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Discover Glencoe

Founded in 1869, Glencoe offers a small-town feel just 20 miles north of downtown Chicago. It’s a historic village bordering Lake Michigan, with homes designed by noteworthy architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Howard Van Doren. Glencoe is home to the Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the world’s great living museums and conservation science centers, as well as the nationally-acclaimed Writers Theatre, an intimate professional theatre now located in an award-winning building designed by Jeanne Gang and her Studio Gang architects.

Glencoe is easily accessible from downtown Chicago, either via 94 (known as the Edens Expressway) or a short Metra ride to the local Glencoe station. Glencoe’s also on the 213 Pace bus route that runs from Evanston to Northbrook. Cyclists can ride the Green Bay Trail north to the Wisconsin border, south to Evanston or on trails that circle the Chicago Botanic Garden and the nearby forest preserve. Rent canoes and kayaks in next-door Winnetka, or learn to sail a sunfish right from Glencoe’s own beach, then set up a celebratory barbeque at one of the private party stations you can reserve in advance.

Enjoy food and drink from local spots like An Apple a Day, Foodstuffs, The Grand, Frank & Betsie’s, Guildhall and Guanajuato Mexican Restaurant. Try a quick nine holes or get a few lessons at the public links, the Glencoe Golf Club. Immerse yourself in the local community and join the Lake Shore Country Club or the Skokie Country Club.

Glencoe’s educational system is one of the best. District 35 separates students by age, so kindergarten through second graders attend South School, while third and fourth graders attend West School. Kids in fifth through eighth grades attend Central School, and high schoolers feed into the award winning New Trier High School.

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city in the charming village of Glencoe without straying too far from downtown.