Visit Grant Park Kankakee Illinois and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the Grant Park in Illinois: A huge green area with attractions such as Buckingham Fountain and Millennium Park. Walk, attend celebrations or concerts - Grant Park offers an unforgettable experience!
On the first steps through the small village you can immediately feel that history is not only in dusty history books, but in every wooden bench and every old barn window – and yes, that is one of the few reasons why I mention “Grant Park Sights”. Founded in 1855, shortly after the rise of Ulysses S. Grant, the village grew thanks to the railway line, which at that time formed the backbone of the Middle West. Today it is cozy in the heart of Yellowhead Township, surrounded by the wide fields Kankakee County, and looks like a relic from an era where life is even slower.
When you arrive by car, the I‐57 leads you directly to the main road, and a short trip to the US‐45 lets you breathe the true land life – no joke, that is almost therapeutic. I sometimes take the county bus because I love the feeling that drivers know more about the village than most guides. And yes, the train compartment that occasionally holds here is a nostalgic bonus if you are looking for a little adventure.
I don't quite understand the hype around the big metropolises, but here, between the old grain stores and the friendly faces of the locals, I find a rest that one rarely experiences in the usual tourist destinations. So if you're looking for an authentic piece of Illinois, you shouldn't be afraid to spend a few hours in Grant Park – that's for me the real highlight among the Grant Park sights.
This guide invites you to stroll with me through the small but self-willing heart of Grant Park, where I taste my favorite places between the field paths and the old water tower.
In front, almost as a compulsory program, this is Grant Park Historical Museum – a tiny building that sprays more charm than any overpriced city gallery. I found a dusty box full of old school books that looked like they survived the 1950s because nobody ever took them out of the shelf. The curator, a retired teacher with a slope to long anecdotes, tells you that the city got its name after Ulysses S. Grant, because he was supposed to be riding the fields here. I don't quite understand the hype around Grant, but the museum has a small but fine area with original tools that remind you that life here used to consist of shovels and horse cars.
A short walk leads you to Grant Park Water Tower, this rusty colossus that watches over the fields like a forgotten guard. I've always wondered why you don't let such a monument tear down until I realized that it's the only landmark that you can see from the highway right away. If you're lucky, in the evening you can see the light of the city that is reflected in the metal plates, and that's almost romantic if you don't take it too seriously.
Right next to the tower Grant Park Park, a small green strip with a playground that is used more by the children of the neighborhood than by tourists. I once made a picnic with my neighbor who told me that the park was a cattle pasture. Today it is the only piece “nature” in the city that is not surrounded by corn fields, and that makes it a perfect place to find a few minutes of rest before you fall back into the next adventure.
If you are looking for a little more culture, take a look at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The church is not only a place for worship, but also a small museum for local works of art that were passed from generation to generation. I discovered a hand-carved cross that was supposed to come from an immigrants from Germany. The benches crawl, the windows let the light in in an almost sacral shimmer – a place where you ask yourself why you even came here if you are not looking for a quiet moment.
Another highlight that I do not want to conceal is the Grant Park Public Library. She is small, but she has a surprisingly good offer of local history books and a cozy reading shackle that invites you to lose a few hours. I once found an old town planbook that documented the development of Grant Park from a pure agricultural location to what it is today. The staff is friendly but not exaggerated – they know that they are not the tourist magnets of Chicago here.
For those who want to experience the real “local feeling” there is Grant Park Farmers Market, which takes place every Saturday from May to September on the main square. Here farmers sell fresh corn-pistons, honey and homemade jams that you would not find anywhere else. I once met an old farmer who told me that he has been growing the same varieties of tomatoes for 30 years – and that he loves the market because he is the only time that the city comes together without someone parking a car with a loud horn.
Last but not least, if you're looking for a little nostalgia, look at this. Grant Park Railroad Depot on. The old railway station building is now a small museum that documents the history of railways in the region. I've found an old ticket there that still spilled the smell of coal and lubricating oil. The place reminds you that Grant Park was once an important hub – a bit of irony considering that there are hardly any trains left today.
All this together Grant Park Attractions to a mix of history, everyday life and a bit of romance that you only find when you are ready to appreciate the little things. And next time you drive through the wide fields, stop short – you will see that the true adventure here is not in loud cities, but in the quiet corners of this tranquil place.
A sunny afternoon in June leads me beyond the dusty field roads of Grant Park, where the first thing I notice is the insurmountable sign to the Kankakee River State Park is – a place I constantly underestimate, because it does not rank in the Travel Guide-Glossar. The park is only about 15 miles south, and parking is almost always a children's game, as long as you don't arrive at the weekend with a horde family, then the field quickly becomes the battlefield around the last free places. I remember how I crossed the wooden bridge over the river with my old mountain bike, while a swarm duck protested loudly because I snore too loud. The river itself is wide enough to drive a small raft, and the trails offer enough variety to make both beginners and experienced trekkers happy.
A few miles further, almost in the opposite direction, this is Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. There are no exaggerated numbers of visitors here, but a feeling of untamed wilderness that you rarely find in Illinois. I once made a picnic on a small hill, while a Bison-striping visitor (yes, that was a Bison-Rundweg program) walked past me – an image I still see in my head today when I think of “pure nature”. The trails are well marked, the visitor center has a few nice brochures, and parking is free at the main entrance as long as you are not lucky to get to the high season, then the field is quickly occupied by campers.
Back towards Grant Park, but not in the place itself, the Kankakee River Trail along the river and offers an almost endless loop for cyclists and walkers. I tried the trail on a rainy morning – the wet stones glittered like small diamonds, and the air smelled like a damp foliage that almost tasted for freedom. The trail is well developed, and parking at the entry points is usually easy, except on Saturday afternoons when local groups turn the field into a temporary camp.
A short detour to Kankakee River Marina is a must if you want to see some water without renting a boat. The marina is located directly on the river, and parking is a bit tricky there: a small parking lot behind the restaurant, the “River Grill”, is often full, but a few meters further there is a free stripe that I always use to park my car and then make a quick walk to the ridge. There you can watch the boats that are moving past leisurely, and sometimes you can hear the loud laughing of families that are just packing a picnic – a perfect place to forget everyday noise.
For those who prefer to stand on the green, Kankakee River Golf Club a surprisingly good goal. The club is located just outside, but the 18-hole facility is well maintained and offers a magnificent view over the river bank. I once enjoyed an early breakfast in the clubhouse while waiting for my group to make the first deduction – the staff was friendly, and parking was right in front of the clubhouse, which made the whole simple. The golf course is not overrun unless you arrive on a sunny Saturday, then you have to take a little patience.
Another highlight that I cannot overlook is that Kankakee County Historical Museum in the nearby town of Kankakee. The museum is a small but fine building that documents the history of the region from the natives to modern times. I once saw a special exhibition on the railways, which reminded me how much the rails have shaped the country. Parking is free at the museum backyard, but you have to be there early because the places are quickly away when the school classes arrive.
When you explore the surroundings of Grant Park, you will discover a colourful mix of nature, history and leisure opportunities that go far beyond what you would expect from a small village in Illinois. These Grant Park Attractions show that the surrounding area has more to offer than fields and grain – there are rivers, preriens, trails and cultural treasures that can surprise and delight every visitor.
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