Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Crystal Lake travel guide

Crystal Lake Tourism | Crystal Lake Guide

You're Going to Love Crystal Lake

With a population of 40,743, Crystal Lake is a must-see destination in Illinois, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Crystal Lake has to offer.

Where to Eat in Crystal Lake

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Cottage Pub (6 E Crystal Lake Ave) and 815 Chop House (394 W Virginia St) are great picks.

When to visit Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake in January
Estimated hotel price
$93
1 night at 3-star hotel
Crystal Lake in January
Estimated hotel price
$93
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Crystal Lake

Plane

Although Crystal Lake doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Chicago All airports (CHI), which is located 69 km from Crystal Lake. Chicago All airports is the most popular, with regular flights from Southwest, Lufthansa, United Airlines and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Crystal Lake departs from Atlanta and takes around 2h 03m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Crystal Lake. The train journey from Crystal Lake to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $21 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bloomington, expect to pay about $13 for a 2h 19m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Crystal Lake is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 70 km from Crystal Lake. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Crystal Lake, including Amtrak, Greyhound and Bus. From Champaign, the bus ride to Crystal Lake takes 217 km and will cost you around $250. From Monona, the ticket costs about $86 for a journey of 338 km.

Plane

Although Crystal Lake doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Chicago All airports (CHI), which is located 69 km from Crystal Lake. Chicago All airports is the most popular, with regular flights from Southwest, Lufthansa, United Airlines and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Crystal Lake departs from Atlanta and takes around 2h 03m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Crystal Lake. The train journey from Crystal Lake to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $21 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bloomington, expect to pay about $13 for a 2h 19m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Crystal Lake is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 70 km from Crystal Lake. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Crystal Lake, including Amtrak, Greyhound and Bus. From Champaign, the bus ride to Crystal Lake takes 217 km and will cost you around $250. From Monona, the ticket costs about $86 for a journey of 338 km.

Airports near Crystal Lake

MKEMilwaukee-Mitchell
MSNMadison Truax Field

Airlines serving Crystal Lake

Lufthansa
Good (7,054 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,337 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,852 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,937 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,703 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,448 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,700 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,221 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,567 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,264 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,983 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,921 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,077 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (7,966 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,287 reviews)
Avianca
Good (2,321 reviews)
Hawaiian Airlines
Good (2,418 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (852 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Crystal Lake

Where to stay in popular areas of Crystal Lake

Most booked hotels in Crystal Lake

See all
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Crystal Lake, IL
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 463 reviews)
$124+
View
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chicago-Algonquin
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 370 reviews)
$119+
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Holiday Inn Chicago Nw Crystal Lk Conv Ctr
3 stars
Good (7.9, 345 reviews)
$114+
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Comfort Inn Crystal Lake - Algonquin
2 stars
Good (7.6, 351 reviews)
$100+
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Victorian Rose Garden
3 stars
Poor (0, 0 reviews)
$158+
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Super 8 by Wyndham Crystal Lake
2 stars
Good (6.2, 230 reviews)
$80+
View

Renting a car in Crystal Lake

Renting a car in Crystal Lake costs $52 per day, on average, or $156 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 2% cheaper than airport locations in Crystal Lake.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Crystal Lake (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Crystal Lake is Economy (Jeep Wrangler or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Honda Civic or similar) are, on average, 65% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Crystal Lake costs $52 per day, on average, or $156 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 2% cheaper than airport locations in Crystal Lake.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Crystal Lake (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Crystal Lake is Economy (Jeep Wrangler or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Honda Civic or similar) are, on average, 65% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Crystal Lake city guide for the best Crystal Lake travel tips. To help you organize your Crystal Lake trip ideas, this Crystal Lake visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.