Make Your Next Vacation a Staycation

The economic state has many penny wise people shying away from yearly vacations.

Instead, they're hoarding their savings beneath mattresses and locking up their checkbooks.

Luckily, in Bolingbrook, there is a great opportunity for a "staycation" just 30 miles to the east along I-55—Chicago is the perfect place to easily get away for a day, without necessarily spending a bundle. 

The term staycation has been adopted to illustrate a day or weekend trip at home, or close to home, to save money and still offer the opportunity to "get away" from the "to-do" list at home.

For Bolingbrook, Chicago offers just that.

Many assume a trip to the city will be too hard on the pocketbook.

But if done right, this is not the case. The city houses a variety of activities that could fill a full weekend with next to nothing in terms of cost. 

Chicago has an 18 mile lakefront trail that runs along Lake Michigan, intersecting parks and beaches as it hugs the shoreline. A walk or ride along this path is completely free and allows great views of the skyline as well as the lake. The parks along the shore are also free and a great place for relaxing and barbecuing, even in the crisp fall air. 

The main attractions in the city are not always wallet thieves either.

Most museums offer a few free entrance days every month and a trip to the Sears Tower or people watching down the famous Michigan Avenue does not cost a thing.

Watching the hustle and bustle of the city can also be fun, knowing its only a quick drive back to home-sweet-Bolingbrook-home.

For those with children, the Lincoln Park Zoo is free and full of hours of animal watching fun and there are more than 500 playgrounds, some of which incorporate entire themes, like creating music, into the play structures.

Combining a few of these free activities can make for a great day trip, one that can refresh and renew and still allow time to be home for dinner.

And the best part? It's just a 45 minute ride from home.