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Old 07-02-2014, 09:45 PM
 
Location: White Sox Territory
404 posts, read 585,243 times
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I moved to Chicago recently and neither my friend nor I have ever left the city. What would you guys recommended for a nice quaint area to visit within 2 or so hours from the city?
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Old 07-02-2014, 09:54 PM
 
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Galena, IL and Lake Geneva, WI have always been popular getaways for Chicago area residents.

Galena, Illinois | Things to Do, Attractions, Lodging, Dining & Weddings
Welcome to the Official Site of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Both quaint, both very nice.
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Old 07-03-2014, 07:14 AM
 
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Geneva, IL is also quite a bit closer and a fun day trip (not to be confused with LAKE Geneva, WI).
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Old 07-03-2014, 07:31 AM
 
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SW Michigan is very nice as well. It's about two hours to Saugatuck and other cute harbor towns.
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Old 07-03-2014, 07:45 AM
 
Location: Suburb of Chicago
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Starved Rock State Park.
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Old 07-03-2014, 08:47 AM
 
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Shhhh about Starved Rock! It's very much overlooked, and we don't want it ruined by crowds.
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Old 07-03-2014, 09:17 AM
 
Location: Suburb of Chicago
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
Shhhh about Starved Rock! It's very much overlooked, and we don't want it ruined by crowds.
Oh, did I say Starved Rock? I meant to say Geneva!
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Old 07-03-2014, 10:11 AM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
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New Buffalo, MI. Best place to escape the madness. Go to the Stray Dog.
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Old 07-03-2014, 10:50 AM
 
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if you go from Chicago to southwest Michigan, take the Dunes Highway, its so cute! I love it!!!! its up near the lake in case you were wondering. its like 2-3 hours ride!

Long Grove, Il, near where Route 53 going north, ends. it has cute little shops, and quaintness.

St Charles along the Fox River about 40 miles west of downtown (maybe 50?) along the river there are cute restaurants and stuff, and its really close to Geneva. check that out too.

Go to southwest Michigan, they are starting to have the farmers markets out and they have THE BEST peaches and fruits there. you probably can check the internet for Southwest Michigan, a lot of them are not far from the highways - Route 31 and 196.

Two hours southwest - I have not yet been here but it looks cool if you like historic stuff - go to Lockport which is an old historic town, it looks pretty cool on the Jeffrey Behr tours of Illinois. nearby is Joliet which has very cute quaint downtown, and the casino boats, but you can walk along the riverfront and a block or two away and you can see these huge historic mansions on the bluffs.

Elgin - northwest of Illinois - has the cute riverfront and a small waterfall - you take Route 19 Irving Park all the way west across the river and it has a very quaint downtown and riverfront.

Naperville, also along the river, has a really beautiful riverfront, and a little bridge too.. its very cute.

Wheaton - Cantigne, its some kind of huge estate and theres stuff to see.

Botanic Gardens along the Edens .. flowers galore.

Morton Arburetum - southwest suburbs, Route 53 in Will County.

Check these out for more info on the internet and directions. I've been to some and some I would love yet to see. these are on my list.
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Old 07-03-2014, 01:57 PM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,343,862 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO View Post
Morton Arboretum - southwest suburbs, Route 53 in Will County.
Great list, pretty much covers everything! I would only add that Morton Aboretum is due West, in Lisle, and is off Route 53 in DuPage. Fairly close in proximity to Cantigny in Wheaton, where there are two first-class museums and expansive formal gardens.

Morton Aboretum is the former estate of Joy Morton, founder of the Morton Salt company. Cantigny is the former estate of both Joseph Medill, owner of the Chicago Tribune and mayor of Chicago, and Robert R. McCormick, who was a famously wealthy editor for the Tribune.

The two spots could be lumped in with St. James Farm (in Wheaton, former estate of Chauncey McCormick, who was the great-nephew of Cyrus McCormick, inventor the first commercially successful mechanical reaper) and Danada (in Wheaton, former estate of Dan and Ada Rice, wealthy business people and philanthropists who have their name all over Chicago). These two each have a mix of formal gardens, estate grounds and scenic walking trails.

All four together would make for a great "estate-garden" themed day trip.

Last edited by holl1ngsworth; 07-03-2014 at 02:29 PM..
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