Looking for the perfect way to celebrate Labor Day weekend in DuPage County? This list explores the best ways to make the most of your long weekend in this beautiful part of Illinois. Whether you're planning a relaxing staycation, a fun-filled family outing, or a quick getaway close to home, DuPage County has plenty of ways to help you unwind, explore, and make the most of the long weekend.
1. Grab a Seat on the Patio
Take advantage of the remaining sunny days and warm weather! Here are a few of our favorite places to enjoy a leisurely afternoon or night out under the stars with good company:
Arrowhead Restaurant and Bar
Anyway's Resturant & Pub
Berger Bros Pub
BubbleHouse Brewing Company
Church Street Brewing Company
Clara's
Cooper's Hawk: Bloomingdale, Burr Ridge, Downers Grove, Naperville, St. Charles
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse - Oak Brook
Ike & Oak Brewing Co.
Mesón Sabika
Osteria by Capri at DoubleTree Downers Grove
Pinstripes
Pollyanna Brewing Company
Reserve 22, Village Links of Glen Ellyn
2. Tee Off on the Green
DuPage happens to be one of the top golfing destinations in the United States, with gorgeous greenery and state-of-the-art facilities. Golf Digest's 2025-2026 ranking for America's 100 greatest golf courses included three DuPage County courses on the list. Hit a hole in one at a DuPage County golf course!
3. Family Fun, All Weekend Long
Make memories with the whole crew this Labor Day weekend in DuPage County. From mini golf and interactive museums to sprawling arboretums and indoor entertainment centers, there’s no shortage of kid-friendly adventures to keep the fun going all weekend long.
Vivid Creatures, the outdoor art exhibition at The Morton Arboretum, is an invitation to wonder and to be inspired by the many connections of the natural world. Amid towering trees and sweeping green vistas, five giant, colorful animal sculptures can be found. Then, challenge your family and friends to some friendly competition with Wonder Woods Mini Golf. From giant mushrooms to larger-than-life bugs and acorns, learn how tree rings can tell the life story of a tree, how trees support the ecosystems of bugs and wildlife, and other wonderfully cool—and surprising!—scientific concepts. The last weekend for Wonder Woods is Labor Day Weekend, so experience it before it ends!
You can also experience the magic of fun this Labor Day. Enchanted Castle Entertainment and Haunted Trails Entertainment are offering a special deal: for $36.95, customers can experience up to three hours of unlimited rides and attractions! Go laser tagging with friends, race with go karts, play mini golf, or play the over 200 arcade games. The options are endless!
4. Optimize those Shopping Hours
Spend this Labor Day Weekend shopping the sales and prepping your fall wardrobe. DuPage is a shopping mecca full of outlets, major shopping centers, cute downtown boutiques, and of course Oakbrook Center — one of the largest outdoor premier shopping destinations. Finish your shopping, and then enjoy lunch or dinner (or both!) at some of our favorite dining destinations:
Burr Ridge Village Center: Cooper’s Hawk Burr Ridge, The Hampton Social
Oakbrook Center: Alter Brewing + Kitchen - Oak Brook, Antico Posto, Beatrix, Fogo de Chão Oak Brook, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Piccolo Bucco, Pinstripes, The Table at Crate, Wildfire
Yorktown Center: Billy Bricks - Lombard Yorktown, Empire Burgers + Brew, Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse, Holy Mackerel! Fresh Seafood
Another way you can partake in shopping is by visiting one of many DuPage farmers markets! Read this blog to learn about the markets you can visit during Labor Day weekend!
5. Museums in DuPage
DuPage offers one-of-a-kind museums and galleries rich with history, attention to detail, and compelling backstories.
Explore the Tank Park and learn about “The Big Red One” at the First Division Museum at Cantigny. Afterward, stroll through the beautiful grounds of Cantigny, where Feast of the Senses invites you to taste, smell, hear, and touch the gardens in a whole new way. Spread across Cantigny’s lush grounds, the program features musical swings, where visitors of all ages can generate melodies in motion as they swing together amidst blooming gardens. The experience is rounded out by live music performances from the “Sounds of Summer” series, offering melodic evenings under the open sky in the beer garden and beyond.
Be transported into the age of the American pioneers when you step onto the grounds of Naper Settlement. This living museum provides guests with an experience of life in Naperville when it was first developed and showcases its progress today. In addition, it is the only nationally accredited outdoor history museum in Illinois.
This Labor Day weekend, go to Japan without going on an airplane. The “Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World” exhibition at the McAninch Arts Center showcases 60 works and artifacts by the masters of Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868). Works by acclaimed artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige are a window into the life during this time when the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo) thrived as the center of Japan’s economy and culture. The Exhibition features a historical area with multi-media elements, a Japanese Garden, a Children’s Edo & Anime area, and an interactive Edo Experience.
Check out our full list of museums here.
If you want to find more events during Labor Day Weekend, be sure to visit our Calendar, as new events are added weekly. Able to make it a staycation? Pick from over 100 hotels and resorts and discover even more DuPage: things to do with kids, best brunch spots, and our top 10 trails.