The Metra stop is conveniently located in the heart of downtown.

The tiny Riverside Museum next to the Water Tower is a good place to stop for a map and brochures.

Inside the Riverside Museum.

Inside the Riverside Library.

View of the Des Plaines River from inside the Library.

The walking trail along the Des Plaines River.

Park area on the riverbank near the library.

View on the river looking toward the library.

Riverside Presbyterian Church on Barrypoint Rd.

Historic houses of Riverside.

Little Bohemian Restaurant, on E. Burlington a block from the Metra stop.

Breaded pork loin, dumplings, sweet and sour cabbage and gravy at Little Bohemian Restaurant.

On a recent Saturday, my partner and I took a short daytrip to explore the Village of Riverside. A short trip via Metra gets you to this early streetcar suburb designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, a landscape architect best known for his plan for Central Park in New York. We went on the first nice day of spring when there weren't yet leaves on the trees, so my photos don't really do the place justice. If you have any tips of your own for Riverside, please share in the comments or consider logging in and posting your own blog entry about your trip.

Getting There
It's just a 20-minute ride on Metra's BNSF line. Trains leave from Union Station and depart every hour or two for both the outbound and inbound trip, depending on the time of day. Check the BNSF Schedule to plan your trip. The Metra station is well-located at the center of the village's commercial activity, making it a pleasant starting point for your exploring.

Exploring Riverside
Riverside has a unique curvilinear street grid resembling an organic cell structure. It's a nice change of pace from Chicago's straight streets, but it makes it easy to get turned around. It's a small enough area that you can easily get spit out onto one of the larger thoroughfares surrounding the village if you're wandering aimlessly -- you know you're leaving Riverside when the streets turn straight again. You'll want a map to help you find your way -- you can find one at the Riverside Museum, open Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Riverside Museum occupies the tiny space in the East Well House next to the iconic Water Tower adjacent to the Metra station. The museum is run by volunteers from the Riverside Historical Commission. When I visited, the volunteer was friendly and eager to share his knowledge of his village. It's a good stop to pick up a map and some brochures while you get oriented.

The Frederick Law Olmsted Society also offers walking tours once a month, departing from the Metra station. The first tour of the 2009 season is Saturday, May 16 at 2 p.m.

The main commercial streets in Riverside are Forest Ave., E. Burlington St., and E. Quincy St., centered on Woodside Rd. You'll find a few places to stop and eat or grab a coffee or ice cream on these streets. Most of the activity is within a few blocks of the Metra stop. But there's not a whole lot going on, so don't plan on spending any significant amount of time going in and out of little shops or anything.

Walking south of the Metra station on Riverside Rd., you'll run into the Library after a block. It's worth a look inside this beautiful building. The library also houses a special Olmsted Collection, if you're in the mood to flip through some books and learn more about Riverside while overlooking the Des Plaines River.

If you turn left exiting library, you'll find a great walking trail just to the west that runs along the river. There's also a great little grassy area at the beginning of the trail that would be a nice place to relax on the riverbank surrounded by trees while enjoying a picnic or a good book.

You'll also want to spend some time just wandering around the park-like streets and admiring the historic architecture. The Riverside Museum has several brochures to help you learn more about the houses as you explore.

Food and Drink
Here are a few places we stopped at, all within a block of the Metra stop.

Jem Cafe -- This place had great panini sandwiches and makes an ideal lunch stop.

Little Bohemian Restaurant -- This is a great little old-school Czech restaurant that makes a unique dinner stop. We had breaded pork loins (schnitzel style) with potato dumpling, bread dumplings, sweet and sour cabbage and gravy. It was tasty and cheap.

The Chew Chew -- This restaurant had a decent bar where you could have a beer while waiting for your train.

More Information

Village of Riverside website -- Visiting Riverside

Village of Riverside website -- Community Events Calendar

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