Leisure Travel

Area Attractions | Family Attractions | Shopping | Paramount Theatre | Raging Waves Waterpark | RiverEdge Park

Aurora Travel Guide and Things to Do

The Hampton Inn & Suites in Aurora is conveniently located right off the I-88 in the Chicago Metro area, near Chicago's major airports. There is so much to do in Aurora, including a wide variety of attractions, restaurants, and shopping.

Quick Area Guide

Area Attractions

Red Oak Nature Center - 4.8 miles
2343 S. River (Route 25)
North Aurora, IL 60542
Phone: (630) 897-1808
A visit to the center will help folks learn about the native plants and animals of the Fox River Valley. Interpretive center, hiking trails and tours of "Devil's Cave".

Hollywood Casino - 5 miles
1 New York Street Bridge
Aurora, IL 60505
Phone: (630) 801-1234 or (800) 888-7777
Chicagoland's biggest best casino with slots, blackjack, Caribbean stud poker, craps, live poker, roulette and mini baccarat. The pavilion has two restaurants and an astounding collection of movie memorabilia. See props from "Twister," "Star Wars" and "The Blues Brothers" as well as cars from "The Untouchables" and "Wayne's World."

Paramount Theatre - 5 miles
23 E. Galena Boulevard
Aurora, IL
Phone: (630) 896-6666
Home to "Broadway in the Burbs," this lovingly restored Art Deco movie palace presents live entertainment by world-class performers, plays, touring musicals and other special events.

William Tanner House - 5.5 miles
305 Cedar Street
Aurora, IL 60506
Phone: (630) 897-9029 
Built in 1856, this Italianate building is home to the Aurora Historical Museum which offers tours of the fully furnished home.

Two Brothers Brewery at the Historic Roundhouse - 5.8 miles
205 N. Broadway
Aurora, IL 60505
Originally constructed in 1856, America's first railroad roundhouse was renovated in 1996-and is a National Historic Trust Preservation Award Winner. This historic building is now home to the second location for the Two Brothers Brewery.

Batavia Depot Museum - 6.5 miles
155 Houston Street
Batavia, IL 60510
Phone: (630) 406-5274
Housed in an 1854 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad depot, the museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and comes alive with historic exhibits on rail transportation, windmills and the settlement of Batavia. Find on display railroad artifacts, photos and ticket agent office.

African-American Heritage Museum & Black Veterans Archives - 6.7 miles
126 S. Kendall Avenue
Aurora, IL 60505
Phone: (815) 968-9770
Dr. Smith has developed a sculpted tribute to the leaders of Black America. There are memorials to the 4,000 Black Americans who died in Vietnam, to the victims of Rwanda, and more.

Air Classics Museum of Aviation - 6.8 miles
43W776 Route 30
Sugar Grove, IL 60554
Phone: (630) 466-0888
Vintage military and training planes, plus displays of aviation uniforms and memorabilia.
Aurora Municipal Airport

Phillips Park - 7.3 miles
Ray Moses Drive
Aurora, IL
Phone: (630) 898-7228
Located on over 325 acres, popular attractions include the new Visitors Center & Mastodon Gallery, the Sunken Garden, an 18-hole golf course/driving range, the zoo, a 28-acre fishing lake with a 1-mile multiple use trail, war memorials, and the Winter Recreation Area.

Fabyan Windmill - 8.2 miles
401 E. Fabyan Parkway
Geneva, IL 60510
Phone: (630) 232-4811
Considered to be the best example of an authentic Dutch Windmill in the United States, the 68-foot, 5-story windmill was originally built by German craftsman Louis Backhaus between 1850 and 1860.

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory - 8.4 miles
Kirk Road at Pine Street
Batavia, IL 60510
Phone: (630) 840-3351
Site of the world's most powerful particle accelerator where particles circle the four-mile ring 57,000 times each second.

Family Attractions

Aurora Regional Fire Museum - 5.4 miles
53 North Broadway
Aurora, IL 60505
Phone: (630) 892-1572
Find displays of vintage firefighting equipment, memorabilia of the 1871 Chicago Fire, thousands of photographs and gift shop.

Blackberry Farm's Pioneer Village - 2.5 miles
100 S. Barnes Road
Aurora, IL 60506
Phone: (630) 892-1550
Part amusement park and part museum, Blackberry Farm's Pioneer Village is an authentic 19th century farm and village featuring pioneer craft shops and demos, a discovery barn with petting zoo and pony, hay and miniature train rides. The park also features an old-fashioned carousel, as well as carriage, farm and "early streets" museums.

SciTech Hands-On Museum - 5.1 miles
18 W. Benton Street
Aurora, IL 60506
Phone: (630) 859-3434
Aurora's interactive science and technology center offers over 200 hands-on exhibits demonstrating the principles of electricity, weather, astronomy and nuclear energy. Museum also hosts traveling exhibits throughout the year.

Phillips Park Zoo - 7.3 miles
Ray Moses Drive
Aurora, IL 60504
Phone: (630) 978-4700
Established in 1915, the zoo is open daily, year-round and admission is free. Exhibits include bald eagles, alligators, wolves, foxes, otters, elk, goats, llamas, turkeys and peacocks.

Shopping

Chicago Premium Outlets - 3 miles
1650 Premium Outlets Boulevard (I-88 and North Farnsworth Avenue)
Aurora, IL
Phone: (630) 585-2200
Features 120 designer and name brand outlet stores with savings of 25% to 65% every day.

Fox Valley Mall - 12.3 miles
195 Fox Valley Center
Aurora, IL 60504
Phone: (630) 851-7200
The area's largest shopping destination with more than 180 stores anchored by Marshall Field's, Carson Pirie Scott, JCPenney and Sears.

Start planning your trip to the Chicago, Naperville and Aurora area... book your perfect hotel stay today with Hampton Inn & Suites Aurora!