Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Chicago to Columbus. If you're planning a road trip to Columbus, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Traveling with a dog or cat? Find pet-friendly stops. Camping along the way? Search for RV campgrounds. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.
10:00 am start in Chicago
drive for about 50 minutes
10:50 am Indiana Dunes State Park (Dunes Nature Preserve)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 11:50 am
drive for about 57 minutes
12:47 pm South Bend
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 1:47 pm
drive for about 2.5 hours
4:18 pm Toledo (Ohio)
stay overnight and leave the next day around 11:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 4.5 hours
find more stops
11:00 am leave from Toledo (Ohio)
drive for about 2 hours
12:49 pm Cleveland
eat at Lola
stay for about 1.5 hours
and leave at 2:19 pm
drive for about 2 hours
4:30 pm arrive in Columbus
day 2 driving ≈ 4 hours
find more stops
Indiana Dunes State Park (Dunes Nature Preserve) (4 mentions)
South Bend (7 answers)
Toledo (Ohio) (8 answers)
Toledo Zoo (2 mentions)
questions about Toledo (Ohio):
Where's a fun place for breakfast in Toledo Ohio?
Cleveland (69 answers)
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (13 mentions)
The Cleveland Museum of Art (12 mentions)
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (6 mentions)
West Side Market (6 mentions)
Great Lakes Brewing Company (5 mentions)
restaurants around Cleveland:
Lola
Lolita
The Greenhouse Tavern
Melt Bar & Grilled
L'Albatros
questions about Cleveland:
Good restaurants for business dinner?
What is your favorite restaurant in Cleveland?
What's the best neighborhood in Cleveland for a first time visitor?
New to the city, friend coming to visit: What should we do?
Fun things to do
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest Late Night Slice, which was mentioned 5 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Columbus? Click the blue button below.
This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.
These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:
Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!
For example, here are some questions people have asked about Columbus. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Katie from Los Angeles asked:
What's the best neighborhood in Columbus for a first time visitor? (15 answers)
Valerie from Los Angeles asked:
What is your favorite restaurant in Columbus? (7 answers)
Hannah from Milwaukee asked:
Where should we eat in Columbus? (6 answers)
Daphne from Chicago asked:
What to see and eat in Short North with just a day? (6 answers)
Bob from asked:
Traveling thru Columbus Ohio on I -71 need a motel near by. (3 answers)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Columbus.
Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!
Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Columbus to Chicago drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Chicago to Columbus. Or get a full Chicago to Columbus flight plan.
Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.
And if you know Chicago well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Chicago!