Wilmette
Expansive beaches, great restaurants, and dramatic architecture. What’s not to like?
If people from Wilmette seem proud of their town, well, there are many reasons: The North Shore village features beautiful houses, a charming downtown, lovely parks, and—of course—beaches. Living here ain’t cheap (the median home sale price is the fifth highest in Illinois), but for those who can afford it, Wilmette routinely ranks among the top places to live in the state. (It’s also the hometown of Bill Murray, Rahm Emanuel, and Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz.) Luckily, you don’t have to drop a million on a house to enjoy it—there’s plenty for visitors who stop by aspirationally, too.
1. Baha’i House of Worship
This ornate temple (its whiteness comes from Portland cement combined with crushed quartz) is one of just eight in the world and the only in North America. bahai.us
2. Gillson Park
Fifty-nine lakeside acres with an outdoor ice-skating rink, sailboat rentals, and a pristine beach. If there’s a better suburban park, we haven’t seen it. wilmettepark.org
3. Keay Nature Learning Center
A half-mile trail winds through this hidden park, which boasts a miniature waterfall (and fish!).
4. Trinity United Methodist Church
Maybe you know this neo-Gothic building as a welcoming house of worship. More likely, you recognize the exterior from Home Alone. trinitywilmette.com
5. Wilmette Theatre
Check out foreign and indie films, as well as occasional comedy shows and interviews with acclaimed filmmakers. wilmettetheatre.com
6. The Backyard Barbecue Store
Your inner caveman will crave everything from the high-end lump charcoal to the $21,000 Kalamazoo hybrid grill. backyardbbqstore.com
7. Chalet
This home landscaping empire—our 2015 pick for the area’s best garden center—grows its plants on a 183-acre Wisconsin farm. chaletnursery.com
8. Higher Gear
You know those sinewy, Lycra-clad guys speeding up Sheridan Road on Sunday mornings? They probably bought their tricked-out bikes here. highergearchicago.com
9. Persimmon
Hit the espresso bar before browsing trinkets from across the world.
10. Alchemy Coffee & Bake House
The tiny coffee shop has an onsite roaster, perfect scones, and an old-school reel-to-reel tape player. (Frank Sinatra, anyone?)
11. Convito Café & Market
Be the hero of your Ravinia picnic by picking up some orzo with shrimp and a light Italian rosé at this deli-restaurant combo. Boom. convitocafeandmarket.com
12. Homer’s Ice Cream
Legend has it that Al Capone frequented this North Shore institution, which has been serving handmade ice cream (peach is a local fave) for 81 years. homersicecream.com
13. Napolita
Almost everything here is from Italy: the oven, the mixer, even the flour. Except the large poster of a young Sophia Loren—that’s from eBay. napolitapizza.com
14. The Noodle
Order homemade fresh pasta (you pick the shape and sauce) or get it premade at the adjoining market. thenoodlecafe.com
15. Rock House
Upstairs: music lessons. Downstairs: custom-roasted coffee. therockhouseinc.com
Wilmette residents have the highest average credit rating in the state (743), according to a WalletHub study from earlier this year.
Tour Wilmette with Joel Reese
If You Want to Live Here
| Population | Median houshold income | Median sale price (house) |
|---|---|---|
| 27,400 (86% white, 11% Asian, 3% Hispanic) |
$126,500 | $725,000 |
Listing of the month
329 Central Ave.
Asking price:$919,000
Specs:1,758 square feet, four bedrooms, three baths
This lovely foursquare is moments from the lake, the Baha’i House of Worship, a golf course, and an L station. See, this is why people pay big to live in Wilmette.
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