There always is something to do in downtown La Grange. With free parking, restaurants for every taste and budget and plenty of shops and activities, it’s a great place for a family to spend the day.
If you go
Blueberry Breakfast
Cafe
- blueberrybreakfastcafe.com
- (708) 352-4900
La Grange Hobby Center
- (708) 354-1220
Chimera’s Comics
- chimerascomics.com
- (708) 352-1230
La Grange Theatre
- lagrangetheatre.com
- (708) 469-7096
Tate’s Old
Fashioned Ice Cream
Shop
- tatesicecreamshop.com
- (708) 352-4848
If you want to start with brunch, you can’t do better than local favorite Blueberry Hill Breakfast Cafe. Park in the garage behind City Hall and head across the street for all the classic breakfast and lunch fare you could want. Don’t be discouraged by the folks waiting outside-tables turn quickly and once you’re seated, your order will arrive fast, delicious and piping hot. Blueberry Hill is particularly family-friendly, with a big after-church crowd on Sundays.
Just up La Grange Road, make a stop at the La Grange Hobby Center. Ask the staff to recommend a model or project. They can even set you up with the latest radio-controlled plane, helicopter or a Lionel train.
A little further up the street is Chimera’s Comics. Whether you already have a comics collector in your family or are just learning about them, the friendly staff will have great suggestions for you.
For the main event, everyone will enjoy a trip to the La Grange Theatre. Built in 1925, the theater was converted to a movie theater in the late 1940s. A renovation in 2004 modernized the space, while keeping all of its old-time charm. Second-run movies and matinee prices all day and evening make it an entertainment bargain.
If you want to pick up dinner before or after your show, downtown La Grange is full of options. One of the best is the Hot Dog Company. Crispy hand-cut fries and hot dogs from Chicago-style to hand-dipped corn dogs are just a few of the treats. The chili cheese tater tots are a local favorite. Before you leave, check out the wall of specialty sodas and customize a four-pack to take home.
For a sweet treat, take a short walk over to Tate’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shop, a neighborhood tradition for decades. Family owned, they make all of the ice cream in the shop. Try the unique flavors such as peach cobbler, hazelnut and peppermint mocha, or grab a hot chocolate ice cream soda. There are board games if the kids get restless and a huge shelf of old-time candies and sweets.
A short walk back to the car through the quiet, leaf-shaded streets and you can be on your way after an easy, fun-filled day in downtown La Grange.
