Culture, shopping, nightlife, and recreation lead the way in the Aurora Area
The Aurora Area is a diverse collection of ten communities joined by their ideal placement along the scenic Fox River just west of Chicago. Boasting a diverse mix of premium outlet shopping, vibrant night life, a lively and established arts and culture scene, and plenty of historic charm accompanied by modern amenities, the Aurora area is an ideal location for your next meeting or event. At the Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, our mission is to connect meeting and event planners with the lodging and convention space that best meets your needs while keeping you connected to all the activities and attractions that make the Aurora Area such a great place to live, work, and play.
The Aurora area is anchored by the revitalized urban appeal of the City of Aurora, the second most populous in the state of Illinois. A pillar of Aurora's renaissance has been the Paramount Theatre, a commemorated historical structure in the heart of downtown Aurora. Part of the Stolp Island Historic District, the Paramount is an art deco masterpiece designated one of the top ten theaters in Chicago. The Paramount Theatre's Broadway Series receives rave reviews season after season and attracts the best and brightest figures from Chicago's legendary theater scene to tread its boards. The Paramount is also known as a premier host of weddings, group tours, and other special events, offering a distinctive and downright gorgeous venue for your next meeting.
Aurora's newest and most exciting addition is RiverEdge Park, picturesque recreation space straddling the Fox River that doubles as an outdoor music and event venue. Steps away from the Paramount Theatre and RiverEdge Park sits Two Brothers Roundhouse and the Hollywood Casino-Aurora. The Roundhouse furnishes a variety of meeting spaces for gatherings of up to 600 attendees thanks to its massive scale and historically significant architecture. Hollywood Casino-Aurora offers high-stakes gaming and entertainment in a true Las Vegas-style casino.
Shopping the Aurora area
Aurora's shopping districts are home to over 200 designer and luxury brands at destinations like Chicago Premium Outlets, where meeting and eventgoers can enjoy a climate-controlled outdoor shopping environment, eateries, outdoor fire places and a radiant reflecting pool. Aurora's Fox Valley Mall is one of Chicagoland's largest indoor shopping destinations and features a full-size carousel and top name retailers.
For shoppers seeking more one-of-a-kind items, the Aurora Area is proud of its makers, crafters, and artists, as well as its many hidden gems - boutiques, art galleries, and antiquing can be found in every community in the Aurora area. To the west, the town of Sandwich is home to Sundays at Sandwich Antique Show, a three-season affair held monthly full of antique and vintage sellers; due north, downtown Batavia boasts charming shops and destination dining along the Fox River.
Outdoors in Aurora area
Whatever the season, the Aurora area has many reasons to get out and play. Home to three outdoor water parks, including Raging Waves in Yorkville (Illinois's largest), the region makes a splash for summertime events. The Fox Valley bike trails offer opportunities year round for biking, hiking and cross-county skiing. If you prefer to be on the water, Yorkville is home to the Marge Cline Whitewater Course and the Fox River offers limitless possibilities for kayaking, boating, fishing, and canoeing.
Unique destinations for your next event
The Aurora area's meetings and events inventory features hotels and facilities with capacity for gatherings large and small. You have access to cutting-edge technology and over 25,000 square feet of dynamic convention and meeting space at Timber Creek Inn & Suites and RedBerri Convention Center in Sandwich, the largest in western Chicagoland. Close by is the Waubonsee Community College conference facility on their Sugar Grove Campus featuring 10,000 square feet of contemporary meeting space in proximity to lodging in Yorkville, Aurora and North Aurora.
Mies van der Rohe's masterpiece the Farnsworth House in nearby Plano attracts architecture and design aficionados from around the world and should be part of any visit to the region. And only in the Aurora Area can you explore a U.S. Dept. of Energy facility at Fermilab in Batavia.
The Homestead 1854 is another exceptional, historic venue in the Aurora Area for the creative event planner. Originally constructed in 1854, The Homestead now offers visitors a boutique bed & breakfast option and housing for special events with a specialty in weddings, yoga & wellness, and creative retreats.
• Cort Carlson is the executive director of the Aurora Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.