You can also delve into the natural wilderness of Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests where you'll find more hiking opportunities, mountain biking routes, and the North Carolina Arboretum. I don't want to go to the Wisconsin Dells like every year but something different, fun, good places to visit, similar to New York. Bonus: The capital hosts a fabulous Lunar New Year Parade in January or February depending on when the new year begins. It makes sense to book ahead if you're planning on visiting between Christmas day and New Year, or weekends during January and February. It eventually turns inland to take you right to Grand Rapids. Expect congestion on the Blue Ridge Parkway, especially if you visit at weekends. Or explore the wintery wilderness of Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy - you can rent snowshoes if you don't have your own. Why you should visit: As its name suggests, Granite Peak is a fabulous and long-established ski destination with some top-class runs and luxurious resort choices. There are also several events to mark Dia de los Muertos in late October and early November. Weather at the end of March can be iffy. All through the winter, you can also enjoy the shops and restaurants on fabulous River Street, the perfect place to spend some time whether you're looking for gifts to take home or just something special for yourself. It's a popular place to visit, so book lift passes in advance if you know when you're travelling. The Garfield Park Conservatory, of course. Although this is a long drive, it's a really straightforward one. After Hopkinsville, join I-24 and follow it through Nashville to Chattanooga where you'll switch onto I-75 which runs all the way to Florida. As you approach St Louis, you will see the first and main sight in the city - the huge 630-foot tall steel Gateway Arch. (Getty Images) Known as . MoneyGeek came up with this year's list by analyzing the FBI's crime statistics for 2021 (the most recent . Along the way you'll pass the cities of Madison, La Crosse and Sioux City, and you'll cross both the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Bonus: As well as being known for its winter sports, Grand Rapids is famous for its many craft breweries - in fact, it's been given the title of Beer City USA! If you're here to relax, escape the hustle and bustle with a stroll around Toledo Botanical Gardens or head out to Wildwood Preserve Metropark to follow its many trails on foot or 2 wheels. Wrap up warm and walk out towards Muskegon South Breakwater Lighthouse a really stunning sight or take a walk on the lake's frozen beaches. This is the place to come for a great resort experience, with lodges, bars and of course, slopes, all in one place. Our travel tips: Book in advance if you're visiting Winterfest, as the town gets really busy. By joining our email list, you give LazyTrips permission to use your email for sending you newsletters, emails and updates including for marketing purposes. You can easily fill a weekend here with fun and varied runs. Then, join I-80 and follow it around the south of Cleveland before switching onto I-76 and continuing southeast past Pittsburgh. These Are the 5 Warmest Places in Chicago Right Now - PureWow High season is considered to be June and July. Here you will find a great white sand beach and stroll along the boardwalk, watch local boats go by or explore the shops along the docks. Why you should visit: New York City puts on an amazing display for the holidays from festive lights to Christmas trees and fabulous window displays throughout the city, all with a thick covering of snow. Whatever kind of winter road trip you're interested in, we've put together some of the key facts for a whole host of fabulous destinations. 10 hours 10 minutes from Chicago (660 miles). Indiana Dunes, Indiana 1 hour from Chicago (50 miles) 2 hours 30 minutes from Chicago (147 miles). If you're not visiting for the Derby, it's best to avoid going in May as hundreds of thousands come for the event and prices go sky high. There's a real variety of activities to enjoy here take to the snow for an active day outside, then relax at a beautiful spa. Mount Rushmore is a unique national monument that's a must-see for many Americans and tourists alike, which makes it the perfect destination from Chicago. Why you should visit: Mild weather and weeks of flamboyant parades makes New Orleans the perfect contrast to snowy Chicago. Best road trips from Chicago Shutterstock 1. Harbor Country is one of the most popular getaway destinations for Chicagoans. You can also find out more about the site at the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center, or visit the Sculptor's Studio to find out more about how the monument was created. Most people come to Saugatuck to spend time by the water, enjoying the sunshine and refreshing lake water by day then watching the sun go down with a local craft beer. Flight $$$: $500. If you're here in winter, check out the National Gingerbread House Competition visitors can view entries into this big-money event. If you're crossing over the Canadian border to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Icewine vineyards and wineries are probably the first thing that will get your attention. The classic design may look more like an East Coast city with Louisville having the second highest number of cast iron faades after New York, primarily in its West Main District. The two-lane road winds its way through the mountains, with plentiful overlooks and hiking trails to stop and explore. Rockford is the largest city in Illinois outside Chicagoland (the Chicago metropolitan area). If you're looking for unique and often hand-made gifts for family and friends, you'll find plenty of choice here. This leads you south to join I-76, which you'll then follow past Pittsburgh, all the way across Pennsylvania. Tickets for guided tours at Wind Cave National Park often sell out, so advance booking is recommended, especially if you're travelling in the busier summer months or over holiday periods. The city's popular Longwood Gardens is transformed with amazing lights and live music, so it makes a great place to spend some time after the sun goes down (which happens early in winter!). Our travel tips: Pack layers, as even Florida can experience cooler days, but rest assured that with heated pools and plenty of daytime sunshine, you can enjoy yourself outdoors right through the winter. Take a magical horse-drawn carriage ride, check out entries for the Gingerbread House competition, and enjoy endless festive lights. As Christmas gifts go, a whole city is one we wouldn't mind receiving! It will satisfy a wide range of abilities, and you can also try out snow tubing and snowshoeing here. Choose from a lodge room, suite, 4-bed or 8-bed luxury cottage, ideal for multi-generation or multi-family groups. Once you get to halfway point, you should spend a day or longer on Mackinac Island. Chicago is a fantastic hub for history, architecture, gastronomy and sports. Saugatuck, which sits at the center of the state's Art Coast, has been voted the Midwest's Best Beach Town, and its gently sloping sandy beach is the perfect place to spend an afternoon. Or if you're in town with romantic intentions, a stroll through the Diamond District might go down well. Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa is located on one of the island's best beaches, and offers a variety of family-friendly amenities. New this winter, try curling. You can survey the options from atop the California Tower in Balboa Park. Everything here is about cheese. Key stops include Minneapolis, Sacramento, Albuquerque, Las Vegas and Monterey, plus the Grand Canyon, Mojave National Preserve, Lake Tahoe and Yellowstone National Park. The name gives away what this place is all about - everything here stems from Holland's Dutch origins. The classic town of Ann Arbor is a great stop on your way - this university town has classic architecture, art galleries and great small coffee shops for you to relax or grab some lunch. Then, follow WI-57 towards Plymouth, from where you'll pick up WI-67 to Elkhart Lake. You can go on cheese tours, go to cheese tasting venues, explore local cheese producers and eat every cheese-based dish under the sun. The hip city has a lot of things to see and experience. If you want to head across the border to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake make sure to pack the required travel documentation, and allow extra time to make the border crossing, especially if you're heading across Rainbow International Bridge. Report Ranks America's 15 Safest (And Most Dangerous) Cities - Forbes 2 hours 50 minutes from Chicago (180 miles). Although a lot of people will travel to Wisconsin Dells for the waterparks, don't forget to go on a tour down the Wisconsin River gorge. About 12,000 acres of lakes, sand dunes and oak savannas are wide open for exploration, including ice fishing, skating, sand dune sledding, fat tire biking and snowman building. The local Fermentorium brewery has some 24 different beers on tap - not too shabby for a local place! Get into the festive spirit and enjoy the iconic holiday views of the city - if it feels familiar, it's probably because they've featured in so many films and TV shows over the years. How to get there: After heading east out of Chicago on I-90, turn south onto I-65 and continue through Indianapolis and Louisville. Many visitors head to Denver en route to the Rockies, which are right on your doorstep if you're staying in the city. Then, check out the Christmas Village or the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market. Why you should visit: Seeing the famous falls cascading through the snowy ground is a truly magical experience and one that's different to any other trip you might take. You will be forgiven for thinking you were teleported to central Europe the moment you get to New Glarus. The Warmest Place in Chicago. Nearby, Biltmore is a huge gilded-age mansion with vast formal gardens, trails to explore and its own winery. The fastest way to get to Minneapolis from Chicago is to go the I-90 and I-94 route across Wisconsin. It's also a popular LGBTQ destination. The rinks are super-festive in the run up to the holidays, and you can relax with a hot chocolate or a local craft beer afterwards. How to get there: Follow the interstate east out of Chicago and then continue north, keeping Lake Michigan on your left. (Disney Enterprises . Our travel tips: Check ahead for dates of candle-lit snowshoe trails across the city. Why you should visit: You can see the Nation's Christmas Tree, a century-old tradition in the city - it's illuminated from early December in a popular ceremony that for many marks the start of the holiday season. 1 hour 30 minutes from Chicago (100 miles). This park is illuminated with amazing twinkling lights all through the holiday period and is a really popular local attraction. Rib Mountain, part of the ski area here, is Wisconsin's tallest mountain so you'll find plenty of downhill runs here to suit all abilities. Our highlights: You can see all the historic gems of Philly decked out with lights and trees for the holiday season, and the city's beautiful riverside setting just adds to the magic. Once you arrive at Mount Rushmore, you can also spend time exploring the stunning Black Hills and surrounding area. 14 Best Road Trips from Chicago to Experience the Midwest Roadtrips to do in 3 days from Chicago 8-9 hours driving max A lot of these are built indoors so you can enjoy a weekend swimming, relaxing and going down crazy slides when everything outside is frozen! 8 hours 20 minutes from Chicago (550 miles). This after-dark spectacle sees City Park lit up with more than a million lights. Within a short distance of the city you can ski, skate, snow tube and sled, sometimes with beautiful views across Lake Mendota. 4 hours 30 minutes from Chicago (280 miles). You can also go on a tour of the Cedar Creek Winery and try the local wines which might just surprise you. Our travel tips: Timed tickets are needed for some of Philadelphia's winter attractions, including Longwood Gardens and Dickens Village. Also, although this isn't a ski destination like some of the other trips, you can still enjoy some winter sports in Elkhart Lake. Plus the views from the vineyard are sublime! The small town of Oglesby, home to 3,600 people, is renowned for its natural beauty. A wide selection of breweries includes European-style beers and the pizza-serving Harmony. If you're staying overnight it's best to find accommodation with private parking. Top tips for finding a cheap flight out of Chicago Book at least 2 weeks before departure in order to get a below-average price. With its artisan produce, a relaxed country vibe and outdoor activities on and off the lake, Harbor Country is a perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the city. I-80 is a notoriously busy road, with heavy commercial traffic and few landmarks of interest. A particular highlight in Muskegon is its Luge track, which is open to the public. The main attraction is the carved cliff face featuring four Presidents of the United States. Wisconsin Dells is known for two things - its scenic Wisconsin River gorge and the high number of waterparks which has given the town its nickname as the Waterpark Capital of the World. The Warmest Place in Chicago This Winter - L Stop Tours A work on this scale had never been attempted in the country before and Gutzon Borglum, who led the project, quickly identified that chisels would hardly make a dent on the vast rockface. Olympian Mark Grimmette trained on the Luge track here when he was young and went on to compete at five Winter Olympic Games, winning medals at two of them. Several of the hotels in town have excellent in-house spas, so you can treat yourself to some relaxation time during your trip. 1 week road trip within 10 hours or so of Chicago - Tripadvisor 506 miles southeast of Chicago: Toe River Campground. Why you should visit: This beautiful little lakeside town hosts a magical Christmas market every year. It's a great way to spend time with friends, get into the festive mood, as well as to find some unique Christmas gifts. The Blue Ridge Parkway starts in Asheville, and you can hop onto America's favorite drive to travel a section of this fabulous scenic route. 4 hours 20 minutes from Chicago (300 miles). As well as sliding the high-speed downhill ice track, you can enjoy cross-country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, and ice skating at the park. There are festivals throughout the year from the world's largest Bratfest (you can eat a lot of sausages here!) Our highlights: There are so many memorable festive moments to fit into a winter trip to New York City, it's hard to know where to begin. You will pass by some imposing homes and quiet lakeside neighborhoods with picturesque cafes. 5 Winter Road Trip Ideas to Warmer Destinations - Auto Lab There are a number of different trails that will take you up and down the dunes, past groups of trees that have been overcome by the sand, dune blowouts and pine forests. One of the best places to visit in Illinois, this state park features 18 canyons and 13 miles of hiking trails to explore. You can enjoy spending time outside, take a walk along the river, or just relax in one of Savannah's beautiful squares - the polar opposite of a Chicago winter. Adrenaline junkies can ride ziplines in several places around Asheville, take a rafting trip or go canyoneering. For added romantic charm, put your skates on and have laps on one of the city's many ice rinks - there are over 50 to choose from. If you want to maximize your Swiss experience, then combine your road trip to New Glarus with a stop in Monroe - the Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA. The museum also contains an extensive selection of art by well-known artists and has a collection of Native American Art. LazyTrips is a trading name of Uncle Bob Media Ltd. Some travellers prefer to make this journey on a longer route via the I-90, heading south near Mount Rushmore to reach Denver. Like Chicago, Saugatuck is also located on the Lake Michigan shore, but it couldn't be more different. Canada produces a significant proportion of the world's Icewine, a dessert wine created from grapes left on the vine to freeze before being harvested. To make the most of the trip, take a couple of weeks and make a lot of stops along the way. There's another dozen smaller lakes dotted around which breaks up the city into smaller neighborhoods and adds a lot of character. PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor's St. Maarten Guide Jo Ann. You could . Why you should visit: With festive lights, winter markets, a good chance of snow, and plenty of big city attractions, Toronto is a picture-perfect winter city trip. At Louisville, change onto I-64 and follow it towards Lexington onto I-75 which takes you across into Tennessee. Whether you want to enjoy the winter weather or escape from it, a winter road trip from Chicago can mean hitting the slopes at a ski resort, viewing iconic landmarks, taking a festive shopping trip or relaxing in the winter sun in the Southern states. Oglesby and its neighbor Utica lie nestled into a curve of the Vermilion River and is perfect for exploring some of the best outdoors in Illinois. 15 Best Winter Road Trips from Chicago - LazyTrips How to get there: This is a really simple trip just follow I-90 all the way from Chicago. Outside of the downtown Fennville, you'll find rolling fields and orchards that are both pretty and make some great food. From Louisville, I-64 takes you east to Lexington, then turn onto I-75 to make your way through Tennessee to Knoxville. Head to Macy's, Bloomingdale's or Saks Fifth Avenue for wall-to-wall shopping opportunities, or take a walk along Fifth Avenue to indulge in designer brands. So if you are already in Chicago then you should explore these 12 best road trips from Chicago. If you're having issues using the site, please enable JavaScript and refresh your browser. There's a real art to making Icewine and the conditions have to be just right to freeze the grapes for long enough on the vine. Alternatively, if you'd prefer to just relax and unwind, maybe after a tour round the Christmas market or some time on the ice rink, head to the luxurious Aspira Spa to round off your trip. Denver also has a host of fabulous cultural attractions, so don't overlook the city itself on your way up to the mountains. One of the great things about Toledo is that although it's one of the largest cities in Ohio, visiting is relatively straightforward. If you'd like to take a little shopping excursion, Nashville (IN) has a great many galleries and artisan shops. Otherwise you can find a selection of different cheese styles and types. Snow in the city often isn't much fun, so head out to one of the mountains or lakes for a one-day road trip that lets you enjoy the winter weather at its best. If you want to strike out a little further and explore, you can go horseback riding or cross-country skiing through the woodlands or try out snow biking for something new. Keep reading to find out where you could go, how to get there, and our pick of what's waiting for you when you arrive. 12 Best Road Trips From Chicago - TripHobo They don't run every day, but when they do they're really magical. September and October are the best times to come to Cedarburg - the trees glow with their oranges and maroons and the locals celebrate Oktoberfest with special events, seasonal beers and great food. Best for: Family fun or a romantic rendezvous. You'll learn about the many faces of Lake Erie, from the Underground Railroad which ferried slaves to safety across the lake, to prohibition bootleggers. Best Warm Weather Destinations For Winter - CBS Chicago This is a trip that will show off the best of what Lake Michigan has to offer - a complete circle of the lake, heading to Mackinac Island on the opposite corner before making the return trip. Whether you're looking for an active break or a peaceful boat trip, there are plenty of opportunities to get out onto the water. From mid-January you can see parades and events starting up, then the main event, Mardi Gras, starts on Shrove Tuesday and carries on for two weeks. As well as Mardi Gras, New Orleans is also a vibrant city where you can enjoy live music, fabulous food and warm winter weather - perhaps the closest you can get to a trip overseas without needing a passport! The theme parks of Orlando are popular year-round, but during the winter you get to experience them all dressed up for the holiday season, and without the heat and humidity that can be a feature at other times of the year. You'll finally turn off the interstate at Rapid City, joining US-16 for the last few miles of your drive to Mount Rushmore. The dunes stretch along a 15-mile stretch of Lake Michigan and the National Park borders the State Park of the same name. Kentucky is only about seven hours from Chicago. Cities 9 hours from Chicago 9 hours: Ely, MN 8 hr 56 min: State College, PA 8 hr 55 min: Huntsville, AL 8 hr 51 min: Pigeon Forge, TN 8 hr 46 min: Lutsen, MN 8 hr 46 min: Fergus Falls, MN 8 hr 41 min: Joplin, MO 8 hr 35 min: Niagara Falls, NY 8 hr 32 min: Topeka, KS 8 hr 31 min: Grand Rapids, MN 8 hr 27 min: Tunica, MS 8 hr 24 min: Hibbing, MN Plus, if you're in the market for some Christmas shopping you can take your pick of fabulous department stores, designer brands and boutique sellers.

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