driving from Chicago to Canada(Winnipeg)

Has anyone ever done this route?

If so, what stops would you reccommend for a famiy trip...2 adults, kids age 5 %26amp; 15 yrs?

Is this a feasable idea or a very silly one?

We are intending to visit in August so at least the weather should be fine!

Happy to take 2/3 days to do it in %26amp; husband loves driving so thats not a problem!

Any advice please, also on how easy it will be to take rental car across border!

driving from Chicago to Canada(Winnipeg)

After reading your previous posts, you seem determined to do this despite the several posts you%26#39;ve received detailing why it wasn%26#39;t a good idea.

Just let me add to the info they%26#39;ve already provided. It%26#39;s around 12-13 hours (900 miles/1400 km) each way, without stops. I can%26#39;t imagine anyone, let alone a 5-year-old, would be very agreeable after a car trip of that length.

As several previous posters have already told you, it%26#39;s not easy to take a car across the border, some rental companies have clauses in their contracts prohibiting it. Others allow it, but charge hefty fees to do so.

As for the weather, it will be warm but not necessarily fine. August in the US and Canadian plains is often very hot and humid with temps between 90潞-100潞F. The heat and humidity combine to create a perfect environment for severe thunderstorms that can appear from nowhere and move very quickly.

driving from Chicago to Canada(Winnipeg)

Sorry i asked!

I must say i do find some of these replies on Trip Advisor very un - friendly!

Think I will look elswhere!

I have no comments about the whole car rental across the border thing.

But I live in Canada and I have done this driving trip with my family, in our car . However, we did not do the drive in one shot. We broke our trip in Minneapolis overnight.Chicago to Minneapolis is about a 6-7 hour drive, and then it is an 8 hour drive to Winnipeg.You even might want to spend a day in Minneapolis, as it is a lovely city, and there are lots of great things for kids there(in addition to the Mall of America). And between Chicago and Minneapolis, you go through Wisconsin Dells, which has some impressive looking waterparks and waterslides.It%26#39;s a very doable trip in 2 days of driving, and in 3 days you could have fun in either Minneapolis or Wisconsin Dells- if I had 4 days , I%26#39;d do both and my kids would be in heaven..

My husband and I are doing that same trip from Chicago to Winnipeg in August as well.

According to map quest it%26#39;s 7 hours from Chicago to Minneapolis, we%26#39;re staying there for the night, then back home to Winnipeg (about 8 hours).

I%26#39;ve done this drive (I live near Winnipeg). We always make the stop at Minneapolis, it%26#39;s right along the way.

Thanks for your positive replies..you have restored my faith in Trip advisor!

We intend to stay over in Minneapolis too!

Hi salmalcolm!

Idmama has a good idea for you and I would highly recommend it. Stop in Wisconsin Dells as it%26#39;s right on the way between Chicago and Minneapolis. The Dells is full of family friendly fun.... check out the forum about the Dells and you%26#39;ll be able to find out what your family would most be interested in. Also stopping in Minneapolis is another good break in driving. The MN Zoo is great...and there%26#39;s plenty to see indoors if the weather is bad. Mall of America is another place to check out, esp. Nickelodeon Universe. Lots of places to eat at the MOA too, with a wide range of prices and menus. In fact the MN Zoo and MOA are within a 15 minute drive of each other.

For instance, Wisc. Dells to MN Zoo is little less than 4 hours. You could be at the Zoo by noon. Spend a couple of hours there, check into your hotel (and there are several just blocks from the MOA) and spend the rest of the evening at the theme park inside the mall, eat dinner at one of the many great restaurants, shop around and call it an evening. The next morning, head to Canada. That would be a longer drive.... maybe 10 hours?

Here%26#39;s what I found about driving a rental car across the border:

Driving a rental car across the US-Canadian border is usually not a problem, so long as you have made this arrangement with the car rental company. Make sure you have a copy of the rental agreement with you, and that is states you have permission to take the vehicle across the border. Remember a passport for each person,and the car rental and insurance papers.

Hope you have a great time!

Hi there! I was going to suggest the Dells/MN stops as well. They are LOADS of fun. Have your faith restored in TA and look at all the friendly responses from Winnipeg. It is not called Friendly Manitoba for nothing. ;) As a previous poster said it normally is hot in August but as long as you have some air conditioning or windows that go all the way down it will be fine.

Anyway, I am adding info. b/c I wanted you to know that we have taken rental cars across the border many times and had no problem at all. It may be different if you are only doing the drive one way and want to leave the car in Winnipeg. That you will probably have to talk to the car rental agency about. I am hoping to do this drive the opposite way next summer so I would love to hear how your time went. I love road trips!

Thank you so much for your really helpful replies.

I need to look more into the car rental thing but thats proving to be hard on line, think I%26#39;ll have to speak to a real person!!

Ideally we would like to fly out of Winnipeg back to Toronto %26amp; so would only need the car one way which i think would be a problem, unless we can drop at the border? Then pick up another once we%26#39;ve crossed into Canada?

I do like to complicate things!

At least we feel now it will actually be a great way of seeing more of US as well as Canada!

Heat doesn%26#39;t worry us, we%26#39;ve done Florida many times in the past!