Located in Cook County, Illinois, Des Plaines is an exceptional destination for a family trip. There are ample activities to enjoy, including museums, parks, and nature trails.
The city is also home to forest preserves, making it ideal for nature lovers. Families traveling with kids in tow will love the city’s interactive sculptures and fountains.
You can also check out the Mystic Waters Family Aquatic Center. If you’re looking for something more active, try hiking in one of the many state parks nearby.
Find more great things to do in Des Plaines, Illinois, in our list below
The 56 Most Popular Things To Do In Des Plaines, Illinois
56. Lake Potawatomi
4.2 (5 reviews)
Credit: Oliver Crown, Google Maps
55. Busse Woods Reservoir
3.3 (6 reviews)
Credit: Mark Libby, Google Maps
54. Rolling Meadows Historical Museum
4.5 (6 reviews)
Location: 3100 W Central Road Rolling Meadows IL
Tel: 847 577 7086
Web Address: https://cityrm.org/376/Historical-Museum
53. Dee Park
4.7 (7 reviews)
Location: Des Plaines IL
52. Belleau Lake
4.2 (11 reviews)
Credit: vinay kumar, Google Maps
51. Donald E. Stephens Museum of Hummels
4.3 (11 reviews)
Location: 9513 W Higgins Road Rosemont IL
Tel: 847 692 4000
Web Address: http://rosemont.com/community/museum-of-hummels/
50. Morton Grove Historical Museum
4.7 (12 reviews)
Location: 6240 Dempster Street Morton Grove IL
Tel: 847 965 0203
Web Address: http://mortongroveparks.com/
49. Mount Prospect Historical Society
4.9 (14 reviews)
Credit: Mount Prospect Historical Society, Google Maps
Location: cc 101 S Maple Street Mt Prospect IL
Tel: 847 392 9006
48. Axehead Lake
3.9 (18 reviews)
Credit: Martin Demjan, Google Maps
47. Monument Park
4.6 (18 reviews)
Credit: Teemu008, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 6167 N River Road Rosemont IL
Tel: 847 823 6685
Web Address: http://rosemontparkdistrict.com/monument-park
46. Mt Prospect Park District
4.4 (20 reviews)
Location: 420 Dempster Street Mt Prospect IL
Tel: 847 640 1000
Web Address: https://mppd.org/
45. Big Bend Lake
4.4 (31 reviews)
44. Kloempken Prairie
4.5 (32 reviews)
Credit: Francis Landiza, Google Maps
Location: 1942 E Golf Road Des Plaines IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/kloempken-prairie/
43. Des Plaines History Center
4.6 (39 reviews)
Location: 781 Pearson Street Des Plaines IL
Tel: 847 391 5399
Web Address: http://desplaineshistory.org/
42. Busse Lake
4.2 (43 reviews)
Credit: Bernardo Nunez, Google Maps
41. Big Surf Wave Pool (Closed for the Season)
4.6 (52 reviews)
Credit: Big Surf Wave Pool (Closed for the Season), Google Maps
Location: 411 S Maple Street Mt Prospect IL
Tel: 847 253 7873
Web Address: https://mppd.org/facility/big-surf
40. The Beach Water Park
4.5 (53 reviews)
Credit: The Beach Water Park, Google Maps
Location: Located at 161 W Commercial Street Wood Dale IL
Tel: 630 595 9333
Web Address: http://wdparks.org/
39. Belleau Lake
4.4 (54 reviews)
Credit: Patrick Park, Google Maps
Location: 2137 Busse Hwy Des Plaines IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/belleau-lake/
38. Beck Lake
4.5 (55 reviews)
Location: E River Road Glenview IL
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/beck-lake/
37. American Airlines Flight 191 Memorial
4.6 (64 reviews)
Credit: Václav Korecký, Google Maps
Location: 1201 E Touhy Ave Des Plaines IL
Tel: 847 391 5730
Web Address: https://dpparks.org/parks-facilities/lake-park/flight-191-memorial/
36. Big Bend Lake
4.6 (65 reviews)
Location: Southeast River Rd. Des Plaines IL
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/big-bend-lake/
35. Oriole Park
4.4 (70 reviews)
Credit: Alice Ward, Google Maps
Location: 9200 Oriole Ave Morton Grove IL
Tel: 847 965 1200
Web Address: http://mortongroveparks.com/content/oriole-park
34. Beck Lake Dog Park
4.6 (93 reviews)
Location: 1000 E River Road Des Plaines IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: http://fpdcc.com/recreation/off-leash-dog-areas/#sites
33. Northwest Park
4.4 (120 reviews)
Location: 1200 N Dee Road Park Ridge IL
Tel: 847 692 5127
Web Address: http://prparks.org/parks/northwest-park
32. BURNING BUSH TRAILS PARK
4.8 (121 reviews)
Location: 1313 N Burning Bush Ln Mt Prospect IL
Tel: 847 255 1200
Web Address: https://rtpd.org/parks-facilities/facilities/burning-bush-community-center/
31. Golf Maine Park District
4.4 (125 reviews)
Credit: Golf Maine Park District, Google Maps
Location: 8800 W Kathy Ln Niles IL
Tel: 847 297 3000
Web Address: http://gmpd.org/
30. Dunne Park Recreation Center
4.6 (136 reviews)
Location: 9499 Glenlake Street Rosemont IL
Tel: 847 993 8455
Web Address: http://rosemontparkdistrict.com/dunne-park
29. Axehead Lake
4.3 (137 reviews)
Credit: Maria Elena Jagunich, Google Maps
Location: S River Road Park Ridge IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/axehead-lake/
28. River Trail Nature Center
4.6 (141 reviews)
Location: 3120 Milwaukee Ave Northbrook IL
Tel: 847 824 8360
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/river-trail-nature-center/
27. Arndt Park
4.5 (143 reviews)
Credit: Nick Trifilis, Google Maps
Location: 1990 White Street Des Plaines IL
Web Address: https://dpparks.org/parks-facilities/parks-pools-facilities/arndt-park/
26. Salt Creek Park Forest Preserve
4.5 (147 reviews)
Location: 18W200 Elizabeth Dr Wood Dale IL
Tel: 630 933 7200
Web Address: http://dupageforest.org/Conservation/Forest_Preserves/Salt_Creek_Park.aspx
25. Dam No. 4 Woods-East
4.6 (174 reviews)
Credit: Manjul Saini, Google Maps
Location: Des Plaines River Trail Park Ridge IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: http://fpdcc.com/
24. Harrer Park and Harrer Pool
4.5 (178 reviews)
Credit: Pulak Debnath, Google Maps
Location: 6250 Dempster Street Morton Grove IL
Tel: 847 965 1200
Web Address: https://mortongroveparks.com/
23. River Trails Park District
4.6 (218 reviews)
Location: 1500 E Euclid Ave Mt Prospect IL
Tel: 847 255 1200
Web Address: http://rtpd.org/
22. Miami Woods
4.7 (229 reviews)
Credit: David Johnsen, Google Maps
Location: Caldwell Avenue and oakton street Morton Grove IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/miami-woods/
21. South Salk Park
4.5 (248 reviews)
Credit: Timothy T., Google Maps
Location: 3900 Owl Dr Rolling Meadows IL
Tel: 847 818 3220
Web Address: http://rmparks.org/locations/south_salk_park
20. Allison Woods
4.7 (282 reviews)
Location: Milwaukee Ave Northbrook IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/allison-woods/
19. West Park
4.6 (293 reviews)
Location: Des Plaines IL
Web Address: https://dpparks.org/parks-facilities/parks-pools-facilities/west-park/
18. Camp Pine Woods
4.5 (296 reviews)
Credit: Jayesh Naithani, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: Central Road Glenview IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/camp-pine-woods/
17. Kimball Hill Park
4.6 (341 reviews)
Location: 3286 Kirchoff Road Rolling Meadows IL
Tel: 847 818 3200
Web Address: http://rmparks.org/locations/kimball_hill_park
16. Linne Woods
4.6 (384 reviews)
Credit: Alexander Ramos, Google Maps
Location: Dempster Street Morton Grove IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/linne-woods/
15. Potawatomi Woods
4.6 (407 reviews)
Credit: David Brodbeck, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: Northbrook IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/potawatomi-woods/
14. Harms Woods
4.7 (565 reviews)
Credit: Sérgio Gonçalves, Google Maps
Location: Harms Road Glenview IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/harms-woods/
13. White Pines Golf Club
4.1 (599 reviews)
Credit: White Pines Golf Club, Google Maps
Location: 500 W Jefferson Street Bensenville IL
Tel: 630 766 0304
Web Address: http://whitepinesgolf.com/
12. Norridge Park District
4.5 (600 reviews)
Credit: John K Keating, Google Maps
Location: 4631 N Overhill Ave Norridge IL
Tel: 708 457 1244
Web Address: http://norridgepk.com/
11. Busse Forest Elk Pasture
4.7 (738 reviews)
Credit: okpank okpank, Google Maps
Location: 225 N Arlington Heights Road Elk Grove Village IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/busse-woods/
10. Catherine Chevalier Woods
4.6 (812 reviews)
Credit: Olivia the cat, Google Maps
Location: N East River Road Chicago IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: http://fpdcc.com/location/catherine-chevalier-woods/
9. Schiller Woods
4.7 (1,158 reviews)
Credit: tony mara, Google Maps
Location: N Cook County Chicago IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/schiller-woods/
8. Busse Woods
4.7 (4,282 reviews)
Credit: Alanscottwalker, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: Rolling Meadows IL
Tel: 800 870 3666
Web Address: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/busse-woods/
Our Top picks
7. Des Plaines River Trail
4.3 (9 reviews)
6. Koehnline Museum of Art
4.1 (9 reviews)
Location: 1600 E Golf Road Des Plaines IL
Tel: 847 635 2633
5. Lake Opeka
4.7 (69 reviews)
Credit: Ina Riley, Google Maps
4. Wildwood Nature Center
4.7 (84 reviews)
Credit: Ewelina Bujak, Google Maps
Location: 529 Forestview Ave Park Ridge IL
Tel: 847 692 3570
Web Address: http://prparks.org/facilities/wildwood-nature-center
3. Mystic Waters Family Aquatic Center
4.4 (722 reviews)
Location: 2025 Miner Street Des Plaines IL
Tel: 847 391 5740
Web Address: https://dpparks.org/parks-facilities/mystic-waters/
2. Lake Park
4.7 (973 reviews)
Location: 2200 Lee Street Des Plaines IL
Tel: 847 391 5730
Web Address: https://dpparks.org/parks-facilities/lake-park/
1. Rivers Casino Des Plaines
3.8 (9,525 reviews)
Credit: Rick Obst, License, Wikimedia commons
Location: 3000 S River Road Des Plaines IL
Tel: 847 795 0777
Web Address: https://riverscasino.com/desplaines
Final Words:
Thank you for reading our list of the best things to do in Des Plaines, Illinois! We hope it helped you plan the perfect itinerary for your next trip to this fantastic destination. Happy travels!
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