I'm going with friends on a road trip from Buffalo NY to Chicago IL for an event, but we want to stop somewhere or to a couple places on the way up and on the way home. Possibly somewhere with good shopping, good sites to see, good nightlife!
Thanks!

Cleveland? Can't think of much else.

You could stop in Sandusky or Port Clinton and take the ferry to one of the Lake Erie islands. I've been to Put-in-Bay, and there are definitely lots of places there to get a cold beer. (Not much in the way of sights or shopping though.)

You could also look into Kelley's Island. Haven't been there, but that would be another Lake Erie option.

those are good ideas, thanks for the input!
anyone else think of anything?
i was considering maybe Detroit for on the way home?

Well...if you go in mid-May or later, there is Cedar Point if you're into Amusement Parks.

If you're into college campuses or college football, stop in South Bend, IN, which is 2 hours from Chicago.

There is Indiana Dunes, just outside of Chicago.

thanks for recommending cedar point, that's definitely something i'll add to the list!!

do you guys think detroit is a good choice? we've never been , i know we'd also we taking a different route home but that doesn't matter... anyone have ideas of other places along that route?

ps. is there anything to do in detroit?

Detroit has 3 casinos, the Henry Ford (www.hfmgv.org)-an indoor/outdoor museum complex that has a top-notch transportation collection, the Institute of Arts and Tigers games. For shopping there's the Somerset Collection in Troy, about 8 miles north of the city. It's 2 connected malls anchored by Saks, Neiman's, Nordstrom and Macy's.

wow thanks for all that info, it definitely helped!

any other ideas for places to go near/around chicago?

Detroit is out of the way - you'll be taking 90West so you'll go through Cleveland-Toldeo-SouthBend - Chicago. Cleveland is about 3.5 hours from Buffalo and 5.5-6 from Chicago.

I grew up in Wiliamsville and live in Cleveland now. If you do stop I'd check out the neighborhoods -Tremont/Ohio City (near West Side) a nicer allentown feel; or little italy on the East Side by Case Western.

Places to Visit:

Rock Hall - E.9th
Progressive Field - Indians Game

West Side Market - Lorain/W.25th st. (open M,W, F,S)
Bar Cento - wine/pizza W.25th
Flying Fig - grab a drink at the bar the chips with wasabi dipping sauce are awesome; great food
Light Bistro - Bridge/W.28th

tremont - Lotlita - Michael Symon's (Iron Chef) more casual spot, go for the salumi. Walk to Treehouse for drinks on the patio.

Shopping - definitely East side - Beachwood Place, Legay Village and Eton Collection - all within 5 minutes.

Cedar point is about 1 hour west of downtown Cleveland.

wow thanks for the info!

yeah i don't think we'll be going to detroit anymore

so we were thinking for the way up:

Erie, pa / Cleveland / Cedar Point / Chicago

* now from Chicago back to Buffalo NY, any suggestions?!

Are you taking the same route home, or are you planning on taking something other than 90?

The choices for the way home are about the same as those for the way there, unless you're really going out of the way.

oh okayy, yeah i think we were going to take the same route, well not exactly the same route, we could go a little out of the way but not too much!

any other ideas?