Top 5 Best Cities to Visit in the Midwest

By:  Herald Stromer

Map of the Midwest (USA)

The Midwest is known for its friendly people, phenomenal cities and gorgeous countryside. However, as the Midwest covers such a substantial area it’s difficult to pin down which cities are really worth visiting, especially if you’ve never been there before.

To make this a little easier for you, we’ve rounded up what we believe to be 5 of the absolute best cities in the Midwest, including an explanation of why we believe they deserve the honor:

The Chicago River as seen from the Lake Street Bridge.

1. Chicago

One of the Midwest’s most legendary cities, Chicago is a city that everyone should put on their bucket list. Legendary, gorgeous and full of excitement, this city really has to be seen to be believed. Key attractions include Navy Pier, the various museums at Museum Campus, the Art Institute of Chicago and the various casinos located on the outskirts of the city. And don’t forget about the local food scene, as Chicago gets top notches for its colorful culinary offerings ranging from deep dish pizza to playing host to the only three-star Michelin restaurant in the Midwest.

Aerial view of St. Louis, Missouri, USA

2. St. Louis

St. Louis often gets looked over as a tourist destination, but it really shouldn’t be! This city is steeped in history and offers a plethora of tourist attractions. Top attractions include St. Louis Zoo, Gateway Arch, City Garden and Saint Louis Art Museum. Another highlight of this city is its blues music history, so if you’re a fan of the blues, expect to find multiple bars and restaurants hosting phenomenal live blues music night after night.

The lights of downtown Cleveland reflected in the Cuyahoga River

3. Cleveland

Cleveland Ohio is a great place to take the family for a city vacation. This very family friendly city features great attractions that including the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and SeaWorld Ohio. Just make sure you visit these outdoorsy attractions in the spring and summer months, as Cleveland does tend to get very chilly during the wintertime.

Kansas City, Missouri skyline

4. Kansas City

A visit to Kansas City can be a ton of fun, with plenty of museums, theaters, restaurants and jazz music venues to choose from. And a particular highlight of visiting Kansas City is that it is renowned throughout the country for its affordability, so if you’re on a particularly tight budget, this may very well be one of the most budget friendly Midwest cities to visit.

Milwaukee Art Museum

5. Milwaukee

If you decide to go to Chicago, definitely add Milwaukee to your trip, as it’s only a two hour drive from the Windy City. Highlights of this low key yet attractive city include the Milwaukee County Zoo, the Harley-Davidson Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, Discovery World and multiple bike trails and parks. It may not be as glamorous as Chicago, but this charming city is still absolutely worth a visit.

Of course there are many other fantastic Midwest cities worth visiting while in the area, but above are what we believe to be the very best. Enjoy!