Downers Grove, IL Road Trips

Downtown Downers Grove. like many other suburban downtowns, clustered around the Metra Station. Most of the shops are along Main St. The downtown is a decent size with plenty of unique stores and restaurants, including a brewery. 1 Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Avenue. is a French and 1920s style movie palace that plays second-run movies. It opened in 1928 as only the second theater in the world designed for sound motion pictures. On weekends you can listen to the music of a Wurlitzer pipe organ before the movies begin. 2 St. Therese Shrine, 8501 Bailey Road. in nearby Darien, is dedicated to Therese Martin, a French Carmelite nun who wrote Story of a Soul. Her admirers travel here from around the world to see her prayer book and other artifacts. 3 Main Street Cemetery, 5190 Main St. In 1856, Samuel Curtiss donated part of his sheep pasture for use as a cemetery. He was later paid $15 for the land, money from individuals who formed a cemetery association in 1864. Nearly 100 members of Downers Grove's early families, including Israel Blackburn, a freedman, and members of the Blanchard, Curtiss and Wells families are buried here. The cemetery was used until 1939 when Emma Foster Miller was the last to be interred. It is one of the few American cemeteries located in a main business district. (updated Mar 2019)

1 Belmont Prairie. is a 10.4 acre nature reserve with 135 species of plant and animal wildlife. A nature trail provides pedestrian access and is served by a six-car parking lot located on Cross St. 2 Patriots Park (Barth Pond), 55th & Grand. The 5.8-acre Barth Pond was constructed in 1978, as a joint venture with the Village of Downers Grove. The pond was originally developed to serve as a storm water detention facility, but also serves as a popular fishing spot. In May, you can spot goslings of the many Canada Geese at the park. Free. (updated May 2021)

1 Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant, 5157 Main Street, ☏ +1 630 969-0600. has a comfortable atmosphere, live music, and good food including Guinness Stew and Corned Beef (yes, it's not real Irish food, but it's still delicious). 2 Eagle Restaurant, 406 Maple Avenue, ☏ +1 630 963-9161. has been owned by the same Greek family for years, has some of the best gyros around as well as classic Chicago fare like hot dogs, Italian beef, and Polish sausage. 3 Giordano's, 5115 Main Street, ☏ +1 630 435-5999. Chicago-style pizza has an outlet downtown.

1 Emmet's Ale House, 5200 Main Street, ☏ +1 630 434-8500. downtown is an inviting place for food and beer. Emmet's is a microbrewery where you can not only eat and drink but also check out the tanks where the beer is brewed. If you don't know what to try they have a "Sampler Paddle" for a taste of several of their beers.

1 Best Western Chicago - Downers Grove, 3010 Finley Rd., ☏ +1 630 515-1500. has 121 rooms and is a couple of miles from the Morton Arboretum in Lisle as well as I-88 and I-355. 2 DoubleTree Suites, 2111 Butterfield Road, ☏ +1 630 971-2000. 3 Holiday Inn Express Chicago-Downers Grove, 3031 Finley Road, ☏ +1 630 810-9500. 4 Marriott Suites Downers Grove, 1500 Opus Place, ☏ +1 630 852-1500. Reasonable sized rooms but limited space for clothes and luggage for a suite style hotel..

Downers Grove is located at the intersection of I-88 and I-355, giving it a very easily accessible location. In addition it has three Metra stations on the BNSF line (1 Main St. , 2 Belmont, and 3 Fairview Ave.), connecting it to Chicago Union Station and Aurora.

Car is the best way to get around, but Downers Grove does have extensive Pace Bus service throughout town (Routes 461, 462, 463, and 464) and to Oak Park (Rt. 313) and Joliet (Rt. 834). Fares are generally $2 per ride.