If you live near Chicago or are planning a trip there, Long Grove, Illinois is a must-see nearby town filled with charming cobblestone streets, high-quality dining, unique festivals, and an unusual museum. Just a half hour from Chicago O'Hare International Airport and an hour from Chicago Midway International Airport, it's just a quick car ride away. Walking along its cobblestone walkways is like a trip back in time, and with good reason: it's Illinois' oldest historic district, having been settled
by German immigrants in the 1840s.
Throughout downtown Long Grove, you'll find plenty of upscale and casual dining options as well as some great wine bars and breweries. Chicago is a hot spot for culinary adventures, but luckily that extends to nearby Long Grove as well. Corked Restaurant and Wine Bar provides guests with wines from all over the world as well as a seasonal menu, featuring dishes like mushroom tartine, shrimp ceviche, beef carpaccio, and chocolate mousse for dessert. Aside from being able to enjoy your meal inside the cozy wine bar, you can also dine in the establishment's gorgeous lawn area. If you're looking for authentic Italian dishes like pasta carbonara and zuppa di pesce, head to Enzo & Lucia Ristorante, set inside a charming, old Victorian-style home.
The Chatterbox, meanwhile, serves fresh, creative pub-style dishes in a renovated historic barn with two dog-friendly outdoor patios for those who want to bring their furry friends. For an even more casual place to grab a drink and a bite, The Village Tavern is a good choice and sometimes hosts live music. Craving something a bit more refined? Long Grove features yet another unique dining experience — this one in a charming tea house. High Tea with Gerri offers multi-course menus filled with different kinds of teas served in pretty teacups and small sandwiches and scones placed on tiered food towers.
Read more: The Most Charming Cobblestone Streets In America That Will Take You Back In Time
Breweries And Wineries In And Around Long Grove, Illinois
Right in the downtown Long Grove area is where Buffalo Creek Brewing decided to settle. The owner, Mike Marr, was a home brewer for 15 years before deciding he wanted to build his own brewery. Customers can now come and sip Buffalo Creek's creations, like Long Grove Lager, Half Nelson wheat beer, and others. While there's only one brewery right in Lake Grove, beer is quite popular in the area — so much so that Lake Grove holds an annual Craft Beer Festival, giving attendees opportunities to enjoy unlimited beer samples from a large lineup of area breweries. Live music and food vendors round out the festival. In the past, nearby Illinois breweries like Half Day Brewing in Lincolnshire, 9th Hour Brewing in Lake Villa, and Liquid Love Brewing in Buffalo Grove have participated in the event.
Aside from a thriving craft beer scene, Long Grove also has wineries for vino lovers. Valentino Vineyards & Winery is a 20-acre estate that has as many grapevine varieties as it does acres. Here, more than 20 types of wine are aged in oak barrels, including Chianti, medium-bodied reds, Seyval Blanc, dessert whites, and more. Get a tour of the vineyard, or try a few varieties of the wines in their tasting room, which is open for walk-ins May through December and by appointment the rest of the year. Another spot to check out is Broken Earth Winery. Though its eco-friendly vineyard is located in California, the Long Grove-based branch of the winery offers a nice patio and indoor bar featuring an extensive list of its California-produced wines.
Festivals, Shopping, Sock Monkeys, And More In Long Grove
Because one can never get enough chocolate, Long Grove hosts two annual events dedicated to the beloved confection: its Historic Downtown Long Grove Chocolate Festival, which features tastings and live music, and the Cocoa Crawl, where you can take free carriage rides around town and taste test hot cocoa from local businesses. Long Grove celebrates other edible delights, too, hosting a Strawberry Fest and an Apple Fest. In addition, its Irish Days festival honors Irish culture, and October Days offers spooky fall fun. Long Grove's long list of vibrant festivals comes as no surprise in a state that prizes quirky events like Scarecrow Weekend in St. Charles, Illinois, considered one of the best fall festivals in the entire state.
Many colorful boutiques line the downtown streetsd as well, making it the perfect spot for an afternoon of shopping. Pick up gift items from Epilogue Arts, authentic Irish goods (including imported sweets) from The Irish Boutique, crystals from Hidden Gem, or sweets from Ma & Pa's Candy or Long Grove Confectionery Co. The latter also offers $5 tours of its chocolate factory just a few minutes away in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.
Are you a museum person but tired of the same old themes in every city? Long Grove has the cure with its unique Sock Monkey Museum. Yes, you read that right. Stroll through displays containing the world's largest handmade sock monkey collection with more than 2,000 of the adorable stuffed animals, collected over the years from general stores, antique stores, garage sales, and as gifts. Finally, if after all this sock-monkey immersion and other downtown activities you find yourself needing some fresh air, head to the 408-acre Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve, which has more than five miles of gravel trails, perfect for unwinding after a day of sightseeing.
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