Oak Brook
While Oak Brook is a short drive from Chicago, it is far from the high-rises and bustle of the big city. Come to this pretty town for relaxation and refreshing outdoor activities.
Golf is popular in Oak Brook. Choose from Willow Crest Golf Club, Oak Brook Golf Club and several others for a stimulating day out on the fairways and a nice meal afterward.
On summer Sundays try something different just south of Oak Brook Golf Club. Dress nicely, bring a picnic lunch and watch players swing their mallets from atop their ponies at the Oak Brook Polo Club. The Butler family, who owned a paper mill, raised cattle and played polo among cowboys, formed the club nearly 100 years ago. Oak Brook Polo has hosted global heads of state and dignitaries, including Prince Charles as a player with his mother Queen Elizabeth cheering him on.
Visit the Oak Brook Park District Family Recreation Center for daily access to basketball courts, tennis courts, a fitness center and a running track. The year-round Family Aquatic Center features swim lanes, hot tubs and an indoor water slide. Play disc golf in the large surrounding Central Park or travel on the 15 miles (24 kilometers) of shaded trails of the Oak Brook Bike and Fitness Path through the park and nearby residential areas.
Part of Oak Brook’s history is revealed at Graue Mill and Museum, an operating gristmill, which was once a station on the Underground Railroad. Tour the mill and purchase some cornmeal made on site.
See more history at the Mayslake Peabody Estate with a restored prairie and savanna, Mayslake Hall and the Portiuncula Chapel. First Folio Theatre on the grounds provides live performances of classic and contemporary works.
The modern Oakbrook Center is an outdoor mall with five anchor department stores and more than 160 specialty shops and dining and entertainment sites. Drive just 23 minutes from central Chicago to enjoy the relaxing suburb of Oak Brook.