Why visit Lyons
Townapedia lists 63 museums and landmarks, 52 parks and trails, 93 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Chicago Portage National Historic Site, American State Bank, Stars & Stripes Park and Brookfield Zoo.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 19°F.
Weather in Lyons
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lyons
Lyons is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 10,817. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is located in Lyons.
From the Wikipedia article Lyons, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Museums and landmarks63
Chicago Portage National Historic Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic site in Lyons, Illinois
4800 South Harlem Avenue, Lyons
American State Bank
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic bank building in Berwyn, Illinois, United States
Arcade Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic building in Riverside, Illinois, United States
Arthur J. Dunham House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Historic house in Berwyn, Illinois
Benda House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Berwyn Health Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic public health clinic at 6600 W. 26th Street in Berwyn, Illinois
Berwyn Municipal Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
Central Berwyn Bungalow Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic district in Berwyn, Illinois
Coonley House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
United States national historic place
Edward Hines, Jr., Veterans Administration Hospital
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Hospital in Illinois, United States
F. F. Tomek House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
George E. Purple House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
51 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds52
40 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes93
Irish Times
Restaurant · Irish · 1.4 mi
8869 Burlington Boulevard, Brookfield
Su-Th 11:00-01:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-02:30
Taco Amor
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.2 mi
8420 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield
Tu-Th,Sa 11:00-20:00; Fr 11:00-21:00; Su 12:00-19:00
James Joyce Irish Pub
Bar and pub · 1.5 mi
7138 Windsor Avenue, Berwyn
Su-Th 12:00-01:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-03:00
Ryan's Public House
Bar and pub · 1.5 mi
8942 Ogden Avenue
Mo-Th 15:00-01:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-02:30; Su 11:00-01:30
Balance Brookfield Nutrition
Cafe · 1.5 mi
3743 Prairie Avenue, Brookfield
Mo-Fr 07:00-18:00; Sa-Su 08:00-14:00
81 more on the map.
History
Lyons was incorporated in 1888, though activity in the area dates back much further. In 1673 French Explorer Louis Joliet and Jesuit missionary Father Pierre Marquette left Green Bay, Wisconsin, by canoe in search of a western passage to the Pacific. As they traveled into the Spanish-controlled area of Louisiana, they realized that the mighty Mississippi River drained into the already well-known Gulf of Mexico. With winter approaching, they headed north as quickly as possible. To save time, the Potawatomi who were with them were encouraged to change their route to the Illinois River. The shortcut led to the Des Plaines River and caused the French travelers to discover “Le Portage.” This half-mile wide area of land connecting the Chicago River and the Des Plaines River, over which they could carry their canoes and supplies, was to become the discovery for which they would both become famous. Later known as the Chicago Portage, this small area became the “Gateway to the West” and was used by thousands of early settlers and traders traveling both east and west. The discovery of “Le Portage” was part of the impetus that led to Chicago becoming a center for world trade.
From the History section of Lyons, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Churches and places of worship22
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.4 mi
4108 Oak Park Avenue, Stickney
Shopping16
Gas and EV charging17
Schools, colleges and libraries59
Riverside - Brookfield Township High School
School · 1.3 mi
160 Ridgewood Road, Riverside
Healthcare4
Loyola Medical Group - Multispecialty Riverside
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.1 mi
3722 South Harlem Avenue, Riverside
Stickey Township North Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
6721 40th Street, Stickney
Map of Lyons
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 19°F | 1.5 in |
| Feb | 37°F | 23°F | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 32°F | 1.9 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 41°F | 3.6 in |
| May | 71°F | 52°F | 4.1 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 62°F | 4.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 68°F | 3.5 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 66°F | 4.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 59°F | 2.8 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 46°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 35°F | 2.4 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 25°F | 1.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chicago Midway Ap 72534 (4 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
Cook County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2023-11-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Brookfield 2 mi northwest, about 3 min by car
- Berwyn 3 mi northeast, about 4 min by car
- La Grange 3 mi west, about 5 min by car
- La Grange Park 3 mi northwest, about 5 min by car
- Cicero 4 mi northeast, about 6 min by car
- Forest Park 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Justice 4 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Bridgeview 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Burbank 5 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Chicago 7 mi east, about 11 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
- HofmannTower, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chicago Portage National Historic Site, Zol87 from Chicago, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arcade Building in 2011, partway through restoration - Riverside, IL, David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, Public domain
- Image 6727 Riverside, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- OldBrookfieldStation, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LaGrange Village Hall exterior 02, MrHarman, CC BY 3.0
- Arthur J. Dunham House, Berwyn, IL, ChicagoGeek, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Berwyn Health Center, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Coonley House, Riverside, Illinois 2013 04, davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0
- Berwyn Municipal Building, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Emmanuel Episcopal Church (LaGrange, Illinois), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- J. Sterling Morton High School East Auditorium, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mr. Robert Silhan House, Zol87 from Chicago, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Benda House, Danfulwiler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- LaGrangeHD, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- American State Bank Berwyn, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- TomekHouse, Teemu08 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Photocopy of photograph, plate -117 TERRACE FRONT - Avery Coonley House, 300 Scottswood Road, 281 Bloomingbank Road, Riverside, Cook County, IL, Unknown author, Public domain
- Purple House, LaGrange 1, MrHarman, CC BY-SA 3.0
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