Wheaton —How to spend an afternoon at the 500-acre estate if you’re bringing your … Army veteran grandpa The First Division Museum (admission is included in the park entrance fee: $5 per carload on weekdays, $10 on weekends) traces U.S. military history through the artifacts and artillery of a single infantry division. Most impressive: the … Read more
Fill your tank and get a Metra pass. Here are the best places to eat, drink, bike, hike, shop, party, and explore, from the Wisconsin border to Indiana and beyond.
From left: Grayslake and Wheaton Photos: Tim Zurko Grayslake Illinois Antique & Vintage Flea Market Kane County Flea Market (St. Charles) Wheaton Antique Market Wolff’s Flea Market (Rosemont) Best For Outfitting a rustic North Woods cabin Chip and Joanna Gainesifying your home Bedazzling a rumpus room in kitsch Literally anything, from vintage tools to … Read more
Squint and you’ll think you’re in Paris, not a suburban alley.
Naperville —Before master roaster Chris Chacko opened Sparrow Coffee’s sole café and retail outlet — in Naperville, no less — the only way you could taste the vaunted brews of this West Town–based roastery was to dine at one of the 300 or so high-end restaurants around the country he deigned to sell to. (Chicago profiled Chacko in 2017. … Read more
Starting in Hoffman Estates and working your way to Des Plaines, you can travel the world. Here are 10 highlights.
Highland Park/Lake Forest —More than 140 species of migratory birds flock to Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve and neighboring Openlands Lakeshore Preserve each spring. Birder and writer Sheryl DeVore explains how to spot six key types. Baltimore Oriole Illustrations: Jens Magnusson Eponymous feature:Orange-and-black coloring that resembles Lord Baltimore’s coat of arms (so only intuitive if you’re … Read more
The throwback arcade where earthly concerns melt away
Hinsdale —When it opened in late 2002, it was heralded as the McDonald’s of the future, with tall booths, mezzanine-level seating, and a chandelier. My great-aunt and -uncle, both in their mid-90s, loved to go to what they called the “fancy McDonald’s” for an afternoon that was just a little bit extra. I’ve still never … Read more
1 Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery Flossmoor One of the most accessible suburban breweries for city folk — just hop on the Metra Electric District line at Millennium Station, and a 45-minute ride later, you’re literally at this brewery’s front door. They’ve been making beers, mostly light-bodied and food-friendly ales, in this onetime train station since 1996. … Read more
