Chicago To Yellowstone Road Trip: The Ultimate Guide

Traveling from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park is one of the best journeys you can experience in the USA. The 1,338 miles of road trip from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park takes around 19 hours and 58 mins of driving without stops.

In this article, we share the 16 top tips that turn your Yellowstone National Park trip into an unforgettable journey. So if you’re looking for the best places to stop, the best hotels, and restaurants on the road trip from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park, keep reading!

5 Best Hotels On The Way From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park

On the way from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park, you may want to stay at some points on the way. Here are the top 5 hotels on the Chicago – Yellowstone National Park route!

1. Graduate Madison: Graduate Madison is one of the best hotels where you can stay on the Chicago – Yellowstone National Park route. Driving from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park might take around 2 hours and 23 mins. This hotel is located in the city center, has its own parking lot, and offers allergen-free room options. Check the Graduate Madison on TripAdvisor and Booking.com for recent reviews, prices, and availability.
2. Home2 Suites by Hilton Des Moines at Drake University: Another top hotel where you can choose the stay on the road trip to Yellowstone National Park from Chicago is Home2 Suites by Hilton Des Moines at Drake University. The hotel is 334 miles away from Chicago, and it would take 4 hours and 59 mins to drive. The hotel offers free breakfast, free parking space, a pool, and a gymnasium for children. Pets are also welcome at this hotel. If you want to learn more about the Home2 Suites by Hilton Des Moines at Drake University, you can check it on TripAdvisor or Booking.com.
3. Hilton Garden Inn Sioux Falls Downtown: Didn’t our first two hotel suggestions interest you? So we would like to introduce you to the Hilton Garden Inn Sioux Falls Downtown. Hilton Garden Inn Sioux Falls Downtown is 574 miles away from Chicago, and you can arrive there with 8 hours 23 mins of non-stop driving. This hotel offers free parking and accessible rooms, and pets are welcome. Check the TripAdvisor and Booking.com pages of Hilton Garden Inn Sioux Falls Downtown for more information.
4. Tru By Hilton Rapid City Rushmore, Sd: The next hotel suggestion is Tru By Hilton Rapid City Rushmore, Sd, which is 909 miles from Chicago. Tru By Hilton Rapid City Rushmore, Sd, is also 344 miles away from the previous suggestion; Hilton Garden Inn Sioux Falls Downtown. This hotel offers free parking and free breakfast, making it an excellent choice for guests looking for convenient amenities. In addition to game rooms, social areas, and working areas, the hotel also features a pool. If you need more info about the price and availability of Tru By Hilton Rapid City Rushmore, Sd, check the TripAdvisor and Booking.com pages.
5. Robins Nest Bed & Breakfast: Our next hotel is Robins Nest Bed & Breakfast. It will take 18 hours, and 57 mins of car ride o reach this hotel from Chicago. This Quain and Romantic Style hotel welcome pets. Plus, it offers free parking and breakfast. Check the Robins Nest Bed & Breakfast on TripAdvisor, and Booking.com pages Robins Nest Bed & Breakfast for reviews, prices, and availability.

In this part, we explained five different hotels you can stay at on the road trip from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park. You can pick one of them that suits your taste. Don’t forget to share your experience by writing a comment to this post. It will help people who will take the same Chicago to Yellowstone National Park route.

Now, it’s time to discover the best restaurants from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park. We have five restaurant recommendations worth your attention.

5 Best Restaurants On The Way To Yellowstone National Park From Chicago

If dining is a pleasure, some restaurants will please you on your Chicago to Yellowstone National Park road trip. In this section, we list the five different restaurants to dine at on the road trip from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park. Stay hungry and enjoy!

1. Pullman Bar Dinner, Iowa City: We would like to start our restaurant recommendation list from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park with Pullman Bar Dinner, Iowa City. It is 223 miles from Chicago and would take 3 hours and 22 mins of driving. Breakfast and dinner are both available at this restaurant. If you want to enjoy a drink, you can do so during your meal. The hotel accepts American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa as methods of payment. For more information about the Pullman Bar Dinner, Iowa City, you can visit the TripAdvisor page of Pullman Bar Dinner, Iowa City.
2. Plank Seafood Provisions, Omaha: Another top restaurant you can choose to eat at on the road trip to Yellowstone National Park from Chicago is Plank Seafood Provisions, Omaha. The restaurant is 466 miles from Chicago and would take 6 hours and 54 mins of driving. If you enjoy seafood, be sure not to miss this restaurant, where you can find stylish seating areas both outdoors and inside. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are also available here. If you want to learn more about Plank Seafood Provisions, Omaha, you can check it on TripAdvisor.
3. Los Jalapenos, Lexington: Another restaurant that can be preferred by those who are fond of food is Los Jalapenos, Lexington. It will take 9 hours 58 mins of car drive to take 683 miles from Chicago. The family-owned business is favored thanks to its delicious Mexican dishes and warm atmosphere. For more information, you can check Los Jalapenos, Lexington on TripAdvisor.
4. Anong’s Thai Cuisine, Rawlins: Anong’s Thai Cuisine, Rawlins deserves to be on our list. If you’re looking for a restaurant with Far Eastern cuisine, you should check out this place. They have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available as well. Anong’s Thai Cuisine, Rawlins, is 1,106 miles away from Chicago, and it would take 16 hours and 2 mins of non-stop car driving. If you want to learn more about Anong’s Thai Cuisine, Rawlins, you can check it on TripAdvisor.
5. Cowboy Cafe, Dubois: If you enjoy dining, Cowboy Cafe, Dubois, would be an excellent choice for you. It’s 1,304 miles away from Chicago, and it would take 19 hours and 1 min of car driving. If you’re looking for a restaurant that offers great food at breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, you won’t be disappointed there! If you want to learn more about the Cowboy Cafe, Dubois, you can check it on TripAdvisor.

This section lists our five restaurant recommendations for you to eat on your Chicago to Yellowstone National Park road trip. We hope these suggestions will help you turn your 1,338 miles journey into a feast of taste. Of course, you can choose a suitable restaurant from the list according to your preference. Remember, people who are planning a Yellowstone National Park road trip, like you, need your opinion. Therefore, we kindly ask you to share your experience with us in the comment field at the end of the blog post.

In the next section, we list the destinations worth seeing along the route from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park. Keep reading.

6 Places To Visit On The Way From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park

A unique experience awaits you in Yellowstone National Park. However, there are also some unique destinations on the road trip. Now, we would like to explain to you six different destinations that we will recommend on the Yellowstone National Park route.

• Anderson Japanese Gardens: Anderson Japanese Gardens will be the first destination we recommend you to stop by on your Chicago to Yellowstone National Park road trip. Anderson Japanese Gardens is 85.2 miles away from Chicago, and it would take 1 hour and 30 mins to drive. A walk in this garden can help ease leg fatigue. Walking on pleasant roads will give you enough rest, and you can discard any tiredness from your walk afterward. If you want to learn more about the Anderson Japanese Gardens, you can check it on TripAdvisor or the official website.
• Wisconsin State Capitol: Wisconsin State Capitol is one of the destinations we recommend you to stop by on the Chicago to Yellowstone National Park route. It’s 147 miles from Chicago, and it’ll take about 2 hours and 21 mins of driving. The building, which is famous for its granite dome, is located in the city. Do not continue without seeing it. If you want to learn more about the Wisconsin State Capitol, you can check it on TripAdvisor or their website.
• Grandad Bluff: One of the stops you should not neglect to stop by when you take the road trip from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park is Grandad Bluff. You can arrive at Grandad Bluff after 4 hours 19 mins of driving. If you’re looking for a scenic view of the Mississippi River, be sure to pause here, where there are pleasant walking paths and landscape terraces. You can visit TripAdvisor and the official site of Grandad Bluff for more information.
• Sioux Falls: Do you also like to travel and experience new things? Then, you should visit Sioux Falls on the road trip from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park. Sioux Falls is 574 miles from Chicago, and you can arrive there after the 8 hours and 24 mins of drive. The park has a natural waterfall in the middle of the city. It is a great place to take a break from the city noise and enjoy nature. In addition, you should check TripAdvisor and the official website of Sioux Falls before going there.
• Rapid City: ranks fifth in our list of tourist destinations on the Yellowstone National Park road trip. You must take 13 hours and 3 mins of driving to arrive at Rapid City. There are many interesting places to visit in this city, ranging from iconic tourist destinations like Mount Rushmore and Devil’s Tower to more hidden gems. You can enjoy guided tours that will give you a unique perspective on these locations or simply wander around on your own and take in the sights and sounds of this vibrant city. If you want to learn more about Rapid City, you can check it on TripAdvisor or the official website.
• Cody: Another attraction you can visit on the Chicago to Yellowstone National Park road trip is Cody. Cody is 1,287 miles from Chicago, and it would take 18 hours and 58 mins to drive. If you’re interested in exploring history, then stop by Old Trail Town. It’s a great place to take a journey back in time and learn more about the area’s past. For more information about Cody, you can check their TripAdvisor page or official website.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Road Trip From Chicago to Yellowstone National Park

How Long Is The Road Trip From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park?

There is a distance of 1,338 miles between Chicago and Yellowstone National Park. It takes approximately 19 hours and 58 mins to travel this distance by car. If you want to make the Chicago to Yellowstone National Park road trip by bike, the time you will spend on the road will be four days and 16 hours. If you are crazy enough and plan to walk the Chicago-Yellowstone National Park route, then you will have to walk for 17 days and 16 hours.

Where Do You Stop On Driving From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park?

We have a few suggestions for you if you want to turn the Chicago to Yellowstone National Park journey into a unique experience.

If you are planning to visit historical/touristic places on this journey, you can consider visiting Anderson Japanese Gardens, Wisconsin State Capitol, Grandad Bluff, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Cody.

If you want to eat special meals at nice restaurants on your Chicago to Yellowstone National Park road trip; we can recommend Pullman Bar Dinner, Iowa City, Plank Seafood Provisions, Omaha, Los Jalapenos, Lexington, Anong’s Thai Cuisine, Rawlins, Cowboy Cafe, Dubois restaurants to you. For more information about the best restaurants on the Chicago to Yellowstone National Park journey, you can check the 6 Best Restaurants On The Way From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park section.

Where Should You Stay On The Road Trip From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park?

There are many excellent hotels during your Chicago to Yellowstone National Park road trip. Among these hotels, we have selected 5 hotels for you. These are; Graduate Madison, Home2 Suites by Hilton Des Moines at Drake University, Hilton Garden Inn Sioux Falls Downtown, Tru By Hilton Rapid City Rushmore, Sd, Robins Nest Bed & Breakfast. You can find detailed information about these hotels in the 5 Best Restaurants On The Way To Yellowstone National Park From Chicago section.

What Is There To See Between Chicago to Yellowstone National Park?

Anderson Japanese Gardens, Wisconsin State Capitol, Grandad Bluff, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Cody are the top 6 places to visit on the road trip from Chicago to Yellowstone National Park. You can get detailed information about these places in the 6 Places To Visit On The Way From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park part of the article.