West Chicago & Beyond Guidebook
Local Restaurants (Our Favorites)
These are our go-to's in West Chicago that require little to no driving.
Great place to hang out and drink high quality coffee and eat delicious homemade muffins. They roast themselves, and it’s where we get our stock at home. It's practically right across the tracks from us.
Kindred Coffee Roasters
148 W Washington StGreat place to hang out and drink high quality coffee and eat delicious homemade muffins. They roast themselves, and it’s where we get our stock at home. It's practically right across the tracks from us.
Just a short walk to get authentic “pre-Columbian” Mexican food. They have interesting menu items beyond the usual “tacos and burritos”. Ambiance is not much to write home about, but price is good and food is great! We usually walk there (just right around the corner), order, and take it home.
La Cocina de Maria
142 W Washington StJust a short walk to get authentic “pre-Columbian” Mexican food. They have interesting menu items beyond the usual “tacos and burritos”. Ambiance is not much to write home about, but price is good and food is great! We usually walk there (just right around the corner), order, and take it home.
A notch up from “hole-in-the-wall” but not high-priced. Affordable and great quality. A place you can sit down and eat. Not walking distance, but not far by car.
Burrito Parrilla Mexicana - WC
100 West Roosevelt RoadA notch up from “hole-in-the-wall” but not high-priced. Affordable and great quality. A place you can sit down and eat. Not walking distance, but not far by car.
A good place to eat breakfast if you don’t want to drive far. Good quality food. Upscale diner atmosphere.
Egg Yolk Cafe
100 S Neltnor BlvdA good place to eat breakfast if you don’t want to drive far. Good quality food. Upscale diner atmosphere.
Incredibly delicious and unique, their signature meal is stuffed pretzels. The exact menu depends on the day of week (closed on Sundays), but a typical meal looks something like a roast beef stuffed pretzel, with a desert pretzel with a small cup of delicious soup. Definitely worth getting at least once, you won’t be disappointed. (I make no promises regarding your cardiovascular health, but hey, sometimes you gotta live a little!)
Gnarly Knots Pretzel Company
100 High Lake RdIncredibly delicious and unique, their signature meal is stuffed pretzels. The exact menu depends on the day of week (closed on Sundays), but a typical meal looks something like a roast beef stuffed pretzel, with a desert pretzel with a small cup of delicious soup. Definitely worth getting at least once, you won’t be disappointed. (I make no promises regarding your cardiovascular health, but hey, sometimes you gotta live a little!)
Local Family Friendly Activities
West Chicago has some surprisingly good activities for children through the Park District. Here are the top places we take the kids.
Seems too good to be true, but we have a pretty decent water park just minutes away by car. It’s pretty good quality, has a few big slides and a lot of stuff for little kids. Definitely worth a visit if you find yourself staying in West Chicago on a hot sunny day.
Turtle Splash Water Park
129 W National StSeems too good to be true, but we have a pretty decent water park just minutes away by car. It’s pretty good quality, has a few big slides and a lot of stuff for little kids. Definitely worth a visit if you find yourself staying in West Chicago on a hot sunny day.
A place for the adults to work out and the kids to play. The indoor playground (Treehouse) is high quality and you can drop your kids off for up to two hours. You don’t have to be a fitness member or resident.
ARC Center
201 W National StA place for the adults to work out and the kids to play. The indoor playground (Treehouse) is high quality and you can drop your kids off for up to two hours. You don’t have to be a fitness member or resident.
A very good playground if you brought kids of any age. It’s a great place just to take a walk. They have a shell where they sometimes put on concerts and other entertainment in the summer.
Reed-Keppler Park
129 W National StA very good playground if you brought kids of any age. It’s a great place just to take a walk. They have a shell where they sometimes put on concerts and other entertainment in the summer.
Small play area with games, puzzles, and toys -- and of course loads of books to read! Just a short walk to get there.
West Chicago Public Library
118 W Washington StSmall play area with games, puzzles, and toys -- and of course loads of books to read! Just a short walk to get there.
Geneva - Restaurants & Activities
Just 15 minutes away by car, or 10 minutes by train is the city of Geneva. It is a beautiful city on the Fox River and has an endless selection of upscale dining, shops, and more. The following are some of our go-to restaurants and activities.
One of our favorite breakfast joints in the area. Creative takes on the usual breakfast fare and a bright ambiance. It's a great way to start a morning.
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Buttermilk
7 W State StOne of our favorite breakfast joints in the area. Creative takes on the usual breakfast fare and a bright ambiance. It's a great way to start a morning.
Graham's 318 Coffeehouse
318 S 3rd StOur go-to coffee shop when hanging out in Geneva.
Highest quality candy and ice cream. What more could you ask for?
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Graham's Fine Chocolates & Ice Cream
302 S 3rd StHighest quality candy and ice cream. What more could you ask for?
The name says it all. It's a coffee shop atmosphere. They serve coffee / espresso and ice cream, and of course, chocolate stuff.
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All Chocolate Kitchen
33 S 3rd StThe name says it all. It's a coffee shop atmosphere. They serve coffee / espresso and ice cream, and of course, chocolate stuff.
Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Pizza - One of the few restaurants in Geneva that won’t break the bank if you go as a family. Regardless, it's good food and a clean, trendy ambiance.
Doughocracy
407 S 3rd StLife Liberty and the Pursuit of Pizza - One of the few restaurants in Geneva that won’t break the bank if you go as a family. Regardless, it's good food and a clean, trendy ambiance.
A beautiful, scenic park built on an “island” in the Fox River. Has a playground and a pavilion and a large covered bridge over the Fox.
Island Park
A beautiful, scenic park built on an “island” in the Fox River. Has a playground and a pavilion and a large covered bridge over the Fox.
Family Fun Just Outside of West Chicago
Here are some more recommendations from the surrounding suburbs that we often frequent as a family (or were recommended to us by close family friends). They require a bit more of a drive than our "local" recommendations, but require no more than a 25 minute drive.
$10 Parking Fee
Cantigny is a 500-acre park, the former estate of Joseph Medill and his grandson Colonel Robert R. McCormick, publishers of the Chicago Tribune, and is open to the public. We love the beautiful gardens and the playground. Kids love climbing on old tanks. There is a free house tour as well as a war-related museum on the grounds. Cantigny hosts many wonderful events and free concerts, check their website for details.
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캔티그니 공원
151 S 151 Winfield Road$10 Parking Fee
Cantigny is a 500-acre park, the former estate of Joseph Medill and his grandson Colonel Robert R. McCormick, publishers of the Chicago Tribune, and is open to the public. We love the beautiful gardens and the playground. Kids love climbing on old tanks. There is a free house tour as well as a war-related museum on the grounds. Cantigny hosts many wonderful events and free concerts, check their website for details.
Free!
Experience life on a working farm in the 1890s at Kline Creek Farm Stroll through restored farmstead structures and meet the historically costumed interpreters operating this living history farm using the tools and techniques of the past.
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Kline Creek Farm (living history museum)
1N600 County Farm RdFree!
Experience life on a working farm in the 1890s at Kline Creek Farm Stroll through restored farmstead structures and meet the historically costumed interpreters operating this living history farm using the tools and techniques of the past.
See website for pricing
An amazing place for exploration for kids. Best for kids age 2-7
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DuPage Children's Museum
301 N Washington StSee website for pricing
An amazing place for exploration for kids. Best for kids age 2-7
Bounce Around
286 E Geneva RdBouncy house play area with so many places to bounce! Check for a Groupon.
Try out obstacles just like on the show American Ninja Warrior! Check their website for family open gym times.
Chicago Ninja Academy
041 E North Ave.Try out obstacles just like on the show American Ninja Warrior! Check their website for family open gym times.
Trampoline park with dozens of trampolines, a giant foam pit, and a rock climbing wall. Great for kids and adults
Rockin' Jump Carol Stream
485 Mission StTrampoline park with dozens of trampolines, a giant foam pit, and a rock climbing wall. Great for kids and adults
International Cuisine
Looking for more variety? This is the list for you. (NOTE: Mexican food is listed under "Local Restaurants")
If you haven’t eaten much Filipino food, try Hong Ning - 598 East North Avenue in Carol Stream. An easy introduction to Filipino cuisine with good food.
Hong Ning Filipino Restaurant & Grill
598 North Ave.If you haven’t eaten much Filipino food, try Hong Ning - 598 East North Avenue in Carol Stream. An easy introduction to Filipino cuisine with good food.
Indian and Nepali food in nearby St. Charles. The food is good and it's a great atmosphere for having a sit down meal.
Taste of Himalayas
110 N 3rd StIndian and Nepali food in nearby St. Charles. The food is good and it's a great atmosphere for having a sit down meal.
The closest Thai restaurant we are aware of in nearby Winfield. Good food. Small dining area.
Somsri Thai Food
Chicago AvenueThe closest Thai restaurant we are aware of in nearby Winfield. Good food. Small dining area.
High quality food. Thai Cuisine in nearby Batavia on the Fox River.
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Tusk Thai Cuisine
102 N River StHigh quality food. Thai Cuisine in nearby Batavia on the Fox River.
Shakou St. Charles
312 W Main StTrendy atmosphere. Good sushi!