Illinois' 'City Of Lights' Is A Hidden-Gem Chicago Suburb With Riverfront Views And Local Shops

You may associate the name Aurora to the gorgeous northern lights displays visible across several destinations in the Midwest, the phenomenon known as Aurora Borealis. Despite sharing the same name, Illinois' own "City of Lights" is vested with another meaning. Moving away from the kaleidoscopic, magnetic skies of the northern shores, the suburb of Aurora, just 40 miles west of Chicago, has plenty of activities to dazzle its visitors, from riverfront views and shops to family activities with a more laid-back urban feel than the chaotic Windy City.

No name is more fitting for this city than that of the Roman goddess of dawn, the first light in the day: Aurora was the very first city in the United States to light its public urban grounds with electricity in the 19th century, thus granting it the nickname of "City of Lights." You can learn about this historic move, and the city's past grandeur in places like the Tanner House and Aurora Historical Society Archives. But far from resting on its laurels, the city has progressed steadily since, going from a small colonial camp settlement of a few hundreds in 1831 to about 180,000 people calling it home today.

A beloved commuter town by many working in Chicago, Aurora is efficiently connected to major hubs surrounding it, both by public transport and roads. In fact, you can reach the city in about one hour on the Metra Green Line BNSF from Chicago's Union Station. If you're planning to drive, Aurora is between one and two hours away from downtown Chicago, depending on traffic, and approximately one hour's drive (71 miles) away from Rockford, Illinois' City of Gardens with its outdoor thrills, greenery, and recreation.

With a stunning riverside, plenty of shops, and museums to explore, Aurora is likely to remind you of a Chicago in miniature. Sure, this suburban gem cannot rival the city's most unique neighborhoods filled with amazing eats and cool shops that earned the Second City the title of the best big city in the U.S. for nine years running, according to Conde Nast Traveler . Rest assured, Aurora has its own arsenal of delights, including Phillips Park Zoo, the SciTech Hands-On Museum, and the historic Paramount Theatre. While the latter is the place to go and enjoy a Broadway show, comedy gig, or concert after a full day of sightseeing, the SciTech Museum is a good place to go for interactive and educational displays, especially if you are visiting with family.

Continue your cultural deep-dive by visiting the David L. Pierce Art & History Center with its rotating art exhibits, including local craftspeople and artists. And it's worth straying to the college campus, about 2 miles away from downtown, to visit the mesmerizing display of over 4,000 pieces of Native American works housed in the Schingoethe Center of Aurora University. The center spotlights both permanent and temporary exhibitions on Indigenous art, while acknowledging its duty and strongly pledging to respect the ancestral lands it stands on, belonging to the Potawatomi, Odawa, Council of Three Fires, and Ojibwe Native Nations.

Regardless of what time of the year (or the week) you are visiting, there is always something going on in Aurora. Every first Friday of the month, there is First Fridays Aurora which is an open-air event with music, crafts, and food stalls all inviting the community to enjoy the beginning of the month and the first weekend night in harmony and fun. And should you amble past the City of Lights ahead of Christmas celebrations, make sure to stop at the Christkindlmarket Aurora, the city's official Christmas market filled with toffee apples, mulled wine, artisan stalls, and festive lights, inspired by 16th-century traditional German Christmas markets.

One of Aurora's evergreen pleasures is, undoubtedly, its majestic riverfront. Some of the city's best parks are right by the Fox River. For example, nested right in the middle of the urban action, McCullough Park is a popular spot for families, with playgrounds and activity spots alongside the beautiful riverfront promenade taking you south to the heart of downtown Aurora, which is less than 1.5 miles away.

Oakhurst Forest Preserve is as wild as it gets in this Chicago suburb. You can hike, have a riverside picnic, and even fish in this small paradise about 4 miles from downtown Aurora. If you want to stay closer to the hustle and bustle of the city (maybe you are catching a show at the Paramount Theatre later on), you can take a stroll on Hurd's Island, the twin island to Stolp Island, on which the theater resides. Green slopes and trails give majestic views of the Fox River, and you can indulge the train-spotter in you by observing the overhead railway bridge in Hurd's Island.