About

*Ronnie and Charlie in the backyard at Preservation*

I’ve been obsessed with St Charles for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago, and even further west from where I grew up was the beautiful Fox Valley and in it, St Charles. The place where you could go shopping downtown, walk the beautiful Fox River, or see an endless number of horses along the road. I always envisioned one day, I could have my beautiful home, big yard, and my own horse, if only we moved to St Charles. And then… One day, 20 years later, I did! Ronnie and I decided St Charles would be the setting for raising a family. Now, here as a resident, the draw is all the more intoxicating.

How to get there

St. Charles, IL is about 1 hour outside of the city of Chicago. You can get here via car or Metra train, getting off at either the Geneva, IL stop or the Elburn, IL stop.

Know before you go

St Charles, Geneva, and Batavia, have a collective population of about 100,000 people. Each city lines the Fox River and boasts its own kind of “vibe.” St Charles is known for its bar scene, Geneva for its restaurants, and Batavia for its eclectic mix of both. This guide is going to have you traveling between the three cities (all about five minutes from each other). While I don’t imagine many people coming here from around the world for vacation, if you are a staycationer looking for a local getaway or wanting to get out of Chicago for the weekend, this is a wonderful place to escape to.

Eat

*Dirty Martini and Oysters at the Graceful Ordinary*

Coffee — Head to Grahams 318 has the best donuts in the area, or the Arcedium which is right on the River with the best tea menu, don’t miss Mad Batter which has mini cheesecakes that will make you want to “slap your mama.”
Smoothies — I love going to Extract Juicery for a custom smoothie, avocado toast, or their Golden Pine Juice, omg yum.
Brunch / Lunch — You can’t go wrong with Preservation, Ella’s Italian (get the Chicken Farro Salad), B.A.S.H. (get the Bash burger or the cripsy rice)
Dinner — Graceful Ordinary has the best cocktail menu and an incredible Halibut, Mio Modo is the spot for Italian, the Steak and the Pasta alla Vodka with Italian Sausage are life-changing, Moto iMoto has the best Asian Fusion in town, we opt for the Rangoon, the Sushi and the Thai noodles when we go, the GOAT has a damn good burger and cheese sticks that will make you drool, Niche has an entire menu that you should order.
Drinks — Head to the The Lewis for craft cocktails, Duke’s for an ode to the Wisconsin sports bar scene, or Alter Brewing for great beer (and cool Igloos during the winter months).

Stay

The Herrington Inn and Spa is my #1 recommendation. You are on the river, with a balcony overlooking it, there’s an amazing onsite Spa, and you are steps from all that 3rd Street has to offer.
Hotel Baker is another go-to and was recently one of the settings featured in a #1 Netflix movie.

Workout

Head to Club Pilates downtown St Charles to get your sweat on or YogaSix in Geneva.
For an outdoor workout, you can opt for a delightful walk. Follow these instructions to get in a deliciously long 2 hour walk on the river and in nature. Start at Arcedium, walking towards Mary’s Park, follow the river path to Wheeler Park, follow the nature path into downtown Geneva, stop at Graham’s 318 for a coffee before making your way to the Geneva Island Park and back to the nature walk river walk and Arcedium. Here’s what you can plug into your Google Maps to ensure you don’t get lost doing the great loop!

Play

Go Shopping on Third Street in Geneva, during the winter months you can even get a horse-drawn carriage to take you around town, this little spot in town is so picturesque, they actually have filmed Hallmark Christmas Movies here.
Take in some live music and nightlife at Even Flow
Catch a show at the Arcada Theater (go to the speakeasy on the second floor ahead of time for drinks)
See live Standup at the Comedy Vault (grab drinks at the GOAT beforehand)
Get your nails done at Gossip Nails and then head to The Spa at the Herrington

A Dream Day

If I were to pack all my favorites into a single dream day, this is what I would do…

Wake up at the Herrington Inn and Spa and walk over to Graham’s 318 to get your morning coffee, before heading to YogaSix for your morning yoga class. After yoga, head to Extract Juicery for a smoothie or juice on your way to Gossip Nails for a manicure and pedicure. Head back to the hotel to get your massage and then back to your hotel room to shower up for the day. Walk to 3rd street for some shopping starting at the North end of the street by Starbucks and making your way to the South end of the street by Preservation. Make sure to have a glass of wine at the Geneva Winery (it will have cute decorations during all seasons, and private igloos during the winter!). When you get hungry, head across the street to Ella’s Italian for their Chicken Farro Salad before making your way back to the hotel to get ready for the night. Grab drinks and Oysters at The Graceful Ordinary on your way to dinner at the GOAT before catching a standup show at The Comedy Vault. Before you go back to your hotel, pop into Even Flow for some live music and a night cap. Then head home and lay your head to rest, you’ve had a great day in the Fox Valley!

Summary

How I feel about St Charles, Geneva, and Batavia… they are like triplet sisters — beautiful and different and I am like their mother — I love them all equally, and differently. I hope you enjoy your trip out to our amazing community. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

St Charles, Illinois