5 Best Day Trips from Chicago

Are you thinking of taking a vacation anytime soon? Maybe you just want to do a small day trip and experience something a bit different and you’re on a budget. What better getaway than a small trip just outside of your city!

We’ve compiled a list of the 5 best day trips from Chicago just for you! Everything from learning about history to casinos, and thrilling amusement parks, there’s so much to see only an hour or two away from you. 
 

Six Flags Great America

For those that love screaming and throwing their hands up on a scary rollercoaster, Six Flags in Atlantic City is the perfect amusement park for a family day trip!

They have 17 rides including 14 rollercoasters, 23 family-friendly rides, and 17 kiddy rides. The rides aren’t the only amazing thing at this theme park, there are over 50 restaurants for you to indulge in.

It’s a splash at the Hurricane Harbour! It’s a 20-acre water park home to 30 attractions like the kid’s water park, surf simulators, water slides, and the massive 14,000 square foot family pool. 

In the mood for entertainment? The park hosts Block Parties with upbeat music and endless dancing! Boot Scootin’ Billy is a show for the cowboys and cowgirls who love their country music. 

Pirates get their own party too called Pirate Palooza near Buccaneer Battle where you can walk the plank and talk to pirates. The pirates host an interactive dance party and fun water-guns battles with visitors.  

Six Flags is open all summer long for you and your family to enjoy more than once! 
 

Milwaukee

Beer enthusiasts know very well that Milwaukee is the place beer made famous. This is where the German Brewing Heritage was born. 

Aside from distillery tours and brewpubs, Milwaukee is also home to the Harley-Davidson Museum where tours are offered to show off artifacts like the very first Harley-Davidson bike ever built. 

Milwaukee is known for hosting many festivals like Summerfest. You will find seventy-five golf courses and twenty-five theaters. In total there are one-hundred-fifty parks to enjoy on your mini getaway. 

For the artists, you can visit the Milwaukee Art Museum, the architectural landmark. Named America’s best museum, it is home to over 25,000 art pieces. 

There’s never a dull moment at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Kids will love interacting with the animals and learn about 1,800 of them that inhabit the 190-acre zoo.

Discovery World is the science center of the state. With technology and science-related activities and educational tours, it’s a great way for everyone to learn and engage. 

North Utica

North Utica is for nature enthusiasts as it boasts beautiful forests, rivers, and hills. It’s a dream-like place that’s peaceful enough for a walk. 

The term ecotourism can be associated with Utica. This day trip getaway is perfect for those who want to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Take a trip to Starved Rock State Park where you can bask in the lavish forests and stare in awe at the sandstone formations. The most popular trails are the La Salle and the St. Louis trails where there are 18 canyons to explore.

You will be amazed by the magical waterfalls while hiking. After hiking, you can set up camp at the Southward Grounds to stay the night if you want to see the entire park (You will need more than one day).

There’s so much to do like boating, fishing, horseback riding, and other great activities to make amazing memories (and you don’t have to travel far for this paradise).

After exploring the trails, the end of your adventure can take you to Starved Rock Lodge where you can enjoy a delicious dinner and have a restful evening.

North Utica also offers wine tours in August Hill, a family-owned land with four acres, it’s the perfect time for couples to relax and enjoy homegrown wine.

Among the different parks to experience, you will want to keep going back.

Horseshoe Indiana Casino

Feeling like spending your money tonight? Why not have some fun at the Horseshoe Indiana Casino? 

If you want a different scenery other than your computer screen from playing online casino games at OnlineCasinoGems, you can visit this live casino!

You will find all of your favorite casino games at The Horseshoe Indiana Casino, including poker, 1,650 slot machines, sportsbooks, and more. 

You are free to use your Caesar's Rewards Card to earn 5x Reward Credit for every dollar you spend at the casino and hotel. 

For the seniors, they offer Super Senior Wednesday for guests fifty-five years and older. 

Along with your common gambling comes the high limit gaming if you are searching for the ultimate gambling experience. 

Other than the casino, there’s also amazing restaurants, exciting nightlife, and fun attractions to explore. 

This casino is the talk of the town with most, if not all, the reviews rating it five stars. 

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

If you love the beach then you’ll love Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore located in Lake Michigan’s southern shore. 

The beach stretches fifty miles worth of rugged trails you can find along the lake. You can bike, hike, horseback, cross-country skiing and more with its sunny prairies and quaint rivers, there’s so much to explore!

Campers will love this spot as you can adventure through the trails and forest. You can learn about Geocaching, players are called geocachers and they use the Geocaching app or a GPS to uncover hidden containers around the world. 

The Indiana Dunes is the place to catch fish and wait for your favorite bird to appear. If you love time travel, they have four historical sites and a large area perfect for quiet picnics.

Sometimes, you need a day off to enjoy something new, experience places you’ve never been to, try the food you’ve never eaten. Just outside the door of Chicago lies a world of exotic nature trails, historic distilleries, and amusement parks. 

Day getaways are perfect for singles, couples, and families. These places have lots to offer and it’s a great way to unwind and discover new things.