Start your Midwest adventure with an RV rental in Chicago, the official beginning of the legendary Route 66. Drive along the shores of the Great Lakes, explore the forests and lakes of Michigan, or follow the Mother Road west through the heart of America. Choose an Indie Campers RV from the wide range of options available, with unlimited miles, convenient kits, and extras for kids or pets to make your journey comfortable and stress-free. Backed by 4.8-star reviews, Indie Campers makes road trips easy across the U.S.
Our Road Trips Itineraries
Chicago sits at the convergence of more distinct American road trip corridors than almost any other city in the country. Route 66 runs southwest to Los Angeles. I-90 runs northwest through Wisconsin and Minnesota toward the Pacific Northwest. I-94 northeast takes you deep into the Great Lakes and Upper Peninsula Michigan. I-65 south runs straight to Nashville and beyond. The interstate network radiating from Chicago gives you access to more Indie Campers US pick up centers from a single starting point than anywhere else in the network.
The Great Lakes region is genuinely underserved by RV marketing, which makes it a strong contrarian choice. Indiana Dunes, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Pictured Rocks, and the Apostle Islands are all within a single tank of gas from Chicago and none of them have the reservation pressure of the big western parks. A July weekend at Sleeping Bear Dunes is more achievable than a July weekend at Yosemite, and the scenery is comparable.
O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is 17 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, roughly 30-40 minutes by car in normal traffic and directly accessible via the Blue Line from the city center. Midway Airport (MDW) is 10 miles southwest, 25 minutes from downtown. Both airports put you at the Indie Campers Chicago pick up center within an hour of landing.
Illinois fuel prices run close to the national average, slightly above
Every Indie Campers booking includes unlimited mileage, 24/7 road assistance, and a Basic Protection Plan as standard. On a Route 66 run from Chicago to Los Angeles that covers 3,900 kilometers, or a Great Lakes loop pushing through four states and 2,500 kilometers of shoreline driving, a per-mile cap would make no sense. There isn't one.
One-way hires are available from Chicago to all active Indie Campers US pick up centers. The Route 66 run to Los Angeles is the most iconic one-way route in the US network. Drop off in Nashville, Dallas, Denver, Seattle, or New York w
Spring (April to May) is the window serious road trippers target. Temperatures climb from 45°F in April to 65°F by late May, the Great Lakes campgrounds open without summer crowds, and Door County's cherry and apple orchards bloom from late April through mid-May in a display that draws photographers from across the Midwest. Lake Michigan water temperatures are cold for swimming but the shoreline hiking and kayaking conditions are excellent.
Summer (June to August) is when Chicago and the Great Lakes region hit full stride. Average temperatures run 75-85°F in July, lake swimming is warm by late June, and the campground network is fully operational. Lollapalooza takes over Grant Park in late July, the Chicago Blues Festival runs free in early June, and Taste of Chicago fills the lakefront in July. Indiana Dunes and Sleeping Bear Dunes are at their busiest in July and August; book campgrounds well in advance. The Great Lakes' summer storms can be sudden and severe; check lake forecasts before kayaking or paddling in exposed areas.
Fall (September to October) delivers the best combination of comfortable temperatures (55-70°F), fall color along the Upper Peninsula and Door County corridors, and significantly lower campground competition after Labor Day. The Pictured Rocks cliffs in October light are exceptional. Route 66 in fall is ideal driving weather with no summer heat in the desert sections further southwest.
Winter (November to March) is specialist territory. The Apostle Islands sea caves freeze in January and February and become accessible on foot across the lake ice, which draws thousands of visitors in cold years when the ice is thick enough. The NPS monitors ice thickness daily and posts conditions at the Bayfield visitor center. Otherwise, winter in Chicago means sub-zero wind chills, closed campgrounds, and difficult RV driving conditions. The deep south Route 66 run toward Texas and Arizona is a logical winter escape route from Chicago.
3 to 5 Days
Chicago City + Indiana Dunes (200km round trip, 3-4 days)
Day 1: Pick up RV, drive east to Indiana Dunes (80km, 1 hour via I-94), hike Mount Baldy, overnight at Indiana Dunes Campground
Day 2: Full day at Indiana Dunes — beach, West Beach, Cowles Bog Trail
Day 3: Return to Chicago (80km), Millennium Park, Navy Pier, Wrigley Field neighborhood
Day 4: Chicago deep dish, Blues Festival or Riverwalk, depot drop-off
Chicago City + Route 66 to Springfield (650km round trip, 4-5 days)
Day 1: Pick up RV, head southwest on Route 66 original alignment through Joliet and Pontiac (150km)
Day 2: Bloomington-Normal, Route 66 roadside stops, arrive Springfield (80km)
Day 3: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln Home, Cozy Dog Drive-In
Day 4: Return via I-55 (320km, 3 hours), Chicago overnight
Day 5: Chicago city, depot drop-off
7 to 10 Days
Great Lakes North Loop: Door County + Sleeping Bear Dunes (1,400km, 8-9 days)
Chicago → Milwaukee (150km, 1 hr 30 min, 1 night) → Green Bay (180km, 2 hours) → Door County (65km, 2 nights at Peninsula State Park) → cross to Lower Michigan via US-2 or ferry from Manitowoc to Ludington (SS Badger, $110-160/vehicle, check schedule at ssbadger.com) → Sleeping Bear Dunes (2 nights) → traverse north Michigan (150km) → return via I-75 and I-94 (400km). One of the best lake-focused loops in the Midwest.
Fuel Stations
Average regular unleaded price in Illinois: $3.20-$3.70/gallon. Illinois fuel prices run above Tennessee and Indiana due to higher state fuel taxes.
Illinois and regional fuel notes:
Minimum driver age for Indie Campers vehicles is 21. A valid driver's license is required for all drivers; international visitors must carry an International Driving Permit alongside their home country license. A credit card in the primary driver's name is required at pick-up for the security deposit.
The America the Beautiful Annual Pass at $80 covers entrance fees to all NPS sites. Indiana Dunes, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Pictured Rocks, and Apostle Islands are all fee-based NPS units. If your trip covers two or more of them, the pass pays for itself on the first weekend.
Set up I-PASS or confirm your E-ZPass before picking up the vehicle. Illinois tollways are cashless and violations stack up quickly if you drive through gantries without a registered payment method.
Book Sleeping Bear Dunes Platte River Campground and Indiana Dunes Campground through Recreation.gov before your trip. Both fill up well in advance for summer dates. D.H. Day at Sleeping Bear and Little Sand Bay at Apostle Islands are first-come/first-served; arrive early on summer mornings.
Speed Limits
Enforcement: Illinois State Police active on interstates. Chicago uses automated speed cameras in school zones and park zones, active 7 days a week 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. First offense $35, second offense $100. Many Wisconsin and Michigan two-lane roads have 55 mph limits that are actively enforced by county sheriffs.
Road Conditions
Chicago → Nashville (765km, 7 hours via I-65 south) — Through Kentucky with Louisville's Churchill Downs and bourbon country as natural overnight stops. The cleanest Midwest-to-South one-way in the Indie network.
Chicago → Denver (1,700km, allow 2-3 days via I-80 west through Nebraska) — Flat Great Plains driving with the Rocky Mountain front range rising suddenly at the end. Alternatively route via I-70 through Kansas City and the Flint Hills.
Chicago → Dallas (1,500km, allow 2 days via I-55 south through St. Louis and I-44) — Passes through the Ozarks and Oklahoma Route 66 country. Strong mid-distance one-way for a Southern road trip.
Chicago → Atlanta (1,100km, allow 1-2 days via I-65 south through Nashville) — Natural stop in Nashville breaks the drive cleanly. Nashville to Atlanta is another 290km.
No American city puts you at the start of more iconic road trips simultaneously. Route 66 begins here. The Great Lakes loop begins here. The Pacific Northwest run on I-90 begins here. The southern corridor to Nashville, Atlanta, and Miami begins here. Four of the most distinct American landscapes, including the Great Lakes shorelines, the Appalachians, the Great Plains, and the desert Southwest, are all accessible from a single place.
The Midwest's RV infrastructure is practical and affordable. Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan state parks are well-maintained with reasonable nightly rates. The Great Lakes NPS units are genuinely less crowded than their western counterparts. Illinois tollways are the main logistical wrinkle, but once you're past the Chicago metro the roads open up and the driving gets easy.
Chicago rewards a day or two before departure. Eat at Lou Mitchell's on Jackson Boulevard the morning you leave, drive south toward Route 66's first towns, and the trip has already started before you've left the city.
Route 66 Partial Run to St. Louis + Ozarks (1,100km, 7-8 days)
Chicago → Springfield via Route 66 (320km, 2 days) → St. Louis (160km, 1 night, Gateway Arch, Anheuser-Busch brewery tour) → Meramec Caverns State Park (90km, 1 night) → Ozark National Scenic Riverways (130km, 2 nights, float trips on the Current River) → return via I-44 and I-55 (450km). Strong Route 66 immersion without committing to the full cross-country run.
14+ Days
Full Route 66: Chicago to Los Angeles (3,900km, 14-18 days)
Chicago → Springfield (320km) → St. Louis (160km) → Meramec Caverns, Missouri (90km) → Oklahoma City (600km) → Amarillo, TX (290km, Cadillac Ranch) → Albuquerque, NM (460km, Old Town) → Santa Fe (100km, 2 nights) → Petrified Forest National Park/Painted Desert (350km) → Flagstaff (90km, Grand Canyon day trip 130km north) → Williams → Kingman → Mojave Desert → Barstow → Los Angeles (500km). Drop off at Indie Campers Los Angeles. The definitive American road trip.
Great Lakes Full Loop: Four States, Four Shorelines (3,200km+, 16-18 days)
Chicago → Indiana Dunes (1 night) → Detroit, MI (300km) → Sleeping Bear Dunes (280km, 2 nights) → Mackinac Bridge crossing into Upper Peninsula → Pictured Rocks (250km, 2 nights) → Apostle Islands/Bayfield, WI (230km, 2 nights) → Duluth, MN (100km, 1 night) → Minneapolis (250km, 1 night) → Madison, WI (390km, 1 night) → return to Chicago (250km). Covers all four Great Lakes states and three NPS lakeshores in one loop.
Most travelers find 7-9 days ideal for a Chicago city base combined with a Great Lakes loop to Door County and Sleeping Bear Dunes. The full Route 66 run needs a minimum of 14 days done properly; anything less means skipping too much.
Propane Refill Stations
Propane notes: Propane powers the fridge, stove, and onboard heating. A typical tank holds 20-30 gallons and costs $70-135 to fill from empty at current Illinois rates. No propane refill points exist inside Indiana Dunes, Sleeping Bear Dunes, or Pictured Rocks national parks. Refill in Chicago or the nearest service town before entering any park corridor.
Dump Stations
Most Illinois and Wisconsin state parks allow non-guest dumps for $10-15. Verify individual park policies via the Illinois Department of Natural Resources or Wisconsin DNR websites.
Essential Apps for Your Chicago RV Trip
Driving Culture
RV-Specific
Total estimates:
Budget: $1,600 (smaller RV, cook all meals, NPS campgrounds and free first-come sites, free Chicago attractions like Millennium Park and Lincoln Park Zoo, hiking and lakefront activities)
Mid-range: $3,000 (mid-size RV, mix of cooking and eating out, state park and NPS campground mix, Art Institute plus one Cubs or Bears game, architecture boat tour)
Premium: $5,000 (larger RV, frequent dining out, full-hookup private campgrounds, Lollapalooza tickets, Chicago stadium events, all major paid attractions)
Illinois and the Great Lakes region sit mid-range for US RV travel costs. Fuel prices run above Tennessee and the South but well below California. Tolls are the main budget variable specific to Chicago routes; a week on Illinois tollways can add $30-60 that most Southern or Western routes don't carry. The Great Lakes NPS campgrounds are genuinely affordable at $20-25/night, which keeps the overall cost reasonable even on longer trips.
Chicago → New York (1,270km, allow 2 days via I-80 east or I-90 through Cleveland and Buffalo) — The northern lake route through Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo is the most scenic option. Niagara Falls is a natural detour off I-90.
Chicago → Seattle (3,300km, allow 10-14 days via I-90 west) — Through South Dakota (Badlands, Mount Rushmore), Wyoming (Yellowstone), Montana, and Idaho. One of the strongest cross-country routes in the Indie US network.
Chicago → Los Angeles (3,900km via historic Route 66, allow 14-18 days) — The definitive American road trip. Mile zero is at Michigan Avenue and Adams Street in Grant Park, one block from the Art Institute. Drop off at Indie Campers Los Angeles.
Chicago → Miami (2,300km, allow 3-4 days via I-65 south through Nashville and Atlanta) — Nashville and Atlanta are natural two-night break points. The final stretch through Florida on I-75 passes through the Everglades.
One-way fees vary by route and season. Confirm availability and pricing at the time of booking.
In general, a special licence is not required to rent our RVs in Chicago. However, a valid driving license is required to operate our vehicles. For some non-EU citizens, a IDP is required, in addition to their home country's drivers licence. Other considerations such as a valid vehicle licence to the vehicle type (manual or automatic) will also be required. For more information regarding our licence requirements read this.
Yes, our campervans are pet-friendly you can bring your pet along in our campervans. Just make sure to purchase the extra cleaning service after during your booking. This service includes professional anti-allergic cleaning after your trip. Please note that only one pet is allowed per campervan, and it must weigh no more than 30kg. Keep in mind, we are not responsible for any legal fees related to traveling with your pet. For marketplace bookings, check the "vehicle rules" section for the pet-friendly icon to confirm if pets are allowed in that specific vehicle.
The number of people who can sleep in our campervans/motorhomes will depend on the size of the vehicle and the model. In general, our class C motorhome models can sleep up to 4-8 people, whereas our class B motorhomes and campervans can sleep up to 2-4. For cars with a rooftop tent, around 2 people can sleep in this vehicles. More details on our models and sleeping capacities can be found here.
If you are travelling in a motorhome, campervan or caravan around Chicago, it is important to understand official camping rules of the country you are visiting. As natural areas are generally protected by laws, using an official campsite or designated overnight parking area is highly recommended. This helps protect local communities and ensures you can all enjoy safely. Read more safety tips and protocols here.
We offer three protection plans to cover incidents and damages during your rental period. All Indie Campers campervans come with insurance for third-party vehicles and property damage (valid insurance will depend on the country). For marketplace vehicles, insurance options may vary based on the host. Learn more about our protection plans here.
Yes, our search filter allows you to find a campervan near your location using a 60km radius system. This means depending on the location you are searching from, you will be able to find an Indie campervan rental pick-up centre near you.
Yes, a selected number of Indie Campers RV rentals in Chicago include unlimited mileage, allowing you to explore freely and make the most of your road trip! Please note that unlimited mileage applies exclusively to Indie Campers RVs and is subject to responsible use.
Our Road Trips Itineraries
Our Campervans
“Pickup and drop off team was great! ”
“Great service and lovely people. The campers work excellent!”
“We had a fantastic experience with this RV! We drove over 3,500 miles and everything worked perfectly the entire trip—no issues at all. The RV was very reliable and comfortable. We were four adults traveling together and were able to adapt really well to the space. Sleeping arrangements were great, and we were pleasantly surprised by how spacious the bathroom was—it made a big difference during a long trip. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a smooth and enjoyable RV adventure!”
