Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Lake in the Hills is a village of 28,800 people in McHenry County, Illinois, founded in 1952.
Why visit Lake in the Hills
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 63 parks and trails, 122 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include AMC Lake In The Hills 12, Christian Geister House, Fun City Trampoline Park and Rotary Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 35 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Lake in the Hills
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lake in the Hills
Lake in the Hills is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,982.
From the Wikipedia article Lake in the Hills, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks3
Christian Geister House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Historic Townhall
Monument and historic site · 1.4 mi
2 South Main Street, Algonquin
Parks, trails and playgrounds63
Fun City Trampoline Park
Playground · 1.0 mi
215 South Randall Road, Algonquin
Mo-Th 12:00-21:00, Fr 12:00-23:00, Sa 10:00-23:00, Su 10:00-21:00
Rotary Park
Park · 2.2 mi
A former quarry mine to Nature Preserve and Park. Amenities: Walking/Biking Trail Picnic Tables Kayak Launch Grills Fishing Pier...
1300 Klasen Road, Cary
Apr-Oct dawn-dusk
51 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes122
SYRUP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee · 1.4 mi
Syrup is an upscale, modern farmhouse-meets-luxe breakfast and lunch destination featuring an exquisite menu to create a unique elevated...
2555 Bunker Hill Drive, Algonquin
Mo-Su 07:00-14:30
7 Brew
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.1 mi
235 South Randall Road, Algonquin
Su-Th 05:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 05:30-23:00
Bella Vista Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.5 mi
10400 South IL 31, Algonquin
Mo-Sa 11:00-19:00
Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano
Restaurant · Italian · 2.4 mi
1524 South Randall Road, Algonquin
Su 11:00-21:00, Mo-Th 11:30-21:00, Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00
Bold American Fare
Restaurant · Regional · 1.5 mi
8 South Main Street, Algonquin
Mo-Fr 15:30-00:00, Sa 11:30-00:00, Su 11:30-10:00
Burrito Parrilla Mexicana
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.8 mi
2321 West Algonquin Road, Algonquin
10:00-22:00
Cattleman's Restaurant
Restaurant · Burger · 1.5 mi
203 South Main Street, Algonquin
Tu-Th 16:00-23:00, Fr 11:00-01:30, Sa 09:00-01:30, Su 09:00-21:00
Chicago Ramen Algonquin
Restaurant · Japanese, Ramen · 2.4 mi
1644 South Randall Road, Algonquin
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
Churros Y Chocolate Inc
Cafe · Churro, Coffee Shop · 1.2 mi
2533 West Algonquin Road, Algonquin
Su off; Mo 13:00-21:00; Tu-Sa 09:00-21:00
110 more on the map.
History
Lake in the Hills was founded in 1923 by Federal Judge Walter J. LaBuy around Woods Creek Lake, which is the main lake in Lake in the Hills. By the year 1926, La Buy bought 472 acres (1.91 km2) of land which is currently Indian Trail. On this land, he built five stucco homes; only one stands in its original state, which is currently owned by the Village of Lake in the Hills. The other four original stucco homes have been altered in some way, but all still stand in the original spot by Woods Creek Lake.
The early days of Lake in the Hills saw vacationers from the Chicago area, who wanted to spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of the city. By 1950, some of the vacationers became year-round residents of Lake in the Hills. On November 29, 1952, the Village of Lake in the Hills was formed.
From the History section of Lake in the Hills, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chicago-Algonquin
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
2595 Bunker Hill Drive, Algonquin
Churches and places of worship9
Congregational Church of Algonquin
Church · United Church Of Christ · 1.5 mi
109 Washington Street, Algonquin
Saint Margaret Mary Roman Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.8 mi
111 South Hubbard Street, Algonquin
Shopping22
Gas and EV charging15
Schools, colleges and libraries53
Crystal Lake South High School
School · 2.5 mi
1200 South McHenry Avenue, Crystal Lake
Healthcare15
Map of Lake in the Hills
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 14°F | 2.0 in | 10.0 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 16°F | 1.8 in | 9.0 in |
| Mar | 47°F | 26°F | 2.5 in | 4.4 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 37°F | 3.8 in | 1.2 in |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 3.2 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 2.5 in | 1.6 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 20°F | 2.1 in | 8.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Crystal Lake 4Nw (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
McHenry County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-03-13: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2006-12-29: Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
DuPage County Airport (DPA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Algonquin 1 mi south, about 2 min by car
- Crystal Lake 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Carpentersville 4 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Cary 4 mi northeast, about 7 min by car
- Lakewood 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- West Dundee 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Fox River Grove 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Gilberts 6 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
- Huntley 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Sleepy Hollow 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Lake in the Hills - Woods Creek Lake, Locallllll, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Christian Geister House, Smallbones, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.