I have traveled that exact route before in reverse, and I've done the Chicago to Minneapolis thing nearly a dozen times.

Assuming that you are going to take I-81 up to I-80 in Pennsylvania...here are some of my favorite stops along the way...Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland; Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, OH; Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, which is a GREAT stop on Lake Michigan, about 25 miles east of Chicago in Indiana; the Wisconsin Dells, between Madison and Minneapolis are an interesting collection of waterways through some very nice scenery.

You're looking at about 24 hours of driving time in each direction, but that will be very comfortably broken up by your stops along the way. I can tell you that Madison is a little under two hours from Chicago, and that Minneapolis is a good five hours from Madison.

Also, if you are near the following towns/cities at the end of your driving day, I recommend them as good places to stop for the night (lots of motel and restaurant choices): Youngstown and Elyria, in Ohio; Mishawaka and South Bend, in Indiana; Elgin and Rockford, in northern Illinois; and Janesville and Tomah in Wisconsin.

Good places to eat in Minneapolis: Manny's is a great steakhouse; Fuji-Ya for sushi; Chino Latino for a delicious mix of cuisines (located in Saint Paul); and if you are so inclined, the Blue Nile for Ethiopian.(Minneapolis has a very significant Ethiopian and Somali population. It is one of the best cities to enjoy their very flavorful cuisine.)




Good luck and safe driving.

AB