Community Recreation Centers

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Simkus Recreation Center
849 W Lies Rd, Carol Stream, IL 60188
A multi-use community recreation center serving as the hub for Carol Stream Park District programs, featuring gymnasiums, dance and gymnastics studios, classrooms, and hosting year-round sports, camps, and special events. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Fountain View Recreation Center
910 N Gary Ave, Carol Stream, IL 60188
The flagship Carol Stream Park District recreation center, offering a large fitness facility with indoor pools, basketball courts, walking track, group fitness studios, and multi-purpose spaces for programs and rentals. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Cathy Mahoney Recreation Center
4500 Belmont Rd, Downers Grove, IL 60515
A large Downers Grove recreation center featuring a full-service fitness facility, multiple gym courts, indoor walking track, group exercise studios, and flexible spaces for programs and community use. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The ARC Center
Park District, 201 W National St, West Chicago, IL 60185
A full-service community recreation center located in Reed Keppler Park, featuring a fitness center, multi-court gymnasium, indoor track, studios for classes, and flexible spaces for programs and family activities. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Ray Morrill Community Center
1777 S Blanchard St Lower Level, Wheaton, IL 60189
A large Wheaton Park District recreation center featuring a full-service fitness facility, indoor walking track, childcare services, and flexible meeting spaces designed for fitness, programs, and community use. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Oak Brook Park District Recreation Center
1450 Forest Gate Rd, Oak Brook, IL 60523
A central Oak Brook community hub housing fitness and aquatic facilities, gymnasium, indoor track, studios, meeting rooms, and preschool space, serving as the primary recreation and registration center for the park district.  More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Main Street Recreation Center
501 Hill Ave, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
A neighborhood recreation center offering a rentable gymnasium and meeting rooms, set within a park that includes a playground, outdoor basketball court, and open green space. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Bloomingdale Park District JRC
172 S Circle Ave, Bloomingdale, IL 60108
A large Bloomingdale Park District recreation center offering extensive fitness, sports, and program spaces, designed as a central hub for year-round community activities and recreation. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Villa Park Recreation Center
320 E Wildwood Ave, Villa Park, IL 60181
A community recreation center featuring a full gymnasium, elevated indoor track, modern fitness center, multipurpose program spaces, and a rooftop terrace designed for year-round activity and community use. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Western DuPage Special Recreation Association
116 N Schmale Rd, Carol Stream, IL 60188
A regional special recreation organization offering inclusive programs for individuals with disabilities of all ages, featuring adaptive sports, arts, social clubs, camps, trips, and Special Olympics programming led by specialized staff. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Eola Community Center
555 S Eola Rd, Aurora, IL 60504
A multi-purpose Aurora community center housing fitness facilities, gym space, childcare and preschool programs, an adult activity center, and a branch of the Aurora Public Library, supporting programs for all ages. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Pottawatomie Community Center
8 North Ave, St. Charles, IL 60174
A multi-generational community center set within Pottawatomie Park, offering gym space, dance programs, arts and fitness classes, and social activities, all anchored by scenic Fox River views and access to surrounding park amenities. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Meineke Recreation Center
220 E Weathersfield Way, Schaumburg, IL 60193
A Schaumburg Park District recreation center focused on fitness, featuring a well-equipped gym, strength and cardio training areas, indoor running track, and a full gymnasium for open use and programs. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 SEASPAR
4500 Belmont Rd, Downers Grove, IL 60515
A regional special recreation organization creating inclusive, hands-on experiences through adaptive sports, Special Olympics training, sensory spaces, and social programs for all ages. More Info

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 John B. Norris Recreation Center
1050 Dunham Rd, St. Charles, IL 60174
A full-service St. Charles recreation center offering fitness facilities, aquatics, tennis, pickleball, and a wide range of classes and programs for all ages. More Info

Indoor Pools & Aquatic Centers

🏊 The Water Works Indoor Water Park
505 N Springinsguth Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60194
An indoor water park located inside Schaumburg’s Community Recreation Center, featuring water slides, a lazy-style rapid channel, sprayground, lap and diving pools, and zero-depth entry for all-ages aquatic fun. More Info 

🏊 Oak Brook Aquatic Center
1450 Forest Gate Rd, Oak Brook, IL 60523
A year-round indoor aquatic center offering lap swimming, swim lessons, water-based fitness classes, youth programs, and a large whirlpool for post-workout relaxation. More Info 

🏊 Coral Cove Water Park
849 W Lies Rd, Carol Stream, IL 60188
A family-friendly outdoor water park featuring twisting water slides, a drop slide, climbing wall, diving areas, and an interactive splash playground designed for both thrill-seekers and younger kids. More Info 

🏊 Pelican Harbor Indoor/Outdoor Aquatic Park
200 Lindsey Ln, Bolingbrook, IL 60440
A year-round aquatic park combining indoor pools and slides with a seasonal outdoor water park, featuring lazy river channels, zero-depth entry pools, water slides, splash areas, and family-friendly amenities. More Info

🏊 Splash Central Indoor Pool
700 S Bartlett Rd, Bartlett, IL 60103
An indoor pool located inside the Bartlett Community Center, featuring a waterslide, diving board, lap lanes, and open swim for all-ages recreation. More Info

🏊 Vaughan Aquatic Center
2121 W Indian Trail, Aurora, IL 60506
An indoor aquatic center located within the Vaughan Athletic Center, featuring a water park with enclosed slides and zero-depth entry, an eight-lane competition lap pool, and a warm-water therapy pool. More Info 

Ice Rinks & Skating Facilities

🧊 Glenview Community Ice Center
1851 Landwehr Rd, Glenview, IL 60026
A go-to neighborhood ice facility with multiple rinks, a pro shop, training space, and an on-site restaurant and coffee stand for skating, hockey, and community events. More Info

🧊 Scott R. Triphahn Community Center & Ice Arena
1685 W Higgins Rd, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
A community favorite for public skate sessions, hockey programs, and seasonal skating events, with multiple rinks open for casual drop-in skating and organized fun year-round. More Info

🧊 Glendale Heights Ice Skating & Hockey
250 Civic Center Plaza, Glendale Heights, IL 60139
A welcoming local rink offering learn-to-skate classes, hockey programs, and skill-building sessions for all ages, with a strong focus on professional instruction in a fun, supportive environment. More Info

Fieldhouses & Sports Complexes

🏋️ BestLife Fitness at Stephen D. Persinger Recreation Center
3507 Kaneville Rd, Geneva, IL 60134
A full-service community fitness center offering a wide range of workout options in a supportive, welcoming environment focused on helping members stay active and connected. More Info

🏋️ Central Athletic Complex 
500 S Naperville Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187
A multi-sport facility with indoor courts, batting cages, and training areas, plus outdoor baseball, softball, and soccer fields—built for leagues, practices, and all-ages play. More Info

🏋️ Glendale Heights Sports Hub
250 Civic Centre Plaza, Glendale Heights, IL 60139
A flexible community fitness hub offering open gym time, an indoor walking track, leisure games like pickleball and ping pong, and membership options that range from casual drop-ins to full fitness center access. More Info

🏋️ Madison Meadow Athletic Center
500 E Wilson Ave, Lombard, IL 60148
A modern Lombard Park District fitness center with an indoor track, open gym, group fitness studios, and on-site childcare—designed for everything from quick workouts to longer training sessions. More Info

🏋️ Sportsplex
1400 Foundry St, St. Charles, IL 60174
A large indoor sports complex with climate-controlled turf fields and spectator seating—built for soccer, lacrosse, football, open play, leagues, parties, and training all year long. More Info

🏋️ DuPage River Sports Complex
2807 Washington St, Naperville, IL 60565
A massive, multi-sport outdoor complex with baseball diamonds, pickleball and tennis courts, in-line rinks, trails, and open green space, making it a go-to spot for casual play, league sports, and active days outside. More Info

🏋️ DuPage River Sports Complex
2807 Washington St, Naperville, IL 60565
A massive, multi-sport outdoor complex with baseball diamonds, pickleball and tennis courts, in-line rinks, trails, and open green space, making it a go-to spot for casual play, league sports, and active days outside. More Info

🏋️ Schaumburg Park District Sport Center
1141 W Irving Park Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60193
A large all-indoor athletic facility featuring multiple basketball and volleyball courts, convertible soccer fields, and a dedicated gymnastics center, built for leagues, practices, camps, and year-round sports play. More Info

🏋️ Fort Hill Activity Center
20 Fort Hill Dr, Naperville, IL 60540
A large, all-ages activity center offering fitness spaces, an indoor track, gymnasium courts, childcare and indoor play areas, plus year-round classes, leagues, and drop-in recreation. More Info

🏋️ 4500 Fitness
4500 Belmont Rd B, Downers Grove, IL 60515
A modern park district fitness center packed with advanced cardio and strength equipment, offering a high-energy workout environment designed for a wide range of fitness goals. More Info

🏋️ ZONE250
250 W National St, West Chicago, IL 60185
A pay-to-play indoor sports facility with expansive hardwood courts designed for practices, leagues, tournaments, and skill development across basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, and more. More Info

🏋️ FitnessNow
3S260 Warren Ave, Warrenville, IL 60555
A full-service community fitness center offering strength and cardio equipment, an indoor running track, open gym access, and flexible membership options designed for teens, adults, and families. More Info 

🏋️ Vaughan Athletic Center
2121 W Indian Trail, Aurora, IL 60506
A massive, all-in-one recreation hub featuring a full fitness center, indoor tracks, aquatics complex, tennis center, field house, and one of the area’s most robust indoor play and childcare spaces. More Info 

Nature, Discovery & Learning Centers

🌿 Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center
3609 Spring Rd, Oak Brook, IL 60523
A hands-on nature center where kids and adults can explore local wildlife, examine a real woolly mammoth skeleton, borrow trail backpacks, and join seasonal programs like maple tapping, wildflower walks, and animal tracking. More Info

🌿 Knoch Knolls Nature Center
320 Knoch Knolls Rd, Naperville, IL 60565
A free, family-friendly nature hub offering drop-in indoor activities for kids, self-guided mobile nature tours, scavenger hunts, and seasonal discovery kits—plus guided hikes, wildflower walks, and adult programs focused on local ecology and sustainability. More Info

🌿 Hickory Knolls Discovery Center
3795 Campton Hills Dr, St. Charles, IL 60175
A LEED-certified nature center set among 130 acres of woodlands and wetlands, featuring live native animal exhibits (including Blanding’s turtles), scenic views and hands-on programs. More Info

🌿 Lederman Science Center
Fermilab MS 777, Box 500, Batavia, IL 60510
An interactive science center inspired by Fermilab research, offering hands-on exhibits and programs that make big ideas in physics and the universe accessible for curious learners of all ages. More Info

🌿 Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum
5700 College Rd, Lisle, IL 60532
A natural history museum at Benedictine University featuring extensive zoological, geological, and botanical collections that support hands-on learning and showcase more than a century of life science education. More Info

🌿 The Morton Arboretum
4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL 60532
A nationally recognized outdoor museum and nature destination offering miles of scenic trails, interactive exhibits, seasonal events, and hands-on learning experiences across 1,700 acres of gardens and woodlands. More Info

History & Culture

🏛 Museums at Lisle Station Park
921 School St, Lisle, IL 60532
A small cluster of historic buildings that bring Lisle’s railroad-era roots to life, offering visitors a look at local history, early community life, and the town’s development around the original Lisle Station. More Info

🏛 Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
220 Kensington Rd, Oak Brook, IL 60523
A distinctive art museum showcasing gemstones, jewelry, carvings, and geological treasures, exploring the craftsmanship and history behind lapidary art from ancient works to modern design. More Info

🏛 Lombard Historical Society - Sheldon Peck Homestead
355 E Parkside Ave, Lombard, IL 60148
A preserved historic homestead offering a window into 19th-century life in Lombard, with rotating exhibits, local history programs, and special events focused on the area’s early settlement and community roots. More Info

🏛 Bloomingdale Park District Museum
108 S Bloomingdale Rd, Bloomingdale, IL 60108
Housed in Bloomingdale’s oldest building (circa 1849), this small local museum features rotating art and history exhibits inside a beautifully preserved former church and town hall with original architectural details. More Info

🏛 First Division Museum at Cantigny
1s151 Winfield Rd, Wheaton, IL 60189
A military history museum telling the story of the U.S. Army’s First Infantry Division through immersive indoor exhibits, powerful artifacts, and an outdoor Tank Park featuring armored vehicles. More Info

🏛 DuPage County Historical Museum
102 E Wesley St, Wheaton, IL 60187
Located in a beautifully preserved 1891 Richardsonian Romanesque building, this county museum showcases artifacts and exhibits that document the history and cultural heritage of DuPage County. More Info

🏛 Arlington Heights Historical Museum
110 W Fremont St, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
A local history campus bringing Arlington Heights’ past to life through exhibits, programs, and preserved historic buildings that connect visitors to the community’s roots. More Info

🏛 Batavia Depot Museum
155 Houston St, Batavia, IL 60510
A local history museum housed in a former railroad depot, sharing Batavia’s story through exhibits and programs that connect visitors to the people, industries, and moments that shaped the community. More Info

🏛 Elgin History Museum
360 Park St, Elgin, IL 60120
A family-friendly local history museum with interactive exhibits on Elgin’s watchmaking legacy, early industries, immigration stories, and hands-on activities for kids across two floors. More Info

Did we miss one of your go-to park district or community center favorites? 🏀🏊✨

From full-service recreation centers and indoor pools to ice rinks, sports complexes, nature centers, and local history museums, this guide brings together Chicagoland’s park district facilities and community spaces—all in one easy place.

Whether you’re looking for affordable family fun, fitness and wellness options, swim time, skating, classes, or new places to explore close to home, let this guide inspire you to make the most of what your local park districts offer. And if there’s a hidden gem we should add, share it—so everyone can keep discovering the best community spaces Chicagoland has to offer! 🤎🌿🏛️

-Brandon Blankenship, Founder of Living Chicago Suburbs & Realtor at Keller Williams Premiere Properties