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Algonquin is a village of about 30,000 people on the Fox River in McHenry and Kane counties, roughly 40 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. Settled in the 1830s at a river crossing and named after a steamboat, it grew as a small mill and resort town where Chicagoans came to fish, boat and escape the city in summer.
The historic downtown along Main Street keeps much of that small-town character, with older storefronts, restaurants and pubs a short walk from the river. Crystal Creek flows through the village center into the Fox River, and riverside parks, the Algonquin Lock and Dam and paddling routes make the water the main attraction. The paved Prairie Trail begins here and runs north along the river toward the Wisconsin border.
Modern Algonquin spreads west toward Randall Road, where Algonquin Commons and other shopping centers draw visitors from across the region. Summer brings concerts and the Founders' Days festival in Towne Park, and winter riders head to Raging Buffalo snowboard park. The Fox River towns of Crystal Lake, Dundee and Elgin are all close by.
The old village center along Main Street near the Fox River, with historic storefronts, family restaurants, pubs, an ice cream shop and small boutiques. Crystal Creek runs through the middle of town to the river. Park in the public lots and walk; summer evenings are the liveliest time to visit.
A small park in the heart of historic downtown along Crystal Creek near its meeting with the Fox River, with walkways, benches and lawns. It hosts community events and is a pleasant place to sit with a coffee or ice cream. It connects easily to the riverside paths and Main Street shops.
A village park near the Fox River with open lawns, a playground, a bandshell and picnic areas. It is the home of summer concerts and the annual Founders' Days festival. Bring chairs or a blanket for evening events, and use the nearby downtown lots when parking is busy.
A state-operated lock and dam on the Fox River that lets boats travel between the Fox Chain O'Lakes and the river below. In summer you can watch boats pass through the lock, and anglers fish the waters below the dam. Stay well back from the dam itself, where currents are dangerous.
An 1894 house on South Main Street, built for Christian Geister, a grist mill owner and village treasurer, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. It is a handsome reminder of Algonquin's mill-town days. View it from the sidewalk on a walk between Main Street and the Fox River.
Algonquin's biggest annual celebration, held each summer with a parade, carnival rides, live music, food vendors, family activities and fireworks. It draws large crowds from across the Fox Valley. Check the schedule for the parade route and expect road closures around downtown.
A large open-air shopping center at Randall Road and Algonquin Road with national retailers, restaurants and seasonal events along its walkable streets. It is one of the main shopping destinations in the northwest suburbs. Visit on weekday mornings to avoid crowded parking lots.
A snowboard and freestyle ski park on the edge of Algonquin with lifts, jumps, rails and boxes built for all levels, plus lessons for beginners. It is one of the few dedicated terrain parks in the Chicago area. Open in winter when snowmaking allows; check conditions before going.
The southern end of the Prairie Trail, a McHenry County Conservation District path that follows an old railroad corridor north for about 26 miles toward the Wisconsin line. In Algonquin it passes under Illinois 31 near Main Street. Walkers and cyclists share it; carry water for longer rides.
The northern end of the Fox River Trail, a mostly paved path that follows the river south from Algonquin through Elgin, St. Charles, Geneva and Aurora. Near town it runs beside the water under the Longmeadow Parkway bridge, with swans and herons on the river. Start downtown and ride as far as you like.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: RSchulenburg, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: RSchulenburg, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: RSchulenburg, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: AlphaBeta135, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: AlphaBeta135, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: AlphaBeta135, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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Photo: AlphaBeta135, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
