Downtown Hinsdale

Just over the DuPage County line sits Hinsdale, a village that easily could have been cut from the Connecticut of pre-trouble Martha Stewart and deposited in Chicagoland. The houses are of brick and ivy, the SUVs driven by soccer moms with cell phones constantly at their ears, the sidewalks thick with teens of suburban angst and the manner of comfortable wealth is ample.

Downtown Hinsdale, serviced by Metra's Burlington Northern Santa Fe Line, comprises streets that twist along hillsides and shops filled with gift stores, boutiques, art galleries and confectioners like one would expect to find in a seaside resort. "It's homey," says Holly Renehan, owner of the children's clothier Littlest Offspring. "It's traditional, charming."

Hinsdale News Agency
24 E. Hinsdale
(630) 323-4370

Just across Hinsdale Avenue from the Hinsdale Metra stop sits this old-time newsstand where, since 1953, commuters have been picking up their daily papers. Shoppers can meander through a magazine rack that rivals any offered by Borders, gaze at a selection of hand-rolled cigars from Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, or nab a sack of Big League Chew bubble gum. But the real gem of the News Agency is bulk candy. From Jelly Bellys to lemon slices and flying saucers, kids here can grab a plastic bag and step back to a time when candy wasn't evil or unaffordable.

Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 a.m. to 5p.m. Saturday; 7-11 a.m. Sunday.

Hartley's Cycle Shoppe
24 W. Hinsdale
(630) 323-7156

Whether you're a mountaineering Cannondale rider, an old-school Schwinn person or Bianchi speedster, Hartley's is the place for you. A full-service bicycle shop, Hartley's has been outfitting Hinsdale-area cyclists since 1958. The store also sponsors occasional clinics on topics like changing flat tires and leads a weekly bike ride to help cyclists get into shape.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Zingelman's
13 W. 1st
(630) 323-5870

The walls of this classic restaurant are lined with comic book-style cells depicting heroes like Superman and Spider-Man and childhood icons like Big Bird. But treats like barbecue rib sandwiches for $4.99, tall milk shakes for $2.99 and hot pretzels for $1.87 can be appreciated by shallow-pocketed students as well as moms and dads. From kosher pastrami to a "famoso Cubano" sandwich to a rainbow grilled cheese, there's something for everyone to fill up on.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

Littlest Offspring of Hinsdale
9 E. 1st
(630) 325-6544

For 30 years, Littlest Offspring has offered parents, grandparents and doting aunts and uncles adorable children's outfits for occasions ranging from the casual trip to the ballpark to formal christening celebrations. From embroidered strawberry sweaters to handmade ribbons and barrettes, the clothes here are designed to make even the most terrible toddler as cute as a button.

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

The Players Club House
39 S. Washington
(630) 734-3000

Above the counter of Chris Lekatsos' Players Club House hangs a photograph of his grandfather, who opened a soda fountain in the same spot in 1920. Eighty-five years have passed and the soda fountain has been replaced by golf equipment, but the store remains in the family. The Players Club House is a golf shop for folks who love golf, and with six public and private courses within shouting distance of downtown Hinsdale, golfers are not in short supply. Lekatsos prides himself on offering one-on-one service to his customers, from sizing them for clubs to offering collectible woods and specials on items like boxes of golf balls.

Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Washington Street Grill
112 S. Washington
(630) 323-0035

The airy Washington Street Grill is a restaurant where American-cuisine dishes like crabmeat-topped chicken that would run $30 in downtown Chicago cost only half as much, and the menu peaks in price with mesquite-grilled pork chops at $20. For those on a tighter budget, try the lunch menu, which features a half-pound burger for only $8 and a Mediterranean chicken entree for $10.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 4-11 p.m. Saturday; 3-9 p.m. Sunday.