Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Glenview, IL

Officially classified as a village, this affluent northwest suburb is located approximately 15 miles from the Chicago Loop. When Glenview was incorporated in 1899, its population stood at just 399, which has remarkably increased to nearly 50,000 according to the latest estimates.

Glenview boasts several prominent attractions as well as excellent shopping opportunities, particularly at the Glen Town Center, developed on the grounds of a naval air facility.

Moreover, you will find that notable Chicagoland landmarks such as the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center are both conveniently situated just minutes away.

Additionally, Glenview is characterized by a plethora of green spaces, encompassing over 290 acres of local parks and breathtaking wooded areas managed by the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

1. The Grove

This 123-acre land on the west side of Glenview was initially settled in the mid-19th century by the esteemed horticulturalist Dr. John Kennicott.

Dr. Kennicott is noted for establishing the first commercial nursery in the region, while his son Robert went on to identify numerous new species at the Smithsonian Institute and co-found the Chicago Academy of Sciences in 1857.

At The Grove, visitors can explore the residence constructed by Kennicott Sr. in 1856, alongside the Redfield Estate, established by his descendant Bertha Redfield in 1929.

These historic buildings are situated within 150 acres of ecologically diverse prairie, featuring attractions like the Grove Interpretive Center, a log cabin, a Native American Village, and a Wetlands Greenhouse.

2. Kohl Children’s Museum

This exceptional hands-on educational venue was established in 1985 by philanthropist Dolores Kohl, who is the daughter of the founder of Kohl’s department stores.

Fully inclusive, the Kohl Children’s Museum employs multisensory experiences as educational instruments, featuring 15 permanent exhibits that encourage active participation.

Several exhibits replicate daily activities, such as Whole Foods Market, SpotHero Car Garage, Pet Vet, and Baby Nursery.

Additionally, the Cooperation Station is artfully designed to foster teamwork, while Water Works showcases entertaining machines that enable children to explore the scientific characteristics of water.

The museum incorporates two acres of outdoor space at Habitat Park, offering various sensory-focused activities.

3. Historic Wagner Farm

This venue provides visitors with an opportunity to engage with Glenview’s agricultural heritage. Operated by the Glenview Park District, it conserves a farm from the early 20th century.

The Wagner family’s connection to Glenview dates back to 1855 when the area was home to approximately 5,000 farms, dairies, and orchards.

At the Historic Wagner Farm, visitors can tour the charming brick farmhouse constructed in the 1920s by Thomas and Julia Wagner, featuring contemporary conveniences of the time such as indoor plumbing and electric lighting.

On the property, guests can explore interactive exhibits at the Heritage Center, visit the interior of a two-story silo, admire the equipment at the Wagner barn, and meet a variety of domestic animals, including chickens and horses.

During the summer, the Historic Wagner Farm hosts the Glenview Farmers’ Market, which sets up each Saturday morning in the parking lot.

4. Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center

Adjacent to Glenview in Skokie lies a significant museum dedicated to honoring the victims and survivors of the Holocaust while preserving the legacy of these events.

In doing so, the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center strives to combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference.

The permanent Zev and Shifra Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition provides a comprehensive timeline of the Holocaust, illustrated by over 500 artifacts and detailing the rise of Nazism, the ghettos, concentration camps, and resettlement.

An interactive exhibit designed to resonate with younger generations is titled Make a Difference! This engaging space allows children aged 8-12 to learn about figures such as Rosa Parks and develop essential skills in decision-making, leadership, and empathy through role-playing common real-life scenarios.

5. Flick Park

Named in honor of a local commissioner from the mid-20th century, Flick Park is a community park that offers year-round attractions and extensive amenities.

During the summer months, families flock to Flick Park for the Flick Outdoor Aquatic Center, which features a lap pool, zero-depth pool, children’s area, diving pool, multiple water slides, “splash blasters,” and a water playground.

In the winter, Flick Park remains one of the premier locations in the area for sledding and outdoor ice skating.

Among its numerous facilities are a children’s playground, picnic areas, and courts for tennis, basketball, baseball, soccer, football, pickleball, and volleyball.

6. The Glen Town Center

Reflecting the architectural charm of European cityscapes, The Glen Town Center is a delightful open-air shopping mall, characterized by elegant design, tree-lined streets, benches, wrought iron street lamps, and broad sidewalks.

Remarkably, until the 1990s, this area served as Naval Air Station Glenview, with its past evident in the control tower, which has been incorporated into the mall’s design.

Among the more than 50 stores are locations of Dick’s Sporting Goods, Von Maur, and GameStop, along with a compelling array of dining options, the Funtopia children’s activity center, and a multi-screen movie theater.

7. Gallery Park

Opposite The Glen is the expansive 142-acre Gallery Park, the largest single public park in Glenview. This area was developed in the 1990s on land that was once part of Naval Air Station Glenview’s runway and operational areas.

Given its background as an airfield, the land was remarkably flat and lacking vegetation; consequently, a comprehensive landscaping and planting initiative took place in the late 90s, resulting in the park’s current configuration with a lake, rolling hills, and a variety of trees, flowers, and shrubs.

Today, visitors can enjoy expansive lawns, wetlands, a prairie landscape, an amphitheater for summer performances, a meadow, a fountain plaza, tennis courts, and multiple playgrounds for children, as well as the serene lakeside.

A network of pathways winds through the park, including a paved bike trail encircling the lake.

8. Funtopia Glenview

Located at The Glen Town Center, Funtopia Glenview is a unique activity center that combines entertainment with sports, primarily designed for children.

Featuring a variety of attractions, Funtopia Glenview presents “fun walls,” an artificial caving system, a rope course, a giant slide, and a 20-foot free-fall experience.

The center comprises over 40 fun walls, thoughtfully graded to ensure enjoyable challenges for visitors of all skill levels.

Children can engage with the beanstalk or dinosaur skeleton features, while older kids can test their prowess on authentic climbing walls or the “Rocktopia” granite wall.

The rope course, equipped with challenging transitions and obstacles, offers not only a thrilling experience but also an unexpectedly rigorous workout.

9. Chicago Botanic Garden

One of the premier attractions in Chicagoland, the Chicago Botanic Garden is located an easy distance northeast of Glenview. Often referred to as a living plant museum, the garden is situated on nine islands at the northern end of the Skokie Lagoons.

Within its expanse, you will find 25 distinct display gardens alongside four natural habitats. Among the standout features are the English Walled Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Water Gardens, Sensory Garden, Waterfall Garden, and greenhouses showcasing exotic plants from various climates, including rainforest and desert species.

Moreover, the Regenstein Center hosts intriguing exhibitions, with summer courtyard displays featuring one of the world’s finest bonsai collections. Before your visit, it is advisable to check the garden’s website for information on which plants are in bloom.

10. Oil Lamp Theater

Located in downtown Glenview, this cherished not-for-profit theater is known for producing high-quality professional performances. The Oil Lamp Theater originated as an invitation-only group in Lakeview in 2005.

These performances, hosted at the founder’s home and often illuminated by oil lamps during power outages, garnered exceptional popularity, prompting the group’s relocation to a new permanent venue at 1723 Glenview Road.

This intimate and comfortable space accommodates 60 audience members, offering complimentary homemade cookies at each performance, along with a post-show meet-and-greet with the actors.

Recent productions have included The Odd Couple, Mass Appeal (Bill C. Davis), Last of the Red Hot Lovers, and The God Committee.

11. Blue Star Memorial Woods

This scenic tract of forest, part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, traces the North Branch of the Chicago River, which runs alongside Glenview’s eastern edge.

Despite its proximity to residential neighborhoods, Blue Star Memorial Woods creates a feeling of seclusion, providing opportunities for hiking, cycling, and skiing along the North Branch Trail, which will be elaborated on below.

The forest predominantly consists of oak trees, interspersed with catalpas and Scotch pines that were planted in the 20th century.

This land previously served as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Great Depression and later as a POW camp during World War II; remnants of former bunkers from that era can still be found. Dogs are permitted on-leash, and there is also a designated area for drone flying.

12. North Branch Trail

The Chicago Botanic Garden marks the northern endpoint of a 36-mile trail that traverses the suburbs while following the Skokie Lagoons, the Skokie River, and the North Branch of the Chicago River.

Even though it passes through densely populated urban areas, the North Branch Trail retains a serene atmosphere as nearly the entire route navigates through various Forest Preserves of Cook County.

As a result, it would not be uncommon to encounter deer along the trail, particularly during early morning or late evening hours.

In Glenview, the North Branch Trail meanders through the Blue Star Memorial Woods, and if you continue biking north, you will soon arrive at the Skokie Lagoons, a notable spot for birdwatching, fishing, and boating.

13. River Trail Nature Center

Located along Glenview’s western perimeter, the Des Plaines River meanders through a series of ecological spaces overseen by the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Adjacent to The Grove, visitors can access the Des Plaines River Trail System and proceed north through the tranquil oak-hickory forests of Camp Pine Woods, Lake Avenue Woods, and Allison Woods.

In the latter, patrons can stop at the River Trail Nature Center, an enlightening free facility dedicated to showcasing the plants, animals, and habitats along the Des Plaines River. The center features nature-themed indoor and outdoor play areas, an interpretive trail, and living animal displays.

14. Glenview Ice Center

Managed by the Glenview Park District, this recently renovated facility presents exceptional amenities.

The Glenview Ice Center features two NHL-sized rinks, a studio rink, a pro shop, 11 team rooms, a dryland training area, a community room, a great hall, plus a restaurant and coffee kiosk.

If you enjoy casual skating, you can participate in one of the numerous public skate sessions held throughout the week, with skate rentals priced at just $4.

Season passes are also available, along with an extensive hockey program for both children and adults, which includes introductory lessons, development classes, leagues, camps, and clinics.

15. Glenview Park Golf Club

A highly regarded municipal golf course, Glenview Park Golf Club has been an integral part of the local park district since 1955 and has undergone continuous updates since its inception.

The course is set upon bluegrass with bent grass tees, offering a par 70 layout that includes twelve par 4 holes. One of its distinguishing features is its landscaping, showcasing an extensive variety of mature trees, flowers, and shrubs.

Typically open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week from mid-March to mid-November, the clubhouse features Coarse Italian, celebrated for its handcrafted pizzas.

In addition to hoagies, hot dogs, and burgers available at lunch, more sophisticated options such as linguine capricciosa and short rib gnocchi are served at dinner.