Located in the picturesque Fox River Valley, Algonquin is a thriving village of over 30,000 residents.
The river is a prominent feature of the town, its wooded banks gently sloping into shoreline parks and small boat docks.
Algonquin abounds with shopping and dining options, which can be intimate and independent in the charming Old Town neighborhood or convenient along Randall Road, home to a row of big-box stores and popular chain restaurants.
The Fox River Trail follows the river south from Algonquin, taking you to nature reserves and a series of other charming riverside communities.
1. Old Town Neighborhood
Algonquin features a beautiful main street lined with local restaurants and shops along Main Street.
Like the rest of the village, Algonquin was undergoing a $30 million investment when this article was written, expanding the streetscape, adding new high-rise buildings, and improving infrastructure.
Shoppers will find furniture, antiques, pottery, musical instruments, jewelry, household goods, and fashion stores. There is also a wide selection of restaurants serving breakfast (Short Steak), Italian cuisine (Canna Bella), barbecue (The Texan BBQ), and steaks (Bold American Fare).
Many of the buildings here date back to the turn of the 20th century, such as the original village hall (2 South Main Street), which was built in 1907 and served its original purpose until 1996.
2. Riverfront Park
Upstream of Algonquin Dam, the Fox River resembles a lake, with a wide expanse of slow-flowing water.
A series of formal gardens, sports facilities, and monuments line Riverfront Park, where you can sit, watch the boats, and enjoy views of the wooded valley on the east bank.
Riverfront Park is a great spot for outdoor concerts in the summer, usually on Thursday evenings, and on summer days you’ll find people fishing on its banks.
There are a series of basketball hoops here, as well as a wooden beam recovered from the World Trade Center, placed here as a September 11 memorial.
3. Cornish Park
This beautiful park is located on the edge of the Crystal Lake Outlets area in Old Town and flows into the Fox River.
At Cornish Park, you’ll be just steps from Main Street shops and restaurants, and you can take a break here to watch the river flow over the Dexter Dogold Memorial Dam.
Cornish Park features a clock tower, a symbol of Algonquin, and interpretive panels along the park’s main path explaining the village’s history. Other features include a gazebo, a playground, a picnic area, and benches along the river.
4. Randall Oaks Zoo
This small park is located in West Dundee, ten minutes from Algonquin, on a hilltop surrounded by a natural park.
Randall Oaks Zoo’s animals include alpacas, goats, emus, miniature horses, deer, cows, pigs, foxes, and birds of prey such as red-tailed hawks and great horned owls.
Many domesticated species can be petted and fed, and pony rides are available for a small fee. The rest of Randall Oaks Park is also worth your attention, featuring picnic areas, three playgrounds, and a 10-hole disc golf course.
5. Scored Earth Brewing Company
Founded in 2014 by a husband and wife team, Scored Earth Brewing Company is a thriving craft brewery located less than a mile from the Fox River.
The spacious and welcoming taproom is cleverly integrated into the brewery floor, featuring an impressive array of stainless steel equipment throughout.
It offers around 24 beers, ranging from German lagers to hoppy IBAs, Belgian ales, dark and strong porters, sour beers, and innovative varieties like the sparkling peach and apricot beer.
Scorched Earth doesn’t have a kitchen, but you can bring food from one of the nearby restaurants or order from one of the food trucks usually parked outside.
6. Fox River Trail
Algonquin is located at the northern end of a multi-use trail that runs along the Fox River for 40 miles south to Oswego.
You’ll enjoy hiking or biking in the Fox River Valley, where you’ll enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery in northeastern Illinois.
Many riverside towns feature scenic urban parks in their centers and directly on the banks, so you’re never far from a great shopping area or restaurant.
Further away from the urban areas are the Kane County Forest Reserves, where the suburbs give way to lush meadows, forests, prairies, and steep slopes.
7. City Park
Enjoy a stroll through the Old Town neighborhood and enjoy this attractive 12-acre park.
The water flows here thanks to the Crystal Lake outlet, which feeds the Fox River from a series of lakes and reservoirs to the north. You must cross a pedestrian bridge over this waterway upon entering. The city park has basketball, soccer, and baseball facilities, but the highlight is the children’s playground, made almost entirely of wood and resembling a fort.
Thanks to its proximity to the city, you can bring a picnic lunch here, and the park is also located on the Prairie Trail, which runs 26 miles to the Wisconsin border.
8. Fox Valley Pottery
This Algonquin ceramics studio welcomes visitors, allowing you to choose a piece of pottery that you can customize with your own design and colors.
Fox Valley Pottery has a large selection of inspiration books, as well as stencils and stamps of all kinds.
Once your creation is complete, you’ll leave it to be glazed and fired before taking it home a few days later.
The studio also caters for private parties and hosts a variety of special events. The finished piece is safe to eat, but it should be hand-washed and avoided in the dishwasher.
9. Berner Family Forest Preserve
The Fox River runs through this 732-acre forest in South Algonquin, along 3.5 miles of riverfront.
This beautiful tract of land was recently acquired by Kane County in 2008, and much of it is used as pasture for Organic All Grass Farms, which produces chicken, beef, dairy, turkey, pork, eggs, and fresh organic fruits and vegetables.
An on-site farm store sells grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, cheese, yogurt, and honey. Over five miles of trails wind through the preserve, taking you through some of the most important ecological areas, restored wetlands, and prairie.
The preserve is known for its migratory bird species, including sage grouse, American grouse, and willow flycatchers.
10. Randall Road
The Randall Road corridor, running north to south along the road to Algonquin, is a major shopping, dining, and entertainment hub, attracting visitors from all over the region.
A series of shopping centers line the road, starting with the Lake Center in the Hills, followed by River Point, Algonquin Galleria, and Algonquin Commons.
Also located along the road are a 12-screen AMC theater and a Bowler, as well as Kohl’s, JC Penney, Target, Home Depot, Meijer, TJ Maxx, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Old Navy, and Hobby Lobby.
There are chain restaurants such as Biagi, Dunkin’ Donuts, Wendy’s, Chipotle, Panera, Bonefish Grill, Sonic, and White Castle.
11. Exner Marsh Nature Preserve
Rich in wildlife, Exner Marsh Nature Preserve encompasses 220 acres of marshland and a glacial lake-bottom pond.
This is a major attraction for wetland bird species, both nesting and stopping over during their spring and fall migrations.
Common species at Exner Marsh include grebes, little egrets, Virginia rails, and blue-winged ducks.
Operated by the McHenry County Department of Conservation, the preserve is open during daylight hours and features a 1.3-mile trail.
12. Bowlero
The bowling alley on Randall Road is part of the Bowlero Chain, which connects state-of-the-art bowling lanes with other attractions.
Visit the website for weekly specials, which include late-night sessions on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as unlimited bowling on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Randall Road location features an arcade filled with new machines, a laser tag arena, a pool table, and a sports bar with flat-screen HDTVs.
You can also order from a menu featuring craft beers, cocktails, burgers, wings, and more, delivered directly to the driveway while you play.
13. Fox River Shoreline Preserve
The Fox River Trail runs through the woods of Kane County on the east bank of the river, just minutes south of Old Town.
This mile-long, picturesque riverfront trail was first opened to the public in 1988.
The Fox River Shoreline Preserve is ecologically significant due to the hills that surround the floodplain on the east side.
These hills are intertwined with small streams and young trees, creating a refreshing environment that encourages the growth of rare plants like turtlehead, blade orchid, and vanilla grass. In the spring, the dry areas are home to stunning wildflowers like white plum and pink-flowered crabapple.
14. Santa Village Amusement and Water Park
This amusement park, located near East Dundee, was part of a chain that began in the 1950s, but it is now the last of its kind. Santa Village closed in 2006 and reopened in 2011, and it hasn’t slowed down.
The park is packed with rides for all ages, from roller coasters to thrilling rides that were formerly part of Melrose Kiddieland, and have been restored and secured for new visitors.
As the name suggests, animals make up a large part of the attractions, including farm animals, wallabies, parrots, turtles, and Monty Jack deer.
The new Santa Springs Water Park features a 10,000-square-foot beachfront pool with 300-foot water slides, as well as a two-story interactive play area and private cabanas for families.
15. Underground Retrocade
Video arcades are becoming increasingly rare in the world, but one place that keeps the experience alive, with its 80s-inspired decor, is Underground Retrocade in West Dundee.
Here, you pay at the door and then get free entry to over 150 arcade cabinets and pinball machines.
Many of these machines date back to the heyday of arcades in the 80s and 90s, including games like Afterburner, Donkey Kong, Dragon Lear, Junior Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat, Primal Rage, Rampage, and Street Fighter II. Visit the website for more details on tournaments and special events.
