6 best day trips from Chicago

Day trips compared

The day trips

15 km · About 25 minutes by L or Metra

1.Oak Park

Frank Lloyd Wright lived and worked in Oak Park for 20 years, and the suburb holds his Home and Studio, Unity Temple and the largest concentration of his buildings anywhere, best seen on a guided or self-guided walking tour. Ernest Hemingway was born here too, and his birthplace home can be visited.

Getting there

CTA Green Line to Oak Park or Harlem/Lake, or Metra from Ogilvie

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

80 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by train

2.Indiana Dunes National Park

Sand dunes, beaches and wetlands along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, with views back to the Chicago skyline on clear days. Hike the dune trails at West Beach, or try the steep 3 Dune Challenge in the neighbouring Indiana Dunes State Park.

Getting there

South Shore Line from Millennium Station

Best for

Families, Beach, Quiet stays

145 km · About 1 hour 30 minutes by train

3.Milwaukee

Wisconsin's largest city has the Milwaukee Art Museum, whose Santiago Calatrava pavilion opens and closes its winged sunscreen, the Harley-Davidson Museum, the restored warehouses of the Historic Third Ward and a long brewing tradition.

Getting there

Amtrak Hiawatha from Union Station

Best for

Culture, Food lovers

40 km · About 1 hour by train and a short walk

4.Chicago Botanic Garden

Spread across islands in the northern suburb of Glencoe, the garden includes the Malott Japanese Garden, a rose garden, a fruit and vegetable garden and walking paths around the lagoons. It is lovely from spring blossom to autumn colour.

Getting there

Metra Union Pacific North line from Ogilvie, or about 45 minutes by car

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays, Families

150 km · About 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours by car

5.Starved Rock State Park

Sandstone canyons along the Illinois River, with seasonal waterfalls after spring rain and frozen falls in cold winters. Trails lead from the historic lodge to the canyons, and bald eagles gather along the river in winter.

Getting there

Car

Best for

Families, Quiet stays

265 km · About 3 hours by car

6.Galena

A preserved 19th-century river town in the hills of northwest Illinois, with a brick Main Street of shops and restaurants and the home of Ulysses S. Grant. It works best as an overnight trip rather than a same-day return.

Getting there

Car

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• CTA buses cover routes the L misses, such as the 146 down Michigan Avenue to the Museum Campus and the 151 north to Lincoln Park and the zoo.
• Metra commuter trains leave from Union Station, Ogilvie and Millennium Station for Oak Park, Evanston and the Chicago Botanic Garden, while the South Shore Line runs from Millennium Station to the Indiana Dunes.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask