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Midwest Great Lakes & Plains

A classic loop through the heart of America, hitting the industrial-cool cities of the Great Lakes and the scenic rolling hills of the Midwest.

7days
25stops
1433km

The route

Tap a day or a town

You sleep in Chicago · Milwaukee · McGregor · Des Moines · Omaha · Kansas City — start in Chicago, end in St. Louis.

DAY01

Millennium Park → Navy Pier

2.6 km · 6m driving · Overnight in Navy Pier
  1. 10:00
    ⭐ Millennium Park· start
  2. 0.5 km · 1m
  3. 13:30
    Art Institute of Chicago
  4. 2.1 km · 5m
  5. 17:00
    Navy Pier· overnight
Accommodation
River North
DAY02

Depart Chicago → Milwaukee

196 km · 2h 15m driving · Overnight in Milwaukee Art Museum
  1. 10:00
    Depart Chicago· start
  2. 1.6 km · 4m
  3. 12:00
    Milwaukee Public Market
  4. 3.1 km · 8m
  5. 15:00
    Harley-Davidson Museum
  6. 192 km · 2h 3m
  7. 17:30
    ⭐ Milwaukee Art Museum· overnight
Accommodation
Historic Third Ward
DAY03

Depart Milwaukee → Pikes Peak

187 km · 2h 25m driving · Overnight in Pikes Peak
  1. 09:00
    Depart Milwaukee· start
  2. 120 km · 1h 32m
  3. 11:30
    Taliesin
  4. 67 km · 53m
  5. 15:30
    ⭐ Pikes Peak· overnight
Accommodation
Dubuque
DAY04

Field of Dreams Movie Site → Pappajohn Sculpture Park

314 km · 3h 5m driving · Overnight in Pappajohn Sculpture Park
  1. 09:30
    ⭐ Field of Dreams Movie Site· start
  2. 311 km · 2h 57m
  3. 14:00
    Iowa State Capitol
  4. 3 km · 8m
  5. 17:00
    Pappajohn Sculpture Park· overnight
Accommodation
East Village, Des Moines
DAY05

Depart Des Moines → Lauritzen Gardens

303 km · 3h driving · Overnight in Lauritzen Gardens
  1. 10:00
    Depart Des Moines· start
  2. 1.8 km · 5m
  3. 12:30
    Old Market
  4. 5.2 km · 10m
  5. 15:30
    Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge
  6. 296 km · 2h 45m
  7. 17:30
    ⭐ Lauritzen Gardens· overnight
Accommodation
Downtown Omaha
DAY06

Depart Omaha → Country Club Plaza

413 km · 4h 17m driving · Overnight in Country Club Plaza
  1. 09:00
    Depart Omaha· start
  2. 5.8 km · 8m
  3. 12:00
    Arabia Steamboat Museum
  4. 5.2 km · 11m
  5. 15:00
    National WWI Museum and Memorial
  6. 402 km · 3h 58m
  7. 17:30
    ⭐ Country Club Plaza· overnight
Accommodation
Crossroads Arts District
DAY07

Depart Kansas City → Forest Park

17 km · 26m driving
  1. 08:30
    Depart Kansas City· start
  2. 1.9 km · 7m
  3. 13:00
    Gateway Arch National Park
  4. 7.5 km · 9m
  5. 15:30
    City Museum
  6. 7.1 km · 10m
  7. 17:30
    ⭐ Forest Park
Accommodation
Central West End
Heads Up
  • I-80 through Iowa is heavy on trucks; stay in the left lane when you see merges, and keep an eye out for "Wind Warnings" on the plains.