As an international student, the first few weeks of my freshman year were quite lonely. I came to college without knowing anyone, except a few teammates, and was stuck in my dorm for classes due to COVID regulations. I decided to set a goal for myself to discover my college town and decided that, once a week, I would go discover a new place or activity in the DeKalb area. I started small and explored campus and the surrounding area. I eventually branched out to the Sycamore area once I had a car and made a list of my favourite places in the Dekalb area. The following list encapsulates all of my favourite hidden gems in Dekalb and Sycamore. The list has two subdivisions: the first lists activities accessible on foot and the second is activities needing a mode of transport (car, bus, etc). These places helped transform my college town into a home away from home and are places I still cherish today as a senior.
P.S. All time specifications are based on the distance from the Patterson Dorms.
Hidden Gems on Foot
Name: Cracker Jax
Address: 118 N 3rd St, DeKalb, IL 60115
What: This cute shop is my favourite local thrift store. Located in downtown DeKalb, Cracker Jax has a multitude of different items to shop from including vintage clothing and jewelry, local artisan merchandise, books, vinyls, and many more knick knacks.
Where: 7 min drive by car with parking right in front. 40 min walk through campus and around the lagoon.
Name: Barb City Bagels
Address: Barb City Bagels, 118 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL 60115
What: This bagel shop is one of my favourite breakfast places around campus. The bagels are made fresh every morning and a variety of sandwiches and spreads are crafted to perfection. Barbs is a great place to grab a quick bite to eat with a friend, or even a mid-day study session. Their coffee and food is delicious and the staff is always super friendly! They love the Huskies!
Where: 6 min drive by car with parking in the back lot. 40 min walk through campus and around the lagoon.
Name: Cast Iron Coffee
Address: 901 Lucinda Ave Suite D, DeKalb, IL 60115
What: This coffee shop is my favourite place to study on campus. The coffee and drinks are always delicious, and the cozy woody space creates a perfect environment for studying, meeting with a group or catching up with a friend. Their menu offers a great variety of options, and their muffins are always amazing. Make sure to stop by on a rainy or cold winter day to get some warm coffee and relax on their couches.
Where: 2 min drive by car with parking in the side lot. 5 min walk down Lucinda Rd.
Hidden Gems on Wheels
Name: Blumen Gardens
Address: 403 Edward St, Sycamore, IL 60178
What: This garden shop in Sycamore is a great place for new plant parents and people looking for home-y knickknacks. The shop is located in an old rustic railway factory from the 1860s and combines plants and flowers with old red bricks. In warmer months, the outside gardens are open and filled with a variety of plants and flowers sorted by colour and type. In colder months, the outdoor portion sometimes remains open for Christmas-tree sales and other holiday paraphernalia. The indoor portion of the Gardens remains open year round and also changes seasonally. The owners typically decorate the shop for different holidays and have an extravagant holiday market in December. Inside, shoppers can find succulents, adorable pots and other household goods. This is my favourite place around!
Where: 15 min drive by car with parking in front and behind the store. 1-1.5 hr bus ride for commuters.
- Emily Romancew
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