Overview
Wilmette is 16 miles (25 km) north of Chicago. It is part of the affluent corridor of lakefront Chicago suburbs known as the North Shore. It is the location of the world's oldest still-standing Bahá'í House of Worship.
4 sights · 6 things to do · 10 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Wilmette
Baha'i House of Worship
A cultural and architectural wonder.
Wilmette Theatre
Has movies and live performances.
Wallace Bowl
An outside theater at Gillson Park. It was built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, and has been restored to its original specifications. Free concerts and plays are available in the warm weather months.
Community Recreation Center
Offers gymnastics.
Gillson Park
A Chicago-area beach that offers a quieter alternative to the busier Chicago city beaches. Also offers sailing, tennis, a picnic area, a marina, a playground, and a dog beach.
Centennial Family Aquatic Center
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 20°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jun. (climate data from nearby Chicago)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ORD Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago — 12 mi away (major hub). Directions
- MDW Chicago Midway International Airport, Chicago — 20 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Baha'i House of Worship, Gillson Park, Wallace Bowl
- Lunch Walker Brothers Pancake House
- Afternoon Centennial Ice Rinks, Wilmette Golf Club
- Dinner Tsing Tao
- Evening Meier's Tavern
Day 2
- Morning Wilmette Theatre, Community Recreation Center, Centennial Family Aquatic Center
- Lunch Wilmette Chuck Wagon
- Afternoon Wilmette Public Library, Chestnut Street Beach
- Dinner Kama Kura
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
- Close by Interstate I-90/94, known locally as the Edens Expressway.
- By taxi, from O'Hare airport
- By Pace bus from neighboring suburbs
By train
- The CTA Purple Line 'L' terminates at Linden Station, located on Linden Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets, a few blocks west of the Baha'i House of Worship. The Purple Line provides all-day service to Evanston and Howard Station in Rogers Park on Chicago's Far North Side. It also provides weekday rush hour service to the Loop.
- The Metra Union Pacific / North Line stops at Wilmette Station, along Green Bay Road between Central and Lake Avenues in Downtown Wilmette. The Union Pacific / North Line runs from Ogilvie Transportation Center in Downtown Chicago's West Loop all the way to Kenosha, Wisconsin, stopping at many towns along Chicagoland's North Shore on the way.
Get around
- Car
- Bicycle
PACE bus routes
See
Do
See Wallace Bowl
An outside theater at Gillson Park. It was built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s, and has been restored to its original specifications. Free concerts and plays are available in the warm weather months.
Do Chestnut Street Beach
Buy
Eat
Eat Tsing Tao
Chinese-American food.
Eat Wilmette Chuck Wagon
Greek, burgers, and hotdogs.
Eat Kama Kura
Sushi and Japanese cuisine.
Eat Homer's Ice Cream
Eat Irving's for Red Hot Lovers
Fast food.
Eat Lou Malnati's Pizza
Carry-out only.
Eat Walker Brothers Pancake House
Awesome breakfast. Many days you will find a line out the door, but don't be scared off by this, it moves very fast.
Drink
Sleep
There are no hotels in Wilmette. Try hotels in Evanston, Skokie, or Glenview.
Go next
Nearby
Winnetka
City / town · 7 listings · 2 mi away
Evanston
City / town · 22 listings · 3 mi away
Northfield
City / town · 10 listings · 3 mi away
Skokie
City / town · 16 listings · 3 mi away
Morton Grove
City / town · 1 listings · 4 mi away
Glencoe
City / town · 3 listings · 4 mi away
Glenview
City / town · 14 listings · 5 mi away
Niles
City / town · 7 listings · 6 mi away
My experience
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