Vincent William Wine logo
The lakefront pool at sunset, overlooking Lake Erie

Chicago

Chicago to Lake Erie wine country, one time zone east

Chicago to Lake Erie wine country, one time zone east

Chicago to Lake Erie wine country, one time zone east

About 5 hours 30 minutes from Chicago

FROM · Chicago

TO · Madison, Ohio

Chicago to Madison, Ohio, is about 390 miles on I-90, and the clock moves ahead an hour. Book three nights at our eight-room Lake Erie winery inn.

Our family spent eight years finishing this stone and slate mansion before opening it to guests in 2024. Today, the house brings together our boutique hotel, restaurant and wine bar, with Lake Erie beyond the north windows. Estate Cabernet Franc is grown, pressed and poured on the property; the 2022 vintage received Double Gold at the 2025 Ohio Wine Competition. Read our story.

Worth the drive

Why stay with us

Madison sits in the Grand River Valley, an American Viticultural Area since 1983 with about 30 wineries. Lake Erie gives vineyards here a longer growing season than land further inland, which is why Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc grow a few miles from the water. At Vincent William, the estate Cabernet Franc grows on one acre beside the house; the 2022 took Double Gold at the 2025 Ohio Wine Competition. Nearby tasting rooms include M Cellars, South River Vineyard, Debonne and Laurello, and The Lodge wine shuttle, GoGeneva and Sunset Taxi run between them, so nobody has to drive after a tasting. Cleveland Magazine named the inn's view the best in its 2026 Best of the East.

The lit patio and hydrangeas at dusk, with Lake Erie beyond

The inn

Find the room you want to come back to

A private patio, an in-room Jacuzzi, a separate living room or a queen bed by the water. Compare the room details, then check current rates and availability.

King bed and stone fireplace in Premium First Floor Suite 101

101 Premium First Floor Suite

A first-floor suite with lounge seating, a steam shower, and a clawfoot tub, steps from the restaurant.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

King bed and stone fireplace in Premium First Floor Suite 101

101 Premium First Floor Suite

A first-floor suite with lounge seating, a steam shower, and a clawfoot tub, steps from the restaurant.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

King bedroom in Premium Suite 201 at The Inn at Vincent William Wine

201 Premium King Suite

A second-floor king suite with a separate living room and wet bar. More space for a longer stay.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

King bedroom in Premium Suite 201 at The Inn at Vincent William Wine

201 Premium King Suite

A second-floor king suite with a separate living room and wet bar. More space for a longer stay.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

King bedroom and balcony entrance in Premium Suite 205 at The Inn at Vincent William Wine

205 Premium Balcony Suite

A second-floor king suite with a private rooftop patio overlooking Lake Erie. Take coffee or a glass of wine outside.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

King bedroom and balcony entrance in Premium Suite 205 at The Inn at Vincent William Wine

205 Premium Balcony Suite

A second-floor king suite with a private rooftop patio overlooking Lake Erie. Take coffee or a glass of wine outside.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

King bed and stone fireplace in Premium First Floor Suite 101

101 Premium First Floor Suite

A first-floor suite with lounge seating, a steam shower, and a clawfoot tub, steps from the restaurant.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

King bedroom in Premium Suite 201 at The Inn at Vincent William Wine

201 Premium King Suite

A second-floor king suite with a separate living room and wet bar. More space for a longer stay.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

King bedroom and balcony entrance in Premium Suite 205 at The Inn at Vincent William Wine

205 Premium Balcony Suite

A second-floor king suite with a private rooftop patio overlooking Lake Erie. Take coffee or a glass of wine outside.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

Premium King Suite 206 at Vincent William

206 Premium King Suite

A second-floor king suite with an in-room Jacuzzi and two armchairs facing Lake Erie.

Bed

King

View

Lakefront

A stay worth planning around

Ohio is an hour ahead, so leave Chicago by 9:30 a.m. Central to arrive around 4 p.m. Eastern, when check-in opens. At 5.5 hours each way, book three nights. Arrive Wednesday or Thursday and leave by Sunday, because the restaurant closes Monday and Tuesday.

Indiana Dunes, off the Toll Road

The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center (1215 N. State Road 49, Porter) is four miles north of Indiana Toll Road exit 31. It is open daily, 8 to 6 Central from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day and 8:30 to 4:30 the rest of the year, and staff there can direct you into Indiana Dunes National Park. Porter is still on Central time. I-PASS and E-ZPass work on the Skyway, the Indiana Toll Road and the Ohio Turnpike.

Wednesday or Thursday, an hour ahead

Leave Chicago at 9:30 Central and you arrive about 4 p.m. Eastern, when check-in opens; check-out on your last morning is 11 a.m. Eastern. Reset your watch before booking dinner. After three toll roads, swim in the 80°F pool or sit in the hot tub, open to inn guests May to November 1, weather permitting. The wine bar is open to walk-ins, and dinner and drinks are paid separately from the room.

Three tasting rooms by shuttle

Eat breakfast at the inn first; it is cooked to order from 8:30 to 10, from a standard menu, and coffee and fresh juice are included. Book The Lodge wine shuttle or GoGeneva for the day. Begin at Cask 307 on Warner Road in Madison, opened in 2019 in a timber-frame building. For lunch, go to Ferrante in Harpersfield Township: Nicholas and Anna Ferrante started making wine in Cleveland’s Collinwood in 1937, and the family moved the winery to Geneva in 1977. End at Grand River Cellars on Route 528, then ride back for dinner.

Suite 206 for the long weekend

A three-night stay from Chicago leaves time to use the room, and Suite 206, with a king bed and an in-room Jacuzzi, is the one built for that. Its bath is private, as in every room. The inn has no elevator, so if stairs are a concern, book the first-floor Suite 101. The summer two-night minimum does not affect a three-night booking.

Choose Suite 206 or compare the other rooms, and use Getting around to book the wine shuttle before you leave Chicago.

Downtown skyline of the city this drive starts from, on the way to Vincent William Wine in Madison, Ohio

The drive

Getting here

I-90 east over the Chicago Skyway and the Indiana Toll Road, onto the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/I-90), then I-90 through Cleveland to Route 528. About 390 miles on three toll roads, and the clock moves ahead an hour in northern Indiana.

Set your destination to 1300 Belleair Avenue, Madison, Ohio. Check current navigation before leaving and allow for traffic and stops. Once here, your room, the restaurant and the wine bar are on the same property.

Good to know

Common questions

What time zone is Madison, Ohio, in compared with Chicago?

Eastern time, one hour ahead of Chicago. Check-in at 4 p.m. Eastern is 3 p.m. in Chicago, and dinner reservations are in Eastern time. The change happens partway across northern Indiana, so set your arrival by the Ohio clock when you plan your departure.

Can we fly from Chicago instead of driving?

Yes. Southwest flies nonstop from Midway to Cleveland Hopkins, and United and American fly from O'Hare. Hopkins is about an hour from the inn by car, and you will want a rental car or a booked ride, since GoGeneva, Sunset Taxi and The Lodge wine shuttle cover local trips rather than the airport.

Do I need an E-ZPass or I-PASS for the drive from Chicago?

It helps. The route uses the Chicago Skyway, the Indiana Toll Road and the Ohio Turnpike, and all three accept I-PASS and E-ZPass. On the Ohio Turnpike, transponder users save up to 33 percent, and cash and cards are also accepted. Check the Skyway and Indiana Toll Road sites for their current payment options before you leave.

The pool at dusk above the Lake Erie shore

Eight rooms · adults only

Choose your room

Choose your dates and compare the rooms. Book your stay, reserve dinner and look forward to breakfast by Lake Erie. Call us if you would like help choosing.

Join Our Mailing List

News from the estate

The month’s events, new wines, and the occasional deal.

Vincent William

1300 Belleair Ave.
Madison, OH 44057
(440) 428-1300
info@vincentwilliamwine.com

Opening Hours

Wednesday

12 to 9 pm

Thursday

12 to 9 pm

Friday

12 to 9 pm

Saturday

12 to 9 pm

Sunday

11 to 8 pm · Brunch to 2

© 2026 Vincent William Wine

Madison, Ohio · Lake Erie