Welcome to Downers Grove
Elegant village with a vibrant downtown area and many parks
Downers Grove is a peaceful village located close to I-55 and I-355 in DuPage County to Chicago’s southwest. Development of this unique and elegant village was sparked by the construction of railroads in the 1860s. Downers Grove still has convenient rail links to Chicago with three stations on the Metra commuter line. Many original 19th century properties remain to this day in Downers Grove, especially close to the village’s downtown areas. Others have been torn down and replaced with luxurious newer properties.
What to Love
- Mix of older and newer homes
- Hip pubs and restaurants
- Vibrant downtown area
- Parks and green spaces
People & Lifestyle
Downers Grove has a vibrant downtown area packed with refined restaurants and lively pubs and craft beer breweries. Capri is a fine-dining hotspot serving authentic Italian cuisine in an elegant dining space. Specialties include handmade pasta, fresh fish, tender veal and steaks, and delicious, made-to-order sauces. Capri’s sublime entrées and small plates can be enjoyed alongside handcrafted cocktails or glasses and bottles from their curated wine list. Pierce Tavern is a hip gastropub with an atmospheric interior featuring a wood-paneled bar and exposed brickwork. Their menu includes gourmet burgers, pizzas, and other inventive handhelds alongside specialty salads and large plates.
Close to I-88 at the northern end of Downers Grove, Parker’s American Restaurant & Bar serves globally-inspired New American cuisine in a refined setting with a roaring fireplace. Parker’s exquisite meals, sublime wine list, and outstanding ambiance have earned the restaurant numerous honors, including Wine Spectators’ Award of Excellence.
Several shopping centers with big-box retailers and destination restaurants are located along 75th Street to Downers Grove’s south. Highlights here include homey East European eatery Grand Duke’s Restaurant. The menu at Grand Duke’s features classic dishes from Lithuania, Poland, and Germany. Grand Duke’s also offers European beers and the largest vodka selection in Chicagoland. Head to the restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights to enjoy drinks and dinner with live music accompaniment.
Things to Do
Downers Grove has lots of relaxing green space and numerous cultural attractions. Morton Arboretum covers 1,700 acres and has more than 200,000 cataloged plants from over 4,100 different species. The arboretum also offers many nature-focused educational programs for both children and adults. Between November and January, Morton Arboretum’s trees are illuminated during the holidays.
McCollum Park spans 50 acres and features an abundance of sports facilities, including baseball, softball, and soccer fields, lighted tennis and sand volleyball courts, a large playground, and an 18-hole miniature golf course. The park also has walking paths and tree-shaded picnic areas.
More sports facilities are accessible at Ty Warner Park. Here, you’ll find a sand volleyball court, a disc golf course, fishing ponds, lighted baseball and soccer fields, lighted tennis courts, and a zipline for kids ages five to 12. Ty Warner Park also has a spray play area for use during the summer and a sled hill in the winter.
Four-acre Wandschneider Park is home to several historic buildings comprising the Downers Grove Museum. The museum’s exhibits are housed within original 19th-century modeled homes and offer a fascinating insight into the community’s history.