With an adorable and busy downtown that offers shopping, a theater, restaurants, and more, Crystal Lake, a far-out suburb is worth the trip!
Experience this downtown nightlife with nearby public transportation, enjoy a date night with dinner and a performance, or have a girl’s day out shopping at the unique boutiques. It truly seems to have something for everyone.
Transportation
From Chicago Via Public Transportation
Crystal Lake’s train station is located off of the Union Pacific North West Line (UP-NW.) From Chicago, it is 1 and 25 minutes to Crystal Lake.
Take the UP-NW from Chicago’s Ogilvie Transportation Center (OTC) and then ride to The Crystal Lake Station. The station is in the heart of downtown!
Via Car
It is about an hour’s drive to Crystal Lake from Chicago. Parking is available throughout the downtown.
Shopping in Downtown Crystal Lake
If you’re looking for fun patterns like cameras, cats, or mushrooms then see what’s on the racks at Ms Bossy Boots! This fun boutique always has unique clothing items, great shoes, and fun jewelry!
The Flag Store has a bunch of fun knick-knacks and of course flags! It’s a fun place to wander about and see merchandise from local teams and places.
With many rooms to explore Carriage House Antiques offers a look back into the past. There is always a unique treasure to discover.
For a cute local bookstore go to Green Read. Look through gently used books and perhaps walk away with a story.
Lulu’s Wiggin Out is a full-service wig shop, but it goes beyond just that. It is also a great boutique shop featuring cute women’s clothing, unique gifts, and more!
For local treasures look at Out of the Box. They carry Crystal Lake souvenirs! The stickers are so fun and perfect for a (travel) collection.
Crystal Lake Antique Mall features unique finds from several different dealers in a multi-room building. Personally, I love looking for old comic books, postcards, and perfume bottles!
Activities
For a nature walk by a pond, check out Veterans Acres. The outdoor space offers a playground and splash pad as well. It does get buggy so I would suggest an ample amount of bug spray! Check out my trail guide.
Paint a bowl, a cup, or a figurine at Color Me Mine. Their studio fee is $8 ($4 on Thursdays!) and their pieces to paint vary in price from $15-$35. Do note that this activity does require a return visit as they put your masterpiece in the kiln.
Raue Center for the Arts offers live performances including concerts, comedies, and more! It is also located in downtown Crystal Lake, making it a great night out. A live performance and dinner anyone?!
Dining, Treats & Drinks in Crystal Lake
Cantina 52 offers fun and unique cocktails along with an extensive food menu. They also offer events including Bingo and live music. The atmosphere was super fun!
Grounds Coffee Bar offers fun drinks like a Nutella Latte and a Lavender Vanilla Latte. They also have unique seasonal drinks as well! Cups start around $6.
If you are looking for a unique place to grab a treat try Pop’s Corn Crib. This Vendor is located in a walk-up booth with cute old-timey vibes. They offer several kinds of popcorn and their Popcorn Balls.
You might have seen this local brand on the shelf, but why not check out its home, Crystal Lake Brewing. This brewery holds events like Vinyal Night, trivia, and more! Plus they offer brewery tours for $15 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Walkability in Downtown Crystal Lake
Most of the downtown area is very walkable with sidewalks and crosswalks. Most crosswalks are at stop signs though and therefore do not have any walk signal (visual or audible.) However, there are a few places with quirks when walking as some crosswalks are not present at every ‘block.’ You might also cross the train tracks a few times because there are businesses and activities on both sides of the street.
Know Before You Go
It always feels like downtown Crystal Lake has something happening, with events like “Ladies Night Out” and a “Farmers Market” along with seasonal shindigs. Check out the Crystal Lake website here for up-to-date happenings!
Love downtown CL! So much fun when I shop there with my daughters!