For some good old-fashioned wheeling and dealing, head out to the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles, Illinois, for the Kane County Flea Market. Held the first Saturday and Sunday of each month, the market features hundreds of dealers selling thousands of new and antique items. Visitors will find a unique selection of furniture, toys, collectibles, yard ornaments, books, jewelry and more. Kids will delight in the wide array of both new and old toys, board games and kid collectibles, including Smurfs, vintage robots, comic books and Matchbox cars.
This flea market, known as one of the best in the Midwest, is the perfect opportunity to teach your kids the fine art of bargaining. Most vendors expect to engage in some negotiation, so this is an opportunity to show children how to use their powers of persuasion to secure a great deal.
When it’s time to eat, enjoy summertime treats like corn on the cob and ice cream. And if you’re visiting in warm weather, be sure to bring along water bottles and juice boxes, too. The flea market is both indoors and out, so preparing for the weather is a must.
Make a weekend of the flea market and stay the night at the recently restored Hotel Baker, a charming, historic hotel built on the site of an old mill on the Fox River in downtown St. Charles. Be sure to dine overlooking the river at the hotel’s elegant eatery, the ROX City Grill.