I will be driving from NJ to Chicago and back this summer with my wife, daughter -15 and two sons —11&7. Just wondering if anyone had any secret fun places to stop on the way. Thank you
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Driving From New Jersey To Chicago and Back
- Thread starter Mac'nCheese
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I definitely have a great recommendation, there’s an old sex dungeon cal— oh wait, with wife and kids?
Boy, you’re really making this difficult. I’ll have a think, but honestly, it seems like you’ve started this thread just to trip people up.
Boy, you’re really making this difficult. I’ll have a think, but honestly, it seems like you’ve started this thread just to trip people up.
Let’s see...one wife, one daughter, two sons, one vehicle, and 750 miles?
I’d say every Total Wine and More you pass or Doctor Kevorkian’s museum in Dayton.
Have the kids seen Our Nation's Capitol yet? Maybe stop along the way for a day or two and see the sights here..... Just driving straight through from Jersey to Illinois could be boring, boring, boring!!!!
Cask strength 130-150 proof bourbon should do nicely.
Or push on a few hours more into Iowa to visit the second largest ball of twine in the upper Midwest.
Might not be "on the way" but the air force museum in Dayton, Ohio is really cool and if I recall correctly is free.
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil
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Indiana Dunes State Park/Indiana Dunes National Park. Just on the outskirts of Chicago (on a good day, you can see the skyscrapers from the beach). The Great Lakes - unsalted and shark free!
If you are coming through Indianapolis, check out the Indianapolis Children's Museum. My wife and I love going there, and we don't even have kids! Indy has a great zoo, but Ft. Wayne's is considered better by many. The Indianapolis Speedway Museum is cool too, though I haven't been there in years.
For a quick stop, there's an museum at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Bunker Hill. Some cool aircraft to look at. Or the Museum of the Air Force, Dayton, OH. Could spend a day there.
Pick up a minor league baseball game somewhere along the way. There are teams all over the midwest. And the tickets are 1/3 the price of a major league game. Players are often way more accessible as well.
I love the DC idea. I've been trying to get my wife there for years. There's nothing quite like feeling the wear of the limestone steps at the Capitol under you feet and realizing you are walking in the footsteps of giants.
If you are coming through Indianapolis, check out the Indianapolis Children's Museum. My wife and I love going there, and we don't even have kids! Indy has a great zoo, but Ft. Wayne's is considered better by many. The Indianapolis Speedway Museum is cool too, though I haven't been there in years.
For a quick stop, there's an museum at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Bunker Hill. Some cool aircraft to look at. Or the Museum of the Air Force, Dayton, OH. Could spend a day there.
Pick up a minor league baseball game somewhere along the way. There are teams all over the midwest. And the tickets are 1/3 the price of a major league game. Players are often way more accessible as well.
I love the DC idea. I've been trying to get my wife there for years. There's nothing quite like feeling the wear of the limestone steps at the Capitol under you feet and realizing you are walking in the footsteps of giants.
Well you could stop off at Lake Erie and look at a bunch of fresh water. Which will be much different than the Atlantic. Where you just look at a bunch of salt water. On a more serious note there are a few islands you could visit on Lake Erie.
If you are taking the 80. There is Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. It's and amusement park.
Then there is Historic Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, IN.
If you are taking the 80. There is Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. It's and amusement park.
Then there is Historic Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, IN.
Oh yeah. Definitely Cedar Point depending on the time of year you go. Roller coaster Capitol of the world
Have fun. Get there EARLY! Like parked and at the front gate before they open and you’ll have a much better time.
You need to go over to Roadfood.com and visit the forums. Lots of trip reports about very similar trips that can be searched. Restaurants and things to see. And, if you joined up and asked there are usually a few people to lend a hand. If you're in northern Indiana, stop in for lunch in Huntington, IN at Nick's Kitchen. Great pie and they are the joint that originated the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. There is also Antiqology for craft sodas and ice cream.
OK, going of on a tangent here - but don’t you mean Minnesota? There’s a twine ball in KC. One in Wisconsin. There’s one in Branson, MO, but purest don’t approve because it’s made of nylon. But the one in Darwin, MN got a song written about it by Wierd Al Yankovic. Surely that marks it as a national treasure!
There’s a life sized statue of Garth Brooks carved out of butter at the Iowa State Fair. Leave room for that!
Somewhere in Ohio... the former Longaberger Basket Co. headquarters. The building is, well, a huge basket.
In far northern Indiana, just before you get to Chicago, there's Indiana Dunes Nat'l Park. Nice place for a swim!
https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/swimming.htm
In Chicago there are lots of things to do. Shedd Aquarium is nice and the Museum of Science and Industry is cool, as is the Field Museum. Visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio is nice, too. A beautiful home!
Not to be missed:
Hoosier Mama Pie Company: http://www.hoosiermamapie.com/
Lou Mal Malnati's for Chicago's abomination Deep Dish Pizza. https://www.loumalnatis.com/
Like Mexican? The you cannot afford to miss a trip to Rick Bayless's Frontera Grill! Great food by a world class chef!: https://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/frontera-grill/
You cannot visit Chicago without having an Italian Beef (dipped, please!). So seek out a Portillo's (the kids will love it. Get chocolate cake shakes, you won't regret it!) or the masterpiece making Al's #1 Italian Beef. https://www.alsbeef.com/
And there are some truly magnificent Chinese restaurants there, too. Not to be missed.
https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/swimming.htm
In Chicago there are lots of things to do. Shedd Aquarium is nice and the Museum of Science and Industry is cool, as is the Field Museum. Visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio is nice, too. A beautiful home!
Not to be missed:
Hoosier Mama Pie Company: http://www.hoosiermamapie.com/
Lou Mal Malnati's for Chicago's abomination Deep Dish Pizza. https://www.loumalnatis.com/
Like Mexican? The you cannot afford to miss a trip to Rick Bayless's Frontera Grill! Great food by a world class chef!: https://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/frontera-grill/
You cannot visit Chicago without having an Italian Beef (dipped, please!). So seek out a Portillo's (the kids will love it. Get chocolate cake shakes, you won't regret it!) or the masterpiece making Al's #1 Italian Beef. https://www.alsbeef.com/
And there are some truly magnificent Chinese restaurants there, too. Not to be missed.
There's are great little soul food place about 15 minutes from the Newark airport 
If you take the northern route there's Niagra Falls, the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, you could hit the Adirondaks, Cooperstown for the baseball hall of fame, visit USMA, The Flats in Cleveland.
If you take the northern route there's Niagra Falls, the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, you could hit the Adirondaks, Cooperstown for the baseball hall of fame, visit USMA, The Flats in Cleveland.
This is a cool place. I was there when we went to Hershey.
https://strasburgpa.com/see-and-do/railroad-museum-of-pennsylvania/
https://strasburgpa.com/see-and-do/railroad-museum-of-pennsylvania/
I’ve made the drive many times and will again this summer. Cleveland is a good midway point. Rock and roll hof for the family and fat heads brewery for you