Naperville, IL

The Naperville Riverwalk has been a town landmark for more than three decades. From the clock tower in Fredenhagen Park to the manmade Centennial Beach, the picturesque Riverwalk stretches for almost two miles along the DuPage River. The Grand Pavilion hosts holiday events and music performances, and the surrounding parks have amenities for skateboarders, runners, kids, boaters, and anyone else who wants to spend the day in Naperville's most scenic spot.

When the kids aren't enjoying one of Naperville's parks or best-in-the-nation libraries, the interactive DuPage Children's Museum offers endless indoor fun for local families. The downtown sidewalks are interactive and kid-friendly, too; during the summer, anyone can practice their musical talents on five different painted, playable pianos that are on display outside local businesses. Pet walks, free concert and movie nights, and other seasonal community events will keep your calendar full all year long without costing you anything.

Two Metra stations and three park-and-ride lots make it easy for thousands of professionals to commute from Naperville to Chicago every day. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway travels between Aurora and Union Station several times a day, and Naperville's two stations are the second and third stops on its eastbound route. That means commuters have their pick of seats before the cars start to fill up with people from closer neighborhoods, such as Downers Grove, Brookfield, and Riverside.

The Naperville Metra Station is just east of downtown, near North Central College, and has plenty of bike racks and pay-to-park spots for travelers. The Route 59 Metra Station is more isolated, but you can catch free Pace bus rides to the station from one of three permanent lots every morning.

Naperville is just south of the I-88 Tollway, so drivers can also access the city fairly easily. The city even widened local through lanes recently, as part of a comprehensive expansion effort to accommodate its increasing population. Reducing congestion and accident rates is a constant priority, because Naperville estimates that 50,000 vehicles travel through its Route 59 corridor every single day. That's why the city is currently improving, among other things, the I-88 Interchange,coordination of traffic signals, and number of turn lanes in major intersections.

There are two main shopping areas in Naperville: the plazas and shopping centers along Ogden, and the smaller shops and boutiques in the historic downtown district. Boutiques in the center of town offer one-of-a-kind antiques, fine art, jewelry, clothes, books, and gifts. Mixed in with these specialty stores are big-name brands like Apple and Sephora, giving you the best of both worlds without interrupting the cozy, exclusive atmosphere.

When you drive toward the Tollway, you'll pass dozens of other shopping centers with familiar chain restaurants, stores, and supermarkets. From June through October, you can also take your pick of local arts, crafts, and fresh produce twice a week. The Fifth Avenue Station commuter lot doubles as a farmer's market every Saturday, while a church at the intersection of West Street and Aurora Avenue opens its parking lot to vendors each Wednesday afternoon. Of course, if you're in the mood for a world-class shopping experience, you're always less than an hour away from Chicago's Magnificent Mile. Take of the most famous places to shop in the whole country.