new york to chicago

I'm a New Zealander planning to come to the United States in May 2007. We are thinking of driving from New York to Chicago - talking around three days. What would be an interesting route for our first time in North America?

Welcome to the RoadTrip America Forum!

Depending on where you are starting from in New York, (I'm assuming New York City), you could take I-80 out from the city, head up New Jersey route 15 to US-206, then hook up with US-6 across the Delaware River and head West on that through Pennsylvania.

You can then follow this route right through Cleveland if you wish, or hop on I-90 for a bit then get on Ohio route 2, which runs along the shoreline of Lake Erie for awhile. Then, back on I-90 and into Chicago.

This route is about 800 miles, so three days is a good amount of time to make this trip in. You will be passing from the mountainous areas of Pennsylvania into the flatter, Midwest states, so you will experience several different landscapes. This also gives you time to explore some of the county roads along your route, if you're so inclined.

Thanks Mass Tim - yes, we'll be staying with friends in Manhattan before going on to Chicago. I've seen something that suggested driving up to Boston first and then travelling west from there. Would that be possible in 3 days or would it be likely to turn into a mad dash?
Regards
Fiona

You could go to Boston first and still make it to Chicago in 3 days, but you'd really have to rush things. Boston takes you in the wrong direction and means you'd have to fights some of the worst traffic in the US.

If you wanted to explore another city on your way, instead, I might detour up to Toronto. You could pretty easily spend some time at Niagara Falls and most of the day in Toronto, and still make it to Chicago under your time frame.

That stretch along Ohio's Lake Erie shore is a great drive with lots of interesting small towns. If you get a chance, check out the Marblehead Lighthouse near Sanduskey, Put-In-Bay, and in Toledo, you just have to visit Tony Packo's for a Hungarian hot dog you'll not soon forget. Even the MASH TV show ordered from there because of Klinger.

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

There are lots of good things to do and see along the way from NYC to Chicago. Here are a few highlights, and perhaps they can give you some ideas for your trip.


First of all, upstate New York (the large portion of the state, northwest of NYC) is a very beautiful place in the springtime. The Finger Lakes, and Catskill Mountains give you reason to take Interstate 90 instead of 80. If you check out the map, you'll see that I-90 will eventually run back into I-80 somewhere in western Pennsylvania or eastern Ohio.

I-80 will then take you through the city of Cleveland, Ohio, where you will find the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. Even though it is a very commercialized place, it is still an excellent stop if you are music and/or pop culture enthusiasts.

A little closer to Chicago, you'll find another gem (albeit a bit more hidden than the Finger Lakes and Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame) called Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. You'll see signs for this area on I-80 as you get close to the Indiana-Illinois border. It's definitely worth a stop. Ask the locals how to find "Mount Baldy", take your shoes off in the parking lot, and if you're in fairly decent shape, climb the dune. When you get to the top (it's only 150 feet high or so, but the sand can make the climb a little challenging for those not used to exercise), you'll be treated to a beautiful beach that descends slowly towards the shore of Lake Michigan.


I hope this helps. Enjoy your stay in our beautiful country.


Good hiking,

AB