Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Batavia once shipped windmills to farms across the prairie, and it still calls itself the Windmill City. Several factories here built wind engines in the late 1800s, and a collection of restored windmills now stands along the Fox River in the middle of town. The city of about 26,000 sits in Kane County, roughly 40 miles west of Chicago.
The riverfront is the heart of Batavia. A riverwalk and island park link the two banks, the Fox River Trail runs along the water, and the old railroad depot has become a local history museum, with exhibits that include Mary Todd Lincoln's stay at a Batavia sanitarium in 1875. Downtown has cafes, a working artists' center and a weekly summer market.
On the east edge of town lies Fermilab, the national particle physics laboratory, where visitors can see a herd of bison grazing on restored prairie and explore a science education center. Just north, the Fabyan Forest Preserve holds a Dutch windmill, a Japanese garden and a villa remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright.
A landscaped walkway along the Fox River and its island park in downtown Batavia, lined with restored historic windmills that recall the city's wind-engine factories. Bridges, benches and gardens make it an easy stroll, and summer brings concerts. Pair a walk here with coffee or lunch in the nearby downtown blocks.
A local history museum in an 1850s railroad depot near the river, with exhibits on Batavia's windmill industry, early settlers and the railroad. A gallery covers Mary Todd Lincoln's 1875 stay at a private sanitarium in town. It is open seasonally with limited hours and free admission, so check before going.
The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, a leading particle physics lab, sits on a large campus of restored prairie on Batavia's east side. Visitors can see the lab's bison herd, walk prairie trails and explore exhibits at the science education center. Bring photo ID and check current public access rules before visiting.
The paved Fox River Trail passes right through Batavia on its long route along the river between Algonquin and Aurora. Ride north toward Geneva and St. Charles or south toward North Aurora for flat, scenic miles past parks and dams. Bike racks and cafes in downtown Batavia make it a good starting point.
A Fox Valley Park District nature center on wooded bluffs above the Fox River, with an interpretive building, live animal displays and short trails through oak woods to the water. Naturalist programs suit families. The trails are short but can be steep near the river, so wear good shoes after rain.
A riverside preserve on Batavia's northern edge with a towering 1850s Dutch windmill moved here in 1914, a Japanese garden and the Fabyan Villa Museum, a house remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright for eccentric businessman George Fabyan. The grounds are free; the villa and windmill open seasonally on weekends.
A nonprofit arts center in downtown Batavia with working studios, galleries and classes in painting, ceramics and more. Exhibitions change regularly, and open studio events let you meet the artists. Stop in on a weekend afternoon or during a monthly art walk, when many studios are open to visitors.
A family entertainment center in Batavia with go-karts, bumper cars, laser tag, arcade games, mini-golf and small rides, much of it indoors. It works well as a rainy-day plan with kids, and birthday parties are popular. Look for unlimited-ride wristbands and weekday deals to stretch your budget.
No reviews yet. Been to Batavia? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Batavia? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: G LeTourneau, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Wburn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Joseph Gage from USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Seaviator, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: AlphaBeta135, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: AlphaBeta135, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Joseph Gage from USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Joseph Gage, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: G LeTourneau, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Jacob Truedson Demitz for Ristesson, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: G LeTourneau, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Fermilab, Reidar Hahn, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Fermilab, Reidar Hahn, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Ronincmc, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
