Check into some of the local flight schools (Aviation Professionals at
Midway or Gary), others at Schaumburg, Dupage, Aurora, Waukegan,
Lansing. There's a good chance you can get a discounted introductory
flight that would include a lesson in actually flying the aircraft.

Pilots as a group are generally friendly as well as generous (well,
sometimes...), but you won't find many who are willing to give rides to
people they don't know.