Start here
The 3 places worth the trip
Places near Manhattan by type
All 279 places by distance →One day from Manhattan
5 stops, one loop, back by 5:15 pm
120 km on the road, in driving order so you don’t double back. Times assume an 8 am start and typical visit lengths.
- Leave Manhattan
- Midewin National Tallgrass Prairienature spot · 2 hrs
- Briscoe Moundsheritage site · 1.5 hrs
- Joliet Area Historical Society Museummuseum · 1.5 hrs
- Lockport Powerhouselake · 45 min
- Monee Reservoirreservoir · 45 min
- Back in Manhattan
Questions people ask
What are the best places to visit near Manhattan?
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (nature spot, about 15 km), Joliet Area Historical Society Museum (museum, about 18 km), Cathedral of Saint Raymond Nonnatus (church, about 20 km), Lockport Powerhouse (lake, about 23 km), Illinois Waterway (lake, about 23 km), Gemini Giant (attraction, about 24 km).
How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Manhattan?
32 places on Spotwander: 3 churches, 5 parks, 1 attraction, 5 wildlife, forests & gardens, 9 lakes, dams & reservoirs.
Which is the nearest church to Manhattan?
Cathedral of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, about 20 km by road; Saint James at Sag Bridge Catholic Church (39 km) is next.
Which is the nearest park to Manhattan?
Channahon Parkway State Park, about 25 km by road; Red Gate Woods (41 km) is next.
What is a good one-day trip from Manhattan?
Start in Manhattan, visit Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, then Briscoe Mounds, then Joliet Area Historical Society Museum, then Lockport Powerhouse, then Monee Reservoir, and drive back — about 120 km by road in all.