Elk Grove Village
Elk Grove Village is a Northwest Suburb of Chicago, just west of O'Hare International Airport.
Understand
Get in
By plane
- 1 O'Hare International Airport (ORD IATA), 10000 W O'Hare Ave, Chicago, IL 60666 (the main terminal is on Interstate 190, approximately one mile west of Mannheim Road), toll-free: 800 832-6352. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. "O'Hare remains one of the busiest airports in the country, and it is also one of the biggest hubs to fly to other locations in the United States and worldwide. Visitors can see a Brachiosaurus skeleton (Terminal 1), Butch O'Hare's WWII plate (Terminal 2), and the O'Hare Urban Garden (Terminal 3). Kids will enjoy the "Kids on the Fly" exhibit (Terminal 2). The Elk Grove Village Hall is about 10 miles west of O'Hare.
- 2 Schaumburg Regional Airport (FAA LID: 06C), 905 W. Irving Park Rd (near the intersection of Irving Park Road and Wright Blvd), Schaumburg, ☏ +1 847 895-0007. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Another option, especially for private pilots, is the Schaumburg Regional Airport which is located approximately seven miles east of the Elk Grove Village Hall. Chicago helicopter tours are available from this airport.
By car
Elk Grove Village is easily accessible by several Interstate highways. On the north side Interstate 90 Exit 70, Arlington Heights Road, and Exit 73, Elmhurst Road (Route 83) allow quick access to the village from Chicago, Rockford, or O'Hare Airport. Exit 70 provides access from Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Exit 73 provides accese from both Mount Prospect and DesPlaines, Illinois.
Interstate 290 splits the west side of the village and provides access from the northern and southern Chicago suburbs. The primary exit is Exit 4, Biesterfield Road (Route 53). Taking Beisterfield Road east leads directly to the Village Hall, Police Department, Elk Grove Village Public Library, and the primary shopping district. Exit 1B onto Higgins Road (Route 72) and heading east leads to the northern portion of the village.
Interstate 390 (completed in 2017) provides access from the western suburbs of Hanover Park and Schaumburg and other municipalities further to the west. The southern portion of the village lies mostly along Devon Avenue, and the eastern border is almost entirely Elmhurst Road (Route 83) which also borders O'Hare Airport. You cannot access O'Hare Airport directly from Interstate 390 or Elmhurst Road.
By train
Although there are is not any access to Amtrak within the village, getting to and from the downtown Chicago Amtrak station is easily accomplished by using the nearby Metra commuter rail line that passes just south of the village. The east end of this Metra line ends at the same terminal in which Amtrak trains arrive and depart. Metra details are below.
By bus
There are no major bus companies routing through the village. Using the local commuter rail system, Metra (see below), to downtown Chicago will bring you near most intrastate and interstate bus lines.
Get around
By light rail train
Although there is no commuter rail station in Elk Grove Village, there are four Metra Rail Stations on the Milwaukee District West Line (MD-W) nearby. At the extreme west is the Roselle train station, further east is the Medinah train station, still further east is the Itasca train station, and at the extreme east is the Wood Dale train station. All of these stations are less than five miles from the Village Hall. Trains to downtown Chicago take about 50 minutes to arrive at Union Station. Metra fares and times can be found on their website Metra Rail. Parking for cars is available at all of the stations mentioned for $1.50/day, but does not provide for overnight parking.
By commuter bus
Elk Grove Village is served by three Pace Bus routes. Route 223, the Elk Grove - Rosemont CTA Station; Route 616 the Rosemont - Itasca Limited; and Route 757, the Oak Park - Schaumburg Limited. Check the Pace Bus routes and scheduled times at their website Pace Bus.
See
Parks and recreation
- 1 Audubon Skate Park, 300 Elk Grove Blvd. (From Interstate 90, take the Arlington Heights Road exit and go south approximately two and a half miles to Elk Grove Blvd. Go five blocks to the park which is on your left just past the Junior High School.), ☏ +1- 847-427-8195. W F 4-9PM, Sa 1-8PM, Su 12:30-5PM. Audubon Skate Park has 11,000 square feet of indoor space for skate boarders, inline skaters,quad skaters, and scooters (weekdays only). No bikes are permitted. Helmets are required, and they can be rented for $3. The park hosts summer camps, and the facility can be rented for parties. $4 non-residents; $2 residents.
- 2 Rainbow Falls Waterpark, 200 Rev Morrison Blvd (Take Interstate 290 to the Biesterfield Exit, and go east approximately 2 miles to the park. Note that Biesterfield becomes John F. Kennedy Blvd and then Rev Morrison Blvd near the park entrance.), ☏ +1-847-228-2860 (Season), +1-847-437-9494 (Off-season). 11:30AM-6:00PM with slightly longer hours mid-June - mid-August. Rainbow Falls Waterpark has more than a dozen different slides, pools, ponds, diving areas, and other features for all ages. There are also picnic grounds, a community center for parties, and a cafe on site. Proper bathing attire is required, and street clothes are not allowed to be worn into the attractions. $16 non-resident; $10 resident.
- 3 Busse Forest Elk Pasture (From Interstate 90 take the Arlington Heights road exit south just over half a mile to Bennett Road. Turn right on Bennett into the Forest Preserve.). Sunrist to sunset.. There has been a small elk herd here inside a seventeen acre enclosure since 1925. This location also has direct access to the 11 miles of trails in the Ned Brown Preserve (Busse Woods) that are great for running, biking, and bird watching. Free.
Do
- 1 Ned Brown Preserve (Busse Woods) (From Interstate 90 take the Arlington Heights Road exit to Higgins Road (Route 72). Go west approximately two miles to the main entrance (on your left). Note that there are multiple entrances to the preserve along this road.), ☏ +1 800-870-3666. Sunrise - sunset. A very large forest preserve that has picnicking, non-motorized boating, hiking trails, a place to fly model aircraft, biking, fishing, kite flying, bird watching, and snowmobiling. Open year round, there is an eight mile loop trail, and 11 miles of paved pathways. Two bridges enable visitors to access sites on both sides of the preserve on Higgins Road without crossing traffic. Free.
Buy
Eat
- 1 Lou Malnati's Pizza, 1050 East Higgins Road (From Interstate 90, take the Arlington Heights Road exit south to Higgins Road. Turn left (east) onto Higgins and go about one mile to the restaurant (left side of street). From Interstate 290, take the Higgins Road exit. Go east just over three miles to Lou's.), ☏ +1 847-439-2000. M-Th 11AM-11PM; F Sa 11AM-Midnight; Su 11AM-10PM. Amazingly delicious deep-dished pizza. A family owed business where everything is still hand made from scratch. Delicious salad dressing. Consistently among the best pizza restaurants in the Chicago area. $8 - $25.
- 2 Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue, 800 E. Higgins Rd. (From Interstate 90, take the Arlington Heights Road exit south to Higgins Road. Turn left (east) onto Higgins and go about one mile to the restaurant (left side of street). From Interstate 290, take the Higgins Road exit. Go east just three miles.), ☏ +1 847-437-95555. M Tu 11AM-9PM, W-F 11AM-10PM, Sa 11:30AM-10PM, Su 11:30AM-9PM. Some of the finest smokey barbecue in the northern suburbs. Entrees include sides that are just as good as the barbecue. Also serves steaks and seafood, and it has a bar. $10-24.
- 3 Portillo's, 1500 Busse Highway (From Interstate 90 take the Elmhurst Road (Route 83) exit south. Cross over Higgins Road (Route 72), go a couple blocks further to Greenleaf Avenue. Make a right on Greenleaf, and go two blocks to the restaurant.), ☏ +1 847-228-6677. M-Th 10AM-8:30PM; F 10AM-9PM; Sa 10AM-5PM; Su closed. A very popular 1950s-60s themed restaurant that provides inexpensive but good hot dogs, Italian beef, burgers, salads and shakes. $3 - $10.
Drink
Sleep
Budget
- [dead link] Quality Inn & Suites, 100 Busse Rd, ☏ +1 847 593-8600. About five miles from the airport. Rooms from $85.
Mid-range
- Sheraton Suites Elk Grove Village, 121 Northwest Point Blvd, ☏ +1 847 290-1600. 253 suites with separate living rooms and bedrooms. Rooms from $159.
Connect
Learn
There are not any colleges or universities within the Village of Elk Grove. The community is served by the following Junior Colleges.
- Harper College, 1200 Algonquin Road, Palatine, Illinois; 847-925-6707
- Oakton Community College, 1600 E. Golf Road, DesPlaines, Illinois; 847-635-1600
Go next
| Routes through Elk Grove Village |
Ends at  ← Schaumburg ← |
W  E |
→ Itasca → Chicago |
| Long Grove ← Schaumburg ← | N  S |
→ Itasca → Joliet |
Ends at  ← Schaumburg ← |
W  E |
→ Des Plaines → Ends at  |
Ends at  ← Mount Prospect ← |
N  S |
→ Bensenville → Ends at Lynwood, Illinois |
Ends at  ← Wood Dale ← |
W  E |
→ Bensenville → Ends at  |