Weekend Getaway Locale... (Chicago, Aurora, Cortland: real estate, townhouses, buying)

[hanknjo]

My husband and i are considering purchasing a cottage or cabin within a 3-4 hour drive of Chicago. Our biggest roadblock is which direction to go...Wisconsin or stay in Illinois. Our budget is low at around 60k at the top end. As you can tell, a palace or the taj mahal is not what we are looking for, more a small weekend getaway that over time we can improve and build on. We have even considered buying a small peice of property and putting a small travel trailer on it until we can build something more pemanent in the future. Our main goal is to find a weekend getaway, that is on a lake, where we can escape the hustle and bustle and unwind for a weekend or longer...any opinions would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[jamaicabound60565]

There's a so many choices in IL, WI, and IN within a relatively short drive where you could get for pretty cheap.

One place I really like is New Buffalo area. It's technically Michigan although its the first exit once you cross the Michigan border. From Aurora you can get there in less than an hour and a half.

Anything right near the beach or the townhouses across from the downtown bars will be a lil more pricey but if you get a half mile away from downtown or the beach you can find some pretty cheap stuff.

It's anice area, close enough to home that you could even go down just for a day but far enough that its still a getaway. There'a lots to do, they have some nice golf courses, the casino, parks, dunes, wineries and good restaurants.

[middle-aged mom]

I am another who favors Michigan.

Depending upon where in Illinois you live, taking the car ferry out of Milwaukee to Muskegon takes about 2.5, stress free, hours.

[TempesT68]

for only 60k i'd suggest parts of backwoods indiana.

[chet everett]

Anything with even a hint of vacation appeal is going to be very hard in MI or WI in the under 4 hour radius and price range suggested.

Rural IL has a paucity of inexpensive rivers / lakes, you might need to consider IN or even IA...

[svillechris]

I agree with these posts, you won't get much for 60k max, especially not ON the water. However, as far as destinations, I'd also say recommend Michigan. Specifically, try South Haven, Michigan. It's only about 2.5 hours from downtown Chicago. It's clean, great beaches, nice downtown, etc.

[chet everett]

210 Cortland Street, Putnam, IL, 61560 - MLS #07582680 - Single Family Home real estate - REALTOR.com®

[sgresident]

I would look somewhere in illinois or iowa. the drive times to wisconsin, especially on weekends, can get long and frustrating with traffic jams.

[Chuckity]

It's going to be a struggle to find ANYTHING with lake or even channel frontage for $60K or under. (Even in backwoods Indiana - truth be told we found Indiana to be pricier than Michigan.)

You may be able to find something with lake access for that price - meaning it's not on the water, but down the road or across the street from shared frontage.

[Lud Kissel]

The drive to Michigan from Illinois is bad, never ending construction since i've been going up to near Saugatuck for a few decades now. Don't even bother leaving for Michigan on a summer friday between 3pm-7pm. Coming home on Sunday is not as bad but still not good.