ok, my girlfriend and i live in chicago and feel like getting out of town for a weekend this month. any ideas of where to go and what to do? we are kind of new to the mid west (from NYC area. we moved to chi town a year ago). was thinking maybe driving to st louis or detroit, since we've never been to either. already went to milwaukee over the summer so no need to go there again. maybe we can hit the IL captial, springfield. or maybe head to madison wisconsin. we are not big skiers or anything so just looking for a new city to explore! any ideas would be appreciated! we're also not big country/camping/outdoors people. (you can see why we love the city and never leave!). some other ideas I had: Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Columbus, Cinncinnati. Maybe we could even take amtrak. THANKS!

I'm going to have to recommend my hometown, Cincinnati. There are plenty of great things to here for a weekend. I'm not sure what you like, but we have new contemporary arts museum as well as the new Freedom Center/Underground Railroad Museum. The Cincinnati Art Museum is very nice as well - there are some nice boutique shopping areas too it that's of interest (Hyde Park). Many, many, many good dining options. Skyline Chili (served over spaghetti w/cheese) and Graeter's Ice Cream (Oprah's favorite) are must have Cincinnati originals. Plenty of fine dining as well - I think even a New Yorker would be impressed with the restaurants here owned by Jean Robert (former chef at longest running 5 start Maisonette) - Pigalls, JeanRo, and Pho Paris (french/vietnamese). For more dining info, check out www.cincinnati.com. Let me know if you have any questions - I can recommend hotels if necessary.

ditto for cincinnati and depending what time you leave chi you could actually overnight on way in indianapolis, which leaves approx. 2 hours max to cincy.

could probably get very good deals on hotels on priceline.

don't miss the restaurants down by the river on the Kentucky side where you get the nice view of the skyline.

great happy hour in downtown restaurant called "palomino". happy hour prices all day sunday i think,too.

snowrooster.. you still live there?
i used to, but now live overseas. i do go to the hyde park area where my parents live when i go back.

nice jazz sunday nights at the espresso shop there (awakenings).

boy could i use some "graeters" now.
makes haggendaz seem like ice milk.

I have lived in the Midwest my whole life and love to take weekend trips. I am in Chicago now and grew up in Ohio, went to college in Indiana! Here are some of my favorites:
1) Galena, IL (quaint good restaurants)
2) Lake Geneva , WI : Only 2 hours from Chicago. They are having an Winter Festival THIS weekend! You should go, it's great.
3) Madison WI is great. Especially State street ( shopping restaurants)
and the Badger games.
I would not really recommend Indianapolis and Cincinnati is a 5 hour drive from Chicago.
Have fun!

DO NOT GO TO DETROIT - trust me.

Indy would be a good choice if you like to shop and eat. Tons of both going on. Nice places for cocktails in the eve as well, though not as lively as Chicago. It's kind of funny - i used to live in indy and we used to go to chicago to "get away for a weekend".

One nice thing i do like about indy are the hotels that are connected via skywalks to shopping and restaurants - makes it a little more tolerable to get around in this weather.

I don't live in any of the cities you mentioned, but I've been to them all, and of the cities you mention Minneapolis looks like the best pick IMO.

It's an easy Amtrak trip and often has cheap airfares, plus I believe it's the only one of the two with light rail/subway connections at both airports of your trip. (Cleveland has heavy rail, I think.) The Twin Cities are easily the most cosmopolitan of your options.

Plus you get St. Paul as a bonus. Some say it's the last Eastern city while Mpls is the first Western. It's got a healthy theatre scene and an excellent restaurants.

Since you are a big city person, why not fly to Montreal for a little bit of change (French) and a lot of familiar (big city amenities)?

lincasanova - Yes, I live in Cincinnati. My brother lives in Baltimore now and is the same way about Graeters and Skyline - has to have them both whenever he's back in town!