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Midwest Marriott Loop
A 7-day, drive-only Midwest road trip with Marriott-style stays suggested by area rather than specific hotel names.
7days
28stops
Day 1: Chicago lakefront kickoff
4 stops
Depart
09:00
Millennium Park
10:00
Art Institute of Chicago
13:30
Navy Pier
17:00
Day 2: Chicago to Milwaukee
4 stops
Depart
09:00
Milwaukee Art Museum
10:30
Historic Third Ward
13:30
Lakefront Brewery area
16:30
Day 3: Madison lakes and campus
4 stops
Depart
09:00
Wisconsin State Capitol
11:00
University of Wisconsin–Madison Memorial Union Terrace
13:30
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
16:30
Day 4: Driftless country to the Twin Cities
4 stops
Depart
08:30
La Crosse Riverside Park
11:30
Minnehaha Falls
15:30
Stone Arch Bridge
17:30
Day 5: Minneapolis to Iowa prairie
4 stops
Depart
09:00
SPAM Museum
11:00
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
14:30
Iowa State Capitol
17:00
Day 6: Des Moines to Kansas City
4 stops
Depart
09:00
National WWI Museum and Memorial
12:30
Union Station Kansas City
15:30
Country Club Plaza
17:30
Day 7: St. Louis finish
4 stops
Depart
08:30
Gateway Arch National Park
13:00
Forest Park
15:30
The Hill
17:30
Heads Up
- 1. Use Marriott’s app to compare Downtown vs. suburban parking fees before booking; in Midwest cities, a cheaper room can get wiped out by valet parking.
- 2. Keep a light jacket in the car even in warm seasons — lake and riverfront evenings can cool down fast.