Libertyville

Though they may not be able to walk out their door to downtown Libertyville, residents of the Interlaken neighborhood are closely tied to their community. The neighborhood is bisected by Butterfield Road and Metra train tracks, but large lots provide a sense of peace in this northwest Libertyville community. “It’s a nice place to live if you love the outdoors,” Campbell says. “There’s a lot of good bike paths that connect to other neighborhoods, downtown, and other big parks.” Willis Overholser and Jo Ann Eckmann Park are the neighborhood’s two pocket playgrounds, with Libertyville Recreation on the horizon. Independence Grove Forest Preserve is to the east of the neighborhood and is a popular destination for Interlaken residents. This 1,200-acre property has a 129-acre lake that offers canoeing, kayaking, boating, fishing, and ice fishing. Independence Grove has eight miles of walking and six miles of biking trails. The Des Plains River Trails also enters through parts of Independence Grove; folks can pick up this trail and explore other parts of Lake County. Owners of furry friends can enjoy the open fields at the Independence Grove Dog Park. Vice President of Sales at Jameson Sotheby’s Realty Eileen Campbell says housing can look a little different along the east and west of Butterfield Road, which runs through the middle of the neighborhood. “There’s not a lot of custom homes. They’re more traditional, colonial homes,” Campbell says. “East of Butterfield Road, you’ll see more upscale homes built in the 80s and 90s, but they’re more desirable.” Most homes in the community range from $550,000 to $880,000. The Interlaken neighborhood thrives on the local restaurants that reside within their boundaries and Downtown Libertyville. Jimmy’s Charhouse is in the Butterfield Square Plaza. This spot dishes up an array of meat cuts along with other American cuisine classics. Butterfield Square Plaza is also home to Sunset Foods, the neighborhood grocer. Firkin is a Libertyville staple settled downtown. They have a variety of beer selections and a sophisticated selection of American classics. Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters, also settled downtown, serves coffee and showcases farmers locally and from Wisconsin. “We’ve got a great main street organization if you want to be involved in the community,” says Kathy Regel, a broker associate at Baird & Warner who has lived in Libertyville for 27 years. “They do pumpkins for take kids things like that. June to October there’s First Fridays where all the stores are open late, to get people to shop local.” Libertyville hosts several weekly events celebrating the neighborhood’s business area and community, like the classic car show and out-to-lunch special. Residents over 21 can stroll store-to-store while sipping on some vino during the Wine About Winter event. Enjoy live music, brews, and some German dishes at Oktoberfest. “We’re about a mile from the Lake Country Fairgrounds,” Campbell says. “They hold a lot of agriculture and earth science events.” Kids in Interlaken attend classes with peers from throughout the Libertyville area, starting at Butterfield Elementary School, which scores an A-minus from Niche. Highland Middle School also scores an A-minus, while Libertyville High School gets an A. Students here can enroll in career and technical courses relating to business, family and consumer science and applied technology. Residents hear the sounds of train whistles when the Metra passes over Butterfield Road towards the Libertyville Metra Station about 2 miles away. The Milwaukee District North line takes commuters the hour and 15 minutes to Chicago Union Station. Those who prefer driving that distance have a 44 mile trip in store, taking Illinois Route 137 to Interstate 94. Other essentials are much closer to home within the Libertyville area, like Advocate Condell Medical Center and its satellite healthcare facilities near downtown Libertyville.

Small-town style and the convenience of mainstream suburban living aren’t always easy to find in a single place. But residents in Cambridge-Liberty Village are connected to both worlds. This neighborhood just west of the heart of Libertyville offers eclectic home styles, close connections to the village’s quirky businesses, easy access to the familiar retailers in the Vernon Hills area and a robust set of outdoor recreation options. And for folks who need to commute into the city, access to Chicago is simple with a Metra station just a few miles out. “It’s highly desirable because it's got homes in all price ranges, and there’s a vibrant downtown with great restaurants and shops,” says Maria Etling, a Realtor and broker with Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Chicago. Etling is based in Libertyville and has sold homes in the area for more than two decades. “Young professionals, young families, downsizers and empty nesters – all of the above. You’ve got all kinds coming here because there’s a little bit of everything.” While most of the neighborhood is informed by the building sensibilities of the 1970s, styles vary widely. Properties draw from a mix of Tudor, Dutch colonial and new traditional aesthetics, and most homes have asphalt roofs. Full or partial brick façades are common, alongside a few homes where vinyl siding leads in the design. Single-family properties mostly range from about $405,000 to $615,000, though some homes can fetch up to $850,000 on the market. For those looking for the area’s lifestyle without having to worry about cutting the grass, condos and townhouses typically are available between $200,000 and $275,000. Most of the area’s convenient shopping and dining options are less than 5 miles east of the neighborhood along Milwaukee Avenue. Smaller shops are available to the north in Libertyville, while larger retailers are available to the south near Vernon Hills. Jewel-Osco, Mariano’s and Aldi are mainstays for groceries, while Menards and Lowe’s are both close at hand for home improvement projects. Small businesses nearby include Edie Boutique, a local favorite for women’s clothing, and Maison Plunder, an antique store specializing in unique finds for the home. George Garner Cyclery handles bike repairs and sells accessories, while Dreamland Comics buys and sells vinyl records, comics and vintage toys. Residents have a variety of cuisines to choose from at the restaurants along Milwaukee Avenue. Etling recommends Sugarville, a traditional ice cream shop with candy and other selections to satisfy that sweet tooth. “There’s lots of childhood favorites there. Everything’s decorated in pink and blue, it’s really cute,” she says. Other local spots include Bagels by the Book, where bagels and coffee are served near vibrant portraits of Albert Einstein, Jimi Hendrix and other pop culture icons. Tacos El Rey de Oro specializes in classic Mexican fare. Lolo’s Bowls brings Hawaiian-style açai bowls and smoothies to Libertyville, while Hanakawa Japanese Steak & Sushi has a teppanyaki lunch and dinner menu where guests can watch as a master chef cooks their meal to perfection. Liberty Restaurant opened in 1975 and offers a reliable menu of brunch selections in a country house-style setting with paisley curtains and wrought-iron wall art. From kindergarten through eighth grade, most public school students in the Cambridge-Liberty Village area are assigned to schools within Libertyville School District 70, though a few on the south side near Charles Brown Park may attend schools in Hawthorn District 73 instead. Rockland Elementary School and Highland Middle School both score A-minus grades on Niche. Libertyville High School’s music program offers classes on music production and college-level music theory alongside its band, choir, guitar and orchestra programs. The school earns an A grade on Niche. Charles Brown Park has a basketball court, two baseball diamonds and an open field area for locals to walk their dogs or practice their football kicks. West of the neighborhood, Hawthorn Mellody Park’s playground areas were updated in 2024 with new equipment, including an inclusive swing designed to fit Americans with Disabilities Act standards. About 4 miles north of the neighborhood, Independence Grove Forest Preserve is a prime destination for nature lovers. The preserve has fishing, ice skating and multi-use trails, and a seasonal beer garden available from spring into fall. Golf Road is the Cambridge-Liberty Village area’s main connection to the greater Libertyville area. To the neighborhood’s east, the road connects to Milwaukee Avenue, the area’s primary thoroughfare. Residents are about 2 miles southwest of the heart of the village. For commutes into Chicago, the city is about 40 miles southeast by car. The Metra rail system offers a popular alternative nearby for daily travel, with a station 2 miles north of the neighborhood. For emergencies, physical therapy and other medical concerns, the neighborhood is immediately southwest of the Advocate Condell Medical Center campus, which also includes primary care and specialty practices. Locals traveling beyond the Chicago area can catch flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, about 25 miles south of the neighborhood. Each Father’s Day weekend, the Libertyville Days Festival brings all-ages attractions to downtown Libertyville. Operated as a fundraiser by the Libertyville Civic Center Foundation, locals can swing by for music, carnival games, vendors and the annual parade. “We have a town of 21,000 people, so the turnout is huge,” says Scott Adams, president of the Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills Chamber of Commerce. “We have thousands of people who look forward to this event. That Saturday is the biggest parade in the entire county." Additional events include the Festival of the Arts in early August and Oktoberfest in Libertyville each September. Live music, trivia and music bingo are on the menu each week at Impact Fuel Room. This venue shares a roof with Austin’s, a tavern with 30 years of local history and a menu of lunch and dinner favorites. From spring to fall each year, the MainStreet Libertyville Farmers Market brings area bakers, farmers and florists together for locals to browse each Thursday.

South Libertyville residents hail from a wide range of subdivisions, but they're far from secluded. Connection is vital in this village in the distant northwest suburbs of Chicago, with bike paths connecting hundreds of acres of nearby nature preserves, a large healthcare network miles from home, and an active downtown sector on Milwaukee Avenue. "One of the best parts about living here is the sense of community and the vibrant atmosphere of downtown," says Therese Schaefer, a local agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices born and raised in Libertyville. "I've worked with multiple buyers who have found best friends in their neighbors. People here place a lot of value in their community and neighborhood, and there are regular block parties and other events that bring people together." The Village of Libertyville and MainStreet Libertyville schedule many events throughout the year to bring traffic to the downtown sector. "The Farmers Market goes from June through October, and during Lunch in the Park vendors surround the whole square, bands play live music and parents bring their kids to the Cook Park playground," says Kathy Regel, a broker associate at Baird & Warner who has lived in Libertyville for 27 years and counting. "That's weekly in the summer until the kids go to school." Libertyville Day, an annual fundraiser for the Libertyville Civic Center Foundation, overlaps with Fathers Day and includes a carnival, beer garden, arts and crafts fair and more. And by bringing a wine glass from home, locals can hop from store to store for tastings and discounts during "Let's Wine about Winter." Many of the festivities aren't limited to humans, and it's common to see owners and their dogs out on the town any day of the week. "In my neighborhood, it's easier to ask who doesn't have a dog than who does!" Regel laughs. The village's widespread love for furry friends culminates each July during Libertyville's Dog Days of Summer, where breeds compete in a variety of competitions and jump into an in-ground pool. "I couldn't believe how many people show up for that," Regel chuckles. "It's a huge deal. They come from everywhere, as far as Iowa and Minnesota!" Downtown Libertyville is a central shopping, dining and community hub for all village residents, whether they live two steps or two miles away. Metra riders can grab a latte from Hansa Coffee Roasters before hopping on the morning train. For lunches and dinners, beloved Chicagoland chains like O'Tooles Pub sit down the street from Libertyville staples like Firkin, a Wild West-inspired joint with festive lights for every season. Bootery Boutique offers fashionable women's clothing and gifts from their downtown storefront and online. Shopping centers also line South Milwaukee Avenue, some of which are across the intersection from Advocate Condell Medical Center. Liberty Restaurant first opened its doors in 1975 and meets the family-owned penchant for large portions and friendly service. After an appointment or shift at the hospital, Bagels By the Book is a welcome reprieve offering comfortable seating under striking murals. Bagels are half off at the counter every afternoon during Bagels Happy Hour. As for groceries, Jewel-Osco, Aldi, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market can all be found on the south end of the neighborhood. Homebuyers don't need to purchase a grand property in the Heritage District to live within walking distance of local shops and restaurants. Cottages and bungalows in subdivisions like Copeland Manor are south of center in Libertyville, as well as Red Top's colonial-style homes with vinyl siding and porticos surrounded by perennial gardens. "As you move a little ways away from town, you see different subdivisions built in the '80s and '90s," Regel says. "There's also a section near the hospital that's all '70s homes around a nice park." Prominent dormer windows provide plenty of natural light for bi-levels and Cape Cods with steep gambler roofs. Finally, low-rise condos and townhouse communities occupy Libertyville's southernmost tip. These attached options and walk-to-town cottages tend to be more cost-efficient at $300,000 to $400,000, while detached homes throughout the area range anywhere from $400,000 to $800,000. Many kids in Libertyville grow up walking together to their elementary school, since there are four public options scattered throughout the greater community. Copeland Manor Elementary School and Rockland Elementary School are located south of downtown and receive an A and an A-minus rating from Niche, respectively. After graduating from fifth grade, kids funnel together and intermingle from all corners of the village at Highland Middle School, which Niche rates an A-minus. Libertyville High School—the Home of the Wildcats—has an overall Niche grade of A-plus and is ranked number 12 in U.S. News & World Report's list of best public high schools in Illinois. Boasting a 94% graduation rate, LHS also hosts a wide assortment of unique courses, including pastry arts, clothing construction, graphic communications and glass art. Parents mingle while children explore their neighborhood playground. Options like Torrey Pines Park are surrounded by subdivisions, offering a convenient way to get outdoors. Eclectic play structures await at Charles Brown Park, along with baseball diamonds and a basketball court. Libertyville Township Open Space District—the first of its kind in Illinois—upkeeps nearby nature preserves and grasslands for public enjoyment. From Rockland Road, hikers, horseback riders and bikers can take the Des Plaines River Trail east through Old School Forest Preserve's 543 acres of woodlands. "There are a ton of bike trails throughout Libertyville and they connect to the trails in the region," says Regal. "People can bike all the way to Milwaukee or south to Chicago—though I don't think I could!" Ambitious bikers and laid-back boaters head north to Independence Grove, a quarry-turned-lake surrounded by trails and picnic spots. The Libertyville Metra Station takes passengers on the North Central Service Line on an hour-long ride to Chicago's Union Station, or the opposite direction for a trip to the scenic Chain O'Lakes. Drivers have a 39-mile trip in store on Interstate 94 to reach Chicago, a slightly shorter trip to Chicago O'Hare International Airport at 25 miles, and a 55-mile journey to Milwaukee. Meanwhile, Libertyville's own downtown sector provides walkable access to many essential amenities. Advocate Condell Medical Center sits south of downtown and is orbited by brick-and-mortar practitioners, so medical care is often just a short drive from home.