Naperville: Riverwalk, Museums and Public Art

Naperville offers a variety of ways to spend your stay: walks along the river, history, public art and nature experiences. Interactive exhibits add to the selection. You can plan your itinerary around whether you prefer to spend time outdoors, explore historical topics or include playful learning activities.

A Walk Along the Naperville Riverwalk

The Naperville Riverwalk runs along the West Branch of the DuPage River. Its brick paths stretch for 1.75 miles. The Riverwalk includes fountains, bridges, event spaces, sculptures, outdoor artworks, recreational facilities and memorials. It is also a place to walk, relax and reflect. This combination of exercise, art and memorial sites makes it a standalone outdoor activity.

History, Museums and Art

Naper Settlement is a family-friendly, 13-acre open-air history museum. Its interactive learning activities are for all ages. The museum is in downtown Naperville; restaurants, shops and the Riverwalk are just a few steps away. This makes it easy to combine a museum visit with these downtown destinations.

The DuPage Children's Museum is located in downtown Naperville and is for children ages 0 to 10. It invites families to explore interactive exhibits where learning takes place through play. The two museums have different focuses: Naper Settlement presents history and offers learning activities for all ages, while the Children's Museum focuses on playful learning for younger children.

Public art also shapes downtown Naperville. Century Walk includes more than 40 works, including murals, mosaics, reliefs, mobiles and sculptures. The first 30 works depict Naperville's 20th-century history through people, places and events. Those who want to experience art and local history together will find a distinct way to explore both subjects here.

Nature and Recreation

The lobby of the Knoch Knolls Nature Center features interactive displays and live animal exhibits that introduce visitors to local wildlife. The exhibits may be updated. Knoch Knolls Park offers a different kind of nature experience: its hiking options include a two-mile round trip to the confluence. If you are interested in a particular exhibit topic, check before your visit, as exhibits may be updated.

Centennial Beach features water play areas, a shallow-area slide and a sand play area. The two locations therefore offer different experiences: Knoch Knolls Park is known for a specific hiking route, while Centennial Beach offers water and sand play. You can choose your activities based on whether you want to cover a trail or spend time enjoying the play features mentioned.

Discover more destinations: Medinah, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Oak Brook, Glendale Heights, Darien, Bloomingdale, Wood Dale

For the overarching travel overview: Dupage.