Chicago's Buzzing Suburb Is Midwestern Day Trip With Local Art, Forest Trails, And Small City Charms

Chicago is popular with travelers from around the world. More than 56 million people visited the Windy City in 2025 to check out its famous architecture, renowned museums, and vibrant music and food culture. But for those who prefer off-the-beaten-path locales, smaller communities across the Chicagoland area have their own attractions to explore. The southern suburb of Chicago Heights is a particularly appealing day trip destination for art lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, combining its industrial history with a lively arts scene and a plethora of parks and trails that provide a respite from the urban bustle. 

Chicago Heights started in the late 19th century as an industrial suburb. Within five years of its incorporation in 1892, it was already home to 20 factories and had attracted immigrants who came to work in them, eventually growing into an important steelmaking center south of Chicago. In 1916, the Lincoln Highway was routed through the city, earning it the nickname "The Crossroads of the Nation." Today, Chicago Heights is a bustling small city of just over 26,000 people. It's located about 30 miles south of downtown Chicago and within day trip range of cities like Indianapolis and Milwaukee. While it still has a diverse manufacturing industry, it's also home to a portion of the extensive Thorn Creek Trail System and a thriving creative culture, which, between them, make it worth a visit for outdoor and art lovers in the Midwest.

The Union Street Gallery is a hub for artists in Chicago Heights. First opened in 1995, it moved into its current home in the historic Elks Building in 2006. Along with providing studio space for local artists, Union Street Gallery displays rotating exhibits of visual art that are free to visit on Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It also hosts events like the annual Handmade Market, where local artists sell their crafts. Union Street Gallery also supports public art, including a mural by artist Javier Chavira on the Renaissance Building across the street from the gallery. The Elks Building is worth checking out, too, with unique terra cotta details and a nearly 100-year history that has earned it a place on the Southland Heritage Trail, along with other regional landmarks like the Dorband-Howe House Museum in the artsy, family-friendly suburb of Homewood.

There are other places to enjoy Chicago Heights' creative scene. You can see more visual art at the Christopher Art Gallery on the Prairie State College campus. It's typically open Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., though since it's run by a college, hours can vary during the summer or over holiday breaks. It has six to eight shows each year featuring student work as well as exhibitions by Midwestern artists. Theater fans can check the schedule for The Drama Group, a volunteer-run theater company that stages several productions throughout the year. 

It has been a staple of the community since its founding in 1931, with a mission to, as the group says, "put the community in community theatre." For music, nearby South Chicago Heights hosts a free Summer Concert Series at the Senior Center Pavilion on select Saturday nights from June through September, or you can head to nightlife spots like Austin Community Tavern in neighboring Steger or Lavue Bar & Grill in Chicago Heights for live music and DJs. And if you want to get your taste buds in on the action, head to Zarlengo's, a local favorite for gelato and Italian ice that is regularly voted among the Best of Chicago's Southland and has been serving the community since 1983. 

The Forest Preserves of Cook County encompass over 70,000 acres of public land, making the district one of the nation's largest. You can explore part of that preserve system in Chicago Heights, where woods along Thorn Creek are linked by the 23.5-mile Thorn Creek Trail System. Open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year, its trails can be explored on foot, bike, horseback, or cross-country skis in the winter. One starting point in Chicago Heights is Joe Orr Woods, where visitors can follow a 7.6-mile out-and-back route to Sweet Woods. The trail system also extends into neighboring Park Forest, a Midwest haven known for its long-running art fair. Nearby Sauk Trail Woods in South Chicago Heights offers a shorter 3.5-mile loop, where visitors can fish for carp, bullhead, and largemouth bass in Sauk Lake or spot woodpeckers and migrating songbirds.

The trail system also connects to the Old Plank Road Trail, a former railroad route that is now a 22-mile recreation trail running west to the historic Route 66 town of Joliet. Other nearby wooded preserves include Indian Hill Woods, Woodrow Wilson Woods, and Halsted Woods, while the Thorn Creek Trail System continues north through Joe Orr Woods toward Glenwood.

Along with woods and trails, Chicago Heights Park District maintains two public golf courses. The historic West Course first opened in 1912 and was designed by prolific course architect Tom Bendelow, while the East Course, added in 1991, is known for its walkable layout and water hazards. Both are nine-hole courses, with the West playing to par 36 and the East to par 35. They're relatively affordable to play, and tee times for both can be booked online.