The best weekend getaways from Chicago

My boyfriend and I are regularly infected with the travel bug and are frustrated when our work schedules get in the way of us getting out of town. Luckily, Chicago is located near a bunch of  cute towns that are as little as a 90 minute drive away so are easy to escape to for just a weekend.

We usually rent a car for our trips and recently used Silvercar to rent an Audi A4 for a road trip through Michigan. I highly recommend Silvercar - the pickup was super easy and we got 20% off for being first time users!

Below are some of my favorite weekend getaways close to Chicago. Do any of you have fun getaways planned for the last bit of summer??

Lake Geneva and Lake Delavan

These lakes neighbor each other and are only an hour and a half north of Chicago. The towns have really cute restaurants and shops. One of my favorite boutiques in Lake Geneva is eStreet Denim which has a few locations in the Chicago suburbs as well and I actually worked at the Highland Park location back in High School!

There are amazing lake houses you can rent on VRBO or Airbnb which I recommend for a group getaway, but Ronnie and I usually stay at a resort when we go alone so we can take advantage of the spa and golf courses. We have stayed at Grand Geneva, Geneva National and The Abbey. They are all nice, but Grand Geneva is my favorite - probably because it was where Ronnie and I stayed on our first trip ever together!

Saugatuck, Michigan

The CUTEST town with a big art scene which makes walking around so much fun. There are numerous home decor shops and art galleries you can visit. You can also spend an afternoon wine tasting at the local winery.

For people who like to be active during their getaways, you can also hike Mount Baldhead - it requires a climb up 282 stairs but in addition to a good workout, it gives you a nice view of Oval Beach.

Kohler, WI

Home of the Kohler Waters Spa, this is a great place to visit in the winter when you want to just relax. The five-star spa is world class - Ronnie and I did the Riverbath for Two treatment and then spent the day taking advantage of the spa whirlpools and amenities.

We stayed at The American Club which is a five star resort that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The attentiveness of the staff is unparalleled and the resort has a cozy vibe that’s perfect for a cold, snowy weekend. We got the Red Carpet Retreat package which came with popcorn, candy and a free movie!

You also can’t skip the Kohler Design Center - it might sound weird, but the wall of toilets is a must see :)

Sleeping Bear Dunes

Located near Traverse City, Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is beautiful. I recommend taking a trip in the fall so you can be surrounded by all the leaves as they change color. It’s quite a bit further than the other places I mentioned - about a 5.5 hour drive - but it's worth it if you want a trip that will immerse you in nature.

We stayed at The Homestead which has hiking trails right on the resort. I loved that because we could wake up early, grab a cup of coffee and do a quick hike while the air was still crisp and dewy.

Indiana Dunes

About as close of a getaway you can get without just doing a Chicago staycation, the Indiana dunes are only a 45 minute drive away. I don’t really consider sand-covered shrubs pretty, so not the place to go if you care about the beauty of your surroundings, but this is a great location for a beach getaway. I went here with a huge group last year - there was about 25 of us - and we rented a house that was on the beach.

We woke up to beach yoga and ended the day sitting around a fire pit overlooking Lake Michigan.

What are your favorite weekend getaways? Comment below so we can all check them out!