This trip was one of my shorter ones, but I packed a lot in while I was on the road. This trip takes you through Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois and you'll end up in a different time zone, which is good going there, but bad coming back! The drive is pretty mundane except for the fields of Wind Turbines on I-65 in Indiana from mile markers 184 to 201. About an hour south of Chicago is Gary, IN which is an industrial town, however right off the highway is Michael Jackson's childhood home. It's located at 2300 Jackson St on the corner of 23rd and Jackson. Even though it's a VERY small house, you can't miss it because there is a huge white tent with a man selling Jackson memorabilia and playing Michael's music. There is a nice plaque out front, and on the side of the house are a couple boards where you can sign your name and leave little mementos. There are no tours offered, but if you have a few minutes to spare, and are a fan of the king of pop, I would suggest stopping by.

There are way too many things to do in a day and a half in Chicago, but I managed to squeeze a ton of stops. I stayed on S. Michigan Ave. which is across from Millennium and Grant Parks. In these conjoining parks you will find the Buckingham Fountain, Cloud Gate; a Kapoor Sculpture, the Crown Fountain, and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. If you have time I would recommend going to the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) and do the Skydeck experience. You ride an elevator up to the 103rd floor and can walk out into glass boxes for an amazing view. Depending on the time of day, you may have to wait up to 2 hours, but if you have the time to spare, it's worth it.

I also ventured up to the Lincoln Park area to check out Oz Park. Being a huge Wizard of Oz fan, I couldn't pass it up! The park was named in honor of the author L. Frank Baum, who was a former resident there. There are four statues in the park, including Dorthy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion.

For a more offbeat attraction, head over to 1005 N. Wolcott Ave. less than 10 minutes from Oz Park. There you will find, in a man's front yard, a water fountain titled "Shit Fountain." The Shit Fountain is very conspicuous and can't be missed. The story goes that the man who lives there got so fed up with neighbors not picking up after their dogs, he had a bronze replica made to serve as a constant reminder. After all that I went to a concert and then started the drive home.

#illinois #northamerica #indiana