“This is what America is all about!” a Glen Ellyn resident and book store owner exclaimed. While I do not doubt her patriotism, I would say that downtown Glen Ellyn is what suburbs should be all about. The stores are densely huddled together, the sidewalks are wide and welcoming, and Main Street is decorated with colorful awnings with tempting windows below. The entire area, encompassing little more than three or four blocks, is extremely pedestrian friendly and while small, gives all that you could ask for.
Getting there is an easy thirty to fifty minute trip from Ogilvie Transportation Center traveling on the Union Pacific West. Once you get off the train the downtown is not immediately apparent. Follow the train west for a block and you will arrive at Main Street. To your left and right is the heart of Glen Ellyn.

Anybody who's ever visited Evanston has probably been to Davis Street. This downtown shopping district is bustling with chain stores, boutiques and restaurants. It is the place where people come to shop, dine and have fun. It is a bustling downtown... But it's not the only downtown. You see, Evanston does not have one downtown shopping district.

It has three.

Highland Park has one of the most walkable suburban downtowns accessible by Metra train. Back in March, I had a day off and hopped on the Union Pacific North to check it out. If offers a pleasant downtown, great neighborhoods to stroll, some nice lakefront parks, a beach and outdoor concerts at Ravinia.

If you're looking for a nice bike ride from Chicago, you can also ride up the North Branch Trail to Highland Park, or the Green Bay Trail provides a bicycle connection through the other north shore suburbs north from Wilmette.

When I mention that I don't have a car, invariably the first reaction by my well-meaning friends and family is a shocked, "You don't?!?" followed by, "Why not?!?" It's like I've casually mentioned that I removed my own legs. Believe it or not, humans didn't always get around by sitting in a metal box that runs on “dead dinosaur juice.” There are plenty of great reasons to consider going car-free - mainly that cars are the #1 cause of global warming, exceeding even the damage done by coal-burning power plants. Going car-free is definitely the greenest thing a consumer can do.

Knowing this sobering fact, when it came time to replace my car this past January, I decided to see if I ‘had it what it takes’ to go car-free. Not only did I save a ton of money and make my life a lot simpler, I gleaned some tips for anyone else who might be thinking about dumping their gas guzzler as well:

Unseasonably warm days like today are the perfect time for an outdoorsy daytrip. And Openlands has a great suggestion on their website with public transit directions to their recently opened Openlands Lakeshore Preserve.

Get directions here: http://openlands.org/index.php/Special-Projects/Projects/openlands-lakes...

Check Metra's UP-North schedule here: http://metrarail.com

Learn more about the preserve here: http://openlands.org/index.php/News/Press-Releases/new-preserve-opens-ad...