Elmwood Park, IL

Incorporated as a village in 1914 simply to prevent annexation by Chicago, urban dwellers once took the train to Elmwood Park to spend a pleasant afternoon enjoying a picnic in an ancient grove of 180-year-old elms near 72nd Avenue. The swampy terrain earned it the name "mud town." Elmwood Park bears the title of oldest continually inhabited village in the region thanks to evidence of Paleo-Indian settlements up to 14,000 years old.

Visit the Cernan Earth and Space Center on the western border of the neighborhood or Giuseppe Armani Sculptures and Figurines on the eastern border. The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio can also be found just to the south. Mark your calendar for the annual FamilyFarmed Expo on the southern border and Eli's Cheesecake Festival just to the north.

Aside from Johnnie's Beef, you won't find your options lacking when it comes to dining in Elmwood Park. You can expect an emphasis on Italian cuisines, but you also have plenty of diverse options to choose from, particularly around the borders of the neighborhood.

With an extensive menu featuring more than 100 items, Baciami Restaurant & Bar focuses on Italian comfort foods and offers lunch specials from Monday to Saturday. Start with baked clams or a garlic knots appetizer, enjoy a side of homemade meatballs or Vesuvio potatoes, and tuck into a chicken crisper or steak parmigiana sandwich or a baked seafood pasta dish. Locals flock to this eatery for its pizzas, available in thin crust or pan and stuffed with pre-set toppings such as sausage, spinach and garlic, or the option to choose your own combination.

For Mexican fare, head to Maria's Mexican Restaurant, one of two locations in the region. Book the mobile taco bar for an event or pop in for lunch or dinner. Maria's sticks to the traditional with its menu, offering familiar favorites such as tacos, tostadas and enchiladas as well as specials, including pollo Chihuahua and carne asada.

Savor some authentic Cuban food at Cafe Cubano as you sip a raspberry mojito. All entrees come with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains, with your options ranging from carne con papas and palomilla to lechon and milanesa de pollo. This restaurant also serves a range of tapas dishes for sharing and desserts to finish your meal such as baked caramel custard and Spanish pastries filled with guava and cream cheese.

In the evenings, head to Harlem Avenue to find a modest range of entertainments, such as Eva's Sports Bar and Phil's Sports Bar to catch a game on one of the large televisions. Hit the dance floor at Valentino Club Cafe, or listen to some live music at Abram Gale Bar & Grill. For a cold beer and appetizers in a lively atmosphere, stop by Declan's Bar and Grill on West Grand Avenue. With a vast pub food menu, live music, televisions and a large beer selections, Declan's has all the right ingredients for a perfect night out.

You can expect top notch public transportation in this small neighborhood, with the Elmwood Park Station providing daily rail service on the Milwaukee District/West Line to Elgin, Illinois, and Chicago Union Station. Several bus routes also run through the neighborhood, including the 307, 310 and 308, taking you to locations including the Oak Park Hospital, West Point Shopping Center and Proviso Math and Science Academy.

You can accomplish the majority of errands within the neighborhood on foot or by bicycle thanks to the small size of Elmwood Park, a reasonable amount of infrastructure and the fact that you will be able to reach at least two restaurants, bars or coffee shops within a 5 minute walk. Uber and local taxi cab services operate within the neighborhood.

You'll need a parking permit to make use of much of the on-street parking opportunities in this neighborhood, and it's wise to watch out for the snow removal regulations in the winter, which dictate when you can and can't leave your car in certain places. West North Avenue or West Belmont Avenue take you to the closest large roadways, including the Dwight D. Eisenhower Expressway to the south, Northwest Avenue to the west and the Kennedy Expressway to the east.

Just to the south of the neighborhood, Thatcher Woods provides 245 acres of woodlands for a day spent enjoying the outdoors, located along the Des Plaines River. Mainly used to explore nature and for bird watching, the trail system also welcomes hikers. Dogs are welcome on many of the trails, although you'll need to keep them on a leash, while kids will enjoy learning more about the natural world at the free-to-enter Trailside Museum of Natural History.

On the western border, visit the 76 acres of Fullerton Woods for a family picnic or a bicycle ride along the trails. The trails in this park attract dog walkers, cyclists and cross-country skiers, while the park's proximity to the river makes it a great place for nature watching with the kids.

Several small parks exist within the boundaries of the neighborhood, including Triangle Park, Mills Park and the Kathy Torpe Park. To the northwest, Schiller Woods provides ample activities for families and exercise enthusiasts, including open playfields for kites, games and organized athletics, a pond and sledding hill and fishing spots. The Forest Preserves of Cook County hosts dozens of events throughout the year in the local parks, including guided hikes, nature activities, canoe races and film screenings.

Roughly equivalent to the cost of living anywhere else in the Chicago metropolitan area, although very slightly cheaper, Elmwood Park's cost of living sits around 16 percent above the average for Illinois. The median rental cost for a one-bedroom apartment will set you back just under $860, while traveling to the center of Chicago on public transportation costs just a few dollars by bus or train. A glass of beer in a local bar or restaurant will cost you an average of $14, while the price of gasoline by the gallon hover around 21 percent above the national average.

Head to the major thoroughfares in this neighborhood to find plenty of shopping opportunities, from national brands such as GameStop and Walgreens to more local, boutique-style establishments. Purchase a custom bouquet from Quasthoff's Flowers, or choose a new dining room set at Dinette World. Visit Elegant Concepts for custom cabinets and counters, while Larrabee Herbs provides herbal supplements and nutrition advice.

To restock your kitchen cupboards, visit one of several supermarkets and convenience stores within the neighborhood, including A & D Foods, Capris Grocery, Montana Pantry and Angelo Caputo's Fresh Markets, specializing in Italian ingredients. You'll find the closest farmers market just to the east at Del Rancho Market on Grand Avenue and to the south at the Marion Street Cheese Market.