Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Borneo orangutan
Malaysia • 12 days, 11 nights
Wild Borneo: Secrets of an Ancient Rainforest
from
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The wall commemorating 11,908 Jewish victims of the Shoah from Frankfurt.
Börneplatz Memorial
Entrance to the munitions area of the lower part of the bunker
Simserhof
Carlos Calderón Yruegas calls the villa his personal playground.
Villa Tabaiba
Apples and pears, Spitalfields Market.
Brick Lane Roundels
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Longwood House, where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his final years.
The Longwood House: Napoleon Bonaparte’s Beautiful Prison
about 9 hours ago
 Fenway Park at night
How Was Your First Trip With Your Significant Other?
1 day ago
Ivan the Terra Bus
The Bus, the Myth, the Legend: Ivan the Terra Bus
3 days ago
Pigeons were included in a series of 1891 illustrations entitled “Household Pets.”
What Makes a Pest a Pest?
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
All the United States Illinois Des Plaines

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Des Plaines

3 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Des Plaines, Illinois

Updated March 26, 2021

Email
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Hotel Deals

Unusual Attractions in Des Plaines

Wide shot of the front; around where the students got picked up from detention and said their goodbyes.

Des Plaines, Illinois

Maine North High School

Where a brain, a beauty, a jock, a rebel, and a recluse met one Saturday and changed their lives forever.
Square Deal Shoe Store

Des Plaines, Illinois

Square Deal Shoe Store

This historic store hides a museum exhibiting a shoe-sizing x-ray machine and a pair of kicks that once belonged to the world's tallest man.
Permanently Closed
McDonald’s First Store Museum

Des Plaines, Illinois

McDonald's First Store Museum

Despite its name, this fast food museum is actually a replica of the ninth McDonald's store.
Are we missing something unusual?
Add it!
Scrabble Grave, Helen Cornelius Bowden

Park Ridge, Illinois

Scrabble Grave

A board game enthusiast's love for the game, memorialized forever.
2 miles from Des Plaines
Permanently Closed

Park Ridge, Illinois

Wood Library and Museum of Anesthesiology

Medical museum focused on antique anesthesiology equipment.
2 miles from Des Plaines

Park Ridge, Illinois

American Science & Surplus

A science teacher's dream.
3 miles from Des Plaines
Pickwick

Park Ridge, Illinois

Pickwick Theatre

A towering Art Deco movie palace made to look like a Mayan temple.
3 miles from Des Plaines

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Des Plaines

Permanently Closed
McDonald’s First Store Museum

Des Plaines, Illinois

McDonald's First Store Museum

Despite its name, this fast food museum is actually a replica of the ninth McDonald's store.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Des Plaines, Illinois

A

Des Plaines Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. LaurynSmith11
    1
  2. Paige Pfeifer
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Des Plaines.

Places Edited

  1. alittlebrowndog
    3
  2. Jeff Wagg
    1
  3. Molly McBride Jacobson
    1
  4. allisont13
    1
  5. mightymr1
    1
Join the Ranks!
Improve the Atlas with edits and photos.

Places Visited

  1. johnnykwarcinski
    3
  2. alittlebrowndog
    3
  3. kitkat957
    3
  4. ainches88
    3
  5. SL16
    3
Join the Ranks!
Visit a place in Des Plaines.

Recent Des Plaines Activity

  • kalynch

    has been to Maine North High School

    10 days ago
  • ohnologan

    wants to go to Maine North High School

    9 days ago
  • katiewojcik19

    wants to go to Maine North High School

    7 days ago
  • trystiandski

    wants to go to Square Deal Shoe Store

    1 day ago
  • trystiandski

    wants to go to McDonald's First Store Museum

    1 day ago

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Learn More

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.