I'm embarrassed as I hit 'post' too soon.

My other question would be, is there any other place a few hours from Chicago that might be nice to visit?

Thanks!

Milwaukee is a nice place, but the summer would be better for Milwaukee
My suggestions:

Galena, IL - Nice place, historic downtown
Door County, WI - Tons of Chicago people go there
Lake Geneva, WI
Benton Harbor, MI area
Grand Rapids, MI
Indianapolis, IN
St Louis

I agree with brewcrew's suggestions.

Here are some things to do in Milwaukee:
Milwaukee Art Museum (www.mam.org) Milwaukee Public Museum (www.mpm.edu)
Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin (www.discoveryworld.org)
Public Market(www.milwaukeepublicmarket.org)
the shops of the Third Ward (www.historicthirdward.org)
a baseball game at covered Miller Park
a dinner cruise on the glass enclosed Edelweis (www.weissgerbers.com)
Plus, we have lots of interesting restaurants, and several wonderful theater companies.

You have had all suggestions for big towns. Are you looking for city experiences?

Hopelessly romantic and something you will never forget: Mendon Country Inn in Mendon MI. This is if you like old, historic and total class/culture/history (pianoist, chef etc. live-in) and it is on the St. Joe River with canoe lunches, wine country close, Amish right there- very close to Shipshewanna too, if real country auctions and selling fairs are a draw. Many of the vendors will be buggy owners, no cars. Of course, you can drive.

The entire SW cornor of Michigan has immense lake and wine tasting experiences with B&B's both on the big lake or inlake spring fed lakes.

I get to Michigan for 3 day weekends or rarely 2 day as well, about 10 to 15 times a year. And there's always something new. If you want to drive farther North on the lake- the sand dunes and Sleeping Bear etc. are all not to be mixed. Follow the lighthouses. Great B&B's and activity doable all the way.

Everyone loves Saugatuck, but I think some of the other towns are just as nice and less crowded. If you don't want to drive far, B&B's in South Haven are numerous and many are right on the water.
Entire SW cornor of

Milwaukee is a great city, I was there last week and it keeps getting better and better. The new downtown market is
a great addition. Hotels are just so-so though, nothing very romantic. A great alternative would be a stay at the American Club in Kohler, and spend days in Milwaukee and Cedarburg Wisconsin.

Unfortunately, The American Club has gotten more expensive over the past year but its really nice and really romantic.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60013-d100871-Reviews-American_Club-Kohler_Wisconsin.html

Or you could stay in Cedarburg, a very old quaint town with small shops and antique stores. Milwaukee is an easy drive from here. Here's a nice romantic place in Cedarburg.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g59768-d83362-Reviews-The_Washington_House_Inn-Cedarburg_Wisconsin.html

If you can afford it I'd go for the American Club.

Southwestern Michigan is nice, but I'm not that familiar with it.

I've never liked Galena. It looks nice and old but I don't like the shops,hotels, or restaurants.

I'd also reccomend Geneva and St. Charles ,IL but you'd have a hard time filling more than a couple of days there. Nice shopping and restaurants
there. Herrington Inn in Geneva is very romantic.

http://www.herringtoninn.com/

I'm in Milwaukee. I love my little city very much. Anyway I always put my family up at the County Clare and they love it. It is an Irish themed Inn, they have a lively bar with live Irish music most weekends. If you stay be sure to request a quiet room on a higher floor, because it can get loud. It is very romantic. Every room has a whirlpool in it, and they leave little bottles of Baileys on the pillows. Very cosy.

Otherwise, madison is within a few hours away. We always enjoy a visit to that crazy little city.

For downtown hotels, the Metro is very nice, and the Wyndham just became an Intercontinetal and has been re-done beautifully.

The Pier Wisconsin- not finished. Just read in the paper that people were complaining about paying full price to visit a place that is still under construction. I would do the history and art museums. If you like Mexican food, there are some great restaurants on 5th and National. Kohler would be great...

For a nice weekend I would head to Madison. I think you would leave refreshed and relaxed.

You could stroll along the shops on State Street or Monroe Street. Catch a performance at the Broom Street Theater or Overture Center. - their gift shop is a treat. <www.overaturecenter.com> There are also live bands at many of the clubs.

See what is scheduled at the Alliant Center <www.alliantenergycenter.com> We are looking forward to the annual Garden Show in a few weeks.

How about a nice romantic dinner at L'Etoile (www.letoile-restaurant.com) or one of my favorites Quivey's Grove, just south of Madison a few miles from the beltline - Stone House for dinner, stable for lunch. www.quiverysgrove.com Reservations are recommended for both.

No snow in Wisconsin right now or you could cross country ski through the Arboretum- so go there for a nice winter's walk through the woods and by the lake. The Mendota lake path is also nice.

Stop at Ella's Deli for lunch or an ice cream treat. The menus for both are pages long. The restaurant is decorated with hundreds of mechanical, musical displays. (www.ellas-deli.com)

There are several fun things on the UW- WI campus that would be fun- check out Memorial Union for ice cream or a beer. The Elvehjem is a wonderful smaller art museum on campus. We also enjoy the Geology Museum- but then we like rocks! Just the architecture around the campus is rather special.

I haven't been to Madison, but hear it is nice. Love Milwaukee, but probably not for a getaway, especially in winter. (They do have THE BEST ZOO in the US...and YES, I've been to the San Diego zoo..it does NOT compare!) Wonderful in summer, though!

Anyway, at this time of year, I'd head south. St. Louis is such an overlooked great city! Great shopping, great food, excellent sight-seeing. If you haven't been up in the Arch... go for it! The view is amazing. And don't miss the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The entire cathedral, including anterooms and domed ceilings..done in 1" mosaic tiles. Just phenomenal. And make sure you stop for frozen custard at Ted Drew's! Check out the St. Louis website.

PS If you like history, a short stop in Springfield is nice, too. Visit Abe's house...very cool.

I agree - Door County or Madison. Bypass Milwaukee or Galena.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

http://www.nps.gov/indu/

U.S. Grant House in Galena.

http://www.granthome.com/

Springfield, IL is nice. YOu can visit the Lincoln house, and the new interactive musuem. A pleasant surprise is that there is a fantastic, fully furnished Frank Lloyd Wright house just a few blocks away. then you can visit the old state capitol, to soak up more Lincolnd/Douglas. Then there's the cemetary, and the little town of New Salem.