The Saint Charles center point is about the area of Arcada Theatre and 7 miles south of Elgin Sports Complex.
Due to the city's proximity to Chicago, the best time to visit St. Charles is during the shoulder tourist seasons. Spring offers several advantages, including lower hotel rates, fewer crowds, and pleasant temperatures, although visitors should be prepared for rain. In April and May, you'll find several local events that make a trip here worthwhile, including the St. Charles Arbor Day Celebration, the Chair-ity downtown art exhibition, and the St. Charles Fine Art Show.
Fall is another sweet spot for visiting the greater Chicago area. Summer crowds start to wane in St. Charles and daytime temperatures remain pleasant, but be sure to pack layers as nighttime temperatures can get chilly. Festivals that take place during the fall months include the St. Charles Jazz Weekend and the ever-popular Scarecrow Fest. In Chicago, you'll also have an opportunity to visit Oktoberfest Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival.
Winters in St. Charles are frigid, resulting in plenty of hotel vacancies and rock-bottom rates. While the weather may deter some from visiting the Chicago area during this season, planning a trip from November to March comes with several advantages, especially if you're on a budget. While St. Charles offers a small-town holiday homecoming parade, Chicago is bustling with a number of events, including ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo, The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier, Chinese New Year, and the Chicago Auto Show. Just be sure to pack your warmest clothes and a pair of snow boots.
Summer is the most popular tourist season for St. Charles, so expect hotel rates to be at their highest. Since Chicago can get very crowded with summertime tourism, outlying cities like St. Charles receive a slew of hotel reservations for anyone looking to save a few bucks over Chicago's increased prices. If you do visit St. Charles during the summer, you'll be happy to know there are a number of festivals to help fill your days. Be sure to experience the city's Concerts in the Park series, the Farmer's Market, Festival of the Fox, and the popular Independence Day Celebration.
If you plan your trip in advance, you can save even more money during your trip to St. Charles by taking advantage of discounts. Most area hotels, including the Quality Inn & Suites on Main Street, offer special rates to qualifying individuals. AARP members, seniors, AAA/CAA members, government employees, military service members, and corporate travelers may be able to save as much as 20 percent off a property's best available rates by booking the special rate and showing proof of eligibility at check-in.
Other area hotels may extend special seasonal offers to guests. For instance, Hilton Garden Inn St. Charles offers a variety of travel packages for families or travelers hoping to find accommodations with food and beverage packages. Most accommodations also offer rewards programs, so be sure to sign up with your favorite hotel to start earning points toward your next stay.
St. Charles features many mid-range hotels that give you plenty of value for your money. Hilton Garden Inn St. Charles is located across from the Pheasant Run Golf Course and the DuPage County Airport. This property features modern rooms and suites with custom-designed beds, minifridges, microwaves, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi access. Some rooms add whirlpool tubs and fireplaces. Guests can enjoy a cooked-to-order breakfast, an on-site bistro, a 24/7 pantry, an indoor pool, and a fitness center, not to mention 16 meeting rooms and a business center for corporate travelers.
Best Western Inn of St. Charles is a modern low-rise hotel situated near the Arcada Theater Building, the Fox River Trolley Museum, and Pottawatomie Park. It boasts contemporary guestrooms with flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, minifridges, microwaves, and optional Jacuzzi tubs. Parking and a cooked breakfast are also free.
Wherever you decide to stay in St. Charles, you'll have access to a number of must-see attractions that will make your trip a memorable one. The historic Arcada Theater Building on Main Street was a prominent venue for vaudeville acts and silent movies in its early days, but is now considered the best live concert venue in the Midwest. You can even enjoy a cabaret show with cocktails!
Pottawatomie Park is an ideal destination for families. Offering a pool, golf, minigolf, disc golf, riverboat cruises, and a native garden, this riverside area is St. Charles's outdoor gem. The park features a boat launch, bike trails, dog parks, tennis courts, an amphitheater, picnic pavilion, and stunning views of the Fox River, making Pottawatomie Park an ideal spot for photography, relaxation, and play.
Exploring St. Charles and Chicago is a tall order, but no matter what's on your itinerary, you'll enjoy a quaint, diverse city brimming with culture, entertainment, and beautiful scenery. Whether you're looking to splurge on an upscale riverfront hotel or you want a budget-friendly motel near the transit system, you can find the perfect hotel in St. Charles to meet your needs and budget.
Below are reviews of the city of Saint Charles, IL from an actual visitor's perspective.
Love the river and the historic buildings!
Beautiful place with many historical buildings and good food on every corner! Fox River runs through the center of town, very pretty!
Nice hotel.
Very well kept area
Very nice city. I have always liked the charm of downtown and all the great things on Hwy 64. I used to live in the area and was returning after a ten year absence.
Lots of restaurants!
Nice selection of eating places in St. Charles. The hotel had a nice breakfast and light dinner selection which were very good.
Picturesque and plenty of bars and restaurants. People were so nice.
We loved the river walk and the Pottawotomi Park. Also people were very friendly, offered to take pictures and directions.
We were in Schaumburg. Didn't venture out of the hotel.
Some of our group are from the surrounding area: Bloomingdale, Marengo, Elgin and Rockford and others came from Florida, Kentucky and Virginia. Since it was a Family reunion we stayed close to the hotel, visiting BBQing eating and drinking and did not get out to other places in St. Charles. But we did go to Geno's East for pizza the first night and it was great!
St. Charles is a beautiful small town with a river running through it.
Downtown St. Charles is a very nice area. Plenty of shops/dining. Something for everyone.
I spent most of my time in nearby Geneva which has a fantastic Fox River parkway with miles of paved trails for walking or biking. The riverfront itself is an amazing sight, busy with fishermen, runners, bikers, geese, ducklings, a great blue heron and a scout troop visiting the huge windmill. There are plenty of lovely old homes and buildings that preserve the boutiques, small shops and restaurants in a downtown scaled for walking and centered on the river. In St. Charles, I only saw the highway/strip mall/shopping mall area which has everything you would expect, including department stores, Walmart,hotels/motels and restaurants. Just behind the main highway were some beautiful, tree-shaded residential areas with both a park and a wooded nature preserve with a walking trail. The hotel had no exercise facilities, but the park behind it had a running oval of about 1/4 mile, and I ran every day watching the sun rise. Wish I had had more time to explore St. Charles.