15 Amazing Free Tourist Attractions in the Midwest
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
11. White Pines & Castle Rock State Forest
Location: Mt. Morris, Illinois
Castle Rock and White Pines are 2 great parks located within close proximity in Northern Illinois. White Pines is small at 385 acres, yet a beautiful place to picnic, hike, and enjoy the great outdoors. The picnic areas are beautiful with plenty of tree coverage for the hot summer months. Trails range from easy to moderate and offer great views of the limestone bluffs and pines. The best time to visit is during the tranquil winter months. After a snowstorm, you can enjoy cross country skiing or snowshoeing on 4.5 miles of mostly flat trail.
Castle Rock State Park is located on the beautiful Rock River in Oregon. The park is named after a sandstone bluff. There are 6 miles of trails to enjoy including numerous lookouts to enjoy the pretty river scenery. At just under 2 hours from the city, both parks combined are the perfect daytrip for nature lovers looking to escape the urban hustle and bustle for a few hours.
12. Eden Park
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
One of the treasures of Cincinnati is beautiful Eden Park. Along with walking trails, lakes, the iconic Mirror Lake Bettman Fountain, and an ongoing lineup of events, Eden is home to some of the city’s premier attractions. Most notably, the beautiful and free Cincinnati Art Museum draws plenty of tourists. Other attractions include Krohn Conservatory (a small, yet beautiful nature escape), a 172-foot high Water Tower established in 1894, and the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Don’t miss out on the Eden Park overlook – one of the most scenic viewpoints in the city!
13. Cleveland Metroparks
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Surprisingly, Cleveland is home to one of the best park systems in the US. With 18 reservations covering 24,000 acres, you will never run out of fun ways to explore the outdoors. In 2021, Cleveland Metroparks was honored with the “Best in Nation” award for excellence in parks and recreation management. Hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, beaches, picnicking, fishing, and boat ramps give you plenty of opportunities for getting in a great workout or just enjoying time in nature.
The Cleveland Metroparks zoo is one of the best in the country, although a bit pricey. Edgewater Park is one of the most beautiful destinations and features swimming and dog beaches, a gorgeous waterfront bike path (the 17 mile Lakefront BIkeway), fantastic views of the skyline, picnic areas, and plenty of green space. Also check out the gorgeous 50+ mile long Emerald Necklace trail which connects various parks.
Cleveland Metroparks directory
14. Buckingham Fountain
Location: Chicago, Illinois
This iconic landmark, which opened in 1927 in Grant Park (“Chicago’s Front Yard” is home to many events), is one of the world’s largest fountains. This is easily one of the best places to take pictures in the city. Chicago’s incredible skyline in the background really leads to some amazing photos. There’s lots of open space to take a walk, people watch, and just enjoy being out in nature taking various photos of the fountain at different angles. Also be sure to visit at night – the fountain looks even more stunning lit up. The music and light show lasts about 20 minutes and occurs every hour beginning at dusk.
Learn more about Buckingham Fountain
15. Free museum days
Location: Various
There are many interesting museums to visit throughout the Midwest, and fortunately, free admission is easily found throughout the year. Chicago is home to the best museums. The renowned Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and The Art Institute offer free dates for Illinois residents throughout the year. Not a resident? There are still plenty of fun free museums to explore anytime.
Bank of America cardholders get into many world class museums for free on the first full weekend of each month. This is a great program called Museums on US which opens museum access to many who would otherwise not be able to afford to go. Here are a few of the best freebies in the Midwest:
- Illinois: Adler Planetarium, The Art Institute, Museum of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Science and Industry, The Morton Arboretum.
- Indiana – Indianapolis Museum of Art
- Iowa – Science Center of Iowa
- Michigan – Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
- Minnesota – Mill City Museum, Minnesota History Center
- Missouri – Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, National World War I Museum and Memorial
- Ohio – Great Lakes Science Center, The Dayton Art Institute
*Also check each individual museum’s website for additional free dates throughout the year.
