Be sure to check out the How to Spend 1 Day in Cincinnati itinerary for more ideas planning your trip to Midwest USA!
*Last updated November 9, 2024
Best Things to Do in Midwest USA
illinois
Chicago is the largest city in the Midwest Region and the third largest city in the United States. It is a city with so much to do including great restaurants, theaters, sports franchises and more.
- Chicago, Navy Pier & Millennium Park
- Shawnee National Forrest
- Starved Rock State Park
indiana
Indianapolis is the largest city in Indiana. Additionally, Indianan is home to Indiana Dunes National Park along the north shore.
iowa
The Midwest is well known for farmland and corn fields and Iowa is no exception. In fact, it is home to possibly the most famous corn field from the movie, Field of Dreams. You can visit the sight of the movie and Major League Baseball will occasionally host games there.
- Field of Dreams
- Maquoketa Caves State Park
- National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
kansas
Kansas is flat, very flat. And has lots of farmland. However, there are definitely some sights that are worth visiting.
- Boot Hill Museum
- Botanica, The Wichita Gardens
- Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead
- Sedgwick County Zoo
michigan
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is amazing and probably should be a national park. Additionally, there are a lot of great beach towns along Lake Michigan and the largest city, Detroit, is known as “Motor City” because of its car making history. Also, the Upper Peninsula “U.P.” is home to Isle Royale National Park.
- Detroit and the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
- Grand Rapids and the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
- Isle Royale NP
- Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Traverse City and Mackinac Island
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Upper Peninsula and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Minnesota
Minnesota is the land of a 10,000 lakes and it’s largest city, Minneapolis is home to the Mall of America. Additionally, Voyageurs National Park is one of the least visited national parks due to it’s remote location in northern Minnesota.
- Minneapolis, Mill City Museum and the Mall of America
- Voyageurs National Park
Missouri
St Louis and Gateway Arch National Park are located in Missouri. There are a lot of great options to see while visiting. Additionally, remember that the big Kansas City is located in Missouri and not Kansas.
- Kansas City and the National WWI Museum and Memorial
- Lake of the Ozarks
- Silver Dollar City Amusement Park
- St Louis, City Museum, St Louis Zoo, Grant’s Farm, and Gateway Arch NP
nebraska
Nebraska falls on the western side of the region bordering the Rocky Mountain Region. Any trip traveling west to Colorado or Wyoming will likely pass through the state.
- Carhenge
- Chimney Rock National Historic Site
- Lincoln, Children’s Zoo and Sunken Gardens
- Omaha and the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
- Scotts Bluff National Monument
ohio
I live in Ohio, which explains why there are so many entries here. However, the state has a lot of variety from Lake Erie to north, cornfields in the middle, Appalachian Mountains to the east and the mighty Ohio River to the South.
wisconsin
The entire eastern side of Wisconsin runs along Lake Michigan. The Door Peninsula starts at Green Bay and extends north. Additionally, Wisconsin’s largest city, Milwaukee, lies further south.
- Cave of the Mounds
- Devil’s Lake State Park
- The Door Peninsula and Peninsula State Park
- Green Bay
- Harley-Davidson Museum
- The House on the Rock
- Madison
- Milwaukee
- Olbrich Botanical Gardens
- The Wisconsin Dells