landmark
Willis Tower (Sears Tower)
Iconic 110-storey Chicago skyscraper with a glass-floored Skydeck, once the tallest building in the world.
19 km · about 20 min drive
North AmericaUnited StatesIllinois
Skokie
Illinois, United States · North America
About Skokie
Skokie works well as a base: 5 minutes from Evanston, 19km from Route 66 - Chicago Start.
Skokie is in Illinois, United States, with about 65,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Evanston, about 4 km away.
Skokie (; formerly Niles Center) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. According to the 2020 census, its population was 67,824. Skokie lies approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Chicago's downtown Loop. The name Skokie comes from a Potawatomi word for 'marsh'. For many years, Skokie promoted itselfRead more
as "The World's Largest Village". Skokie's streets, like those of many suburbs, are largely a continuation of the Chicago street grid, and the village is served by the Chicago Transit Authority by both bus and rail, further cementing its connection to the city.
Skokie was originally a German-Luxembourger farming community, but was later settled by a sizeable Jewish population, especially after World War II. At its peak in the mid-1960s, nearly 60% of the population was Jewish, the largest proportion of any Chicago suburb. Skokie still has many Jewish residents (now about 30% of the population) and over a dozen synagogues. It is home to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, which opened in northwest Skokie in 2009.
Skokie has twice received national attention for court cases decided by the United States Supreme Court. In the mid-1970s, it was at the center of National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie, in which a Nazi group, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, invoked the First Amendment in an attempt to schedule a Nazi rally in Skokie. At the time, Skokie had a significant population of Holocaust survivors. Skokie ultimately lost that case, though the planned rally was never held there; instead, the group first demonstrated in downtown Chicago and later held a rally in Marquette Park.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Skokie?
Within an hour or so of Skokie: Willis Tower (Sears Tower) (19 km), Route 66 - Chicago Start (19 km), Art Institute of Chicago (19 km), Lou Mitchell's (19 km).
Are there any good drives near Skokie?
The nearest famous roads are Route 66 - Chicago Start.
Where is Skokie?
Skokie is in Illinois, United States, about 4 km from Evanston.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 64,821
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Illinois
- Timezone
- America/Chicago
- Coordinates
- 42.0334, -87.7334
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United States
AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.
Full driving guide for United StatesTags
Worth the detour from Skokie
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
historic highway
Route 66 - Chicago Start
The 'Begin Route 66' sign on Adams Street at Michigan Avenue marks the start of the 2,448-mile Mother Road to Santa Monica: the classic photo stop before heading west.
19 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Art Institute of Chicago
One of the oldest and largest art museums in the US, renowned for its Impressionist collection and Grant Wood's American Gothic.
19 km · about 20 min drive
cafe
Lou Mitchell's
Serving double-yolk eggs and free Milk Duds since 1923, this Chicago diner beside the start of Route 66 is the traditional first breakfast of the Mother Road journey.
19 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Field Museum of Natural History
Home to Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex ever found, along with extensive anthropological and geological collections.
21 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Shedd Aquarium
Iconic Chicago aquarium on the Lake Michigan waterfront housing over 32,000 animals from around the world.
21 km · about 25 min drive
Driving roads near Skokie
- 19 kmRoute 66 - Chicago StartThe 'Begin Route 66' sign on Adams Street at Michigan Avenue marks the start of the 2,448-mile Mother Road to Santa Monica: the classic photo stop before heading west.
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