Living in the center of the US, Chicago area families have some driving to do for weekends away at fun museums, waterparks, and great cities.
The Midwest is both the Land of Lincoln and the land of Obama, two fathers who have been celebrated for enjoying their families and family vacations. (At least we can speak for the latter.) So it stands to reason that other families in the Chicago metropolitan area would welcome a chance to escape the stress of the city and enjoy family time on a short break holiday.
This central region may not be as densely packed with resorts, campgrounds, B&Bs and other weekend getaways as the country's coasts, but there are plenty of lodging choices and vacation ideas for those who want to have fun. Whether your family is looking for a short break holiday, a cheap vacation package, a fun last-minute excursion to break up a road trip, or a weekend getaway from everyday routines, there are lots of options within a 200-mile radius of Chicago, and some other great cities within 300 miles.
The following weekend getaway roundup includes some of our family's favorite kids' destinations. There are, of course, many other choices for spending your time and money on a short break, so we'll just highlight some of the top local attractions, kid-friendly festivals and events that suit all ages. We welcome you to submit your own favorite Midwest weekend getaways.
Weekend Getaways Within 200 Miles of Chicago
Illinois Apple Farms
Great apple and pumpkin picking farms exist throughout Illinois; these are some favorites for Chicago area families that are ripe for fall weekends.
Midwest Weekend Getaway With A Tropical Vibe At KeyLime Cove
This resort's huge indoor waterpark offers an affordable family weekend for all ages — all year round — plus coaster rides at the Six Flags nearby.
Explore Indianapolis with Kids
Home to the largest children's museum in the world, be sure to check out Indianapolis, Indiana for great family fun year round
Free Travel Fun In Indianapolis
Wondering what kind of family vacation you can afford? Head to Indy for free concerts, museums, history, transportation and endless fun throughout spring, summer and fall (winter's cold!)
Springfield Illinois, Land of Lincoln
From the world's first drive-up diner to the old Capitol building where Abraham Lincoln served the people, central Illinois delights history-minded families.
Bringing Outdoor Fun Indoors at Great Waterparks
Does your family get the winter blues? Consider visiting one of these Milwaukee area indoor waterparks, where the fun continues year round.
Water Play in Wisconsin Dells Family Hotels
At these amazing waterparks in the world's capital of indoor waterplay resorts, the last thing you'll be thinking about is the long drive home.
Fun that's Only in Summer for Midwest Weekend Getaways
Great Lakes' Family Beach Areas
From New York to Wisconsin, the Great Lakes' shoreline includes hundreds of family beach getaways for watersports, fishing and outdoor adventure.
A Traverse City, Michigan Family Guide
Parasailing, skiing, ballooning and more family activities join watersports and fishing at this long-established resort area along Michigan's western shore.
City Weekends or Fun Short Breaks within 300 Miles of Chicago
Cleveland, Ohio A Family-Welcoming City
This northern Ohio city has matured from urban blight to having fine museums, parks, great art, cheap convenient hotels and the country's best pita.
Detroit, Michigan Family Attractions
There are many sides to the city of Detroit, and exploring the heritage of Michigan's Motor City is one of the best ones for a family weekend getaway.
Cincinnati & Newport, Double the Pleasure
The new Underground Railroad Freedom Center, museums and friendly mid-Westerners attract families to this Ohio – Kentucky metroplex.
Iowa Family Attractions
Iowa may be off your flight path, but when you head out Io-o-way, you'll find the trails of Lewis & Clark, Herbert Hoover, Blue Bell ice cream and that Field of Dreams.
Along the African Diaspora Trail in St. Louis
In addition to a great zoo, many fine museums, a heritage of jazz music and Missouri hospitality, families will also find a rich history of African American culture.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Big City Fun with Small Town Charm
Visit this Great Lakes city that strikes the perfect balance between small town charm and urban attitude with various attractions perfect for the whole family.
Winter Wonderland Getaways in Wisconsin Door County
Door County may be known as the summer retreat for Midwesterners and Chicagoans, but be sure to visit during wintertime for ice fishing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and beyond
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Very tasty.
Dubai is a glorious city in the world but the desert safari is most thrilling tour in Dubai since 1980 . This is a great post and great team work .
When I was reading this I realize that this is the best blog as compare to others. Its really appreciated.
Don’t stop keep posting this type of posts
Good address for ski. My daughter loves skiing very much. It will be a good option for us for the next winter holiday.
Good to know as I have a daughter at 10 YOD and she loves skiing very much.
Seems there are lots of fun for kids in Las Vegas. I have never though about a such thing there. It will be a good option to consider for our next family holiday. Thank you.
What’s a wonderful & luxury holiday. I am dreaming about it.
It’s Fantastic And Useful Blog About World Heritage Sites and There information is very informative and useful.
Thanks for sharing.
I love reading your blogs, there are many useful information for travelers. Thank you very much for sharing.
Good advices when traveling with kids. Thank you very much.
What’s an amazing trip. Thank you for sharing.
Very nice day. We don’t have it in Vietnam 🙁
Amazing hotels. I love eco-resort with nature style instead of modern hotels.
Good to read this before I prepare my family trip in the summer.
Good to know this. Thank you for sharing. I will consider this for my children.
Thank you for these tips on how to plan a family safari! I’d like to be able to take my whole family and show them the beauty of Africa. But it always seemed so daunting to plan a whole trip that everyone would enjoy. I mean there’s always the age differences, and differences in interest as well to think about. Just thinking of ensuring that everything goes well planned is stressing me out. That’s why I turned to the internet in search of tips! Definitely will use your tips on how to choose a safari.
Very good tips. We all should follow these tips for a safe road trip. Thanks for the great help.
Thankyou Mr Ralph S for giving precise information on the overland.
i will be travelling for the 1st time from adelaide to melbourne this month end. it will be of grt help.
Soon I’ll be planning a trip to Dubai. Thanks for the information about what’s worth visiting.
Hello Lansdell family! This is a great place for a long weekend of outdoors exploration and a beautiful park. In late May, a new business is opening = https://www.floattheriver.net/ = which will run float trips on inner tubes on portions of the river. I asked some locals and they suggested that after biking and hiking and riding the train, your kids might enjoy day trips to nearby Canton, Akron or Cleveland. Each has lots of Metroparks (the public system of urban parks) and museums, etc to do and see. With some planning, all your days can be as full of variety as you would like. We hope you have a wonderful trip.
How did you get around the Darien Gap?
Very good
Thank you for sharing these warm and touching thoughts of yours! I’ve only been the Belarus once, but I wish I read it before going, something in my experience would definitely be different then. I did use some advise – from the telegram channel for foreigners https://t.me/Belanews but I guess your opinion would be great to consider and embrace too.
Thanks for all the info. We are planning on going in August, and are trying to find a nature-centered vacation for our family of 4, kids ages 7 and 4. We are from Southern Ontario, Canada and we came across this national park. Would you recommend this place for 3-4 days? Is there enough to do (hiking, train rides, exploring etc)? Somewhere else? We also looked at the Smoky Mountains but its about a 11-12 hours vs the 5-6 hours to Cuyohoga. Any advice would be helpful.
That place is really amazing. I want to spend my vacations on this beautiful place. Thanks for sharing this nice information.
I've been there last year. If someone is looking for a nice hotel I can highly recommend to take a look at the Hotel Rappen Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Such a good information.Nice work.Very useful for us.
The gardens of Suzhou are absolutely beautiful and something that you don’t want to miss while you are there.
Traveling with your children in s Suzhou is super easy and safe. My family had a lot of fun and the kids really enjoyed there time there. One thing they really loved was going down all of the canals. Here is some great information on all the beautiful canals that you can explore.
It looks like a beautiful experience. Turkey is a wonderful country -and the fact that it’s not that expensive compared to other countries makes a visit there even more tempting. Thanks for sharing.
good tips, safety comes first so that our trip may be remembered as a happy memoir when we went to see and explore new places and have fun. and not as a terrifying night in the ER. god bless you all , be safe
Thanks for your insight for your fantastic posting. I’m glad I have taken the time to see this.
Great tips for road trips!
Thanks for posting, very valuable information .
Being visiting is one of the best experiences of my life. Being there and enjoying every bit of time is wonderful. Personally, my best experience is an underground aquarium and desert safari. One visited Dubai must go for these two activities.
Would love this for our family!
We’ve always wanted to go and now they are old enough to enjoy it.
Thanks so much for doing this!
The beaches, the weather, the food, the attractions and the activities- everything was perfect.
I think parents should focus more on preparing or educating their children about the proper etiquette and behaviors before the flight to avoid being a nuisance to others. I don’t know much about kids but as a first-time mom, that’s what I will do.
Hi,
You have explained the timeshare information for Spain country very well.Share more blogs which will we helpful for people like us in future.
Thanks
Seeking for your positive reply.
Hi,
I would like to travel out of the US with my son. I understand that I would need his father to sign and notarize a letter. He had not been a stand up dad to take care of his responsibilities so he left and I can’t find him. What can I do in a situation like that to travel with my son?
happy you enjoyed the story. This park is in Ohio where the climate can be capricious! It’s hottest between late April and November, however even April has the danger of some snow. In case you’re enjoying the great outdoors with children, the most secure wager is June to August, since it’s hotter and there’s little downpour. Make the most of your trek.
Wonderfully informative article!
I want to go travel with kids but I was not decided where we go. Your post is helpful for me. Thanks for sharing.
Tenerife is SO stunning! I love this volcanic landscape, sometimes you feel like you traveled to the Moon. This place has it all – great views, pleasant weather, awesome food, wine and laid-back people. Thanks for sharing ideas, I’ll use some of them on my next trip 🙂
Very nice article and msg we likes so much
I automatically think the word “gumbling” when I heard Las Vegas. I never knew that Las Vegas has something to offer for youngsters. Will bring my children here soon.
Nice Article, it is very helpful to me.
There is no Doubt, Dubai is most popular destination among tourists from across the world and have gained high popularity in last decade. If you are in Dubai and dhow go for dhow cruise, there is some thing missing on your list. There are Dubai dhow cruise, Musandam Dibba dhow cruise and Khasab Musandam dhow cruise. Try some of them and you will love.
Istanbul layover tour is a great service to use the best of your time in Istanbul Airport. However if you like to have a private attention and flexibility, you can check private tour services of ISTANBUL LAYOVER TOURS. They are offering the layover tours from Istanbul International Airport.
Great article! Wanted for Christmas again. Do you know anything about this place ? It is very interesting to know the opinions. How much advance it is necessary to book a hotel and various entertainment before the holidays?