Christmas in Naperville

Downtown Naperville is one of my family’s favorite places to spend a December evening. You are going to LOVE the dazzling light displays, energetic atmosphere and unique eats and treats that Naperville has to offer.

Light Displays

Starting in December you can stroll the he Riverwalk in Downtown Naperville to see FREE Christmas lights and displays from

4 PM – 10 PM. The lights are spread out through Water Street, Foyo Plaza, and Jaycees Park.

Fridays and Saturday evenings (weather permitting)  grab a holiday photo with Santa alongside the Great Tree. 

Start your stroll on Naperville Riverwalk’s 1.75 miles of brick paths, complimented with fountains, bridges, outdoor sculptures and artwork.

Naperville Covered Bridge

Address: 320 Jackson Ave, Naperville, IL 60540

Grab a family photo on the beautifully lit Naperville Covered Bridge located along the river.

Once into the downtown area, enjoy the holiday transformation of Water Street, with lights and festivities made possible by local businesses and individuals.

Light Tours

The lights around town are spectacular and walkable, but if you also want to get a unique experience where you get to see some of the best decorated Naperville homes, consider taking a Tuktuk Tour!

Seating up to 6 people, the tukuk driver will show you the best light displays Naperville has to offer, all while you sit back with some hot cocoa or a cocktail and enjoy the sights free from the wind (plastic covered sides help shelter you from the cold).

Parking

There is a FREE PARKING GARAGE near all the restaurants (including Jojo’s Shake Bar) at 75 E Chicago Ave, Naperville, IL 60540.

Eats and Treats

There are plenty of cute and amazing restaurant throughout Naperville Riverwalk, but if you’re looking for a yummy holiday themed treat, Look no further than Jojo’s Shake Bar.

Address: 5 Jackson Ave, Naperville, IL 60540

My family and I decided to go to Jojo’s on a Thursday evening around 7 pm and even being a weekday it was pretty busy. Lots of families! However we did not need a reservation.

Tip: Make a reservation to sit up in the Treehouse!

The Treehouse is colorful and decorated and a few of the tables have swings that the kids just love!!

Decorated from top to bottom with colorful Christmas flair, you will love the ambience almost as much as their full menu and delicious milkshakes.

My daughter got the Winter Wonderland Milkshake. Its peppermint flavored icre cream however they let us substitute it with vanilla ice cream!

My son ordered a warm bowl of tomato soup with snowflake shaped grilled cheese sandwiches- yum! The snowflakes were dripping with cheese. SO GOOD!

I HAD to get the Milk and Cookie flight featuring 4 different flavors of milk and cookies. We tried all of them and thought the blueberry lavender milk with the funfetti cookie was the best combination!

I also had to combine my sweets with a healthy salad (avocado and strawberries in honey mustard vinagrette.) It made me feel a LITTLE less guilty about all the calories!

Don’t forget to walk around and see all the lights and displays and be sure to visit the Treehouse patio which has several photo ops and has a few fun things to interact with including an igloo and a tire swing.

It wasn’t a cheap meal… for the 4 of us we left with a check of $114.00. (The check automatically adds in gratuity.) But with the free parking and all the free lights you can see around downtown, its MUCH CHEAPER than going to the downtown location!

Shop

Just a 2 minute walk from Jojo’s there is a huge Barnes and Noble Book Store.

Address: 47 E Chicago Ave Suite #132, Naperville, IL 60540

We stopped in and looked at all the kid’s books and lego sets and fun gifts and toys. I had my eyes on the giant Home Alone house Lego set!

All in all it was a fantastic night that didn’t break the bank and was way closer for my family than going downtown. Parking was easier and free so that was a win too!

Have fun, and don’t forget to post your photos in my Facebook group: “Make it Fun! Family Adventures.”

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