Park Ridge, IL Road Trips

1 Rodham Corner. Rodham Corner is one of two public commemorations of former Secretary of State, First Lady and presidential nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton in her hometown. It's hardly a monument at all, just a very simple sign on a pole at the corner of Wisner and Elm, near the home where the Rodhams lived when Hillary was growing up. You can't go into HRC's former home, as someone lives there, but you can get a sense of the neighborhood she grew up in: it's directly north of the Pickwick and Uptown Park Ridge. Clinton is also commemorated in a plaque on a historic fountain across from Park Ridge's city hall. (updated May 2019)

1 Pickwick Theatre, 5 S Prospect Ave, ☏ +1-847-825-5800. One of the true grand movie palaces remaining in the Chicagoland area. Famous film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert filmed the intro for their "At the Movies" show there. Make sure you have a ticket for the show on the main screen, though, not the shoebox mini-plex around the corner. (updated Sep 2016) 2 Concerts in the Park. Starts at 8PM. Several free Friday night concerts held during the summer in front of City Hall in Hodges Park. A great way to meet locals and have fun. (updated Jun 2023) 3 Centennial Park, 100 S Western Ave. A large park complete with a sled hill, a playground, a soccer field, a community center, a fitness center (including an indoor 2-pool aquatic complex), and a 3-pool outdoor aquatic complex. To access the pool and the fitness center, a membership is needed or you can pay for a one-time visit. There is also a small food stall that is accessible from either inside the outdoor aquatic complex or from the playground. (updated Jun 2023)

1 Cream of the Crepe, 8 S Northwest Hwy. A noteworthy crepe restaurant in Park Ridge. Cream of the Crepe has decor in a French cafe style. (updated Jun 2019) 2 Hay Caramba, 122 S Prospect Ave. Popular sitdown spot for Mexican food. (updated Jun 2019) 3 The Harp and Fiddle, 110 Main St. Irish pub offering Irish food, beer, and atmosphere. (updated Jun 2019) 4 Holt's, 43 S Prospect Ave, ☏ +1 847 720-4484. One of the oldest surviving restaurants in Park Ridge. A popular American restaurant serving pizza, burgers, cocktails, and beer. (updated Jun 2023) 5 Triple Scoop'd, 801 W Devon Ave. A local ice cream shop that sells delicious treats and is a great place for the family to grab dessert. (updated Jun 2023)

1 Beer on the Wall, 106 Main St, ☏ +1-312-720-3732. M Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-7PM. An eclectic selection of beers. Not a bar, but you can sample beers up to a certain amount. Has several board games and an old NES system for patrons to play. (updated Mar 2018)

Metra serves Park Ridge with service on the Union Pacific Northwest Line. The 1 Park Ridge Metra station is at 100 South Summit Avenue, between Touhy Avenue and Prospect Avenue in Uptown Park Ridge (the suburb's central business district), and has a waiting room that is open 5AM-9PM daily, and also has a ticket agent available weekdays 5:25AM-12:55PM. The less used 2 Dee Road Metra station is at 950 Busse Highway, west of Dee Road and south of Oakton Street in northwest Park Ridge; this station has a shelter but no ticket agent. Park Ridge is accessible by the CTA or "El"/"L" trains that serve Chicago. The CTA Blue Line's 3 Cumberland station is just south of Park Ridge's city limits. Park Ridge is adjacent to two major highways, I-294 and I-90, though the city is more accessible to travelers heading away from downtown Chicago. Travelers on I-294 North, the Tri-State Tollway, can exit at Touhy Avenue (East) and US-14/Dempster Street (East) to get to Park Ridge. I-294 South does not offer easy access to Park Ridge. Travelers on I-90 West, the Kennedy Expressway, can get to Park Ridge by exiting at Cumberland Avenue (North) or Canfield Road (North). I-90 East offers close access to Park Ridge at the Cumberland Avenue (North) exit only. US-14, which is Dempster Street in Park Ridge, runs near Park Ridge's northern border.