Discover Franklin Park

Franklin Park offers several distinct themes to consider when planning a stay: year-round ice sports, swimming activities, and railroad and firefighting history. There is also a pollinator garden, seasonal community events, and festivals. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can first plan your trip around what brings you there: Would you like to include ice sports, are you interested in historic vehicles, or are events part of your plans? The different offerings give your stay a specific theme.

Ice Sports and Swimming

Franklin Park Ice Arena is a year-round indoor ice sports arena with a full-size ice rink and a Studio Arena. Figure skating is also offered there. This makes ice sports a year-round activity alongside the seasonal events at Pool on Pacific. The pool has two water slides and offers swimming lessons. Various community events are also held there during the season.

The two venues offer different experiences: the arena focuses on the ice rink and figure skating, while Pool on Pacific combines water slides, lessons, and community events. If you’d like to plan your trip around an event, check the dates in advance. This will help you decide whether to focus on ice sports or the seasonal program, without treating them as the same kind of offering.

Railroad and Firefighting History

The Franklin Park Firefighters Association Museum is home to the Peter Pirsch fire engine, which was purchased in 1927. The old Railroad Tower B-12 reflects a different use: it was turned into a classroom for Franklin Park’s fifth-graders and was also the center of the annual Railroad-Daze Festival. At Railroad Day, children and adults can explore historic railroad cars and experience immersive train exhibits.

These attractions offer different ways to explore local history: the museum preserves a tangible connection to firefighting, Tower B-12 is linked to its former use as a classroom and the festival’s centerpiece, and Railroad Day offers a look at historic railroad cars and train exhibits. If you’re particularly interested in railroad history, these different themes can shape your stay. Railroad Day and the Railroad-Daze Festival should be considered as the separately named offerings they are.

Pollinator Garden and Festival Program

A pollinator garden at Discovery Park is used to teach students and summer camps about the importance of plants and flowers. The garden connects the park with a specific educational purpose: the focus is on the role of plants and flowers and their importance. This offers a different perspective on Franklin Park than ice sports, events, or railroad history, and may interest travelers who are also interested in nature and education.

The Franklin Park Fest features live music, rides, games, and classic American fair food. These attractions give the festival a different character from the ice sports or local history offerings. If you’d like to plan your trip around a festival visit, check the current event dates before setting your travel dates.

Getting Here and Planning Your Stay

Travelers can take the train to Franklin Park from O’Hare International Airport or downtown Chicago. Train service details may change, so check the current schedule before traveling. If a particular festival or seasonal event is important to you, coordinate your travel dates accordingly and confirm the dates. Include the current train schedule in your plans for rail travel.

Explore more destinations: Schaumburg, Lansing, South Holland, Inverness, Cicero, Arlington Heights, Schiller Park, Hazel Crest

For the overview of the wider area: Cook.