Who doesn’t love a good road trip? One of the best things about Chicago is its central location, which makes it easily accessible to many great destinations across the Midwest. With several states within a reasonable driving distance, there is an endless number of places to choose from for your next weekend retreat or extended getaway. From charming lakeside towns less than two hours away to natural marvels in every direction, while we love our hometown of Chicago, we love to get away from it once in a while, too. Whether you’re a local or visiting, consider one of these memorable road trips for your next adventure. 

For first-time travelers, venturing somewhere closer to home could make the experience much more comfortable. Lucky for those who live in the continental U.S., there are endless destinations to explore coast to coast. You could say it’s one of the biggest perks of living in the States. Whether you feel the most at home in a big city or prefer something quieter with big open spaces, it’s impossible not to find exactly what you’re looking for, and solo travel ensures you don’t have to compromise for anyone or anything. When it comes down to choosing a destination, ask yourself a few questions. What are you looking to get out of this trip? What are you most excited to see and do? And what do you want to take away from it? 

Happy November! I hope All Hallow’s Eve went without any ghoulish surprises this year and was lots of fun. Now that November is here, fall is in its final few weeks. The leaves are falling rapidly, the colors have changed, and the weather has turned much more brisk. It’s delightful! With four weeks left until Thanksgiving and four weeks between T-Day and Christmas, now is the time to plan a last-minute fall getaway. With limited time to spare, a getaway that’s closer to home makes much more sense. For those of you Chicago-based or Midwest-based, I have five late fall getaways to put on your calendar. It’s a great time to travel to any of these locations because the height of tourist season is over. Rates are dropping and crowds are thinning. Take this as an opportunity to explore each of these Midwestern destinations at your own leisure…