If you're looking for a suburban area that's not only ideal for a family to grow in but with an abundance of history and culture, you'll find Elmhurst real estate meets your absolute ideal. Elmhurst has a beautiful, small town feel, but with the scenic downtown area, an abundance of boutique shopping, top of the line dining, outstanding entertainment, and numerous museums, it offers all of the culture and amenities of a large city. The convenience here is double because Elmhurst is only 16 miles outside of the city of Chicago and, with the train stop right in the heart of downtown, residents can easily commute when the plentiful attractions right at home aren't enough.
Elmhurst prides itself on culture. Families of every size thrive in this city but it's not only a place for families. There are a number of colleges inside the city and right near by, including Elmhurst College which opened in 1871. Elmhurst is a liberal arts college which currently enrolls close to 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Other colleges nearby include Dominican University in River Forest and College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. For families with college age students, there are ample quality institutions right near home and the city of Elmhurst benefits from the constant influence of serious young students and their vibrant energy.
The Theatre Historical Society of America is located in Elmhurst and it's quite a draw for students and visitors alike. The society showcases a vast collection of artifacts from theaters that are no longer running but with a deference to the history of the time. They're dedicated to the preservation of the arts. including dance, opera, and movie theaters. The Elmhurst Art Museum is a fascinating place, featuring Mies van der Rohe's McCormick House. This museum presents exhibitions from regional, national, and international artists and includes various mediums of visual art, architecture, and design.
Another fantastic cultural offering Elmhurst boasts pride in is the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Arts, blending gemology and earth science in displays and educational events to entertain children and adults. The museum has a permanent display of both antique and modern gems and stones. They also offer a wide array of classes for every age.
While culture is certainly never lacking in Elmhurst, it's often well known as a great place to raise a family because it does have some fantastic qualities for people with children. The school district ranks very well and children in Elmhurst go to high school fully prepared for successful academics. York High School is highly rated in the state and it boasts a 95.9% graduation rate from high school. Elmhurst residents are also highly educated on the whole with 58.1% holding a Bachelor's Degree and 22% holding a Graduate or Professional Degree. All of this makes Elmhurst a great place to raise kids who will go on to do well academically and earn advanced degrees.
Elmhurst offers a wonderful library for its residents and York Theater offers some reasonable family entertainment for those rainy days. On fair weather days, Elmhurst's park district offers a ton of activities - with 22 parks, a community center, the public pool, and various outdoor sports activities, pretty much every member of the family is covered here, even the ones who like to golf. Elmhurst has a yearly Memorial Day Parade and one of the largest St. Patrick Day Parades in the Chicago land area (and now that the city has discontinued their much larger parade, Elmhurst's is a great choice for celebrating with the kids).
Downtown in Elmhurst is both beautiful and fun. There's always an air of easygoing contentment. The streets are well manicured and there's ample shopping with upscale boutiques and and plenty of dining choices. There are more than 50 restaurants, from upscale to quaint coffee shops and all stops between. You can find any type of cuisine in Elmhurst. There's also live entertainment at places like Fitz Spare Keys, a great independently owned bar that offers live bands and piano players depending on the night. The downtown area is easy to travel on foot and one of the great things about Elmhurst is that there's low crime and a lovely environment for residents to walk or ride bikes where ever they're going.
There's a 10 screen theater for residents to check out a movie before their dinner reservations or, for live entertainment, Elmhurst College Theatre hosts a variety of performances throughout the year for visitors and residents to enjoy. Throughout the year, Elmhurst hosts a number of festivals and attractions that are sure to please every palate. The Elmhurst College Jazz Festival takes place in February and is a favorite among music lovers in the area. The Block to Block Party takes place every Wednesday in June and July and the Rock the Block Party in Elmhurst City Centre is a huge resident favorite in September. Art in the Park is also something many residents look forward to, both for the amazing art displays and the gorgeous natural beauty of Wilder Park.
If the shopping, food, culture, and nightlife inside Elmhurst isn't enough to satisfy your taste buds for the night, one of the major perks to this city is its location. Most residents do drive, but there's also easy access to transportation through the Metra and Pace bus. Elmhurst is a short trip from Oak Brook Mall which boasts some of the premier designer boutiques in the Chicagoland area. It's a short train ride or 20 minutes by car on the Expressway to get from Elmhurst into the heart of downtown Chicago to go to Navy Pier, explore the Art Institute, visit the Mag Mile, or take in one of many plays or sporting events the city has to offer on a regular basis.
Elmhurst offers a variety of homes, from older, well maintained estates to newer construction. If you're interested in living in a suburb with plenty of culture, a low unemployment rate, and great family activities, Elmhurst may well be the city for you.
