Things to do with kids in Naperville
Naperville ranks near the top of every best-places-to-raise-kids list for a reason: the Riverwalk along the river downtown connects a quarry pool, a children's museum, a history village and a library, two nature centers and a big prairie are ten minutes away, and the Morton Arboretum and Cantigny are fifteen.
On a sunny day, start at the Centennial Beach lot and walk the Riverwalk downtown for ice cream, or just swim in summer; the DuPage Children's Museum covers rain and Naper Settlement covers sun. Knoch Knolls has a nature playground and trails, Springbrook Prairie is for kites, and the new Wolf's Crossing park to the south has a spray area and a sled hill. For downtown Chicago, the Naperville station lot is free on weekends and the $7 Metra day pass with kids free gets you to Union Station in 35 minutes.
- 16 places
- 10 free
- 16 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
16 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
Centennial Beach quarry swimming beach
5.0Naperville · 5 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free Centennial Beach lot (500 W Jackson Ave); when it fills on weekend afternoons, use the Riverwalk garage
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
DuPage Children's Museum
5.0Naperville · 5 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free museum lot (301 N Washington St); when full, use the Metra station's weekend lot
Naper Settlement outdoor history village
4.0Naperville · 5 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free museum lot (Webster St / Porter Ave)
Knoch Knolls Nature Center and trails
5.0Naperville · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot (320 Knoch Knolls Rd)
Wolf's Crossing Community Park playground and splash pad
5.0Naperville · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free park lot (3252 Wolf's Crossing Rd)
Naperville 95th Street Library kids' area
5.0Naperville · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free library lot (3015 Cedar Glen Dr)
Fountaindale Public Library kids' area
5.0Bolingbrook · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free library lot (300 W Briarcliff Rd)
Springbrook Prairie
4.0Naperville · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Two free lots, on Plainfield-Naperville Rd and 83rd St
Hidden Lakes Historic Trout Farm
4.0Bolingbrook · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free park lot (419 Trout Farm Rd)
Sensory Garden Playground
5.0Lisle · 15 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free playground lot (2225 Abbeywood Dr)
Morton Arboretum and Children's Garden
5.0Lisle · 15 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · 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
Cosley Zoo
5.0Wheaton · 15 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free zoo lot (1356 N Gary Ave)
Herrick Lake lakeside trail
4.0Wheaton · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Two free lots, on Butterfield Rd and Herrick Rd
💡 Good to know
- Downtown weekend parking: the Municipal Center and Central Parking Facility are free, and the Van Buren garage is easy; the Centennial Beach lot fills on summer afternoons.