10 of the Best Road Trips to Take When You Need to Escape Illinois This Winter

When the holiday season is over and the weather really starts to get cold here in Illinois, the urge to get away kicks into overdrive. To me, the month of January is a real bummer. It's cold, I have to take all my holiday decorations down, it's boring, and I don't like it at all. Taking a beach vacation or going somewhere warm is always a great way to beat the winter blues,  but sometimes that big of a trip is just not in the cards...or the budget.

Here's the thing though, recharging your batteries doesn't always require a plane ride. Just getting out of your house and exploring someplace new can really do wonders for your attitude, (and the cold doesn't seem as hard to deal with if you're away from home). If a quick trip to someplace in your car is more up your alley soon, here are some great places to go according to thrillist.com: