Visit Willowbrook Will Illinois and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the Willowbrook Park in Illinois: A great place for hiking and outdoor activities. Exclude the wide selection of walks and enjoy the cultural center of the place.
On the first steps through Willowbrook, a small jewel in the Crete Township of Will County, you can immediately feel that the Willowbrook sights are more than just a name on the map. I remember the dusty stories of my grandparents, which were told by the 1850s, when the railroad first joined the pulsating world and the humble pavement was suddenly overrun by travelers from all the corners of the Middle West. Today you almost always drive by car – the I‐55 is just a short trip away, and if you prefer the train, the Metra station stops in nearby Joliet, from where a short transfer to Willowbrook is no problem.
What I like in this place is the mixture of historical tranquility and the quiet, slightly cynical sums of a community that does not take itself too seriously. The old half-timbered houses on the main road tell about a time when every craftsman put a little pride in his work – and that's what you still feel when you walk past the old church on a sunny afternoon. I don't quite understand the hype around the big metropolises, but here, between the wide fields and the few but charming cafes, I find an authenticity that is rarely experienced in the crowded tourist centres. And yes, the Willowbrook sights are not just an advertising slogan, they are the silent promise that you can dust a piece of real Illinois here.
The story of Willowbrook begins long before the first house I saw there – and that was only because I had moved when I wanted to go to Crete Township. I suddenly stood in the middle of a small, but surprisingly charming community, which has more to offer than to her at first glance. My first stop was Willowbrook Park, a piece of green that extends between the endless rows of corn fields and the sparsely populated suburbs. The park is not just a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but the ancient oaks standing there have more character than some city centers. I made a picnic there, while an older couple spoke loudly about the “good old times” – a perfect example of how life is pulsating a bit slower here. Parking is usually a Klacks, except Saturdays, when the families with their strollers and barbecue equipment turn the field into a battlefield.
A short walk (or a short sprint, depending on the mood) leads you to Willowbrook Golf Course. Yes, a public golf course in an area that is more connected to corn and tractors – that sounds almost like a bad joke, but the fairways are surprisingly well maintained. I have tried a few beats there, while a local golfer told me that the “green grass” here is actually just an excuse to stop the neighbors from the lawn mowing. The clubhouse café serves a coffee that is strong enough to keep you awake for the rest of the day, and parking is right next to the entrance area, which was a small victory for me.
If you're looking for a place where you can feel like a real local, that's it. Willowbrook Community Center Your goal. Yoga classes, senior dance evenings and the notorious “Karaoke‐Freitag‐Abend‐Chaos” take place regularly. I once took part in one of these evenings and had to admit that my crooked voice in the duet was almost liberating with a retired teacher who still loves the 80s. The center has a small parking lot that is usually free as long as you are not at the same time as the local scout group there.
Another jewel I didn't want to overlook is the Willowbrook LibraryA branch of the Will County Library. The library is a place where you can lose yourself between shelves full of local history and modern bestsellers. I have found a book about the history of the Prairie Path that brought me to the Willowbrook Trail to explore – a section of the Illinois Prairie Path, which sounds through the fields and is occasionally spited by curious dogs and cyclists. The trail is ideal for a relaxed afternoon, and the best: you can park your bike at the library parking lot without anyone complaining about it.
A little away from the usual paths lies the Willowbrook Farmers Market, which takes place in the summer on every second Saturday in the city centre. Here there are fresh strawberries, homemade jams and the one or the other stand where an older gentleman offers his self-pressed apple juices – a taste that immediately reminds you of the rural idyll you are looking for. The market is small, but the atmosphere is authentic, and parking is usually easy to find thanks to the nearby school.
Of course, you must not forget that Willowbrook is part of Crete Township, and that means that Willowbrook Attractions are often interwoven with the attractions of the neighbouring city of Crete. Nevertheless, Willowbrook has its own, slightly blurred charm, which shows itself in the small details: the crisp sign at the entrance of the park, which still announces “Willowbrook – Welcome!”, the slightly rusty metal benches at the golf course, which tell more stories than some museums, and the friendly faces that welcome you when entering the community center with a smile, which says: “Here you are not only a tourist. ‘
Find more vacation destinations near Willowbrook Will Illinois using our map.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
