What makes Sauk Village Sights so special is the quiet way, with the history and present a bit of struggling. I remember the first time I drove over the old road that was once used by the Sauk tribes and later by German farmers before the area was officially established as Sauk Village in 1957. The city is located in the heart of Bloom Township, a piece of Cook County, which originated in the 1850s as an agricultural backbone of the region and today rather remembers suburbs that secretly lean on the Chicago skyline.
If you're running the I‐94 by car or take the Metra line from the nearby Chicago Heights Station, you can immediately feel that there is no touristic hustle and that's exactly what I love about this spot. The few bus lines of the CTA take you in the middle of the village, where you can breathe some of the real Mittwest feeling between old brick houses and modern housing estates.
I don't quite understand the hype around the big metropolises, but here, between the quiet parks and the few but charming shops, I find a rest that you rarely experience in the crowded areas. And yes, if you ask yourself where to take your next break, just look for one of the small cafes on Main Street – local pride meets a bit of irony, and this is for me the real highlight of Sauk Village attractions.
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The first place I could not miss was that Chicago Portage National Historic Site – a tiny spot of history hidden between the southern Cook County industrial plants. I stood there while a truck crossed the old trading route, and thought this is probably the only piece of land that has more layers than my grandmother's Lasagne. Parking is usually a children's game, as long as you don't come on Friday night, then the field becomes a small battlefield of flaky tires.
A short jump over the I‐90 and you find that Pullman National Monumentthat feels like a dusty chapter from a novel about labor rights. I did a tour there with a guide who knew more about the strikes of 1894 than about the weather in Sauk Village. The old brick buildings are impressive until you realize that the café next door offers only coffee and a few croissants – no joke, this is the highlight for me.
A bit further north, almost in the heart of Chicago, this is Museum of Science and Industry. I spent a day there because I thought it would be a bit too much technique for me – and then I found myself in a huge submarine from the Second World War, which slowly slipped through a huge aquarium. Parking is a labyrinth, but when Monorail you get to the destination faster than you can say “Guggenheim”.
If you have enough of concrete, the road leads east to Indiana Dunes National Park. I spent a few hours on the beach, while a wind from Lake Michigan turned my hairstyle into a work of art. The sand is not exactly fine, but the view of the Chicago skyline in the distance is a real comfort when the weather is lukewarm again. During the weekends there are more campers than people, so better to come early, otherwise you are standing out of tents.
A bit further north, in Glencoe, lies the Chicago Botanic Garden. I was there in the spring when the tulips just kicked out of the ground, asking myself why I don't go to nature more often than sitting in the car. The entrance is free, parking costs a few dollars, and the paths are so well maintained that you almost feel you are caught in an Instagram filter.
Back to the city, but not too far, leads me Chicago Riverwalk. I spent a few hours there with a Coffee-To-Go while watching the passing boats that attract more tourists than a magnet. The river is clean enough to swim, but this is not what the locals do here – they run, talk and post photos as if it were their personal runway.
A last stop that sounds almost too good to be true is that Eagle Planetarium. I saw a show over the Milky Way there while I wondered why I can't just go outside and watch the stars themselves. The building itself is an architectural statement that rises like a huge metal bird above the Lakefront. Parking is a bit more expensive here, but that's what you pay for looking into space.
Whether you’re looking for history, nature, or a bit of cosmic perspective – the Sauk Village environment has more to offer than you would suspect at first sight. These Sauk Village Attractions show that a short trip from the suburbs can lead to real highlights that satisfy both the curious traveller and the easy cynical explorer.
The story of Sauk Village begins long before the modern suburbs, when there were only a few farms on the edge of the old Calumet River – and that's what you still feel when you get to the California-like Walk along the river. I remember the first summer when I made a picnic with my friend Tom there and suddenly an older gentleman with a fishing hook appeared in the mouth and said that it was “the true taste of Illinois”. No joke, that was the most authentic experience I've ever had, and it's a perfect start to explore the real Sauk Village attractions.
The first stop I put to every new man's heart is that Sauk Village Community Center. The building is a bit like a Swiss pocket knife: swimming pool, gym, multipurpose hall and a small café that has more heart than taste. Parking is usually a children's game as long as you don't arrive on Friday night after the basketball game – then parking becomes a little adventure you master with a smile (or a curse). I won my first Badminton party there, because I intimidated the other players with my “I-bin-hier-um-to-train” face.
Only a few blocks further Sauk Village Public Library, a place that houses more than just books. The shelves smell like fresh ink and a bit after the history of the city, which is shown here in old photo albums. I once borrowed a book about local birds, just to find out that the librarians secretly gave me some tips on the best fishing spots on the river – a service I never expected. Parking is a bit trickier here because the terrain is small, but a short walk is definitely worth it.
If you are looking for a bit of spirituality (or just impressive architecture), then the St John the Baptist Catholic Church That's right. The nave from the 1950s is surprisingly well preserved, and the stained glass windows tell stories that are otherwise only found in museums. I took part in a fair there, just to make a small picnic in the churchyard – this is probably the only time I had eaten a sandwich after a church service. The church has a small parking lot that is usually free as long as you don't come to Sunday Mass.
A short walk leads you to Sauk Village Parkwhere a Veteran Memorial Stone stands in the middle of playgrounds and picnic tables. The park is the heart of the community, and here the kids meet for football while the older ones on the benches enjoy the sun. I started a spontaneous street music duet with a local guitarist – the audience consisted of three ducks and a dog, but that was enough applause for me. Parking is available on the outskirts of the park, and they are usually sufficient, except on hot summer days, when grilling is in full swing.
For history lovers there is a small but fine Sauk Village Historical Society Museum, which is housed in the old city administration. The exhibition isn't just huge, but every exhibit has a story that makes you sneak – for example, an old phone that was supposed to only work when you served it with a smile. I made a tour there with a retired teacher who told me that the first school building in the city was once a barn house. The museum has no own parking, but a few free places are always close to the park.
Another highlight is the Bloom Township Park, a green spot that offers more play equipment than one would expect in such a small place. There is a basketball field, a skate ramp and even a small lake where ducks rotate their rounds. I once won a spontaneous basketball match against a few teenagers because I simply lost the ball too often, which brought her to laugh. The parking lot is large enough to put a few cars, and the entrance gate is always open – perfect for a spontaneous visit.
If you want to breathe the real local flair, look at the Sauk Village Farmers Market every Saturday morning at the municipal centre. Fresh vegetables, homemade jams and a stand that allegedly sells the best corn flasks of the state – I tried a corn flask there that was so sweet that I almost forgot that I was actually just looking for a coffee. Parking is a bit chaotic here because most visitors park on the street, but this is part of the charm.
At the end of my small tour through the city I recommend the Community Gardena piece of earth lovingly cared for by the neighbors. Here grow tomatoes, peppers and a few herbs that you will find in the supermarket. I spent one day there to harvest a few tomatoes, and I had a conversation with an older lady who told me that she has been gardening here for over 30 years – that was the most beautiful “bin-her-to-belong” feeling I've ever had. The garden has a small parking lot behind the house, and it's usually free as long as you don't come at the weekend.
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