10 Chicago Suburbs with the Best Downtowns
There are plenty of cool suburbs of Chicago, but which have the best downtowns? If that's a question you've been asking yourself, then you're in the right place. We're here to count down the best Chicago suburbs with downtowns for your convenience.
That's because we know how much of a selling point a vibrant downtown area can be for homeowners.
Sure, Chicago has a downtown, but it's massive and often out of the way of many suburbs. You can't beat a quaint suburb with a stellar downtown filled with great restaurants and entertainment. Read on to learn our picks for the top 10 best suburbs of Chicago with downtowns.
#10: Glen Ellyn
This idyllic suburb lies 25 miles west of Chicago. It's a charming midwestern town with lots of outdoor attractions. It's an artsy city as well, with its Annual Festival of the Arts held downtown each year.
Dining
Top restaurants include the original Barone's of Glen Ellyn, an excellent Italian restaurant. If you adore Chicago pizza, then you'll love living close to this gem.
Shopping
Glen Ellyn is ripe with locally-owned boutiques, and it offers some of the best shopping in Chicago. You'll want to check out the downtown for the shops alone.
Attractions
To enjoy the great outdoors, you can always take a stroll through the Willowbrook Wildlife Center. There are many animals, birds, and reptiles there for you to observe.
#9: Oak Park
Known as the 'world's largest village,' Oak Park is the 29th biggest city in Illinois in terms of population. The city has a lot of rich heritage that it embraces to this day.
Dining
As with all Chicago suburbs, Oak Park has a lot of fine dining options. In particular, the Cold Stone Creamery makes delicious ice cream and cakes.
Shopping
Downtown Oak Park has many diverse shopping offerings. If you're a fan of a good read, check out The Book Table, a unique bookstore downtown. There are also cigar shops, clothing boutiques, specialty food stores, and more.
Attractions
Oak Park has a vibrant downtown with plenty of attractions for suburban families. Attractions include the Lake Theatre and Oak Park Festival Theatre. You can take in the latest Hollywood offerings at the Lake while enjoying live performances at the Oak Park Festival Theatre.
#8: Aurora
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Aurora constantly pops up on lists for cool suburbs in Chicago. It's home to award-winning theatres, the newest outdoor concert venue, and some fantastic shopping. Not only that, but Aurora is also a favorite among outdoor lovers. There are many parks and nature trails that follow the Fox River.
Dining
The Two Brothers Roadhouse is one of the most famous restaurants in Aurora. It has it all, award-winning craft beer, notable chefs, and excellent service. You can also enjoy stand-up comedians and live music while dining here.
Shopping
If shopping is your thing, then Aurora is an excellent location for you. It's the home of the Chicago Premium Outlets and the Fox Valley Mall.
Attractions
The Paramount Theatre is at the heart of it all in Aurora. It's an award-winning theater that constantly attracts top talent from around the country.
#7: Wheaton
Wheaton has seen some explosive growth in recent years. Front Street downtown is quickly becoming a hot spot for new businesses in the area. The downtown is home to 37 restaurants, coffee shops, and more.
Dining
As previously stated, there are a ton of dining options in Wheaton. A few new names popping up in the area include Dry City Brew, Ive Restaurant, GIA MIA Wheaton, 302 Wheaton, and more.
Shopping
Front Street is the shopping hot spot in Wheaton. Pete's Fresh Market is a staple of the area, as are DuPage County Historical Museum.
Attractions
Memorial Park is home to the city's annual Taste of Wheaton festival. It features a carnival, live entertainment, food vendors, beer garden, and so much more.
#6: Geneva
Out of all the best suburbs of Chicago with downtowns, Geneva has the best riverfront. So if river activities are a deciding factor for where you live, Geneva should shoot to the top of your list.
Dining
Geneva has some fantastic dining options in addition to its riverfront. Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn and More provide a refreshing take on a traditional snack. Old Towne Pub Geneva is an excellent spot if you're looking for fantastic food as well as drinks and beer.
Shopping
Geneva has a Historic Shopping District that's filled with locally-owned businesses. There are historic locations, boutiques, art stores, and traditional shopping options.
Attractions
The river is where you'll want to spend most of your time in Geneva. There, you can enjoy a myriad of outdoor activities. In addition to this, they have their annual Geneva Festival of the Vine. It's a celebration involving both food and drink.
#5: Arlington Height's
Now we enter the top 5 of the best Chicago suburbs with downtowns. Arlington Heights earns our pick for its delicate balance of entertainment, dining, and shopping. There are also multiple theaters for both movies and live performances.
Dining
The Arlington Ale House is a great place to get a delicious meal and some great drinks. It also has a lot of entertainment options. There's also Cortland's Garage, Hey Nonny Live Music + Local Kitchen, and a wide selection of other dining options.
Shopping
The hottest shopping areas include Arlington Town Square Condos, the Annex of Arlington, and the Town & Country Center.
Attractions
There's quite a bit to do in Arlington Heights. There are escape rooms, movie theaters, parks, lakes, and more. The Metropolis Performing Arts Centre is one of its most famous locations for live performances.
#4: Elmhurst
Elmhurst takes our pick for the best balance between entertainment, dining, and shopping. It's our opinion that it achieves this balance even better than Arlington Heights. If you want to live in a suburb with a little bit of everything, you can't do better than Elmhurst.
Dining
The city of Elmhurst boasts more than 40 unique dining options. Popular offerings include Pazzi Di Pizza, a fantastic Italian restaurant, and Stray Hen Cafe, famous for breakfast. Both boast excellent reviews online, and they're in the heart of downtown Elmhurst.
Shopping
There are over 275 local merchants that call downtown Elmhurst home. There are gift shops, boutiques, specialized stores, and traditional offerings. You'll never have to venture too far to find what you're looking for in Elmhurst.
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Attractions
There are lots of fun things to do in the downtown area. These include the Elmhurst Art Museum, the York Theatre, Windy City Ninjas, and Sky Zone Trampoline Park. Whether you're with a family or are looking for solo entertainment, Elmhurst has something for everyone.
#3: Downers Grove
A lovely suburb, Downers Grove is one of the most famous cool suburbs of Chicago. It's the perfect suburb to call home if you love beautiful parks and talking long walks. There are many parks in the town, and they're all highly rated online.
Dining
The dining in Downer's Grove is some of the best in all of Chicago. Capri of Downer's Grove is one of the most famous in the area. It offers fine dining like no other in the area. Other top-rated spots include Parker's Restaurant and Bar and the Brick House Tavern + Tap.
Shopping
The Grove Shopping Center offers premium shopping outlets. There's also the Finley Square Shopping Center and Downers Park Plaza.
Attractions
You'll never be without things to do in Downer's Grove. There are escape rooms, nature centers, video game stores, golf clubs, and so much more. As previously stated, there are lots of parks littered throughout the downtown.
#2: Naperville
Naperville is one of the most beautiful Chicago suburbs. It's also one of the wealthiest. In Naperville, you can have a great time without ever having to step foot in the city of Chicago.
Dining
Catch 35 Naperville is one of the most famous seafood restaurants in all of Chicago. Allegory is another top-rated restaurant in the area offering fine dining. Naperville is diverse and has outdoor dining and more affordable dining options as well.
Shopping
Naperville is truly a shopper's paradise. Since the city is so wealthy, there's a vibrant shopping scene. There are over 100 stores to check out and love in the downtown area. You'll find loads of high-end boutiques, electronics stores, specialty stores, and more.
Attractions
If you find yourself in Naperville, then you owe it to yourself to check out Centennial Beach. I know what you're thinking, a beach in Chicago? But it's true. Centennial Beach is a public aquatic park complete with sand. It's one of the most impressive artificial beaches in the United States.
#1: Evanston
Okay, so our number one pick out of the best suburbs of Chicago with downtowns goes to Evanston. As a suburb, it simply has it all. There are gorgeous high rises, fabulous restaurants, bike lanes, and more. It's also only a block away from the lake.
Dining
The Alcove in Evanston is one of the most renowned fine dining spots in all of Chicago. Other standout restaurants include, Tapas Barcelona, Peckish Pig, and more. The upscale fine dining in the area also offers gorgeous views.
Shopping
Shopping is another factor that Evanston gets just right. There's an outstanding balance of locally-owned stores, high-end boutiques, and traditional offerings. Shopping areas include Evanston Plaza, Sherman Plaza, the Evanston Center, and more.
Attractions
Evanston has gorgeous parks, bike lanes, theaters, escape rooms, live music, and more. Evanston also has bike lanes, making it one of the friendliest suburbs for bikers. You can enjoy beautiful walks along the river here as well.
There you have our top 10 picks for the best suburbs of Chicago with downtowns. We hope that you're able to use this list to find the picture-perfect suburb for you to call home.
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