Youth Sports Tournament Travel by Van: Chicago to Grand Park and Wisconsin Dells

Travel season for club and youth sports teams means a lot of Friday nights on the highway. For coaches, team managers and team parents in the Chicago suburbs, two of the most popular weekend destinations are Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Indiana and the tournament venues in and around Wisconsin Dells. Both are about 3 hours from Chicago: close enough to drive, far enough that the plan matters.

This guide covers both destinations, how many vans a roster plus gear needs, who can drive, splitting the cost and leaving Friday after school. Every van is self-drive: a coach or parent drives and the whole group rides together.

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Quick facts

• Drive time: Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana is about 3 hours from Chicago. Wisconsin Dells is also about 3 hours from Chicago.
• Time zone: Westfield is on Eastern Time, one hour ahead of Chicago. Wisconsin Dells is on Central Time, the same as Chicago.
• Best season: Outdoor baseball, softball and soccer events mostly run in the warmer months. The indoor courts and turf at both destinations host events year-round. Check your event's schedule before you book.
• Which van fits: For a full team with gear bags, the 15-passenger Mercedes Sprinter, which has about 4 ft of space behind the last row.
• Miles: Every rental day includes 250 free miles, pooled across the rental.

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Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Indiana

Grand Park, now officially named Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus, covers more than 400 acres in Westfield, about 30 miles north of Indianapolis. It opened in 2014 and has hosted Indianapolis Colts training camp since 2018. According to the Hamilton County visitors bureau, the campus includes:

• 26 baseball and softball diamonds, all lit, 8 with synthetic turf.
• 31 multi-purpose fields for soccer, football, rugby, field hockey and lacrosse, 7 with synthetic turf and 8 fully lit.
• Community Health Network Event Center, an indoor building with three full-size synthetic turf fields, a spectator mezzanine and a full-service bar.
• Pacers Athletic Center, an 88,000 sq ft building with eight courts for basketball, volleyball and futsal.

Events range from youth baseball, softball and soccer tournaments to NFL FLAG and national championships. The campus sits just north of US-31 and SR-32 and is reached from I-65. There are concession stands and a sports pub on site, and many visiting teams stay in Westfield, Carmel or Noblesville.

Game times are on Eastern Time, so an 8 AM first pitch feels like 7 AM to a Chicago body clock. On a campus this size, your own van lets the team move between fields, the hotel and dinner on its own schedule.

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Wisconsin Dells tournament venues

The Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau helps bring in sports events that include basketball, volleyball, hockey, softball, gymnastics and soccer, and it helps event organizers set up hotel room blocks. These are the main venues it lists:

• Woodside Sports Complex - Wisconsin Dells: 12 fields: six synthetic turf multi-purpose fields, four synthetic turf baseball/softball fields and two grass fields, plus six batting cages.
• Woodside Wisconsin Dells Center: a 90,000 sq ft column-free building that fits up to 10 basketball courts or 16 volleyball courts, and also hosts wrestling, cheer and dance, and gymnastics.
• Justagame Fieldhouse: a 53,000 sq ft complex in downtown Wisconsin Dells with 6 basketball courts and 10 volleyball courts, including an 1,800-seat arena. It also hosts wrestling, gymnastics, and cheer and dance.
• Lake Delton Ice Arena: an NHL-size rink for hockey and figure skating, with ice in from August 1 to May 1.
• Woodside Sports Complex - Mauston: a nearby complex with four turf baseball fields and four turf softball fields.

The Dells is also a vacation area, so one van keeps the team together for team dinners and downtime between games.

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How many vans for your roster and gear

Count every rider, including whoever drives: players, coaches and any parents or siblings. Then count the bags, because for team travel the bags decide the van as much as the headcount.

• 15-passenger Mercedes Sprinter: seats up to 15 people and has about 4 ft of space behind the last row for gear bags. This is the pick for a full team with bags.
• Ford Transit 15: also seats 15, but has no space behind the last row. It works well for people only, with gear going in another vehicle.
• Ford Transit 12: about 3.5 ft of space behind the last row.
• 7-passenger minivan: about 2 ft of space behind the last row.

Hockey bags, catcher's bags and bat bags fill cargo space quickly. Ask each player for one team bag and one small overnight bag, and keep bags in the cargo area, not on seats or in the aisle. If the gear will not fit, a simple setup is one 15-passenger Mercedes Sprinter for the team plus a minivan for coaches and extra equipment. See our cargo space guide and Sprinter vs. Ford Transit to compare.

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Drivers, ages and the Friday departure

Every rental is self-drive, so plan your adult drivers before you book. The minimum driver age is 25 (21 and up with a CDL, a business account or approval). Up to 2 additional drivers are free, and more are $20 a day each. With about 3 hours each way, two or three coaches or parents can trade off so nobody drives tired.

Most teams want to leave Friday right after school. Our pickup locations are open 7 days a week, 8 AM to 5 PM, so the easiest plan is for one adult to pick up the van earlier on Friday, or on Thursday, and have it loaded before the players are out of class:

• Melrose Park: 3217 W Lake St, about 13 minutes from O'Hare.
• Berwyn: 6825 Ogden Ave, about 13 minutes from Midway.

Allow extra time for Friday afternoon traffic. For Grand Park, a team that leaves at 5 PM Chicago time and drives about 3 hours arrives around 9 PM Indiana time. The Dells has no time change.

Miles are simple to plan. Each rental day includes 250 free miles, pooled across the whole rental, and extra miles are $0.35 each. A round trip to either destination plus hotel-to-field driving usually fits within the 500 pooled miles of a two-day rental. Vans can travel anywhere in the USA and Canada.

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Splitting the cost across families

One van means one rental, one fuel bill and one parking spot instead of several family cars. A fair way to share it:

1. Have one adult, usually the team manager, book the van and keep every receipt.
2. Add up the rental, fuel, any tolls and parking.
3. Divide by the number of riders, or by the number of families if siblings ride free.
4. Collect each share before the trip through the team fund or a payment app, so nobody is chasing money on Monday.

If you add a minivan for coaches and gear, rentals start from $50 a day. For exact pricing on your dates, get a quote online.

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Which van for your group

All of our vans are self-drive. Compare every van on our rental fleet page.

• Full team with gear bags (13 to 15 people): the 15-passenger Mercedes Sprinter, with about 4 ft behind the last row.
• Smaller roster, such as a basketball or volleyball team with coaches: the Mercedes Sprinter 12 or the Ford Transit 12 (about 3.5 ft behind the last row).
• People only, with gear in another vehicle: the Ford Transit 15, which has no space behind the last row.
• Coaches and extra gear, or one family: the 7-passenger minivan, about 2 ft behind the last row, from $50 a day.
• Parent groups who want more comfort: the luxury Mercedes Sprinters, Road Cruiser 10, Golden Chariot 12/15 and Grand Recliner 12/15.

Every Mercedes Sprinter has a 32-inch smart TV, Xbox, DVD/Blu-ray, USB/power and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a big help on a 3-hour ride with kids. The Ford Transits and the minivan have no TV. Learn more about onboard entertainment.

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FAQ

How many players fit in one van with their bags?

A 15-passenger Mercedes Sprinter seats up to 15 people, counting the driver, with about 4 ft behind the last row for bags. If bulky gear will not fit, add a minivan for coaches and equipment.

Can a team parent drive the van?

Yes, as long as the driver is at least 25 (21 and up with a CDL, a business account or approval). Up to 2 additional drivers are free; more are $20 a day each.

Is Grand Park in a different time zone?

Yes. Westfield, Indiana is on Eastern Time, one hour ahead of Chicago. Wisconsin Dells is on Central Time, the same as Chicago.

Can we pick up the van on Friday after school?

Our locations are open 7 days a week, 8 AM to 5 PM, so pick up before 5 PM on Friday or the day before. You can book online 24/7.