The Fox River Trail connecting the communities of Aurora, Montgomery, Batavia, and Elgin are a featured road trip destination at EnjoyIllinois.com
3 days. 30 miles. One scenic trail. This fall, the Aurora Area CVB teamed up with Explore Elgin Area to highlight fun things to do with family and friends along the Fox River Trail between the communities of Aurora, Batavia, Montgomery, Elgin, and Dundee. The Illinois Office of Tourism is highlighting this itinerary in its latest round of road trip features at EnjoyIllinois.com, where visitors and locals alike can access a beautifully rendered downloadable travel guide.
Days spent traveling the Fox River Trail just got easier thanks to the Fox Valley Bike Share — this intergovernmental program offers low-cost, easy-to-use mobility at key points within the destinations of the Aurora Area and Explore Elgin Area.
The itinerary encourages visitors to begin their stay in downtown Aurora, where dining, shopping, nightlife and lodging are easily accessible via Metra rail or by car via I-88. Pick up a set of wheels at a Fox Valley Bike Share rental rack, located near points of interest like RiverEdge Park, Aurora City Hall, and the Aurora Public Library, and begin your tour with stops at boutique shops like Wyckwood House and The Cotton Seed Creative Exchange, sample gourmet ice cream at Charlie's Creamery, and get a taste of the local music scene at The Venue.
Travel south to visit Montgomery, Illinois, where you can enjoy chef-inspired pastries and chocolates at Atrevete Confections. Spend the night at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Aurora-Naperville, just steps away from both the Metra BNSF line into Chicago and Two Brothers Roundhouse, home to the big bold flavors of Two Brothers Artisan Brewing, house roasted coffee, and Two Brothers Artisan Spirits.
On the second day of your tour, travel up to Batavia, Illinois, where you can enjoy scenic river views at Red Oak Nature Center before heading into downtown Batavia for arts & culture at Water Street Studios and visit a modern general store and candle-making studio at Hearth & Hammer General.
To learn more and download your own copy of the Adventure in the Fox River Valley itinerary, visit enjoyillinois.com.
Want to learn how you can enjoy a staycation with the family using the Fox Valley Bike Share?
Michelle Thames has an outstanding overview of her family's staycation in the Aurora Area and Explore Elgin Area at her blog, Happily Ever Natural. We invited Michelle and her family to enjoy a fun and easy staycation with overnight stays in Aurora and Elgin, making use of the Fox Valley Bike Share to get around and bike the trails over Labor Day Weekend this year.
Tap to view the video at @Naturalista86 on Instagram
Don't just take our word for it — here's what Michelle Thames had to say about her stay:
My family loves to bike ride. Its something we all became interested in during the pandemic this year. We had a family goal to be healthier and get active and bike riding was one of the activities we started to do more of.
A few weeks ago we got the amazing opportunity to partner with The Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau for a really fun family staycation. Our family loves to travel and needed a change of scenery and a getaway in a fun safe way.
Visit Happily Ever Natural to learn more about Michelle's stay, and get a first-hand account of how easy it is to make use of the Fox Valley Bike Share in our communities.