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City of Hillside IL

Hillside , Illinois , zip code 60162 , is a tiny, quiet residential village located just fifteen miles from the bustling metropolis that is Chicago. Yet even though it is so close to the traffic, the excitement and the non-stop noise of the big, bright city, the calm, hometown feel of Hillside makes residents feel like they are a million miles away from the loud and boisterous ways of downtown Chi-town.

Hillside , Illinois is very small, and it is situated on less than two and a half square miles of land. It is one of those towns that if you blink at the wrong time, you might miss it entirely, and that would be a real shame, considering all that this lovely village has to offer its residents and its visitors.

Though its population of just over eight thousand people is growing at a steady pace, the town is still plenty small enough to allow its residents that gracious, neighborly feel; you know, chatting with friends in grocery store lines, waving to relatives in other cars that they pass on the streets or running into one of their kids school teachers at the gas station while they are filling up. With just over two thousand families living in this demure Illinois town, residents may not get to know each and every person in the village by name, but that does not stop them from giving nods of recognition and greetings to the familiar faces that they see when running errands in the neighborhood.

The houses in Hillside , Illinois reflect a variety of characteristics and building styles. Some of the residences are attractive, brick, ranch style homes that were built in the 1950's, most of which have full sized basements. There are also a wide variety of wooden farm style homes that give the illusion of living in the middle of a corn field, yet they are tucked neatly away within a cul-de-sac.

Apartment living is common in Hillside , with some complexes being converted from old warehouse spaces and others taking the form of a twenty story high rise building. Many people in Hillside , Illinois enjoy the area so much, along with its convenient location to Downtown Chicago, that they have opted to build custom homes to suit their tastes. These homes are stunning, with walls lined with windows, kitchens custom built with top of the line appliances, and all of the modern amenities that one would expect in homes of such exceptional quality.

Hillside , Illinois is a close knit community that understands that a family that plays together, stays together. For this reason, Hillside offers a generous community center that gives families many different options when it comes to sports, leisure and recreation. The softball diamonds are a big hit with the little league teams, and the recreation center is always buzzing with activities. There are outdoor basketball courts where father and son can shoot some hoops, and tennis courts where families can play a game of doubles and work on their back swing at the same time. The community center also has a swimming pool, for cooling off on those hot summer days, and a playground for the kids to burn off excess energy while mom and dad work out in the gym. The football fields are a great place to get the family together for a game of touch football, and soccer fields are always kicking it. There is even a cozy picnic area where families can take a break from all of the activity and relax in the grass, have a snack, and talk about their day.

The village of Hillside regularly sponsors community events that bring the focus community awareness back to family fun and togetherness, such as the highly acclaimed family bowling night, where the lanes were packed to capacity with friends and neighbors sharing good times even in the face of gutter balls. Another family friendly event that Hillside residents enjoy is the annual Easter egg hunt, perfect for children aged ten and under. Watching the little ones scramble and dart about with their brightly colored baskets is such a treat, and there is a great time to be had by all, even by those who are only watching.

During the summer, the community of Hillside , Illinois offers residents the chance to watch movies in the park under the evening sky. This event is free, and gives families yet another way to spend time together outdoors. In addition, each August, musicians delight residents of all ages with free concerts, also held in the park commons area.

Condensed within the zip code of 60162 , there are many delicious restaurants from which to choose. Residents of Hillside enjoy typical American fare, such as burgers and fries, but they also have some very nice ethnic choices when the mood strikes them. There is a Hungarian restaurant nearby, where patrons can choose crepes stuffed with chicken and paprika that are so light and fluffy that they literally melt in the mouth. For a vegetarian option, guests can enjoy potato pancakes served with tomatoes and onions, sauteed peppers and cool sour cream.

If Hungarian cuisine does not seem to satisfy their taste buds, the families who live in Hillside , Illinois can always go out for some good old fashioned, home cooked soul food, like fried catfish or beef ham hocks, served with greens, candied yams and mashed potatoes, along with a sweet, decadent slice of tangy lemon pie or a steamy serving of tart blackberry cobbler for desert.

There is even a Spanish restaurant in the area, where the ambiance of Spain abounds in an intimate setting complete with murals of Spanish life, surrounded by meticulously laid and artfully arranged mosaic tiles. The music of Spanish string instruments floats through the air, providing a serene and happy setting for friends in Hillside to share a plate of tapas while imbibing themselves with fine Spanish wines.

Even though Hillside , Illinois, zip code 60162 is less than a half hour drive from the sprawling steel mammoths of downtown Chicago, residents do not have to go all the way downtown to find fun things to do with their families. Just up the road from Hillside is an enchanting arcade and family fun center done up in the theme of a medieval castle. This place is enormous, and there is something for everyone, no matter what your taste for fun may be. Hillside residents can choose from the hundreds of video arcade games on site, crash and smash in the bumper cars, or sing karaoke until their throats are hoarse. There is also a huge play area for the kids to climb and crawl, laser tag and a miniature golf course where families can putt the evening away, and have a lot of fun in the process. With so much to do in one place, many Hillside residents can not do it all in one trip, and the castle winds up being on of the favorite family fun hang outs in the area.

For some historical family entertainment, residents of Hillside , Illinois can visit and tour Americas only operating waterwheel gristmill and chance a look at a historical grocery store, or take a peek inside another one of the areas unique museums, this one focusing on lapidary, or the art of cutting and then polishing stone in order to create works of exceptional beauty.

One of the most beautiful places in Hillside , Illinois , zip code 60162 , has got to be the Catholic cemetery that is over one hundred years old. This cemetery is stunningly beautiful, with rows upon rows of marble mausoleums whose stained glass windows glitter and sparkle in the afternoon sun. Some of the loveliest and most picturesque grave markers in the country can be found here. Cherubic angels reading passages from a book seem to be giggling at each other with glee, carved with a craftsmanship that you rarely see anymore.

One of the most notable grave markers is the life sized marble sculpture of a little girl, who stands at the head of the grave that contains her. Ghostly in her beauty, the detail and care that was taken to create such a work of art is immaculate. This cemetery has a few well known names buried here, as well. It might surprise visitors to see the tombstone of perhaps the most well known mafia figurehead in Americas history, but there he is, resting peacefully, one hopes, surrounded by the tombs of Archbishops and priests. It is this dichotomy that makes visiting this hauntingly beautiful cemetery all the more interesting.

No matter what residents of Hillside , Illinois may want to do for recreation and entertainment, they do not have to venture out of the zip code 60162 to find it. Yet they are close enough to Chicago to enjoy all of the tourist attractions, amusement parks, zoos, dining experiences, shopping and phenomenal museums that the big city has to offer as well. It seems like families in Hillside have truly got it made. With such variety and opportunity within and just beyond their quiet village, the families that call Hillside home are lucky, indeed.