As a kid, I was convinced that I could count the things to do in Naperville on one hand. I was either wrong or a lot has changed in the last several decades because now that I have kids, I feel like I'm frequently shuttling my kids out to fun activities near Nana and Papa's house.
This far western suburb is about a 45-60 minute drive or a 40-minute Metra ride from downtown Chicago, and it has lots of unique attractions for families coming from the city or other suburbs and looking for something fun to do. If you're taking the train in, many activities are within walking distance of the Naperville train station, while others have inexpensive or free parking.
Visit for a day or stay for a weekend to enjoy all Naperville has to offer, from museums to restaurants and historical sites to sporting venues! Check out these other fun day trips from Chicago to plan the rest of your summer weekends.
Little boy playing in the water at the Children's Museum. Photo by Maureen Wilkey.
Things to Do in Naperville With Kids: The Best Attractions, Museums, and Outdoor Fun
1. DuPage Children's Museum
This classic children's museum is just across the street from the Naperville Metra station, so you can walk from the train or drive. Opened at this location in 2001, the museum includes children's museum favorites like a bubble station, a mini river for little water lovers to splash in, giant light-bright with pegs the perfect size for preschool hands, wind tubes, and a wind tunnel, a building station, and an area to learn about electricity.
The upstairs exhibits are constantly changing. We've seen exhibits on making music, the Imagineers, art in everyday life, and more. This is easily a three-hour visit for preschool and kindergarten kids and even includes elements that could interest older siblings.
A little girl is experiencing Naper Settlement Forge Foundry. Photo by Maureen Wilkey.
2. Naper Settlement
My kids love touring historic buildings and seeing what life was like in the "olden days." Naper Settlement is a collection of older buildings moved onto a single site so kids can explore different eras through artifacts and volunteer interpretations.
Kids can start by learning about life in the first half of the 19th century by peering into the one-room log cabin to see the fireplace, butter churn, and tiny cradle and bed that housed a family. Progress down a lane of shops including a print shop, a stone carver, a fire station, a post office, and a blacksmith, and visit the Halfway House, once a home halfway between Naperville and Aurora, and the Copenhagen Schoolhouse, a one-room school from the late 1800s.
The Martin Mitchell Mansion (which I remember from childhood) and its carriage house cap off the tour, showing what the upper class lived like in the Victorian era. Volunteers explain how people learned various trades and what life was like for people living on the prairie in the last 200 years. Other recent additions to the settlement include a splash pad and playground with a Conestoga wagon theme and a new agricultural building that will celebrate the history of farming in the Midwest.
3. Naperville Riverwalk and Paddleboat Quarry
Stroll along the banks of the west branch of the DuPage River on a brick-lined path studded with covered bridges and unique statues and fountains. The Riverwalk starts in downtown Naperville and can be a great break from shopping or dining. See the Dandelion Fountain, the Jaycees Playground, and the Millennium Carillon near Rotary Hill. You can even find events like concerts or library story times at the Riverwalk Amphitheater across the river from City Hall during the summer months.
Finish your trip to the Riverwalk by visiting the paddleboat quarry. Here, you can rent a boat with pedals for a 20-40-minute ride around a pond with up to four people. Bigger kids may try out a kayak or a stand-up paddle board for a more athletic experience. This can be a peaceful or exciting experience, depending on how your family wants to do it.
4. Centennial Beach
Of course, hanging out at Centennial Beach is one of the best things to do in Naperville in the summer! Once a quarry for mining limestone, the natural spring from below started leaking into the site in 1913. By the 1930s, the city had fully converted the property into a swimming facility. The park district has even added sand to one end, creating a zero-depth entry and beach near downtown. There's a slide, diving boards, and even areas for sand volleyball or bags. If you're a non-resident, go after 5pm for a discounted rate.
Pinot's Palette Painted Sculpture photo courtesy of Downtown Naperville.
5. Painted Sculptures
Remember when painted cow sculptures took over Chicago in the 1990s? Naperville was one of the first suburbs to add public art installations each summer in the following years. The tradition is still going strong today, with bugs taking over the streets of downtown Naperville. Honeybees, caterpillars, ladybugs, and snails adorn various streetscapes, created and sponsored by local neighborhood groups and businesses. Vote for your favorite of the 18 sculptures if you can find them all!
6. Naperville Public Libraries
Naperville has three public libraries: Nichols Library, the Naper Boulevard Branch Library, and the 95th Street Branch Library. Nichols Library is downtown and often collaborates with the city on big events (I was definitely there for at least one Harry Potter book release). Check out outdoor story times, picnics, and concerts at the Riverwalk, or look at the giant engraved map of Naperville on the library's plaza. Its exterior also includes sculptures of storybook characters like the Cat in the Hat.
The 95th Street library is the newest in Naperville and it shares a unique feature with the Naperville Park District: A book-themed splash pad. This free sprayground is operated by push button, so not all elements are active at the same time. This splash pad connects to...
7. Wolf's Crossing Community Park
This 33-acre park was developed in 2018 and 2019 and includes just about everything you could want in a park. There's a ninja course, 40-yard dash course, playground, practice fields, basketball, pickleball, tennis courts, nature play areas, a picnic shelter, a fitness area, and trails connecting to the DuPage County Forest Preserve trail system. Equipment on the playgrounds appeals to kids of all ages, and sports and nature elements make the park a great attraction for families with different interests.
8. The Growing Place
One of the more unique things to do in Naperville with kids, The Growing Place is a garden store and a learning center in one. The Growing Place has themed gardens demonstrating ways to deal with sun, shade, and wet gardens, as well as gardens that attract hummingbirds and butterflies and fairy gardens tucked in among the flowers. Kids can enjoy gardening workshops aimed at their interests and visit during art and nature-themed festivals throughout the growing seasons.
9. The Rainbow Play Room
Are you considering buying a swingset for your yard, or do you have a child who likes exploring different swingsets? Kids can try them all at this warehouse for Rainbow brand swingsets. From a basic space saver to the $30,000 pirate ship, you and your kids can swing, slide, and monkey bar to your heart's content indoors. We recommend going during the offseason for the best prices if you're considering a purchase, or going during bad weather to burn off some energy.
Knoch Knolls Nature Center photo by Paul Schlisman, courtesy of the Chicago Nature Centers.
10. Knoch Knolls Park and Knoch Knolls Nature Center
When I was a child the main draw here was a shallow spot in the river that you could wade through. Today, this park has trails, playgrounds, a disc golf course, and a nature center. Kids can meet animals from Midwest forests and waterways, go on a guided hike, listen to naturalists' presentations, or explore exhibits about nature that change seasonally. The disc golf course includes 18 holes and is an enticing outdoor activity for tweens and teens who are too big for standard nature center stuff.
11. Funtopia
If you like climbing, this is your place. With 50 unique climbing walls, there's something for everyone from toddlers to adults. Kids can also conquer the ninja course, slide down giant slides, or fly on a trapeze. Younger siblings can enjoy a soft play area while older kids challenge themselves on the various courses. This is also a great birthday party venue for many different ages of children.
12. Anderson's Bookshop and Anderson's Toyshop
Located just two doors away from each other in downtown Naperville, these two shops represent some of the last independent toy and book shops left in the Chicago area. The bookstore has a large children's section with lots of staff recommendations. The shop frequently hosts author visits for many different genres of books. We loved having one of our "Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site" books signed by Sherry Duskey Rinker. The toy store has new items all the time and is a smorgasbord of delight for kids of all ages.
13. Whirlyball
This weird sport combines bumper cars and lacrosse in a moderately fast-paced game that is especially fun for bigger kids. The venue also includes a multi-level laser tag arena, bowling (and hyperbowling, an increasingly challenging series of tasks using the bowling lane), and giant yard games to expand the fun into the younger ages. Top off your visit with classic bar food and fun drinks.
Getting sweets at Naper Nuts and Sweets Candy Shop. Photo by Maureen Wilkey.
Things to Do in Naperville: Eats and Treats
14. Naper Nuts and Sweets
You can smell this one for the whole block. Enjoy freshly popped popcorn, fudge, chocolates, nuts, and novelty candies at this classic candy shop in downtown Naperville. Go with your grandparents to see what kinds of vintage candies they loved as kids, and discover some of your new favorites.
My kids picked out candy lip gloss and freeze-dried astronaut ice cream sandwiches, but we also love chocolate-covered anything from malted milk balls to almonds. Satisfy your sweet tooth for less money by getting a surprise bag from the Too Good to Go app.
15. JoJo's Shake Bar
This '80s and '90s-inspired milkshake bar has every milkshake you could possibly want, from cotton candy to Girl Scout Cookie to vegan peanut butter and banana. There are also entrees and cocktails to round out the fun for adults. Get your shake on the go at the walk-up window or stay a while and play the table arcade games.
16. Colonial Cafe
This suburban mainstay has diner-style breakfasts, lunches, and ice cream treats with an extensive menu for everyone from toddlers to adults. Get real entrees for under $15 an adult and $7 for a kid with a wide variety of breakfast, brunch, and lunch options. Try out the M&M Smile Pancakes or grilled chicken bites. And stay for dessert for anything from a small kids sundae for just $3.50 to the Kitchen Sink sundae, which actually comes in a kitchen sink.
17. Everdine's Grilled Cheese
My son swears that mommy makes the best grilled cheese, but some of these may come close. Get a standard All-American, or find your new favorite out of combos like Hawaiian and French to caprese to teriyaki chicken. And if this restaurant list wasn't already sweet enough, you can get a grilled cheese made on a glazed donut here.
18. Lou Malnati's Naperville
If you're reading this far into an article about the Chicago suburbs, you've likely already had Lou Malnati's pizza. Nothing can beat this classic deep dish if you're in the mood for it... except eating it in an old firehouse, complete with firefighter regalia lining the walls. The front windows open like a garage door in the summer so you can eat almost outside on the sidewalk and enjoy the breeze and the people watching in downtown Naperville.
19. Q-BBQ
This is my daughter's favorite restaurant in Naperville. She loves the chicken fingers, while my son could eat several pulled pork or pulled chicken sliders. As a grown-up, I like the free pickles and variety of sauces that come with each meal. Hush puppies are also among the family favorites at this downtown Naperville barbecue joint.
Hotel Indigo photo courtesy of IHG Hotels & Resorts
The Best Naperville Hotels for Families
20. Hotel Indigo
This hotel is situated on the Riverwalk within walking distance of downtown Naperville's shopping and attractions. It's perfect for a staycation from any part of the Chicago area for local families or an interesting stop for out-of-towners looking for a cheaper option than downtown Chicago. The newer hotel has plenty of suite options available for families who don't want to go to bed at the same time as their kids.
21. Hotel Arista
Farther from downtown but no less luxurious, the Hotel Arista is also home to a spa and several unique restaurants. Located on Naperville's northwest side, it has shuttles to many local attractions and amenities.
All photos by author Maureen Wilkey unless otherwise indicated.
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