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

Des Plaines travel guide

Des Plaines Tourism | Des Plaines Guide

You're Going to Love Des Plaines

With a population of 58,364, Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines has to offer.

Where to Eat in Des Plaines

If you’re looking for affordable options, Cafe La Cave (2777 S. Mannheim Rd) and Plateia Kitchen - Bar (9860 Milwaukee Ave) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Wintertown American Wildburger (1534 E Oakton St) and Bourbon 'N Brass Speakeasy (1476 Miner St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Des Plaines.

When to visit Des Plaines

Des Plaines in October
Estimated hotel price
$118
1 night at 3-star hotel
Des Plaines in October
Estimated hotel price
$118
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Des Plaines 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 14 °F, with an average temperature of 23 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in August, when precipitation is around 4.3″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Des Plaines, with an average rainfall of 1.6″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Des Plaines

Plane

When flying to Des Plaines, you’ll arrive at Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD), which is located 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Des Plaines include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Cathay Pacific. The shortest domestic flight to Des Plaines departs from Tampa and takes around 2h 38m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Des Plaines. The train journey from Des Plaines to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $21 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $29 for a 1h 54m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Des Plaines is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 17 miles from Des Plaines. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Des Plaines, including Amtrak, Greyhound and FlixBus. From Madison, the bus ride to Des Plaines takes 180 miles and will cost you around $74. From Champaign, the ticket costs about $30 for a journey of 190 miles.

Plane

When flying to Des Plaines, you’ll arrive at Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD), which is located 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Des Plaines include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Cathay Pacific. The shortest domestic flight to Des Plaines departs from Tampa and takes around 2h 38m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Des Plaines. The train journey from Des Plaines to Milwaukee takes 1h 19m and costs around $21 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from South Bend, expect to pay about $29 for a 1h 54m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Des Plaines is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 17 miles from Des Plaines. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Des Plaines, including Amtrak, Greyhound and FlixBus. From Madison, the bus ride to Des Plaines takes 180 miles and will cost you around $74. From Champaign, the ticket costs about $30 for a journey of 190 miles.

Airports near Des Plaines

MKEMilwaukee-Mitchell
SBNSouth Bend/Michiana

Airlines serving Des Plaines

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,837 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,244 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,922 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,076 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (7,961 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,287 reviews)
Avianca
Good (2,317 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (851 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,459 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,066 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Des Plaines

Most booked hotels in Des Plaines

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avid hotels - Chicago O Hare - Des Plaines
2 stars
Excellent (8.9, 1330 reviews)
$102+
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Hilton Garden Inn Chicago O'Hare Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 713 reviews)
$161+
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Chicago Marriott Suites O'Hare
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 582 reviews)
$179+
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Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chicago O'hare Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 584 reviews)
$120+
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DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport - Rosemont
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 725 reviews)
$150+
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Hyatt Regency Ohare Chicago
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, 2311 reviews)
$123+
View

Renting a car in Des Plaines

Renting a car in Des Plaines costs $42 per day, on average, or $125 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 27% cheaper than airport locations in Des Plaines.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Des Plaines (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 Des Plaines is Intermediate (Class Intermediate SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Sentra or similar) are, on average, 71% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Des Plaines costs $42 per day, on average, or $125 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 27% cheaper than airport locations in Des Plaines.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Des Plaines (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 Des Plaines is Intermediate (Class Intermediate SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Sentra or similar) are, on average, 71% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Des Plaines

Full-size

5 Adults, 2 Bags

$41/day

Full-size

Pickup truck

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$42/day

Pickup truck
Find car rentals in Des Plaines

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