These are the 4 most beautiful getaways in the Midwest without crowds

Share the article

We all know how great Chicago is for its blue water coast, towering luxury hotels, and many vibrant neighborhoods in the Midwest’s only metropolis.

But there are plenty more places to explore if big cities aren’t your thing.

The Midwest can often be misrepresented. It’s not a boring hellscape with endless corn fields, as cheap road trip movies portray.

Cities like St. Louis and Indianapolis are 2 of my personal favorites that will surprise you as underrated outings, but i’m not playing guide today.

Today we hand over the keys to the expert team of Midwest livingwho naturally focus on this vast region of the US day in and day out.

Their final piece revealed 25 of the Midwest’s top gems. We’ve picked four that we think are not only beautiful, but that many tourists skip, ultimately making your visit more authentic and virtually crowd-free.

1) Indiana Dunes: the most beautiful coasts you’ve never heard of

Not to cross the South, but George Strait once sang about “oceanfront property in Arizona,” which is clearly a song about stretching the truth.

We’re not trying to fool you – as hard as it is to believe, Indiana has beautiful beaches.

Whether you’re one of the many visiting record-breaking Indy or shuffling Portillos hot dogs down your esophagus in the “Windy City”, Indiana Dunes National Park takes a wonderful spring and summer trip to enjoy the beauty of Lake Michigan.

To be precise, there is a three-mile stretch of coastline along America’s most sought-after lake because it exudes Caribbean hues.

Our only advice: If you rent a car, try to score an Indiana license plate for the state entry fee from $7, otherwise it is more than doubled to $15 for foreigners.

2) Madison: one of America’s most underrated capitalsS

If you’ve flirted with a trip to Madison before, it’s probably for a few reasons:

College football or Wisconsin’s famous fall leaves.

But they are too far away to think about it now.

Madison is a 3-season destination and the first of those 3 is around the corner.

Since much of Madison’s tourism comes from the fall influx, spring is the perfect time to visit a host of museums and one of more than 600 restaurants and enjoy the waterfront scenery with a dazzling Capitol backdrop.

This city is also largely considered safe and affordable, but what really makes Madison unique is the fact that the picture-postcard landscape is sandwiched by two different lakes, Lake Mendota and Lake Monona.

3) Milwaukee: Bad reputation keeps tourists from enjoying waterfront treats

You hardly hear of anyone vacationing in Milwaukee because Chicago is so close and more accessible.

But let’s not overlook the fact that this city, famous for its thriving beer scene, sits on the same vibrant coastline as Chicago, except it’s mostly locals who flock in to enjoy it.

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Milwaukee doesn’t exactly have the best reputation.

But downtown tells a very different story: scenic waterfronts, vibrant public spaces and revitalized neighborhoods.

In other words, Milwaukee is one of those cities that people love to misjudge.

The sore point is the crime levels. Milwaukee ranked 24th on U.S. News & World Report’s annual “most dangerous” list list.

4) Fox Valley: Discover the charming side of Illinois

Chicago may steal the spotlight, but Illinois’ Fox Valley is where travelers find charming towns, blissful beauty, and no crowds.

You’ll discover river charm everywhere you go as the Fox River flows through multiple cities filled with walkable cityscapes fit for a Hallmark movie set.

Not to shove it in Midwest Living’s face, but we scoured the map and picked 4 cities that we really think you’ll love at first glance:

Oswego: a peaceful retreat with leafy parks, river views and wide-open trails
Geneva: a luxurious (yet relaxed) escape with the boutiques, cafes and wine bars of Third Street
Batavia: A relaxing riverside town with the Fox River Trail and the area’s best craft brewery clusters
St. Charles: the liveliest of the bunch; historic downtown, Riverwalk and vibrant live music scene

Sam Sears

Sam, our lead writer and San Diego-based journalist, has visited 36 countries and written more than 1,000 articles with an emphasis on sharing his own travel experiences and highlighting lesser-known gems.