Quick 2-3 day getaway from Chicago (Madison, Galena: spring break, hotels, house)

[luckyducky87]

My boyfriend and I would like to get out of Chicago for 2-3 days over Spring break! This is our first year living out here in the Midwest. Where's a good place to go?

We have a car, and we'd like to drive to keep the costs down (well, compared to a flight anyway), though we'd like to keep the driving under 4 hours each way (if possible).

We are in our mid-20's and on kind of a tight budget... Not really into sports; more into music and cultural stuff... though it could really just be a quiet romantic getaway too.

Any recommendations??

[Drover]

Given your 4-hour drive limit, shall we assume you're not necessarily trying to escape to warmer weather? If not, then the standard 4-hour getaways from Chicago include Galena, Door County WI, Michigan beach towns like Saugatuk, South Haven, St. Joseph, etc. I'm not sure how exciting some of these places will be in March though.

Other possibilities include Milwaukee or St. Louis to get a slight change of scenery.

[MassVt]

I'll throw Madison, WI into the mix, as well..

Minneapolis-St. Paul would be a bit more than 4 hrs, though....

[Jesse69]

I'd visit Indianapolis, the shopping malls there, the Raceway Museum, and Waffle House. Nothing else much there than this.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

I'd visit Indianapolis, the shopping malls there, the Raceway Museum, and Waffle House. Nothing else much there than this.

The most important cultural attribute of Indianapolis is it's having the closest Waffle House to Chicago, no small thing.

I'd take a history trip to Maumee Ohio and nearby Toledo; see Fort Miegs, Fort Miamis, the site of Dudley's Fall and the Fallen Timbers battlefield. Early American stuff.

Detroit is five hours away and the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn are very worthwhile.

[trailblazer33]

I second St. Louis! Make sure to ask a local for suggestions on things to do/places to go before making the trip.

[A2DAC1985]

Originally Posted by luckyducky87

My boyfriend and I would like to get out of Chicago for 2-3 days over Spring break! This is our first year living out here in the Midwest. Where's a good place to go?

We have a car, and we'd like to drive to keep the costs down (well, compared to a flight anyway), though we'd like to keep the driving under 4 hours each way (if possible).

We are in our mid-20's and on kind of a tight budget... Not really into sports; more into music and cultural stuff... though it could really just be a quiet romantic getaway too.

Any recommendations??

Romantic? Other posters could help you with that one (and at least one has).

St. Louis, from what I remember, can definitely fit the 2-3 day trip plan. Grant's Farm is cool (Clydesdales!). The Arch is something to spend a few hours looking at.

If you don't want to drive anywhere once you reach your destination, I would suggest Indianapolis. I am from there, so take this with a grain of salt. But other people think anything south of I-80 is "the South", so take that with a grain of salt also.



Basically anything you could want out of a "city" is found within 1 (one) square mile of downtown Indianapolis. The quantity is not there compared to Chicago, but a sample of everything is.

(Note: The only attractions Indy offers outside this 1 square mile downtown area that are worth visiting is: The Zoo, just to the west across the river, Dolphin Dome!!!... Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the largest sporting venue in the world... and the Children's Museum, to the north, and it is fun for anyone and blows Chicago's children's museum out of the water)

Hotels?
Shopping?
Parks?
Plays?
Museums?
Upscale restaurants?
Bars?
Sports?
Monuments (second only to D.C.)?

That one square mile of Indianapolis has it "all" that most people want from a city.

But just don't venture out into the other 360+ miles of Indianapolis. It won't be entertaining.

Park your car at the hotel in downtown Indy (parking is FREE there!) and walk to where you want to go in that 1 square mile.

[iNviNciBL3]

I'm in my early 20s and i like to take my girlfriend to Wisconsin Dells and we have a blast.

If the dells isnt your thing ill also say Indy or St Louis

[Vlajos]

Madison is a good idea.

[key4lp]

You can head toward Indiana. If you go to Indy there is the zoo (its expensive) but they have duckpin bowling in Fountain
Square (check out how that type of bowling works). Then you can go down a little further south and check out the caves
(splunking) as well as the restored Baden Springs and French Lick (in French Lick, Indiana & it has a casino).
There is also the Exotic Feline Center in Center Point Indiana. Wow, what a great place but they are closed on Monday's
and I wouldn't know where you can eat there (picnic I guess). Also, 3 hours from Indy is Louisville, KY really cool place.
Check out Bardstown rd which is block after block of mom & pop ethnic restaurants.