Baby-friendly outings around Chicago
Going out with a baby is half for the grown-ups: a flat path for the stroller, somewhere to sit and feed, and something to look at while the baby sleeps. Every place here scores a full 5 for under-1s, and every one takes a stroller.
The children's areas at the Naperville, Bolingbrook, Schaumburg and Skokie libraries are roomy, with lots of storytimes and plenty of picture books in Chinese and other languages. For a walk, the brick Naperville Riverwalk, the lake loops at Herrick Lake and Lake Arlington, and the paved paths at the Morton Arboretum are flat and quiet; in winter the Garfield Park Conservatory puts babies to sleep among the palms. Lincoln Park Zoo is free and flat, and even a few-months-old will fix on the butterflies at Peggy Notebaert.
- 26 places
- 18 free
- 26 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
26 places
Drive times from Naperville
Naperville Riverwalk
5.0Naperville · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free on weekends at the Municipal Center (400 S Eagle St) and the Central Parking Facility; use the Van Buren garage when downtown is tight
Metra train ride downtown (BNSF line)
5.0Naperville · 5 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free weekend parking at the Naperville station lot (permit required weekdays); same at Route 59
Knoch Knolls Nature Center and trails
5.0Naperville · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot (320 Knoch Knolls Rd)
Naperville 95th Street Library kids' area
5.0Naperville · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free library lot (3015 Cedar Glen Dr)
Fountaindale Public Library kids' area
5.0Bolingbrook · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free library lot (300 W Briarcliff Rd)
Morton Arboretum and Children's Garden
5.0Lisle · 15 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Parking included with admission; the big visitor center lot has a line after 10am on fall weekends
Cantigny Park gardens and tank park
5.0Wheaton · 15 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: About $5–15 per car depending on the day (check the website); admission free
Kline Creek Farm (1890s farm)
5.0West Chicago · 20 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free farm lot (1N600 County Farm Rd)
Blackberry Farm living history farm and train
5.0Aurora · 20 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free farm lot (100 S Barnes Rd)
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
5.0Willow Springs · 30 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot (9800 Willow Springs Rd)
Fox River Trolley Museum
5.0South Elgin · 30 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free museum lot (365 S LaFox St)
Primrose Farm (1930s farm)
5.0St. Charles · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free farm lot (5N726 Crane Rd)
Oak Park Public Library kids' area
5.0Oak Park · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Library garage under the building (first 2 hours free, check the website); 5-minute walk from the Green Line Oak Park station
Spring Valley Nature Center and trails
5.0Schaumburg · 40 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot (1111 E Schaumburg Rd)
Volkening Heritage Farm (1880s farm)
5.0Schaumburg · 40 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free farm lot (201 S Plum Grove Rd), or walk over from the Spring Valley Nature Center
Schaumburg Township District Library kids' area
5.0Schaumburg · 40 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free library lot (130 S Roselle Rd)
Garfield Park Conservatory
5.0Chicago · 40 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free conservatory lot (Central Park Ave); the Green Line Conservatory-Central Park Drive station is at the door
Riding the L around the Loop
5.0Chicago · 45 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Metra to Union Station, then a 10-minute walk to Quincy; Loop garages are $15–30 on weekends if you drive
Chicago Water Taxi
5.0Chicago · 45 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Michigan Ave dock is below the Wrigley Building; from Metra at Union Station you can board directly at the Ogilvie / Union dock
Emily Oaks Nature Center
5.0Skokie · 55 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot (4650 Brummel St)
River Trail Nature Center
5.0Northbrook · 55 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot (3120 Milwaukee Ave)
Historic Wagner Farm
5.0Glenview · 55 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free farm lot (1510 Wagner Rd)
Skokie Public Library kids' area
5.0Skokie · 55 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free library lot (5215 Oakton St)
Evanston Public Library kids' area
5.0Evanston · 60 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Library garage under the building (Church St entrance, recently free for the first stretch, check the website); 5-minute walk from the Purple Line Davis station
Chicago Botanic Garden
5.0Glencoe · 60 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Large lot on site (parking fee or included with admission, check the website); 15-minute walk from the Metra UP-North Braeside station
Illinois Railway Museum
5.0Union · 65 min drive
4 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Large free museum lot (7000 Olson Rd)
💡 Good to know
- Saturday-morning storytimes fill up, so arrive a little early; weekday baby storytimes are calmer.
- Chicago winters are windy and summers humid; bring the rain cover and the sunshade, aim for mornings outdoors, and remember the lakefront runs several degrees cooler than the suburbs.