Favorite Day Trip out of Chicago? (Naperville, Geneva: house, neighborhood, school)

[Tex?Il?]

If you were to get out of Chicago just for the day, somewhere specifically less than two hours away (3 hours in bad traffic) what is your favorite destination AND why?

Choices are:

1. Milwaukee (another CITY with a LOT of fun things to do but with less hassle than its big brother, but maybe not because you already have Chicago, and are looking for nature and outdoors?)

2. Starved Rock (and environs, IE: Matthiessen, etc.) - A great option as its the only spot within two hours of Chicago where there are waterfalls and small natural canyons/lush glens, and great cliff views. (But its kind of a small area (area outside parks are flats corn/soybean fields, and there aren't many NON-outdoor things to do).

3. Lake Geneva (and Walworth County environs). Beautiful lake, but a bit exclusive maybe, though other nearby lakes - less so.

4. Michigans Harbor Country/Berrien County. (my top choice) - sandy dunes/wooded bluffs, charming lakeside towns, wineries, galleries, even surf shops. I think if you're not wealthy and don't have a lake house and a boat, one can get more out of Harbor Country/Berrien County than Lake Geneva and nearby lakes.

5. Other? Galena, Madison, Driftless area, Door County, Wisconsin Dells, are really too far for day trip distance. You can get to the Baraboo Hills/Dells, but its a bit too much driving just for the day. At the same time, places like Six Flags, The Botanic Gardens, Naperville, etc. are clearly well outside Chicago proper, but still clearly in the suburbs and Chicagoland, so that doesn't really fit here. But feel free to choose other and tell us where.

[mwj119]

W. Michigan is my favorite weekend trip. I don't find Berrien County particularly excited... If anything, I prefer heading up to Grand Rapids and then the coastal towns west, like Saugatuck/Holland/Grand Haven.

So, it got my vote, though it's more of a weekend trip than a day trip.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

If you were to get out of Chicago just for the day, somewhere specifically less than two hours away (3 hours in bad traffic) what is your favorite destination AND why?

Choices are:

1. Milwaukee (another CITY with a LOT of fun things to do but with less hassle than its big brother, but maybe not because you already have Chicago, and are looking for nature and outdoors?)

2. Starved Rock (and environs, IE: Matthiessen, etc.) - A great option as its the only spot within two hours of Chicago where there are waterfalls and small natural canyons/lush glens, and great cliff views. (But its kind of a small area (area outside parks are flats corn/soybean fields, and there aren't many NON-outdoor things to do).

3. Lake Geneva (and Walworth County environs). Beautiful lake, but a bit exclusive maybe, though other nearby lakes - less so.

4. Michigans Harbor Country/Berrien County. (my top choice) - sandy dunes/wooded bluffs, charming lakeside towns, wineries, galleries, even surf shops. I think if you're not wealthy and don't have a lake house and a boat, one can get more out of Harbor Country/Berrien County than Lake Geneva and nearby lakes.

5. Other? Galena, Madison, Driftless area, Door County, Wisconsin Dells, are really too far for day trip distance. You can get to the Baraboo Hills/Dells, but its a bit too much driving just for the day. At the same time, places like Six Flags, The Botanic Gardens, Naperville, etc. are clearly well outside Chicago proper, but still clearly in the suburbs and Chicagoland, so that doesn't really fit here. But feel free to choose other and tell us where.

Of those, I would probably say Starved Rock and Matthiessen. Followed by Lake Geneva and Delavan. However, I find these places to be rather dull and limited.

Starved Rock and Matthiessen are good for some outdoor activities, but it would be hard to do more than an activity or two in a day.

Lake Geneva and Delavan are congested to the point that I do not really want to go. Not to mention the weird vehicle admission stickers from the Wisconsin State Park System. I guess they are trying to solve the congestion problem, though!

I have friends with a boat. They used to be in St. Joseph's, but they moved up to Saugatuck last year. I'm not really familiar with Saugatuck, but I think Holland is lovely. That being said, it's kind of the same deal for me. A little too close and too congested.

With some additional driving and an overnight stay, Northern Michigan is the most appealing vacation destination in the Midwest as far as I am concerned. I am hesitant to promote it!

[Kmanshouse]

Starved Rock was better for us when we lived in Naperville and it was a shorter drive. From the north side of Chicago, I don't think it's as worth the trip.

Give me the Warren Dunes area.

[Tex?Il?]

Thanks for the answers and the votes.

Again, I want to remind everyone - we are JUST talking about day trip distance.

Yes, Northern Michigan is amazing (went to school there) and further up the west coast of Michigan is also amazing. However we are JUST talking about places that you can reasonably go to and back in the same day.

For most people this means a two hour drive, three in bad traffic. That, for most people is the limit.

[Master Jay]

Personally, I'd like to see one day what Milwaukee is like...

[quigboto]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

If you were to get out of Chicago just for the day, somewhere specifically less than two hours away (3 hours in bad traffic) what is your favorite destination AND why?

Choices are:

1. Milwaukee (another CITY with a LOT of fun things to do but with less hassle than its big brother, but maybe not because you already have Chicago, and are looking for nature and outdoors?)

2. Starved Rock (and environs, IE: Matthiessen, etc.) - A great option as its the only spot within two hours of Chicago where there are waterfalls and small natural canyons/lush glens, and great cliff views. (But its kind of a small area (area outside parks are flats corn/soybean fields, and there aren't many NON-outdoor things to do).

3. Lake Geneva (and Walworth County environs). Beautiful lake, but a bit exclusive maybe, though other nearby lakes - less so.

4. Michigans Harbor Country/Berrien County. (my top choice) - sandy dunes/wooded bluffs, charming lakeside towns, wineries, galleries, even surf shops. I think if you're not wealthy and don't have a lake house and a boat, one can get more out of Harbor Country/Berrien County than Lake Geneva and nearby lakes.

5. Other? Galena, Madison, Driftless area, Door County, Wisconsin Dells, are really too far for day trip distance. You can get to the Baraboo Hills/Dells, but its a bit too much driving just for the day. At the same time, places like Six Flags, The Botanic Gardens, Naperville, etc. are clearly well outside Chicago proper, but still clearly in the suburbs and Chicagoland, so that doesn't really fit here. But feel free to choose other and tell us where.

Its tough for me to decide, but I voted for Western Michigan. Although we tend to go father afield than the Harbor Country. (Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo) My girlfriend and I also love going to Milwaukee, so when we have a chance to do a day trip (She and I don't usually have the same days off), we tend to alternate between the two.

[quigboto]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

Personally, I'd like to see one day what Milwaukee is like...

Wassup, Master Jay? I was worried I hadn't see you around on the board much these days. Still waiting for that WTTW Festival/Event Calendar for 2023 to be posted but when I spot it, Ill share the link.

[Kmanshouse]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

Personally, I'd like to see one day what Milwaukee is like...

[Master Jay]

quigboto, Hello my friend!

I heard that Milwaukee was a great town!

Next time you come up, give me a call... I saw city-data.com, Kraftask, up here, very briefly, on Friday. I helped him load a bicycle in his car, but fortunately I was not able to introduce him to our Portillo's.

Shoot me a message or call. I'll show you Groppis Deli, which is in Bay View neighborhood, kind of like your Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago.