Best summer vacation spots in the midwest

Summer vacation is fast approaching. Before you dash out the door with your kids, dogs, parents and grandparents in tow, make sure to find the best summer vacation spot in the midwest. We’ve assembled a list of our top picks which can help anyone plan their family summer getaway.

If you’re like me, you’re already thinking about summer vacation spots for the midwest! It’s been a hectic winter for us all, one way or another. So it’s time to get out of the cold and head somewhere warm where I can see blue skies and enjoy some rays. Therefore, below we’ll take a look at some hot spots in the midwest to consider when it comes to summer vacation!

Summer vacation is a time for adventure. Many families vacation in different spots. Most choose the obvious, more popular summer destinations, but have you ever considered the midwest? With its inexpensive charm and rewarding attractions, there really is a great deal to see and do in this region.

Looking for a good summer vacation spot? Well, look no further than your own backyard because the Midwest is filled with top-notch locations that would make even the most seasoned traveler wonder if you’re really in this country. From cheese curds to wineries, Chicago to Minnesota, don’t bookmark these places just for locals – share them with your out-of-towners.

The Midwest is a great place to visit in the summertime. The weather is nice, and there are plenty of places to go. Here are some of the best summer vacation spots in the Midwest:

-Chicago: Chicago is a great city for tourists because it has so many museums, restaurants, and other attractions. You can also go on boat tours around Lake Michigan and see some awesome views of the city.

-Detroit: Detroit is another great city for tourists because there are many different kinds of things to do there. It has several sports teams that people can attend games at, as well as museums and other historical sites. There’s also plenty of shopping available as well as good food options!

-Minneapolis: Minneapolis is another great destination if you’re looking for an urban experience while on your vacation. This city has tons of restaurants and bars as well as lots of stores where you can buy souvenirs from your trip or just grab something fun for yourself!

With summer in full swing, it’s time to take advantage of those gorgeous days and spend them outside. The Midwest is a great place to go for a summer vacation—there’s so much to do!

In the north, you’ll find the Twin Cities, where there are tons of museums and parks for kids and adults alike. And if you’re looking for more of a city vibe, Minneapolis is just a short drive away.

In the middle of the country, Chicago has some of the best museums in the country—and they’re all free! You can also check out Navy Pier or Millennium Park while you’re there.

And down south, Louisville has tons of great restaurants that are perfect for date nights or family get-togethers.

Stillwater, Minnesota

A couple of bridge projects are poised to make a big difference in this small town tucked into the bluffs of the St. Croix River. The nearly century-old Stillwater Lift Bridge closed in 2017, easing downtown traffic congestion and making it more pleasant to poke around the boutiques, restaurants, galleries and antique shops along historic Main Street. This spring, the Lift Bridge is slated to reopen — to pedestrians and cyclists only. That fills in the final missing link of a nearly 5-mile “Loop Trail” connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin. The scenic route includes the Lift Bridge’s replacement: the newer St. Croix Crossing Bridge, built for cars as well as walkers, joggers and bikers. Less than 30 miles east of the Twin Cities, this pretty-as-a-postcard town of roughly 20,000 people punches above its weight in amenities and attractions. Its hotel scene got a boost in 2018 with two boutique properties: the hip, 55-room Hotel Crosby and the stylish Lora, a 40-room gem built on the site of an old 19th-century brewery. Both are good places to grab dinner and drinks too. Schedule your visit for mid-May and you might be part of a Guinness World Record. Plans are in the works to celebrate the launch of the Loop Trail by forming the longest human chain of people holding wrists. About 6,200 participants will be needed to line the trail and clasp wrists. Why not hold hands? That record was set in 2004 with over 5 million folks in Bangladesh.

Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio

The country’s second oldest amusement park turns 150 this year. As you might expect from a place full of scream machines, Cedar Point isn’t about to let the occasion pass quietly. The Roller Coaster Capital of the World plans to celebrate its sesquicentennial with a new ride, retro offerings and an elaborate parade, among other things. The nighttime procession, running June 12 through Aug. 16, will be packed with 100-plus performers and a dozen illuminated floats paying homage to Cedar Point’s history. Built on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie, the 364-acre park lured visitors back in the day with its sandy beach, humble bathhouse and beer garden. It went on to become a Midwest (and more affordable) Disney World of sorts, a multiday destination with lodging, live entertainment, a milelong beach and 71 rides. Eighteen of these rides are roller coasters, including the 120 mph Top Thrill Dragster and the gravity-defying Steel Vengeance, awarded best new ride in 2018. When the park opens May 9 for its 150th season, visitors can hop aboard a new, family-friendly riverboat journey called Snake River Expedition. Old park favorites will make a comeback, too, like the return of fruit-shaped juice bottles. Starting in February, Cedar Point will mark the milestone by giving away free lifetime admission to 150 people; cedarpoint.com/150.

Beaver Island and Charlevoix, Michigan

If water is what you’re looking for in a vacation destination, you’ll find plenty of it surrounding Beaver Island and the northern Michigan resort town of Charlevoix. The 56-square-mile island — the largest in Lake Michigan — is a two-hour boat ride or 15-minute flight from Charlevoix, but it feels even more remote than its location 30 miles off the mainland. Forget about fudge shops, fine dining and fancy resorts. Beaver Island is where you go to unplug and do a deep dive into nature. Summer draws outdoor enthusiasts who come to camp, hike, fish, bird watch, kayak or just kick back and watch the sunset at a secluded beach. Experienced paddlers might want to tackle the new 42-mile water trail that circumnavigates the island. Roughing it just got a little less rough as of last summer, when a husband-and-wife team opened Beaver Island Retreat, a collection of 10 safari-style tents outfitted with queen beds and other creature comforts. At night, the stargazing is incredible. Back on Michigan’s mitten, charming Charlevoix beckons boaters, beachgoers and water sports fans as well. More terrestrial pursuits include taking a tour of the whimsical, Hobbit-like homes built by late architect Earl Young. A massive renovation project at a hotel he designed, the newly christened Hotel Earl, is expected to wrap up this winter.

Indiana Dunes National Park

This time last year, Chicagoans wanting to visit a national park had to either get on a plane or buckle up for a long car ride. That changed last February, when Indiana Dunes shed its national lakeshore status to become the country’s 61st national park, rubbing elbows with the likes of the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. The Dunes spent most of 2019 as our newest national park, until New Mexico’s White Sands got tapped to join the club in late December. While it’s no longer the “newest,” the Dunes remains a beautiful spot to hit the beach, go bird watching and get some sand in your hiking boots — all within an hour or so drive from downtown. Clinging to the southern shore of Lake Michigan, the park happens to be where a lot of ecozones overlap. The result? An enviably deep bench of biodiversity. Prickly pear cactus, Arctic bearberry and the federally threatened Pitcher’s thistle are some of the 1,100-plus native plants spread across 15,000 acres. More than 350 bird species live or migrate through here; mark your calendar for the popular Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, May 14-17. Pass different habitats like black oak savannas, wetlands and beaches while hiking the nearly 5-mile Cowles Bog Trail. The national park, which graces the cover of the 2020 Indiana Travel Guide, surrounds a state park of the same name. Head to the latter to test your stamina by scaling the three tallest sand dunes, a workout rewarded with awesome views — and a 3 Dune Challenge sticker at the visitor center in Porter.

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, site of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, isn’t the only Wisconsin city to have a lot going on this year. Roughly 60 miles north of MKE along the Lake Michigan coast, top golfers from the U.S. and Europe will square off Sept. 22-27 in the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, just outside Sheboygan. Designed by Pete Dye and blanketed across 2 windswept miles of rugged shoreline, The Straits is the first public course to host the prestigious golf tournament in nearly three decades. The golf course is part of Destination Kohler, a ubiquitous name in this part of The Badger State. The John Michael Kohler Arts Center — named for the former mayor of Sheboygan and founder of the kitchen-and-bath products behemoth — will cut the ribbon on its new $40 million Art Preserve this summer. The striking three-story structure will be a 56,000-square-foot shrine to artist-built environments, such as the Wisconsin Concrete Park, where retired Northwoods lumberjack Fred Smith filled the grounds with his quirky sculptures depicting local history and legends. The Art Preserve opens Aug. 29; admission is free. Winter is a good time to head to Deland Park (aka North Beach) to watch intrepid surfers catch the waves at this Malibu of the Midwest. Another Sheboygan nickname: Bratwurst Capital of the World. Don’t leave town without having one of its eponymous sausages sprinkled with onion and brown mustard, and tucked into a round roll. This spring, Sheboygan will welcome its own visitors center that goes beyond your typical repository for tourist brochures. Swing by to learn about the area’s shipwrecks, waterways and more.