Naperville Weekend With Kids

The "crown jewel" of Naperville, the Riverwalk has something for everyone in a gorgeous setting. The west end of the DuPage River runs right through the downtown area, and you can utilize brick and paved paths to saunter through the beautiful landscaping, enjoying views of the famous bridges, fountains, sculptures, parks, and much more along the way. Walking along the river, you'll see Rotary Hill, the Millennium Carillon, Centennial Beach, the paddle boats, and countless other charming features that will make you either extremely happy and proud to live in Naperville, or--if you don't live here--consider for a moment what you'd need to do in order to become a resident. The Naperville Riverwalk is one of my favorite places to take pictures of my two sons: we have photos of them next to the bridges from the last eighteen years, and I treasure them immensely! (As you can imagine, we're not the only family to use the Naperville Riverwalk as a photo setting: you'll see others EVERYWHERE!)

For the ultimate in Fun (with a capital F), Odyssey Fun World is the place to go. For the youngest guests, the Exploration Adventure provides a soft play climbing structure complete with ball pits, tunnels, and mazes. For the older kids, laser tag and paintball will keep them busy physically AND mentally. When they're dog-tired? Pizza and other kid-friendly fare is available for munching during a much-needed break. Naturally the video game arcade is a huge draw, and players can collect tickets with which they can take home prizes they choose themselves. Local tip: though most guests get to Odyssey Fun World in a car, it's also just off the Wheaton Branch of the Prairie (Bike) Path!