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

DeKalb travel guide

DeKalb Tourism | DeKalb Guide

You're Going to Love DeKalb

With a population of 43,862, DeKalb is a must-see destination in Illinois, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. DeKalb deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

When to visit DeKalb

DeKalb in January
Estimated hotel price
$97
1 night at 3-star hotel
DeKalb in January
Estimated hotel price
$97
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to DeKalb in July, when the average temperature is 73.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 84.2 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 12.2 °F, with an average temperature of 21.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in May, when precipitation is around 4.6″. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in DeKalb, with an average rainfall of 1.5″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to DeKalb

Plane

Although DeKalb doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Chicago All airports (CHI), which is located 93 km from DeKalb. 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 DeKalb departs from Atlanta and takes around 2h 03m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to DeKalb. The train journey from DeKalb 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 DeKalb is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 93 km from DeKalb. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

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

Plane

Although DeKalb doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Chicago All airports (CHI), which is located 93 km from DeKalb. 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 DeKalb departs from Atlanta and takes around 2h 03m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to DeKalb. The train journey from DeKalb 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 DeKalb is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 93 km from DeKalb. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

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

Airports near DeKalb

MKEMilwaukee-Mitchell
MSNMadison Truax Field

Airlines serving DeKalb

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)
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Find flights to DeKalb

Where to stay in DeKalb

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Comfort Inn DeKalb - Adjacent the University and Super 8 By Wyndham Dekalb Il.

Where to stay in popular areas of DeKalb

Most booked hotels in DeKalb

See all
Home2 Suites by Hilton Dekalb
3 stars
Excellent (9, 95 reviews)
$159+
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Hampton Inn Dekalb, Il
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 218 reviews)
$139+
View
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Sycamore, IL
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 240 reviews)
$95+
View
Best Western Sycamore Inn
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 86 reviews)
$111+
View
Red Roof Inn & Suites Dekalb
2 stars
Good (7.4, 317 reviews)
$78+
View
Motel 6 Sycamore Il
2 stars
Good (7.3, 282 reviews)
$68+
View

Renting a car in DeKalb

Renting a car in DeKalb costs $70 per day, on average, or $139 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 24% more expensive than at Chicago O'Hare Intl.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in DeKalb (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 DeKalb is Full-size (Class Full-size SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Ford Escape or similar) are, on average, 52% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in DeKalb costs $70 per day, on average, or $139 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 24% more expensive than at Chicago O'Hare Intl.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in DeKalb (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 DeKalb is Full-size (Class Full-size SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Ford Escape or similar) are, on average, 52% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Car rental agencies in DeKalb

Hertz

Hertz
Find car rentals in DeKalb

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