Others Near Batavia,IL
Hickory Knolls Discovery Center - St. Charles sophia ruiz: Our kids loved our experience at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center. We did not expect anything when we decided to check out the place.
We were amazed by what they had. For such a small place, they have quite a variety of species for small kids to enjoy and learn. Both our 7-year-old and our teen had a great time.
Our little one was enthusiastic about the different species of snakes that they had. She loved the turtles, and she couldnt stop talking about the bearded dragon. Of course, she was happy with her petting experience with STAR, the rabbit.
Our teen got excited about their outdoor space in the back. She loved taking photos, and that was what she did. They had a variety of blooming flowers. The trees were incredible. It felt like we were not in the middle of St. Charles.
They also have sitting areas both indoor and outdoor. We packed our lunchboxes for a quick lunch and enjoyed it in one of their picnic tables in the back of the discovery center. It was definitely worth our time.
B Harley Bradley House - Kankakee Maria K: If you are Frank Lloyd Wright fan you need to visit this one! We pre-booked the tour (12.30pm) and there were only 4 people in our group. That really helped when taking pictures. Our guide Valerie did a great job explaining the history and the stories behind this house. The stories are the ones that make this house special. After we finished our tour there was another one (1.30pm) after us led by Gaines Hall and his wife Sharon also attended. I wish we had known his tour would be right after ours! If you can ask when he is giving a tour, I can’t even imagine the amount of info he can give you about this house. Btw parking is right in front of the house which is really convenient. Don’t forget to buy the booklet about the history of the house. It contains more pictures of the original furnishings than the pictures displayed inside the house. Also if you are from a foreign country let the ladies in the shop know, they place a small pin on a map if a person from a foreign country visits.
Kankakee River State Park - Bourbonnais B Young: Chippewa Campground We stayed during the week for 2 nights at the end of May. It was quiet. There are 98 sites. We were on the back row, Site#65. If you were up by the front, there could be road noise. Both of the hosts were nice and helpful. This campground was clean. I did NOT use the bathrooms, so I cant give info about them, other than there are NO showers. I would definitely stay here again. Some sites have NO services, and some sites have electric. There is a dump station and potable water here.
French Heritage Museum - Kankakee Dawn Olson: I was married here October 20, 2001, before it was turned into the museum. ⛪️
French Heritage Museum at the Stone Barn.
This building was the old carriage house behind my great great great great uncle Lemuel Milk’s mansion, which was on the corner of Oak and Indiana Ave in Kankakee.
Lemuel Milk moved to Kankakee, Illinois from New York around 1855. An early settler to the area, Milk was among the first to drain the Kankakee region for farming. By purchasing cheap, swampy land for draining, Milk was able to amass a large estate exceeding 25,000 acres (10,000 ha). This made him one of the largest landowners in Illinois. Milk opened a department store in Chebanse in 1868, which he ran until 1883. In 1876, he founded the Waldron Ice Company, harvesting ice from the nearby Kankakee River. Milk was a trustee on the board of the Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane. Milks most ambitious undertaking was the draining of Beaver Lake in Newton County, Indiana.
The carriage house, built at some point between 1861 and 1868, is the only remaining structure from Milks large estate. Milk lived in a seventeen-room mansion at the corner of Oak and Indiana Avenues, which has since been demolished. Aside from sheltering his carriage, Milk also used the building to house livestock. The carriage house is now the third-oldest building remaining in Kankakee after the First Baptist Church and the Asbury United Methodist Church Sanctuary.
The building was used as a barn until the early 1920s, when it was used as a painting garage. It later became a warehouse for Fred Swannell Sr.s hardware store. The building was converted to a bakery and restaurant in 1973. The restaurant quickly went out of business and the building became a meeting place for civic groups. On June 4, 1979, the carriage house was recognized by the National Park Service with a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kankakee Illinois Railroad Museum - Kankakee Things That Are Fast: Very friendly staff here. Jim gave us a truly enjoyable tour teaching us about the different responsibilities of the folks that worked for the railroads at those times and the functions of the different cars. A gem of history offering a glimpse into the past for all ages to experience travel at that time.
Kankakee County Museum - Kankakee T RS: Very informative and educative museum.
It exhibits the National and local historical and community events.
A description of the local individuals and the community involvement in every national event is very special and is positively connecting the local community of today’s generation.
It’s relatively a good size museum which has many themes. One will learn the overall history since from the first migration to this town and also the contribution of the local community in the local and in the national levels.
Don’t miss the governor’s mansion and and one room school, just outside the main museum building, to get the feeling of our past history.
The friendly and knowledgeable staff can provide more insights and to answer any questions.
Enough car parking places are available at the site.
Willowhaven Park - Kankakee Tj Joubert: My wife and I got married here almost a year ago now, and thinking back to the day still puts a smile on my face. Partially for the obvious, but a lot of it has to do with this location. Its a great spot, and Steve was very helpful leading up to and just great company the night of. Ive recommended this spot to friends a few times already, and will continue to do so. Couldnt have been happier, couldnt have picked a better spot for what we were trying to do.
Cobb Park - Kankakee steve wunder: A Wonderful day to listen to the Beautiful Sounds of the Brass Quintet! Large Oak shade trees and gentle cooling breezes off of the river made for a social gathering that was perfect. Available Ice cream and taco vendors as well.
