Escaping Winter in Illinois: 10 Nearby Family-Friendly Getaways

Don't let the winter blahs get your family down this year, take a road trip to one of these family-friendly getaways in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana.

Winter In Illinois

The way I see it, winter in Illinois can be a love-it-or-leave-it affair.

For some, the chilly months mean bundling up for snowball fights, sledding, snowmobiling, or curling up by the fire with hot cocoa, (which I happen to love), but for others, winter can feel like a never-ending loop of gray skies, slushy sidewalks, and cabin fever. By late January/ early February even Illinoisans who enjoy winter are starting to feel SAD symptoms moving in, and I for one refuse to fall victim to them this year!

Family-Friendly Getaways in the Midwest

When the winter yucks start to get you, a change of scenery is a must, but not all of our wallets will allow a tropical vacation destination, so what do we do? Sit on the couch, stare at the snow and feel sorry for ourselves? Heck no!  We don't have to travel far to get out of winter funk; sometimes all it takes is embracing winter in a new way AND a new location.

Wisconsin is a great option for indoor water parks and snowy outdoor adventures, but how's about we think a little outside of the Illinois-Wisconsin box this winter?

Michigan and Indiana have many cozy winter escapes and adventures I'm sure your family would enjoy too. I decided to do a little Googling to find some getaway destinations my family would enjoy this winter, and here are 10 that caught my eye...

Now that we've covered things you SHOULD do this winter, here are some things you SHOULDN'T do in Illinois this winter...