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

Lake Forest travel guide

Lake Forest Tourism | Lake Forest Guide

You're Going to Love Lake Forest

With a population of 19,375, Lake Forest is a must-see destination in Illinois, United States. Lake Forest deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Lake Forest

If you’re looking for affordable options, Le Colonial - Lake Forest (655 Forest Ave) and Francesca's Intimo (293 E Illinois Rd) are great picks.

When to visit Lake Forest

Lake Forest in November
Estimated hotel price
$99
1 night at 3-star hotel
Lake Forest in November
Estimated hotel price
$99
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Lake Forest

Plane

Although Lake Forest doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Chicago All airports (CHI), which is located 28 miles from Lake Forest. 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 Lake Forest departs from Tampa and takes around 2h 38m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Lake Forest. The train journey from Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 29 miles from Lake Forest. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

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

Plane

Although Lake Forest doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Chicago All airports (CHI), which is located 28 miles from Lake Forest. 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 Lake Forest departs from Tampa and takes around 2h 38m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Lake Forest. The train journey from Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 29 miles from Lake Forest. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

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

Airports near Lake Forest

MKEMilwaukee-Mitchell
SBNSouth Bend/Michiana

Airlines serving Lake Forest

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 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 Lake Forest

Most booked hotels in Lake Forest

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Residence Inn by Marriott Chicago Lake Forest/Mettawa
3 stars
Excellent (9.3, 107 reviews)
$149+
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The Forester a Hyatt Place Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 43 reviews)
$244+
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Sonesta Simply Suites Chicago Libertyville
2 stars
Excellent (8.7, 419 reviews)
$99+
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Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 336 reviews)
$161+
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La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Bannockburn-Deerfield
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 841 reviews)
$95+
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Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Highland Park/Northbrook
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 196 reviews)
$132+
View

Renting a car in Lake Forest

Renting a car in Lake Forest costs $52 per day, on average, or $104 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

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

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Lake Forest (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 Lake Forest is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Class Compact SUV or similar) are, on average, 79% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Lake Forest costs $52 per day, on average, or $104 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

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

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Lake Forest (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 Lake Forest is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Class Compact SUV or similar) are, on average, 79% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Lake Forest

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