach it. You can take Pace, a city bus company in Chicago that transports passengers to the suburbs. Bus route 542 will take you to the Grand Victoria Casino. This casino has 1,100 slot machines, 36 gaming tables, and live poker is available on the lower level from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. The casino has four restaurants: a steakhouse, a burger joint, a deli and a buffet.
  
  

Jumer's Casino

• Badger Coaches offers trips to the Jumer Casino on Rock Island in Illinois. These trips are usually several days and also stop in a nearby casino in Iowa. The Jumer Casino is one floor and features 1,100 slot machines, 24 table games, live poker and a high-limit slots room. Like most casinos, the dining facilities offer a steakhouse, a deli, a cafe and a buffet.