Meet in the middle: St. Louis, Chicago, and Omaha edition
December 15, 2022 11:00 AM Subscribe
We have 6 kids and 6 adults who live in St Louis, Chicago, and Omaha and would all like to get together for 5 days this summer. Everyone wants to drive and we would like to find a place where no one has to drive more than 6 hours, so where should we go? Renting a house together (e.g., on a lake) would be nice but we're open to other ideas.
Mark Twain Lake (Northeast Missouri) is better geographically for your group and will likely be way less touristy.
posted by schyler523 at 11:23 AM on December 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by schyler523 at 11:23 AM on December 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
There's great cabins and camping around Savanna, IL, with dramatic bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. That's about 5.5 hours from Omaha and better for St Louis and Chicago.
posted by dis_integration at 12:05 PM on December 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by dis_integration at 12:05 PM on December 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
I think the Quad Cities would be a great meeting place.
For a lake location, but with longer drive times for Chicago and St. Louis, you could go to Twin Lakes, IA. There's a variety of lake houses there. I rented a great house there with 6 adults and 4 kids - worked great. Memail me if you want a link.
posted by hydra77 at 12:58 PM on December 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
For a lake location, but with longer drive times for Chicago and St. Louis, you could go to Twin Lakes, IA. There's a variety of lake houses there. I rented a great house there with 6 adults and 4 kids - worked great. Memail me if you want a link.
posted by hydra77 at 12:58 PM on December 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Pattee Hotel is fun with a good diner attached. Nearby Des Moines has a nice art center, botanical garden, and history museum, plus that golden capitol which is very pretty inside.
The Omaha contingent can stop at Drew's in Dexter and get chocolate for everyone.
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 5:21 PM on December 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
The Omaha contingent can stop at Drew's in Dexter and get chocolate for everyone.
posted by intrepid_simpleton at 5:21 PM on December 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
Dubuque and/or Galena might be good candidates?
posted by the christopher hundreds at 7:03 PM on December 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by the christopher hundreds at 7:03 PM on December 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
It's been decades since I've been, but Quad Cities is really nice and probably right around the sweet spot for all driving. Cedar Rapids, Des Moines or maybe even Iowa City would be good options, too. Amana Colonies might be fun, too, and renting a house there, I would assume, should be relatively cheap.
Again, it's been a long time, but I would lean hard towards Quad Cities. It seemed to have something for everyone.
Would love to hear what you finally decide on.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 6:45 AM on December 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
Again, it's been a long time, but I would lean hard towards Quad Cities. It seemed to have something for everyone.
Would love to hear what you finally decide on.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 6:45 AM on December 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
You could use this website to find the most central meeting place: meetways.com
posted by Kangaroo at 3:34 PM on December 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Kangaroo at 3:34 PM on December 16, 2022 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by coffeecat at 11:09 AM on December 15, 2022