Cook district, Illinois, United States

Places to visit near Chicago

Chicago is a city in Cook district, Illinois, United States, home to about 2,720,546 people. Within 50 km by road there are 280 places to visit — 80 churches, 69 parks, 21 wildlife, forests & gardens and 15 forts & heritage. The must-see places are Saint Barbara Roman Catholic Church (1 km), Ping Tom Memorial Park (2 km) and Saint Mary of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church (2 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Chicago on the map

Chicago at a glance

Location
Cook district, Illinois, United States
Population
about 2,720,546
Coordinates
41.8500° N, 87.6500° W
Places within 50 km
280 (280 must-see)
Best time to visit
November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; October to February for forts & heritage; year-round for churches and parks

Top places to visit near Chicago

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Chicago: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Chicago, by type

Churches near Chicago

80 churches within 100 km of Chicago. The closest is Saint Barbara Roman Catholic Church (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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Parks near Chicago

69 parks within 100 km of Chicago. The closest is Ping Tom Memorial Park (2 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Chicago

21 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Chicago. The closest is Shedd Aquarium (4 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Forts & heritage near Chicago

15 forts & heritage within 100 km of Chicago. The closest is St. Luke's Hospital (3 km). Best time: october to february.

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Museums near Chicago

12 museums within 100 km of Chicago. The closest is National Hellenic Museum (4 km). Best time: year-round.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Chicago

7 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Chicago. The closest is Rosenberg Fountain (Hebe) (4 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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A one-day trip from Chicago

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 12 km on the road.

  1. Start in Chicago
  2. 2 km Ping Tom Memorial Park · monument, Cook
  3. 2 km Saint Jerome's Croatian Catholic Church · church, Cook
  4. 2 km Saint Mary of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church · church, Cook
  5. 1 km Saint Barbara Roman Catholic Church · church, Cook
  6. 3 km Saint Vitus Roman Catholic Church · church, Cook
  7. 2 km Back to Chicago

Plan a longer trip from Chicago — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Chicago

No traveller has reported from around Chicago yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Chicago

    All places near Chicago by distance

    Within 15 km of Chicago

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Chicago by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Churches8080Saint Barbara Roman Catholic Church (1 km)
    Parks6969Ping Tom Memorial Park (2 km)
    Other attractions6262Maxwell Street (2 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens2121Shedd Aquarium (4 km)
    Forts & heritage1515St. Luke's Hospital (3 km)
    Museums1212National Hellenic Museum (4 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs77Rosenberg Fountain (Hebe) (4 km)
    Mosques & dargahs44Masjid al-Rabia (4 km)
    Temples44I Am Temple (5 km)
    Buddhist sites33Soka Gakkai International Buddhist Center (3 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints11Jane Byrne Interchange and BSB (3 km)
    Treks11Pedway (5 km)
    Beaches & coast11Chicago Harbor Lighthouse (8 km)

    Chicago: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Chicago?

    Saint Barbara Roman Catholic Church (church, about 1 km), Ping Tom Memorial Park (monument, about 2 km), Saint Mary of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church (church, about 2 km), Saint Jerome's Croatian Catholic Church (church, about 2 km), Maxwell Street (attraction, about 2 km), Saint Vitus Roman Catholic Church (church, about 2 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Chicago?

    280 places on Spotwander: 80 churches, 69 parks, 62 other attractions, 21 wildlife, forests & gardens, 15 forts & heritage.

    Which is the nearest church to Chicago?

    Saint Barbara Roman Catholic Church, about 1 km by road; Saint Mary of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest park to Chicago?

    Ping Tom Memorial Park, about 2 km by road; Jane Addams Park (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to Chicago?

    Shedd Aquarium, about 4 km by road; Grant Park (5 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Chicago?

    Start in Chicago, visit Ping Tom Memorial Park, then Saint Jerome's Croatian Catholic Church, then Saint Mary of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church, then Saint Barbara Roman Catholic Church, then Saint Vitus Roman Catholic Church, and drive back — about 12 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Chicago?

    November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; October to February for forts & heritage; year-round for churches and parks.

    Towns near Chicago

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Chicago’s location and population from GeoNames. Data sources & credits.