Cook district, Illinois, United States

Places to visit near River Forest

River Forest is a town in Cook district, Illinois, United States, home to about 11,199 people. Within 50 km by road there are 284 places to visit — 73 churches, 63 parks, 26 wildlife, forests & gardens and 15 forts & heritage. The must-see places are Unity Temple (2 km), Scoville Park (2 km) and Bataan Park (3 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open River Forest on the map

River Forest, Illinois
River Forest, Cook district, Illinois, United States. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

River Forest at a glance

Location
Cook district, Illinois, United States
Population
about 11,199
Coordinates
41.8978° N, 87.8140° W
Places within 50 km
284 (284 must-see)
Best time to visit
November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; October to February for forts & heritage; year-round for churches and parks

Top places to visit near River Forest

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from River Forest: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near River Forest, by type

Churches near River Forest

73 churches within 100 km of River Forest. The closest is Third Unitarian Church (5 km). Best time: year-round.

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Parks near River Forest

63 parks within 100 km of River Forest. The closest is Bataan Park (3 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near River Forest

26 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of River Forest. The closest is Scoville Park (2 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Forts & heritage near River Forest

15 forts & heritage within 100 km of River Forest. The closest is Leif Ericsson Monument (12 km). Best time: october to february.

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Museums near River Forest

13 museums within 100 km of River Forest. The closest is Garfield Park Conservatory (10 km). Best time: year-round.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near River Forest

8 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of River Forest. The closest is Lake Opeka (18 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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A one-day trip from River Forest

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 18 km on the road.

  1. Start in River Forest
  2. 2 km Unity Temple · temple, Cook
  3. 1 km Scoville Park · nature spot, Cook
  4. 2 km Third Unitarian Church · church, Cook
  5. 3 km Oak Park Conservatory · nature spot, Cook
  6. 7 km Bataan Park · park, Cook
  7. 3 km Back to River Forest

Plan a longer trip from River Forest — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near River Forest

No traveller has reported from around River Forest yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach River Forest

    All places near River Forest by distance

    Within 15 km of River Forest

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near River Forest by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Churches7373Third Unitarian Church (5 km)
    Other attractions6666Giant Radio Flyer Wagon (4 km)
    Parks6363Bataan Park (3 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens2626Scoville Park (2 km)
    Forts & heritage1515Leif Ericsson Monument (12 km)
    Museums1313Garfield Park Conservatory (10 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs88Lake Opeka (18 km)
    Mosques & dargahs88Islamic Foundation (18 km)
    Temples44Unity Temple (2 km)
    Buddhist sites33Daiyuzenji (16 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints33Jane Byrne Interchange and BSB (17 km)
    Treks11Pedway (19 km)
    Beaches & coast11Chicago Harbor Lighthouse (23 km)

    River Forest: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near River Forest?

    Unity Temple (temple, about 2 km), Scoville Park (nature spot, about 2 km), Bataan Park (park, about 3 km), Giant Radio Flyer Wagon (attraction, about 4 km), Oak Park Conservatory (nature spot, about 4 km), Third Unitarian Church (church, about 5 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of River Forest?

    284 places on Spotwander: 73 churches, 66 other attractions, 63 parks, 26 wildlife, forests & gardens, 15 forts & heritage.

    Which is the nearest church to River Forest?

    Third Unitarian Church, about 5 km by road; Greater Holy Temple Church of God in Christ (5 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest park to River Forest?

    Bataan Park, about 3 km by road; Riis Park (5 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to River Forest?

    Scoville Park, about 2 km by road; Oak Park Conservatory (4 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from River Forest?

    Start in River Forest, visit Unity Temple, then Scoville Park, then Third Unitarian Church, then Oak Park Conservatory, then Bataan Park, and drive back — about 18 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near River Forest?

    November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; October to February for forts & heritage; year-round for churches and parks.

    Towns near River Forest

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; River Forest’s location and population from GeoNames; see also River Forest on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.