Gateway Off the Beaten Path: 5 Day Itinerary
Five days adds Union Station itself: the building that makes every other day on this list possible. Same first four days as the 4-day version , plus a morning spent reading a departures board that lists Seattle, San Francisco, and New York, all reachable without ever booking a flight.
Book these before you go
- Chicago hotel search , booked for all five nights
- Milwaukee day-trip tickets , including the Harley-Davidson Museum, for Day 2
- A guided Route 66 tour if you want a narrator for Day 4 rather than driving it yourself
Chicago’s gateway distances at a glance
| Gateway | Distance from Chicago | Travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI (Amtrak Hiawatha) | ~86 miles | ~90 min |
| Indiana Dunes National Park, IN (South Shore Line) | ~46 miles | ~66 min |
| O’Hare International Airport | ~17 miles | ~45 min (Blue Line) |
| Route 66 to Santa Monica Pier, CA (by road) | ~2,448 miles | multi-day drive |
| Empire Builder to Seattle/Portland (Amtrak) | ~2,200 miles | ~46 hours |
| California Zephyr to Emeryville, CA (Amtrak) | ~2,438 miles | ~52.5 hours |
Day 1: Chicago, the crossroads before you leave it
Start downtown, since tomorrow’s train leaves early. Walk the free Riverwalk to Millennium Park for Cloud Gate, the Bean, then head back to the Loop; a CTA 1-Day pass is $6 if today involves more than two rail trips. The deep city sights get one day here; see the Chicago hidden gems guide for the rest. Dinner in the Loop or River North, then an early night.
Day 2: Milwaukee, the easiest state line you’ll cross
Catch one of Amtrak’s Hiawatha trains from Union Station; the roughly 86-mile ride to Milwaukee takes about 90 minutes, one-way fares $19 to $37. Walk the Milwaukee Riverwalk to the Bronze Fonz, a life-size statue of Henry Winkler’s “Happy Days” character installed near Wells Street in 2008, then spend the afternoon at the Harley-Davidson Museum, general admission in the low-to-mid $20s and cheaper booked online ahead. Catch an evening Hiawatha back.
Day 3: Indiana Dunes, the national park next to a steel mill
Board the South Shore Line at Millennium Station for the roughly 46-mile, 66-minute ride to Dunes Park, one-way fares about $9 to $10. As of today the line is back on its full weekday schedule after a June 24 freight derailment forced a reduced timetable for three weeks; check mysouthshoreline.com before you leave in case that changes again. Entry to Indiana Dunes National Park is free. West Beach’s trails climb well over 100 feet with US Steel’s Gary Works visible across the water.
Is one day enough for Indiana Dunes?
Yes, for a first visit. The West Beach loop fills 3 to 4 hours including the South Shore Line ride each way. A longer stay only matters if you want Mount Baldy or Cowles Bog too, which don’t fit until a full week.
Day 4: Route 66, the road you’re not driving today
Walk or ride the L to Adams Street and Michigan Avenue, across from the Art Institute, for the original Route 66 “Begin” sign, standing since roughly 1955 at the start of the 2,448-mile road to Santa Monica Pier. For the highway’s 2026 centennial, the city added a ceremonial second starting point at Navy Pier, dedicated March 25. It did not replace or relocate the Adams Street sign, so see both rather than assuming one.
Does the Navy Pier ceremony replace the original Begin sign?
No. The Navy Pier starting point, dedicated March 25, 2026, is an added ceremonial bookend for the highway’s centennial year. The 1955 sign at Adams Street and Michigan Avenue still marks the historic start and has not been relocated or removed.
Day 5: Union Station, pick a direction and go
Spend a slower morning in Union Station’s Beaux-Arts Great Hall, then read the Amtrak departures board the way locals read a menu: the Empire Builder runs about 46 hours to Seattle or Portland, the California Zephyr about 52.5 hours across 2,438 miles to the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Lake Shore Limited about 20 hours to New York or Boston, alongside the Capitol Limited to Washington, the Texas Eagle to San Antonio, and the City of New Orleans. None of that is today’s plan. Standing under the skylight while a board lists six cities a continent apart is the whole point of this family of trips.
Do you need to book a long-haul fare to see Union Station’s board?
No. Walking the Great Hall and reading the departures board costs nothing and needs no ticket. Only book a specific long-haul route, the Empire Builder, the California Zephyr, or the rest, if you’re actually planning a multi-day rail trip beyond this itinerary.
Where to stay: a Loop or River North hotel for all five nights, since every day trip here returns to Chicago the same evening.
For the interstate day trips in guide form, see the America hidden gems guide , or the in-state alternative at the Illinois hidden gems guide .