Girlfriends' Getaway in Aurora, IL

If you and your BFF love shopping, you can't find better variety and values than in Aurora, IL. This burgeoning Fox Valley town also offers great food, entertainment, and historical charm.

Go for the food, beer, and music, but most of all for the decor. All architectural details are recycled from old buildings, including hotels, churches, and taverns. We love the chapel, with a real confessional.
Oberweis ice cream is a local treasure, so distinctively rich and creamy that my California-transplanted offspring includes Oberweis Dairy on her must-visit list every time she returns to her family stomping grounds. My favorite: it's a toss-up between a scoop of butter pecan or a turtle sundae, if I don't go for a chocolate malt witho... More >
Oberweis ice cream is a local treasure, so distinctively rich and creamy that my California-transplanted offspring includes Oberweis Dairy on her must-visit list every time she returns to her family stomping grounds. My favorite: it's a toss-up between a scoop of butter pecan or a turtle sundae, if I don't go for a chocolate malt without undue analysis.
All architectural details are recycled from old buildings, including hotels, churches, and taverns.
A Hilton property with all the free amenities of the mid-priced Hampton Inn brand, this hotel is convenient for side trips and shopping excursions throughout the Fox Valley.
"The Mall" of my youth, now managed by Westfield, Fox Valley Shopping Mall has undergone many improvements since it opened in the late 1960s. Go for the anchor stores (Macy's, Carson Pirie Scott, JC Penney, Sears) and indoor comfort on cold winter and hot summer days. Be sure to explore the many surrounding strip malls for off-price fa... More >
"The Mall" of my youth, now managed by Westfield, Fox Valley Shopping Mall has undergone many improvements since it opened in the late 1960s. Go for the anchor stores (Macy's, Carson Pirie Scott, JC Penney, Sears) and indoor comfort on cold winter and hot summer days. Be sure to explore the many surrounding strip malls for off-price favorites including DSW and Crate and Barrel Outlet.
Just off I-88 as you approach Aurora from the east, Chicago Premium Outlets has every brand a dedicated shopaholic might desire. If you can't find it here, either you weren't looking hard enough, or you really don't need it.
A Hilton property with all the free amenities of the mid-priced Hampton Inn brand, this hotel is convenient for side trips and shopping excursions throughout the Fox Valley.
For the best vintage shopping finds in Chicagoland, plan your getaway to coincide with the 2-day Kane County Flea Market that's held on the first weekend of March through December on the county fairgrounds.  More
For the best vintage shopping finds in Chicagoland, plan your getaway to coincide with the 2-day Kane County Flea Market that's held on the first weekend of March through December on the county fairgrounds.
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About the Author

Lanora Schoeny Mueller
Lanora Schoeny Mueller
"Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money." Jules Renard writer, photographer, traveler, dabbler in domestic arts
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