Things to do, places to go in DeKalb County for a fun-filled day

Nestled in the far-western Chicago suburbs, DeKalb County offers a surprising escape from the city bustle. Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventures, historical charm, or vibrant small-town energy, DeKalb County delivers a unique blend of destinations.

From exploring the rolling farmlands to delving into local museums and art galleries, these destinations promise a memorable adventure.

DEKALB

Afton Forest Preserve

This natural area is home to native Illinois prairie plants, which are part of a prairie and wetland restoration. The preserve offers cross country skiing, hiking and fishing, as well play areas, picnic areas and a historic area.

Address: 13600 Crego Road

Phone: 815-895-7191

Online: dekalbcounty.org/departments/forest-preserve/forest-preserve-afton-preserve/

DeKalb Area Women’s Center

The nonprofit, volunteer community center was established in 1993 to advocate for women and related issues. Housed in the former Finnish Temperance Society Hall, the center offers events.

Address: 1021 State St.

Phone: 815-758-1351

Online: dekalbawc.weebly.com or Facebook

Egyptian Theatre

Opened in 1929 for the DeKalb Theatre Company, it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It owes its connection to Egyptian culture to the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922. Its facade features a 20-foot-tall stained-glass window bearing the ancient sacred scarab, holding up the sun god Ra while standing on the earth. The front of the theater is shaped like the gate of a great temple. It is one of only five remaining Egyptian-styled theaters in the country and is used for a variety of events; it seats almost 1,400.

Address: 135 N. Second St.

Phone: 815-758-1215

Online: egyptiantheatre.org or Facebook

Admission: Tickets for shows vary

Ellwood House Museum

Housed in the former Victorian home of Isaac Ellwood, who played a central role in the development of the barbed wire industry, the museum showcases exhibits on barbed wire and a large collection of sheet music.

Address: 420 Linden Place

Phone: 815-756-4609

Online: ellwoodhouse.org and dekalbparkdistrict.com or Facebook

Hours: Mansion tours at 1 and 3 p.m. Wednesdays to Sunday; see website to reserve an in-depth tour

Admission: Tour admission is $10 adult; $5 children

Gurler House and Gurler Heritage Center

Built in 1857, the George Gurler House was one of the first frame homes in DeKalb. The house showcases the original flooring and glass, Greek Revival architecture, a cream separator and photo displays of the Gurler family, the Gurler Dairy, and the Gurler Heritage Association. It also has an exquisite garden.

Address: 205 Pine St.

Phone: 815-761-5306

Online: Facebook

Hours: By appointment

Admission: By donation

Joseph F. Glidden Homestead and Historical Center

The home of Joseph Glidden, inventor of barbed wire, along with the barn, one of the oldest still-standing barns, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The stately red-brick home was an unusual style for the Midwest, more reminiscent of styles in the Northeast, where Glidden grew up. The site offers blacksmith demonstrations, model train displays, historical exhibits, and a garden. Tours are available.

Address: 921 W. Lincoln Highway

Phone: 815-756-7904

Online: gliddenhomestead.org or Facebook

Hours: noon-4 p.m. Sundays

Admission: $5 for 15 and older

Lincoln Highway Interpretive Gazebo

One of two interpretive gazebos in Illinois and 16 along the highway that tells the story of the historic Lincoln Highway through murals.

Address: Lincoln Highway and Eleventh Street

Phone: 866-455-4249

Online: dekalbcountycvb.com

Northern Illinois University Anthropology Museum

The museum houses more than 12,000 objects, mostly of ethnographic material with some archaeological material. It specializes in the cultures of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the Southwest and Plains Native Americans, and has smaller collections from Africa, modern Greece, Mesoamerica, and South America. Group tours are available.

Address: Cole Hall 114, across from the visitor parking lot at 200 Carroll Ave.

Phone: 815-753-2520

Online: niu.edu/pick-museum or The Pick Museum of Anthropology at NIU on Facebook

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday- Friday

Admission: Free, $5 for parking in the NIU visitor lot

Northern Illinois University Art Museum

The museum has a permanent collection of more than 1,000 items that consists mostly of 20th century works of art on paper (prints, drawings and photographs), but also includes contemporary paintings and sculpture.

Address: Altgeld Hall, Castle Drive and College Avenue

Phone: 815-753-1936

Online: niu.edu/artmuseum or find NIU Art Museum on Facebook

Hours: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; noon-6 p.m. Friday; noon-3 p.m. Saturday

Admission: Free

Northern Illinois University Blackwell History of Education Museum

The museum offers artifacts, documents, and a one-room school that showcase the history of American education.

Address: The Learning Center, Gabel Hall, Stadium Drive

Phone: 815-753-1236

Online: cedu.niu.edu/blackwell or Facebook

Hours: By appointment

Admission: Free

Northern Illinois University Regional History Center and University Archives

The center preserves the most significant historical records of northern Illinois. It actively collects from the 18 northern counties, except for Cook. It houses three related sets of historical records: the University Archives, regional collections and local government records.

Address: Room 400, Founders Memorial Library, Norris Road

Phone: 815-753-9392

Online: niu.edu/university-libraries/collections/rhc/index.shtml or Facebook

Hours: by appointment

Whiskey Acres Distilling Co.

Named one of the Chicago area’s best distilleries, Whiskey Acres distills spirits from grains grown on the fifth-generation family farm. The farm distillery is the only one of its kind in Illinois and has been producing its liquors only since December 2014. It makes unaged corn whiskey, apple-infused corn whiskey, corn vodka, rye whiskey and bourbon, although it is not yet available as it is aging in oak barrels.

Address: 11504 Keslinger Road

Phone: 844-494-4753

Online: whiskeyacres.com or Facebook

Hours: see website

GENOA

Chamberlain Skate Park and Pool

Address: 400 E. Second St.

Phone: 815-784-5612

Online: genoaparks.com

This unsupervised skate park is open to skateboarders and in-line skaters.

Hours: 8 a.m.-dusk daily

The aquatic facility offers two pools, a wading pool with zero-depth entry and a slide, and the main pool as deep as 9 feet and with the “Drop Zone” slide and another slide. It also has a splash pad and a concession stand.

Hours: 12-5p.m. Monday-Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday

Online: genoaparkdistrict.com/aquatics

Admission: see website for daily pool fees

Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Museum

Housed in an 1880s train depot, the museum site includes a circa 1902 well house, a circa 1950 caboose and a miniature one-room schoolhouse. Artifacts on display include the oldest horse-drawn hearse in the county, scale-model trains, an old printing press and a collection of telephones made in Genoa.

Address: 622 Park Ave.

Phone: 815-784-5559

Online: sites.google.com/site/kvhsgenoail/home or Facebook

Hours: 1-5 p.m. Wednesday; 2-4 p.m. second Sunday of the month and by appointment

Admission: Free

Lincoln Highway Interpretive Mural

One of 30 murals along the historic Lincoln Highway that tells the story of the Good Roads movement that swept through rural America in the early 1900s. DeKalb was the first town along the route to rename its main street.

Address: Lincoln Highway and Seventh Street

Phone: 866-455-4249

Online: drivelincolnhighway.com/murals

Natural Resources Center

Nestled near the entrance to Russell Woods Forest Preserve, the center is a great stop for exploration and live animal viewing. The preserve offers sledding and cross-country skiing, as well as fishing, canoeing and hiking. It has picnic areas and a playground, too.

Address: Russell Woods Forest Preserve, 11750 state Route 72

Phone: 815-784-2000 or 815-758-8194

Online: dekalbcounty.org/departments/forest-preserve/forest-preserve-russell-woods/

Hours: sunrise to sunset

Prairie State Winery

Former schoolteachers make award-winning wine from Illinois grapes and have won several state awards for their local-focused business concept. Live music on weekends during summer months.

Address: 222 W. Main St.

Phone: 815-784-4540

Online: prairiestatewinery.com or Facebook

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12-5 p.m. Sunday

KINGSTON

Knute Olson Jr. Forest Preserve

The preserve is home to two ponds nestled in the woods along the Kishwaukee River. Fishing is a popular activity here.

Address: 12595 Baseline Road

Phone: 815-895-7191

Online: dekalbcountycvb.com/listing/knute-olson-jr-forest-preserve/

Red Farm Antiques

Step back through time and sift through the treasures. From collectibles to seasonal décor and more available.

Address: 6199 Wolf Road Online: Facebook and dekalbcountycvb.com

Phone: 715-493-2344

Hours: vary by season

KIKRLAND

Adee’s Woods

Adee’s Woods provides an area for a picnic and a walk through the woods.

Address: 4106 Old State Road

Phone: 815-895-7191

Online: dekalbcounty.org/departments/forest-preserve/adees-woods

Northern Illinois Veterans Memorial

The memorial honors northern Illinois veterans, from those of the Civil War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Address: Franklin Township Park, Third and South streets

MALTA

Jonamac Orchard

The 105-acre orchard, opened in 1984, has more than 10,000 apple trees offering more than two dozen varieties of apples. Besides apple picking, families will enjoy hayrides, train rides, pony rides, a petting zoo, a barnyard area and a corn maze. The orchard also has a country store and bakery, and cider house.

Address: 19412 Shabbona Road

Phone: 815-825-2158

Online: jonamacorchard.com or Facebook

Hours: Apple picking 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, country store open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily, mid-August to late November. Hours change seasonally; check the website or call ahead

Lincoln Highway Interpretive Gazebo

One of two interpretive gazebos in Illinois and 16 along the highway that tells the story of the historic Lincoln Highway through murals. Malta is home to the “first seedling mile.”

Address: Kishwaukee College, 21193 Malta Road

Phone: 866-455-4249

Malta Historical & Genealogical Society

Housed in the old town hall, the society archives photos and documents related to the history of the railroad town.

Address: 127 N. Third St.

Phone: 815-825-2367 or 815-825-2330

Online: villageofmalta.net/

Hours: By appointment

MAPLE PARK

Acquaviva Winery

The family-owned, 40-acre estate vineyard and winery offers award-winning wines, wine tasting and fine dining. Tours are available by appointment. There is an additional tasting room in Batavia.

Address: 47W614 state Route 38

Phone: 630-365-0333

Online: acquavivawinery.com or Facebook

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12-8 p.m. Sunday

Sycamore Speedway

Billed as “the Midwest’s finest clay track,” the speedway hosts time trials and races. Racing most Friday and Saturdays from May to September.

Address: 50W086 Old State Road

Phone: 815-895-5454

Online: sycamorespeedway.com or Facebook

Hours: gates open 6 p.m. for most racing events

Admission: varies by event, see website or download app

SANDWICH

Opera House of Sandwich

Built in 1878 as the Sandwich City Hall and Opera House, the building almost was razed for a parking lot. But in 1979, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and restored to its 1890s look. It was reopened in 1986, and now functions as a community facility for theater performances, lectures and special events.

Address: 140 E. Railroad St.

Phone: 815-786-2555

Online: sandwichoperahouse.org or Facebook

SHABBONA

Shabbona Lake State Park

The park features more than 1,500 acres of rolling prairie and a 319-acre man-made fishing lake. It offers a unique mix of grass-covered meadows, upland mesic woods, bottomland woods, and a native, undisturbed fen. There also are areas of prairie restoration throughout the park featuring prairie grasses, such as big blue stem, and prairie flowers, such as purple cone flower. The park has facilities for picnicking, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and winter sports. It also is a pilot site for handicapped accessibility and offers a specially designed fishing pier.

Address: 100 Preserve Road

Phone: 815-824-2106

Online: shabbonalake.com and Facebook

Hours: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, April through October; hours vary seasonally

SOMONAUK

Marie Louise Olmstead Memorial Museum

The museum is described by some as a hidden gem because of its display of local, cultural, natural and prehistoric history for lower DeKalb and upper LaSalle counties. Three rooms are packed full of artifacts and antiques. It was founded by the late attorney L. B. Olmstead, a lifelong collector of relics and antiques, who named it for his late wife.

Address: 100 S. Depot St.

Phone: 815-498-2417

Online: dekalbcountycvb.com/listing/marie-louise-olmstead-memorial-museum or themonumentalarchives.com/Olmstead_Museum.php

Hours: 2-4 p.m. Sunday or by appointment

Admission: Free

SYCAMORE

Kishwaukee Valley Art League Gallery on State

Housed in a charming building the galleries feature work from area artists with pieces for sale. See website for details on exhibits, classes and art shows.

Address: 322 W. State St.

Phone: 815-762-0885 Online: kval-nfp.org

Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday

DeKalb County History Museum

Its mission is to expand the understanding of the area’s history and to educate the public through exhibits, lectures and classes. The museum’s permanent collection includes textiles, sports memorabilia (including the 1984 Olympic torch), marketing materials, agricultural items and more. There also is a gift shop.

Address: 1730 N. Main St.

Phone: 815-895-5762 Online: dekalbcountyhistory.org

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday

Admission: $5 for ages 14 and older

WATERMAN

Honey Hill Orchard

A family-owned and operated orchard, started as a hobby in 1965, Honey Hill now has 2,100 apple trees at its original site plus 500 trees at a second location. The orchard offers pick-your-own apples, raspberries and pumpkins. It also has a bakery, lunch stand and country store.

Address: 11783 Waterman Road

Phone: 815-264-3337

Online: honeyhillorchard.com or Facebook

Hours: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, late August through early September; 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. every day early September through Oct. 31

Waterman Area Heritage Society

This “museum” in a former barbershop has exhibits of telephones, DeKalb Ag-Monsanto memorabilia, school items, barbering items and more.

Address: 180 W. Lincoln Highway

Phone: 815-264-3461 or 815-264-7717

Online: dekalb.illinoisgenweb.org/WatermanSoc.htm and Facebook

Hours: 1-3 p.m. Saturday or by appointment

Admission: By donation

Waterman Winery and Vineyards

Winner of the 2010 Governor’s Sustainability Award, the winery has almost 20 wines on its list, with the most intriguing one being a dry wine, Barbed Wire Red, a full-bodied, oaked Frontenac. Tastings and self-guided tours available.

Address: 11582 Waterman Road

Phone: 815-264-3268

Online: watermanwinery.com or Facebook

Hours: Noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April through December