A little something for the grown-ups, a fun destination for the kids: combining a trip to a cool local coffee shop with a visit to the playground is one of my favorite outings with my kids.
Coffee for me, a pastry for them, and play in the sun for all afterwards. Sometimes, we’ll bring a card game for the coffee shop while we enjoy our treats inside!
Then, it’s time to walk or drive over to the playground. We scoped out the best coffee shops near parks in our area!
Westmont: Brewed Awakening + Veterans Memorial Park
Warm hospitality, smiles, and fresh coffee is what you can expect at Brewed Awakening in downtown Westmont. It’ll take you just over five minutes to walk to the playground at Veterans Memorial Park. It’s a fantastic place to play, with two different spaces for little kids and older kids with the impressive pirate ship that welcomes you at the entrance. There are a few different play surfaces, including mulch, rubber, and sand. You’ll find bathrooms at the picnic shelter, too. This park was updated in September 2023 including the removal and replacement of the oldest pieces, as well new rubber surfacing.
La Grange: Owl & Lark + Gordon Park
Owl & Lark features specialty coffee drinks and wholesome food. Their avocado toast is delicious! Wheelys Coffee Lounge is down the street, too. Gordon Park, along Ogden Avenue, has a great playground and fenced-in splash pad to enjoy. If you’d rather go with a quieter, neighborhood park, we suggest Elm Park along Brainard Avenue by LT North Campus.
Lombard: Qahwah House + Southland Park Playground
Qahwah House is a Yemeni coffee house in Lombard that sells pots and cups of tea and coffee, all alongside absolutely devastatingly delicious pastries, such as chocolate-filled croissants and their signature sabaya drizzled with honey. It’s a bustling spot that’s always lively, with longer hours than most coffee shops in the area.
Just around the corner, you’ll find the Southland Park playground. This park has a big grassy area and a playground with a ride-on dinosaur, swings, a sand area, and a play structure.
Oak Park: Addis Cafe + Wenonah Tot Lot or Veterans Park
Fantastic dark roast, light roast, lattes and more will greet you at Addis Cafe in Oak Park. There are a few parks nearby, but if you have a younger kid, your destination will be the Wenonah Tot Lot, a small playground with low equipment, a rubbery surface, and is gated! Other close by options include Veterans Park and the Playround at the park district of Forest Park.
Lisle: Pisces Cafe + Prairiewalk Pond/Dragonfly Landing
Pisces Cafe Boba & Tea is a boba tea shop serving smoothies, coffee, tea & boba with any drink. After you stop in for a refreshing treat, just take about a 6-minute drive Prairiewalk Pond and make your way to the Dragonfly Landing, where you will find a playground and a splash pad.
Naperville: Sparrow Coffee + Jaycees Playground
This beautifully designed coffee house serves up latte art, pastries, and craft coffees that the roastery also supplies to Michelin-starred chefs. All the extra energy from the amazing array of macaroons your kids will be consuming is great for walking around the Naperville Riverwalk to a couple of great playgrounds.
Glen Ellyn: Blackberry Market + Main Street Recreation Center Playground
Blackberry Market’s cafe serves gourmet foods made by hand, including a $5 munchkins menu of meals served with fresh fruit and carrot dippers. (They also have another location in La Grange). It’s a popular spot, so expect it to be a bit crowded, but the space is big. Stroll down Main Street together to the recreation center playground. It’s got ramps, slides, monkey bars, bridges, a glider, and more. There’s also a basketball court, a baseball field, and a huge open play space outside.
Wheaton: My Half of the Sky + Northside Park
My Half of the Sky sells coffee, baked goods, and ethically produced accessories to support its mission of alleviating poverty and empowering refugees and human trafficking survivors. A wheelchair lift offers better accessibility into the shop, which is in the heart of downtown Wheaton.
From there, you’re a short drive from Northside Park, set amidst the Lincoln Marsh Waterway and featuring a zipline, tree house playground, and more. It’s one of our picks for best Chicago playgrounds!
Elmhurst: Brewpoint Coffee + Wilder Park
Brewpoint is not just a coffee shop, but a community space—complete with cozy seating, board games to play, and books to grab off the shelf. The shop is about a five-minute walk from Wilder Park in Elmhurst. The park itself is home to a ton of different things to do: the Elmhurst Art Museum, the Wilder Mansion, the Wilder Park Conservatory, a great playground, and the library (which is home to its own Brewpoint outpost, the Lexicon Cafe). When the library cafe is open, it’s the perfect place to stop and get a treat before playing!
Downers Grove: Mud and Char + Owen’s Playground
Serving great photos for your next Instagram shot of a coffee house, Mud and Char serves made-to-order coffees, power bowls, treats, and more. A short drive will bring you to one of our favorite playgrounds in the area: Owen’s playground for kids of all abilities. Read on to learn why this playground was created, bring your kids, and let them shine!
Oak Brook: CFS Coffee Shop + The Sandlot
We heard that CFS Coffee Shop has amazing Colombian coffee and food! A short drive from here and you will end up at the Sandlot. I love this gated playground with the spongy surface, slides, zip lines, sensory panels and lots of shaded areas. Definitely one of the top playgrounds around!
Clarendon Hills: Tierra Distilling Co. + Prospect Park
The coffee bar at Tierra Distilling Co. can help you find your next favorite coffee, as they partner with multiple different roasters to serve a variety of kinds. You can enjoy a coffee at their bar, in their upstairs lounge or on their outdoor patio in the warmer months.
We recommended picking up a coffee and driving a few blocks to Prospect Park, tucked away behind Clarendon Hills Middle School. This is a bit of a hidden gem with a fun playground, paved walking path around a little lake (duck spotting included) and a picnic pavilion, perfect for packing a lunch.
Villa Park: Villa Perk + Rotary Club Playground
Villa Perk is a new to Villa Park, serving as a local neighborhood spot with a nice coffee menu and equally tasty selection of treats including cake pops, muffins and donuts.
Grab a pastry and venture outside to the Rotary Club Playground which is literally right in front of the coffee shop. Located along the Illinois Prairie Path (behind the Ovaltine Court Factory Lofts), this small but fun park gives kids a chance to stretch their legs before you continue on a walk or bike ride along the path. If you get tired of this park, you can walk on the prairie path towards Elmhurst and 10 minutes away is another park to check out.
Elmhurst: Elijah’s Specialty Coffee & Tea + Pioneer Park
Kidlist reader Christine recommends pairing a visit to Elijah’s Specialty Coffee and Tea with a trip to Pioneer Park, which is within walking distance!
Plainfield: Krema Coffee House + Village Green Park
Kidlist reader Mandy recommends downtown Plainfield’s Krema Coffee House. This indie coffee shop is a short drive or walk to the Village Green Park, which has a big playground, tennis courts, and even a splash pad in the summer.
This is an extensive list to get you started, but if there’s one thing Chicago suburbs surprises us with, it’s the continuous pop up of new businesses! Share the new spots you love with us.
What’s your favorite coffee shop/playground combo? Let us know in the comments! Then, check out more outdoor activities for kids.
