Where to go for an eco-friendly vacation

With summer less than two weeks away, it's time to hit the road.

But instead of driving across country or flying hours away, why not be eco–chic this year and take advantage of one of the Midwest's many environmentally friendly destinations?

Many are just a short drive from the Chicago area.

Here are some great options for an environmentally conscious day, weekend or an extended family vacation:

A silent sport paradise: Door County, Wis.

"There's a reason so many folks from Chicago come up here for a relaxing spot," said Jon Jarosh at the Door County visitor's bureau. "The natural beauty of the place speaks for itself."

A silent sports movement has taken off in Door County in the past five years, he said.

Hiking, kayaking, cycling and other self–powered sports are popular. Many outfitters rent out kayaks and bikes for visitors who don't have their own, and some even offer clinics to teach first–time kayakers.

Jarosh said a number of restaurants in Door County also participate in the local food movement by buying produce from the area's farmers markets. And that means that Door County grown cherries show up in many dishes.

"It's fun to watch the sustainable movement unfold," he said.

America's first solar village: Soldiers Grove, Wis.

The U.S. Department of Energy recognizes Soldiers Grove as the first solar city in the country and one of the few towns to be completely solar powered.

Pete Knapik, owner of the town's Inn at Lonesome Hollow, said that makes it a unique eco–friendly destination for travelers.

"In addition to being travel green certified in Wisconsin, we are located in a drift–less area where glaciers formed all around us, so it's very hilly around here which is unusual for the Midwest."

He said that makes it a great destination for hikers.

"Our inn is located on 160 acres of property with four miles of hiking trails so we certainly appeal to people who like the outdoors," he said.

Soldier's Grove is 240 miles from Chicago, according to Google Maps.

Plant diversity, beaches, more: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Park

Closer to home, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Park ranks seventh among all national parks in the U.S. for plant diversity, offering over 1,000 different species of plants over 15,000 acres to delight visitors.

And the park is a great option for families because kids can participate in a junior ranger program by learning about the natural surroundings of the park, earning them a badge. They can also feed animals at the Chellberg Farm.

Indiana Dunes also has beaches, fishing and picnic grounds. Camping is available from April to October at the Dunewood Campground.

In its June edition, Parents magazine picked Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore's West Beach as one of the Top 10 Best Family Beaches in the nation.

The Midwest's best beaches?: Ludington, Mich.

Ludington claims to have Lake Michigan's best beaches and the town is adamant about preserving their great natural resource.

"We have a duty to keep our planet clean, especially since we live around one of the world's greatest natural resources–the Great Lakes," said Tony Barnard, owner of Ludington's green–friendly Candlelite Inn.

At the Candlite, that means recycling, using environmentally friendly cleaning projects and offering dispensers of shampoo and soap to avoid using plastic bottles.

And in Ludington, Barnard said, visitors can enjoy horseback riding, hike on local nature trails and enjoy one of the country's largest Independence Day parades.

Ultimate eco–friendly getaway: Mackinac Island, Mich.

For those willing to travel farther, Mackinac Island may be the ultimate eco–friendly getaway.

The small island located between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas prohibits essentially all motor vehicles.

And Mary McGuire from Mackinac's tourism bureau said that makes the island a great environmentally friendly destination.

"There are no cars here, so we expend our own calories to get around," she said. "We also buy all of our garbage bags from the city, making sure we don't keep the island polluted and all garbage is composted and even the horse manure creates soil that many hotels use in their flower beds."

The island offers opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, cycling and even has a skateboard park.

"We're very cognizant of what is going on with the environment and we always have been, which makes us ahead of the game," McGuire said. "People can do their part to help [the environment] and keep their cars on the mainland."