Tag Archives: Illinois

An Insider’s Guide to Bensenville, IL

The Illinois city of Bensenville is in a great location – far enough away from the city of Chicago to not be bothered, but close enough for a quick drive over to Lake Michigan. Check out a cheap movie at a small theater, or get active by testing out your ice skating skills. Either way, you’ll find plenty to do in Bensenville!

Bensenville

Image via Pixabay

Catch a Flick
The Bensenville Theater is a great place to see some of the latest movies when you need to be inside. It’s nice and cozy, with only two screens, and located right next to an ice cream shop. The theater is popular due to its old school prices – only $5 for adults even at night.

Visit the Planetarium
Space lovers will enjoy a visit to the Adler Planetarium.  With a focus on astronomy and astrophysics, you’ll want to dedicate at least half a day to visiting the building. There’s three theaters to watch various movies related to space movies, view antique scientific equipment, and check out extensive space exhibits. You’ll feel like you’re in another world after you leave the planetarium.

Swim in Lake Michigan
The lake is the place to be in the summer. Beat the heat and jump in the water to cool off. You can rent a jet ski or boat to take out for the day and explore more of the lake.

Dan Kaiser from Kaiser Law loves Bensenville in the summer, stating:

“As far as things to do goes, nothing beats a summertime visit to the Lake Michigan waterfront. Whether its bike ride from Belmont Harbor to the Planetarium, a Castaway’s lunch at North Ave. Beach or just dipping your toes before a Cubs game the lakefront is a simple, beautiful escape from big city stresses.”

Go Ice Skating
The Edge Ice Arena is the perfect place to go to year round. Whether it’s too hot or too cold outside, the temperature’s always the same on the ice to skate around. Those who want to improve their form can sign up for lessons on top of just attending the public skating.

Head to the Golf Course
To practice your swing, make your way to the White Pines Golf Club. This full-service golf club has two 18-hole courses to play on, and a bar and grill to talk about your game over lunch with your buddies. It’s even available to rent out for special occasions if you really want to impress your clients.

Marissa Pedersen

Marissa is a freelance writer, travel blogger, and social media marketing manager from Seattle. She runs the travel blog Postcards to Seattle, which captures all her journeys from around the world. She likes to stay active wherever she goes, from kayaking in Italy to snowboarding in the Alps.

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An Insider’s Guide to Naperville, IL

Rated one of the most beautiful towns in the Midwest, there’s plenty to do in Naperville. Located southwest of Chicago, it’s loaded with outdoor activities such as swimming in the public pool to walking along the Riverwalk. History buffs will love exploring the city’s early settlement by seeing restored buildings in a town from the 19th century.

river

Image via Flickr

Learn History at Naper Settlement

History lovers will enjoy the 12 acre outdoor village that’s been converted into a village. Actors will join you in full costume to pretend you’re back in the 19th century. Be sure to listen to the stories they tell throughout the day to explain how settlers’ every day life was. You’ll even get the chance to see dozens of restored historic buildings from when the town was first settled.

Swim at Centennial Beach

This fenced four acres holds an outdoor pool open to the public which is popular during the warmer months. Parts of it are shallow enough for children to wade in, while the other end goes out to 15 feet deep for more advanced swimmers to practice their skills. If you’re not much of a swimmer, you can rent a paddleboard board  to still be out on the water.

Walk Along the Riverwalk

The top rated attraction in Naperville is walking along the DuPage River. A focal point of the community, it’s won national awards for being one of the most beautiful spots in the Midwest. Located downtown, there’s plenty of shopping to do in the area after your walk. Once you’ve worked up an appetite from shopping, you can hit one of the many restaurants in the area.

Local Mark Mathys loves to visit this area, stating:

“The Naperville Riverwalk is great for a picturesque stroll along the DuPage River. Brick walk-ways, covered bridges and fountains line the half mile that is along the downtown area. After you take in all that nature has to offer, you can shop at great boutique businesses or name brand stores. To top it all off, you can choose to eat at one of a dozen great restaurants or simply grab some ice-cream while you watch the ducks paddle by. One of the highlights of Naperville at any time of the year.”

See a Concert

The Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center boasts world-class acoustics in its stadium that sits over 600 people. The building is 13,000 square feet and meant to give the listener an intimate feel. All genres of music can be found playing here throughout the year.

Climb a Tower

The Millennium Carillon in Moser Tower is 16 stories high and has a 72 bell musical instrument. It’s one of only a few Grand Carillons around, and its 72 bells go up six full octaves. For a great view of the city, climb the steps to reach the top and see the skyline of Chicago on a sunny day.

 

Marissa Pedersen

Marissa is a freelance writer, travel blogger, and social media marketing manager from Seattle. She runs the travel blog Postcards to Seattle, which captures all her journeys from around the world. She likes to stay active wherever she goes, from kayaking in Italy to snowboarding in the Alps.

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