✨ Day Trip Around Chicago | Farm + Small Town Getaway 🌾

Just an hour and a half drive from downtown Chicago, you can escape into nature and explore a charming farm and a picturesque town! My route: U-Pick Farm → Lake Forest Town → Korean Food → Back to the city 🌟 🌾 Farm: Stade’s Farm & Market 📍 3709 Miller Rd, McHenry, IL 60051 The farm provides super detailed information on their official website. For limited-time events and updates, make sure to check their Instagram stories and Facebook page! Their U-Pick is currently in apple season 🍎, but that’s not all! You can also pick various vegetables like tomatoes 🍅, peppers 🌶️, cauliflower 🥦, potatoes 🥔, beets 🫒, and more. They even have incredibly sweet raspberries! The smallest bag for apples or veggies is $10, and you can fill it as much as possible—though the bag is pretty small. Most families opt for the $40 box, which is way more spacious and cost-effective! They also have a beautiful flower field with seasonal blooms 🌹. For $25, you get a vase and can fill it with as many flowers as you can fit! The vase is quite large, so if you take your time, it’s totally worth it. I personally went with a $20 apple bag and a $10 veggie bag. It took me about two hours to pick everything—apples were easy, but the vegetable fields are huge, so be prepared to spend some time! Their peppers are flavorful and don’t take up much space—highly recommend ✅. If picking isn’t your thing, they have a big market selling fresh produce, meat, and desserts. I bought blueberries for $3.99 a box—cheaper than the supermarket! Their donuts 🍩 are delicious but on the sweeter side. After picking, I headed to Lake Forest—a lovely little town. When I visited, there was an art fair with local artists selling paintings and sculptures 🎨. The town itself has cute boutiques, and there are even antique shops nearby perfect for browsing. It’s also conveniently on the way back to the city! To avoid rush hour traffic, I decided to have dinner nearby—and it turned out to be amazing! 🥣 Chicago Galbi House 📍 340 W Half Day Rd, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 This Korean restaurant is incredible! They serve Korean-style raw marinated crab—highly recommend the soy sauce version. It’s a bit salty but super fresh and honestly the best I’ve had in the U.S. 🦀 They also have a mushroom hotpot that’s generous in portion and full of flavor. One order comes with a plate of meat, a huge portion of mushrooms, and udon noodles—enough for two people! And at the end of the meal, they give you free ice cream! If it weren’t so far, I’d be here every week ✅. Have you been to a U-Pick farm near Chicago? What’s your favorite hidden gem outside the city? Share your recommendations below! 👇💬 #Chicago #ChicagoDayTrip #ChicagoLife #Chicagogram #ChicagoFun #ChicagoTravel #ChicagoSurroundings