When you live in a city with one of the coldest winters in America, springtime is an occasion. The cruel Chicago weather is finally thawing – and there’s no better way to welcome in the new season than escaping the concrete city for the leafy green suburbs.
There are tons of spots in wider Chicagoland where you can swap the paving slabs for prairie trails and welcome the start of the flowering year. From exotic gardens to beautiful lagoons, and family play parks to rugged forest preserves, we’ve got you covered with our list of the Best Chicago Suburbs to Visit in Spring.
Read on for a wonderful springtime you’ll never forget.
9. Westmont
Looking for a perfect family day out? Head to Westmont this spring, where the popular Ty Warner Park has just about everything to keep the children entertained. Named after the creator of Beanie Babies, whose headquarters are nearby, this 36-acre park features baseball fields, flower displays, and numerous landscaped walks.
But the main attraction for kids when the weather warms up is the Spray Park, where they can let their imaginations run wild with water shooting cannons, The Giant Misting Whale’s Tail, and The Mushroom Cap Water Walls. The Spray Park will be open for the season on May 27, 2022!
Click Here for more information about the spray park.
You’ll know you’ve done the Ty Warner Park right if you’ve worked up an appetite. Westmont has your back. Running alongside the park is Cass Avenue, where you’ll find an appetizing array of cafes and eateries, including Korean, Balkan, Chinese, and BBQ restaurants. There’s something to suit every taste this springtime in Westmont.
8. Warrenville
Reachable by car in just 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, the western suburb of Warrenville has heaps to offer the adventure seeker.
The first stop this spring should be Blackwell Forest Preserve. This 1400-acre site abounds in the glories of the natural world, made up of a gently rolling terrain of oak and hickory woodlands, grasslands and wetlands where you can spot all kinds of native wildlife. One highlight in spring is the beautiful northern leopard frog, which lays its tadpoles in the two ponds here. Another highlight of Blackwell is the boating and paddleboarding on Silver Lake. Those looking to take to the water can hire craft from April to September.
Once you’ve sampled the great outdoors at the Blackwell Forest Preserve, why not end the day in style at the Two Brothers Tap House? This independent artisan establishment offers a delicious selection of craft beer, as well as a restaurant and if you’re feeling curious as well as thirsty, guided tours of the brewery. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday and is just one more great reason to visit Warrenville.
Learn more about Blackwell Forest Preserve Here!
7. Naperville
Located just over 30 miles west of the heart of the Windy City, the ever-popular Naperville is the perfect destination to explore all that the suburbs have to offer this spring. A must-see for nature lovers here is the regionally significant Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve.
This beautiful 1800-acre grassland is especially full of life at this time of year, when bird species like meadowlarks, dickcissels, woodcocks, bobolinks and endangered northern harriers come passing through for migration and mating season. As well as being a birder’s paradise, Springbrook Prairie is perfect for a family day out, with picnicking and dog walking areas, and even a specially designated field for flying model planes and drones.
Once you’ve explored the prairie, there’s still a fantastic itinerary waiting for you in Naperville. As the weather is starting to warm up, it’s the perfect time to head along the renowned Riverwalk. Recognized as one of the most beautiful spots in the Midwest, this 2-mile walk along the DuPage River is especially vibrant in the spring sunshine, and with landscaped pathways, playgrounds, and plenty of bars and restaurants, offers fun for all the family.
6. Darien
Lovers of natural beauty should head out to the western suburb of Darien this spring. The area plays host to the renowned Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve, a 2500-acre site that is one of the most ecologically impressive sites in northern Illinois. Here, in the Bluff Savanna and Poverty Prairie, you can see 740 native plant species (including some of the oldest trees in DuPage County), over 300 species of mammals, birds and fish, and over 11 miles of limestone- and turf-covered trails. All of this is in addition to the several stunning waterfalls which give the Preserve its name.
Learn more about Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve Here!
If you’re looking to fill up the tank before exploring all of this glorious scenery, why not indulge yourself at the nearby Blueberry Hill Breakfast Cafe? Voted one of Chicagoland’s Top Five Breakfast Restaurants, this popular eatery offers a mouthwatering selection of treats, including its famous buttermilk pancakes, country-fried steak and eggs, and fresh-baked biscuits and gravy. You won’t forget this wonderful springtime trip to Darien.
5. Wheaton
Looking for a tranquil day out at a park this spring? Hunt no further than Cantigny Park. Located in the western suburb of Wheaton, just over 30 miles due west of downtown Chicago, Cantigny has one of the best showcases of spring here in the suburbs. People come from all over for the flower displays, which in spring include blooming crocuses, hellebores and the Siberian squill. Other attractions include extensive gardens, a military museum, numerous playgrounds, and great nature trails.
Once you’ve enjoyed the delights of Cantigny Park, it’s worth heading to nearby Cooper’s Corner to continue the fun into the evening. This popular restaurant has a great atmosphere, offering a delicious menu of culinary classics – including quesadillas, sliders, escargot, and oysters – as well as a packed program of live music, with bands playing every Friday and Saturday evening. If you want a slice of springtime joy, make sure you head out west to Wheaton. If you would like to learn more about what to do in beautiful Wheaton, Click here!
4. Elmhurst
If you’re craving an outdoor experience with a difference this spring, you could head out west to Elmhurst to pick up the Main Branch of the Illinois Prairie Path.
This network of trails, which was established in the 1960s on the abandoned route of the Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin Electric railway, provides a unique way to see the Chicagoland area. Stretching from Maywood in the east to Aurora and Elgin in the west, its 61 miles of smooth limestone paths allow for tranquil journeys through scenic parts of the suburbs normally hidden from view. Whether you’re walking, jogging, cycling, or birdwatching, traveling along the Prairie Path will give you a peaceful day out to remember.
After a wonderful time in the spring sunshine, why not dine in style at Francesca’s Amici on N York Street in Elmhurst, a popular Italian eatery that is bound to satisfy any appetite. This top-rated restaurant offers exciting lunch and dinner menus with a huge range of delicious dishes, including pasta classics like Linguine Alla’ Abruzesse, substantial meat feasts like Lombo Di Maiale Con Carote, and mouthwatering desserts such as Torta Di Datteri Al Caramello. Whatever you fancy satisfying your hunger this spring, you’ll find it in Elmhurst. Elmhurst was also voted top 10 Chicago Suburbs with the Best Downtowns! Check out the blog to see who else made this impressive list.
3. Schaumburg
For a renowned natural haven in the midst of the suburbs, head to Schaumburg to explore the scenic delights of the Busse Woods Forest Preserve. Sprawling across over 3500 acres, this site contains ancient upland woodlands, substantial fishing and boating waters, miles of trails, and even an elk pasture, making it one of the most diverse and best-loved natural areas in Illinois.
But Schaumburg’s great outdoors doesn’t end there. If you still haven’t gotten your nature fix with all that Busse Woods has to offer, you can head to the nearby Spring Valley Nature Center. This unique attraction is a living monument to the area’s environmental heritage, with natural history displays, handicapped-accessible hiking trails, and an 1880s Heritage Farm. Educational fun for all the family, admission to Spring Valley is free, and it’s open daily 8 am to 8 pm from April 1st.
2. Glencoe
For a classic spring experience this year, head to the beautiful suburb of Glencoe to visit the renowned Chicago Botanic Garden. Founded by the Chicago Horticultural Society in the late 1800s, this site close to the shore of Lake Michigan has matured into one of the world’s most respected living museums and conservation science centers. With seasonal highlights including snowdrops, magnolias, daffodils, tulips, lilacs and azaleas, a spring visit to this botanic garden is the perfect way to start the season.
For a day out that flows effortlessly, after the Botanic Garden you can head to nearby Skokie Lagoons, where you will find seven inter-connected lagoons brimming with life and totalling 190 acres. Recreational opportunities here include fishing, biking, boating and birding. For a slice of rugged nature, this Forest Preserve is not to be missed.
If you’re feeling peckish after your time in the great outdoors, a perfect place for dinner in Glencoe is Guildhall restaurant on Vernon Avenue. This sophisticated American bistro serves thoughtfully designed dishes including Faroe Island salmon with cauliflower puree and currants, roasted half chicken with braised kale, and for dessert, the Apple Eleanor, a vanilla mousse with apple cinnamon compote. Together with an eclectic range of craft cocktails and wine and beer, a day out in Glencoe this spring leaves little to be desired.
Did you know? Glencoe is the second wealthiest Chicago Suburb, Click to see who is Number #1
1. Lisle
Located in the DuPage County suburb of Lisle, and with 1700 acres of beauty, the Morton Arboretum is the iconic suburban destination to welcome spring to Chicago. Established in 1922, and still going strong in its centenary year, this great outdoor museum of trees really knows how to ring in the new season.
Highlights this year include the Spring Wine Tasting, with over 80 different wines to choose from, and for the especially adventurous, the Champion of Trees 10K Run (or Walk) through one of the most picturesque courses in the Chicagoland area. Admission to the Arboretum is from $11, 7 am to sunset 365 days a year.
Before you set off around the Morton Arboretum, feed your appetite at The Baked Apple Breakfast Company, on nearby Ogden Avenue in Downers Grove. This popular breakfast spot has all the delicious dishes you could imagine, with an extensive menu including baked apple pancakes, breakfast tacos, and the forever popular Strawberry Fields waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. If you’re looking for all the sensations the season could offer, take yourself down to Lisle this spring.
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