This is Get Out of Dodge, where we lead you to the best places to Eat, Shop, and Play just outside of, yes, Dodge.
Even with endless urban sprawl, somehow it's still so easy to feel locked into the same five neighborhoods of Chicago. Find immediate relief from the familiar just outside city limits in the Calumet Region of southwest Chicago and northwest Indiana, an underappreciated beauty with the street action of a Midwestern Champs d'Elysees.
Here, you'll find blue collar treasures such as a 60-year-old James Beard winning smokehouse, a classic burger chain honoring the legacy of the quintessential greasy spoon, and a F&W Best New Chef winner hiding out in an industrial park beer temple. Click through our slide show for a weekend itinerary. [The Feast]
Ed. Note: It is entirely possible to bike this trip—it's just not recommended unless you're an experienced cyclist or have a death wish.
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PHOTOS: Get Out of Dodge and Explore Champaign-Urbana
