National Parks and Midwest Road Trips
National Parks and the Midwestern Route
Start / End
Chicago, Illinois – Albuquerque, New Mexico
States Covered
National Parks
Hot Springs, Big Bend, Carlsbad Caverns
Total Distance
2,687
Suggested Days
At least 14
Suggested Seasons
Spring through Fall
#ThisIsMyRoute
Preparation
We recommend at least two weeks to encompass all of the possible offerings that are suggested for midwest road trips. A lot of distance is covered here, so it would be ideal to spend a couple of days in, say, Big Bend, after driving many hours to and from there. (Of course, the drives themselves are uniquely impressive, so it won’t feel long at all! The journey is the destination, as they say.) Only a few of the drives are relatively short, around 3 hours or so. But, as you go through Texas, many drives will take up a good part of your day, so plan accordingly. (These longer drives could be broken up into segments, too, but there may be few decent stopping points in the more desolate regions.) The weather through this drive is variable depending on the season. In the summer, it will be quite hot everywhere, muggy in Chicago and dry in Big Bend. In the autumn, it will be much more pleasant in the south, but it could definitely snow in Chicago towards the end of the season. The majority of this trip could be done any time of year, but possible heavy snow November through February can make driving in the upper Midwest a bit treacherous. Follow the forecasts accordingly.
Itinerary
ARRIVAL IN CHICAGO
After flying into Chicago O’Hare International Airport, you’ll rent your car and have the city at your fingertips. Chicago is a world-class city, though one that is somewhat peripheral due to its location away from the coasts. This perhaps makes the city even better, though, as Chicago has retained much of its local culture and history over the centuries. There is enough to do in Chicago that one could easily spend a week sightseeing there, but if you only are dedicating a couple days to the city, you can easily concentrate your time on the key attractions. As the city is fairly spread out, you could pick a neighborhood to concentrate on – like the famous Loop, or the less traveled Pilsen, Ukrainian Village, Logan Square and Wicker Park – or ping pong around the city by public transit to see Cloud Gate and Millennium Park, the Magnificent Mile, the Field Museum, Garfield Park Conservatory and other deservedly known places. There is a lot to explore in Chicago and anywhere you go will be worthwhile.