1. Become mesmerized at the country’s largest magic museum
Driving time from Chicago: About three hours
You'll find everything from obscure conjuring tomes to equipment used in Harry Houdini's most famous escape acts at the American Museum of Magic in Marshall, Michigan, home to the biggest collection of magic ephemera in the United States. With more than 350,000 artifacts onsite, there's more than enough magical entertainment to fill an afternoon: Take a self-guided tour through magic history, try to squeeze into a replica of Houdini's Milk Can Escape or book an appointment at the museum's Lund Memorial Library to pore over archival materials.