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Palatine is a village in northwest Cook County, Illinois, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. It grew up around a railroad stop in the 1850s, served the farms of the surrounding prairie, and expanded into a large, family-oriented suburb after World War II while keeping a small, walkable downtown around its commuter rail station.
Downtown Palatine has restaurants, shops, a seasonal farmers market and the Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, a historic building turned community theater. The Palatine Historical Society runs the restored Clayson House Museum, and Harper College adds a performing arts center with concerts and touring shows.
The village is known for its park district, with Twin Lakes Recreation Area and the Palatine Hills Golf Course among its highlights. Just west, Deer Grove Forest Preserve, the first land bought by the Forest Preserves of Cook County, offers woodland trails, ponds and quiet ravines. Metra trains reach Chicago in under an hour.
The first property acquired by the Forest Preserves of Cook County, a large woodland of oak forest, ravines, ponds and wetlands with paved and unpaved trails for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. It is good for birding in spring. Grab a trail map and park at one of the several lots.
A compact village center around the Metra station, with restaurants, bars, coffee shops and small stores along Slade, Brockway and Wood streets. A farmers market fills the area on summer and fall Saturday mornings, and seasonal events bring live music. Take the train out from Chicago for an easy day trip.
A restored 1870s house run by the Palatine Historical Society, furnished to show how a local family lived in the Victorian era, with exhibits on Palatine's railroad and farming history. Guided tours are offered on limited days. Check the historical society schedule before visiting.
A historic downtown building now run by the Palatine Park District as a performing arts center, hosting community theater, concerts, dance recitals and children's shows in an intimate auditorium. Tickets are affordable. Check the season schedule and combine a show with dinner downtown.
A modern performing arts center on the campus of Harper College, with a main theater that hosts student productions, the college's music ensembles, community orchestras and touring performers. It has good acoustics and easy parking. Check the event calendar for public shows and concerts.
A Palatine Park District recreation area with two small lakes for fishing, walking paths, a golf driving range and mini golf, and a sledding hill in winter. It is a relaxed place for families to spend an afternoon. Check hours for the golf facilities, which change through the seasons.
An 18-hole public golf course run by the Palatine Park District, with tree-lined fairways, a few water hazards and a clubhouse with a grill. It is a reasonably priced round for golfers of most levels. Book tee times online, especially for weekend mornings in summer.
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Photo: Mysterymanblue, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
