Chicago Road Trip

[marennorge]

We are planning a road trip to Chicago in August to visit family. Can anyone suggest an interesting route that might include some sightseeing stops along the way?:thumbup:

Thanks.

[JeffAVEWS]

The normal route is I-75 to Chattanooga, I-24 to Nashville, I-65 to Gary then switching to I-80- 90 or 94 depending on where you are going in Chicagoland. If you stay on I-24 at Nashville and take it until it ends at I-57 in Illinois you avoid the traffic in Louisville, Indianapolis and the mess at Gary. You also get go thru the Kentucky Lakes area, and Round Lake in Illinois, very scenic. This route adds 40 miles but it's worth it. I drove the reverse last month and there is some construction at Effingham, IL

[Schaumburger]

The normal route is I-75 to Chattanooga, I-24 to Nashville, I-65 to Gary then switching to I-80- 90 or 94 depending on where you are going in Chicagoland. If you stay on I-24 at Nashville and take it until it ends at I-57 in Illinois you avoid the traffic in Louisville, Indianapolis and the mess at Gary. You also get go thru the Kentucky Lakes area, and Round Lake in Illinois, very scenic. This route adds 40 miles but it's worth it. I drove the reverse last month and there is some construction at Effingham, IL

I have only flown back and forth from Chicago to Florida, but I know from experience the area between Gary, IN and the Illinois/Indiana border on I-80-90-94 has lots of semi-truck traffic. The route Jeff has suggested may be a good one. Happy and safe traveling :wave:

[Avista]

Be sure to stop in Springfield and visit the Lincoln library abd museum. It alone is worth the the trip up north.

[asianthree]

Ky horse park off I75

[jmm2760jmm]

Mammouth Cave National Park in Kentucky!

[Avista]

Another great place to visit AND spend the night is the Shaker Villages in Pleasant Hill, KY. Google this. They should have a web site.

[DandyGirl]

The Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY.

[Mallory]

We make the trip a 2 or 3 times per year and usually go the usual route.

We've found Chattanooga to be a wonderful stop and sometimes stay two nights there. The downtown and river area is festive and very easy to get around on their electric busses. Nice aquarium and museum in the downtown. Easy city to walk around. Stone Mountain and the incline railway are also fun. Stone Fort Inn is a very nice B&B in the downtown area and you can also stay on the Chattanooga Choo-Choo.

Nashville has the music and Gaylord Palms at Christmastime. Louisville has the Louisville Slugger Factory & Museum which is fun if you were a baseball player or have a son/grandson along. Can purchase a bat with your/their name burned into it. Indy has the Speedway which has a nice museum and you can ride around the track and the 1 yard of bricks.

If you hit Gary at rush hour, you're dead but if you've overnighted in Indy and hit it around noon you shouldn't have too much of a problem.

Go Cubs!

[Schaumburger]

Ky horse park off I75

I second that -- very nice to see!

[asianthree]

Any one seeing a pattern.. You might have to spend a night or two in KY. Has anyone ever told you about the stone fences around KY. the family horse farm is near the horse park so i spent most of my summers there