The Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve is a natural gem hidden in the middle of the Illinois River Valley, just a few miles north of Champaign. It offers an outdoor recreation of prairies, forests and marshes and is a lively and well-preserved sports centre.

The northern section of the Peace Trail stretches from Afton to Janesville and offers an asphalt, tree-shaded route that runs parallel to the Rock River and an active railroad line. The Lily Cache Greenway runs from Bollingbrook to Plainfield and from there via the ComEd Greenways to the east - west. This shared path runs along the north side of Lake Michigan, east of Rock Lake. The western section runs from McHenry County College (US 14) to Crystal Lake west of N. Oak Street.

DeKalb is one of the most populous cities in Illinois and can be reached in many places via Interstates 88 and 39. It is home to the University of Chicago, Illinois State University and Chicago Public Schools.

The city is also home to the Northern Illinois State Normal School, founded in 1895, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. The city was also the site of the first public high school in the United States, the DeKalb High School of Science and Technology, founded in 1884 by NorthernIllinois University (NIU).

In 2006, Fujitsu Consulting acquired DeKalb High School of Science and Technology and the University of Illinois at the Department of Electrical Engineering in Chicago.

Founded in 1837, DeKalb experienced its early growth and prosperity closely linked to the importance of the town in the barbed wire industry, which transformed the community from a purely agricultural town into a major production center for the product. Founded in 1856, it has become a centre of agricultural production and livestock - and an industrial centre. Although agriculture and related industries remain a facet of this city, along with health care, the largest employer of the 21st century is Northern Illinois University, founded in 1895, with more than 1,000 faculty and students.

With such a rich history, DeKalb offers its residents and visitors a variety of architectural and entertainment venues that showcase the past and present. The Egyptian Theatre, built in 1929, bears the name of the first professional theatre in the city, the Egyptian Theatre. De Kalb also hosts a celebration of agricultural heritage, with the annual DeKalb Agricultural Heritage Festival, a three-day festival of agriculture, food, music, art and culture. A park district offers year-round sports and leisure programs, including a wide range of outdoor activities for children and adults, as well as a range of recreational facilities for adults.

Located in the heart of DeKalb, this historic mansion consists of 7 historic buildings and is set on a 10-hectare park. The Mel Anderson Memorial Path, named after the longtime 7th District Councilman, spans nearly two miles and connects the city's parks and recreation areas and downtown.

The Prairie Point Trail is a scenic neighborhood route that connects twice with the longer Grove Road Trail. The Prairie Trail stretches along the length of McHenry County and is managed by the McHenry County Conservation District. Struckman Boulevard Path is less than a mile long and stretches from Bartlett Road to State Route 59, narrowing from the end of Sunset Park to SR 59. The Kuhn Road trail begins at the intersection of Kuhns Road and State Road 59 in DeKalb and continues to the west of the city, north of Lakeview Park.

The DeKalb Park District's park system includes 44 parks totaling 700 hectares in the city, with over 1,000 hectares of public and private land available for recreation.

As a leading producer of corn and soybeans, DeKalb County maintains its reputation as a center of agriculture. The industry includes the production of corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, corn syrup, dairy products and other agricultural products.

The paved Rock River Recreation Trail follows the east bank of the Rock River from Shorewood Park to Martin Memorial Park. The Kishwaukee Kiwanis Trail runs along the river and winds through DeKalb's historic neighborhoods, including Lakeview, Oak Park and South Shore. De Kalb has set up a number of paths and trails for leisure use in the area, as well as a system of paths.

The Millennium Trail currently covers nearly 30 miles in two separate segments, but there are plans to expand it to 35 miles and connect it to the Des Plaines River Trail. The North Shore bike path runs for nearly 8 miles and is parallel to State Route 176 along its entire length, and the Phyllis Harmon Trail is the shortest. This paved path starts at the intersection of South Shore Boulevard and North Avenue in DeKalb and leads north along the Lakeview waterfront to Lakewood Park and then south through the historic neighborhoods.

The proposal was dropped and sent to the Illinois Department of Transportation and the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners for approval. The General Aviation Community, which is managed by the General Aviation Association of Illinois (GAAI) and the Illinois Air National Guard, is located at 3232 Pleasant Street in De Kalb, Illinois.