Best Things to Do in Niles

15/03/2023

Niles Historical and Cultural Center

The Niles Historical Society runs this excellent museum housed in a beautiful old building that was once in unincorporated East Maine.

Constructed for the Cook County Highway Police in the early 1920s, this brick building is easily recognised by its rooftop balustrade and loggia.

The museum is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is packed with interesting objects recalling domestic life in Niles, important Niles residents and sports in the village.

You can find out about local institutions like the old Mill Run Theater and St. Hedwig’s Industrial School for Girls and Boys and check out a detailed timeline for the village.

15/03/2023

Une Année Brewery

This independent craft brewery was founded on the near west side of Chicago in 2013, and in 2017 relocated to a light industrial building at 6343 W Gross Point Rd in Niles.

Comprising a team of talented brewers, Une Année Brewery initially specialized in Belgian-style beer, but has branched out since then and has made a name for its lineup of sours.

With weekly and bi-weekly releases, there’s always something new at the taproom, which also has a kitchen known for its BBQ, from ribs to pulled pork sandwiches, brisket, burnt ends and pickle-brined wings. Keep an eye on the calendar for details of live music and trivia nights

15/03/2023

11/03/2023

Oasis Waterpark & Fun Center

One of several great amenities operated by the Niles Park District, this outdoor pool complex is open all through the summer up to Labor Day weekend.

The main feature at Oasis Waterpark is the large zero-depth pool, and this is combined with a children’s splash pad, three slides, diving boards and concessions.

The splash pad has numerous sprinklers and sprays, as well as slides especially for little ones.

Rates and season pool passes are a little higher for non-residents, though still affordable, and children’s pool parties are available throughout the season during normal hours.

09/03/2023

King Spa & Sauna

A Jjimjilbang, or Korean-style bathhouse, may not be the kind of thing you expect to find in the Chicago suburbs, but this attraction has become a big hit.

With a mix of gender segregated and unisex areas, these facilities combine relaxation, health and beauty treatments, entertainment and overnight lodgings.

King Spa & Sauna is the largest Jjimjilbang in the United States, and offers a variety of healing sauna rooms (sudatorium, oxygen, ionized, charcoal, ocher, ice and more), as well as pools, cosy lounges and sleeping areas, a food court and a movie theater.

If you’re new to the concept, it’s a good idea to check out the rules and etiquette online before jumping straight in, as full nudity is expected in the gender segregated areas.

07/03/2023

North Branch Trail

Niles is on a Class I bicycle trail, snaking through the North Shore from Gompers Park, Chicago, in the south as far as Glencoe and the Chicago Botanic Garden in the north.

The North Branch Trail is roughly 20 miles long and traces the namesake river. In Niles the North Branch of the Chicago River bends through a string of public spaces and Cook County forest preserves, like Miami Woods, Bunker Hill and Tam O’Shanter Golf Course.

Whether you want to continue northeast or southeast, the green corridor continues for miles through a chain of beautiful preserves, composed of wetlands, wildflower-rich prairie, open savanna and flatwood forest, a habitat only found in small parcels in the Chicago area.

05/03/2023

Leaning Tower of Niles

This Chicago Area landmark came about in the 1930s when the industrialist Robert Ilg built a recreation park for the employees of the Ilg Hot Air Electric Ventilating Company.

The mainstay of the complex was a half-size replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and like the Italian original serves as a campanile, with a ring of five bells, three of which are thought to be historic and were cast in Italy.

The Leaning Tower of Niles also has a practical purpose as a water store for the outdoor pools at the former recreation park.

Close to the North Branch of the Chicago River, the tower has stores like Target and Costco, and a choice of restaurants all close by. At the foot of the structure is a small amphitheater, framed by trees and hedges.