Are you getting tired of staying in the city, but you can’t get on a flight and go? When I feel tired of my routine around Chicago, I look for places just outside the city to explore. With air travel not always being a possibility, I need to find travel in other ways. One of my favorite things is driving a few hours and discovering beautiful places that I may not know otherwise. Here are five places within Illinois that would make a fun mini-road trip from Chicago, Illinois:

5 Mini Road Trips You Should Take from Chicago

Casey, Illinois

Located just shy of 3 1/2 hours south of Chicago is Casey, Illinois. With just a small town of just under 2500 people, Casey, Illinois’ popularity comes from all of the big items throughout the town. At least eight of these giant inventions are certified by the Guinness World Records to include: the world’s largest rocking chair, the world’s largest mailbox, the world’s largest pitchfork, and more. See the official website for Casey, Illinois here.

Springfield, Illinois

Located just over 3 hours away from Chicago is Springfield, Illinois. With its main popularity coming from being the Illinois State Capitol of Illinois, there’s so much history here and a ton to do with it. Some of Springfield, Illinois’ most popular attractions are touring Abraham Lincoln’s home, visiting the old and new State Capitol and visiting the Illinois State Museum. I wrote a blog with Free things to do in Springfield, Illinois. See the official website for Springfield, Illinois tourism here.

Metropolis, Illinois

Located almost 6 hours away from Chicago is Metropolis, Illinois. With a population of just under 7000 people, this Illinois town has gained popularity by being known as Superman’s hometown. For the last 40 years, they have celebrated the Superman Celebration (June 9 – 11) which is definitely an event that you should make time fly. You can read more on the Metropolis, Illinois tourism website here.

Evanston, Illinois

Located just 45 minutes north of Chicago is Evanston, Illinois. Some of my favorite spaces are the green ones like Shakespeare Garden near Northwestern University, the sandy trail on Lighthouse Beach, and even checking out cool rocks and fossils at Dave’s Rock Shop. I filmed a vlog that includes Free Things to do in Evanston, Illinois you can watch it on Youtube here. You can read more about Evanston, Illinois tourism on their website here.

Winnetka, Illinois

Last but certainly not least is Winnetka, Illinois. Located at most an hour north of Chicago Winnetka, Illinois is one of Chicago’s wealthiest suburbs. Growing up I initially heard of Winnetka, Illinois through one of its homes being featured in the movie Home Alone; you can find the location where it was filmed here. If you’re a big fan of history, checking out the Winnetka Historical Society’s website beforehand is definitely something you want to do. See the official website for Winnetka, Illinois here.

Have You Visited Any of These Places?

Have you visited any of these places? Is there another we can spot that you recommend? I’m always looking forward to discovering more of Illinois. It wasn’t until the last two years that I’ve been able to explore more of my state and I’m happy that I am able to now. If you’re from Chicago and interested in seeing more of my Illinois content, definitely check out the blog I wrote about it here.

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