Known as “The City of Hospitality,” the Oakbrook Terrrace area is a bustling suburban community is just 17 miles west of downtown Chicago, 25 minutes from both Chicago’s O’Hare International and Midway airports, and convenient to four major expressways that connect the city to Northern Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Oakbrook Terrace is home to a number of corporate headquarters such as Red Box and the largest automobile trade association in the U.S. The 31-story Oakbrook Terrace Tower is the tallest office building in Illinois outside of Chicago and truly a suburban landmark.
Reunion organizers find Oakbrook Terrace an ideal base of operations, too. They prize its central location, affordable accommodations, and wealth of dining and shopping possibilities, ideal for Oak Brook area reunions.
Oak Brook Area Reunion Lodging Options
Oakbrook Terrace offers reunion groups seven outstanding hotels, ranging from comfortably affordable to purely luxurious. Each hotel offers complimentary, pre-arranged shuttle service within a five-mile radius. Choose from the following:
- Comfort Suites Oakbrook Terrace, 103 rooms. Amenities include a free hot breakfast, fitness center and indoor pool with sauna, plus in-room microwave and refrigerator. (630-691-1500)
- Courtyard by Marriott Oakbrook Terrace, 147 rooms. Sporting a newly remodeled lobby, the hotel offers a fitness center, indoor pool and The Bistro, open for breakfast and dinner. (630-691-1500)
- Hilton Suites Chicago/Oak Brook, 211 rooms. Adjacent to Drury Lane Theatre and Conference Center, the hotel offers two-room suites featuring a large living room with sofa bed and a working desk and a wet bar with refrigerator and microwave oven. Amenities include an indoor pool and fitness center. The Atrium Restaurant is open for breakfast daily, The Terrace for lunch and dinner. (630-941-0100)
- Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Oak Brook, 128 rooms. Amenities include an indoor pool and fitness center. Each room has a refrigerator and microwave. The Great American Grill is open for breakfast and dinner. Located adjacent to Drury Lane Theatre and Conference Center. (630-941-1177)
- Holiday Inn Chicago Oak Brook, 232 rooms. Guests enjoy the use of a fitness center and indoor pool. New on-site restaurant, Bar Louie Bar and Grill, offers American favorites. (630-833-3600)
- La Quinta Inn Chicago/Oakbrook Terrace, 150 rooms. Among the amenities: free hot breakfast, fitness center, local shuttle and outdoor pool. (630-495-4600)
- Staybridge Suites Chicago/Oakbrook Terrace, 112 suites. Each studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suite has a fully-equipped kitchen with microwave, dishwasher, stove and refrigerator. Guests enjoy a seasonal outdoor whirlpool spa and free hot breakfast. (630-953-9393)
Oak Brook Area Attractions
Oakbrook Terrace is home to Drury Lane Theatre, renowned for its Broadway-style musicals, concerts and other productions since 1984. Shows regularly win rave reviews from critics and earn honors, including the Chicago theater community’s Jeff Awards. Executive producer Kyle DeSantis continues the legacy of his grandfather, Anthony DeSantis, who started the Drury Lane theater empire in Chicago more than 60 years ago.
During the 2012-2013 season, the 971-seat, proscenium-style theater, resplendent with red-plush seats and magnificent chandeliers, will feature shows like Singin’ in the Rain, Sunset Boulevard, Xanadu and Hairspray. Discounted rates for matinee and evening performances are available for groups of 20 or more.
Dinner-theater packages include a meal in Drury Lane’s elegant restaurant, The Dining Room. Group meals for dinner feature a choice of two entrees from a list that includes stuffed chicken breast, baked salmon and roast pork. At additional cost, groups can add extras like unlimited wine or a shrimp cocktail.
Related: Things To Do in Chicago and Beyond (leisuregrouptravel.com)
With its central location, Oakbrook Terrace is within easy access of many other cultural attractions in west suburban Chicago. In nearby Wheaton, for example, is the magnificent estate of the late Col. Robert R. McCormick, editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. Groups can tour the mansion, gardens and First Division Military Museum. The Billy Graham Center Museum, on the campus of Wheaton College, is a showcase of Christian evangelism and revivalism in America.
Morton Arboretum in Lisle is a 1,700-acre oasis with trees, shrubs and plants displayed in woodlands, wetlands, gardens and a restored native prairie. Guided tours in open-air trams are available.
Attractions in nearby Oak Park include the Ernest Hemingway birthplace and museum and the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. Also within easy driving distance of Oakbrook Terrace is Brookfield Zoo, one of America’s premier zoos.
Mayslake Peabody Estate, on the Mayslake Forest Preserve in Oak Brook, encompasses the historic Peabody Mansion and Portiuncula Chapel, a replica of the Portiuncula Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy. Nearby is historic Graue Mill, a water-powered, 19th century grist mill in Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve.
Oak Brook Area Shopping
Oakbrook Terrace is minutes from Oak Brook Center, a beautifully landscaped outdoor mall on two levels. Department stores include Macy’s, Sears, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Lord & Taylor. For women’s apparel, check out Ann Taylor, Talbots, White House Black Market, Coldwater Creek, Chico’s, H&M and J. Jill, to name just a few. Other specialty retailers include Coach, Louis Vuitton, Disney Store, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Paradise Pen Company, Barnes & Noble and Godiva Chocolatier. Tiffany & Co. and Swarovski head the list of fine jewelry purveyors.
Several other shopping areas are within a short drive. REI, the outdoor gear superstore, caters to outdoor enthusiasts, from campers to skiers. Just down the road, The Shops at Oak Brook Place features stores like Cost Plus World Market and Nordstrom Rack. A bit farther west is The Oakbrook Promenade, a collection of upscale shops and restaurants in a European village setting.
Related: Illinois Shopping at its Finest (leisuregrouptravel.com)
Yorktown Center in Lombard, a major regional shopping hub, includes an enclosed mall, plus the al fresco Shops on Butterfield at Yorktown and The Plaza Shops at Yorktown. Entertainment choices at Yorktown include a multiplex cinema and bowling action at upscale Lucky Strike Lanes.
Dining Options in Oak Brook
Cuisine choices are virtually limitless with over 40 restaurants located in Oakbrook Terrace, including the restaurant owned by legendary Chicago Bears coach, Ditka’s. Some other popular spots include Anyway’s Chicago Restaurant & Pub, Costa’s Greek Restaurant & Bar, Giordano’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, Gulliver’s, Redstone Grill and Volare Ristorante Italiano.
The Drury Lane Theatre & Conference Center can accommodate banquets of up to 2,500.
With its wealth of hotel, dining, shopping and entertainment options—not to mention a convenient location—the Oakbrook Terrace area is tailor-made for reunion groups. And it’s all just a short hop from one of the world’s great cities.
