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Why is it called Grady Gaelic Flossmoor fun when the whole trip was fun? Actually, Grady, Gaelic, and Flossmoor represent three different places! Chicago Southland is absolutely packed with hidden gems that make for the perfect local road trip! 🚗✨ Whether you’re looking for a retro meal at Grady’s Snack N’ Dine or a world-class craft beer at Flossmoor Station, there is a little something for everyone in this corner of the suburbs. You can satisfy your sweet tooth at Gayety’s Chocolates or soak in the legendary Irish hospitality at Chicago Gaelic Park. 🍺🍫☘️
Let’s get our day started with Grady’s Snack N’ Dine. Then, move on to Gayety’s Chocolates. After the Chocolates, we’ll grab a beer (and snacks) for lunch. After all that, we’ll visit the Lotton Glass Works and have dinner at the Chicago Gaelic Park. Here’s a link back to the overview – But!! Don’t go back there yet!
Grady’s Snack N’ Dine
Step into Grady’s and enjoy a classic diner that serves comfort food with a generous helping of nostalgia.
Check this out. It's the All Fifty Club! If you are interested in learning more, follow the link.
Breakfast at Grady’s Snack N’ Dine gave us the perfect start to our Chicago Southland adventure. Since opening in 2018, this family-owned diner has earned a loyal following with generous breakfasts and friendly service. We also enjoyed watching the restaurant’s robot server glide between tables with meals. The robot supports the staff by delivering food to each table, while the servers provide the personal service. That fun touch sparked plenty of smiles and conversations, especially from first-time visitors like us. Here’s a link to their website.
Gayety’s Chocolates and Ice Cream
See the separate post about Gayety’s Chocolate. It’s so good, it stands on its own!
Flossmoor Station Brewery as part of Grady Gaelic Flossmoor fun
History and handcrafted beer come together inside this restored train station.
Did you know that blogs are typically reader supported? So, buy me a hot chocolate! Or not!.
Flossmoor Station Brewery serves handcrafted beer, excellent food, and a welcoming atmosphere that invites visitors to relax and stay awhile. The brewery also anchors the downtown district, giving residents and visitors a favorite place to gather, celebrate, and enjoy the community together.
Our beer tasting gave us the chance to sample five different brews from Flossmoor Station’s impressive lineup. We compared crisp lagers, rich stouts, smooth ales, and flavorful seasonal selections while discovering how each beer offered its own character. The tasting made it easy to find a favorite and appreciate the brewery’s passion for crafting quality beer.
Our beer tasting included a selection of tasty snacks that paired perfectly with each sample. The combination of fresh pretzels, cheese, and other light bites helped bring out the unique flavors in every beer. The food added another layer to the experience and turned a simple tasting into a relaxing afternoon.
We left with full stomachs, a new appreciation for Flossmoor Station’s craft beers, and plans to return. And here’s the link to learn more.
Lotton Art Glass as we continued with Grady Gaelic Flossmoor fun!
Watch skilled artists transform molten glass into colorful works of art before your eyes. Lotton Art Glass offers its glassworks for sale in the studio and sells on commission. Lotton Art Glass accepts commissioned custom work in addition to selling one-of-a-kind pieces from its gallery. They create custom items such as: Chandeliers and pendant lighting, lamps and lighted tables, wall sconces, and more.
Want to see a shop for my road trip photos? You can have them printed as wall art or puzzles. They also work on coffee mugs, t-shirts and more! So, take a look. Maybe you'll see something you will like!
Watching the craftspeople at work gave us a new appreciation for the skill and precision behind every piece of art glass. The demonstrations taught us more about the glass-blowing process, from gathering molten glass to shaping and adding color. We visited on an extremely hot day, and the blazing furnaces made it clear that glass blowing is demanding work in every season.
Visitors can admire the stunning glass art on display, but the experience doesn’t end there. Lotton Art Glass also creates commissioned pieces, giving collectors the opportunity to own a custom work designed specifically for their home or business. Whether you choose an existing masterpiece or commission something unique, you’ll leave with a greater appreciation for the artistry behind every piece.
Check out their website to learn more about glass blowing and the art offered for sale.
Chicago Gaelic Park
Chicago Gaelic Park celebrates Irish culture with warm hospitality, great food, and lasting traditions.
Let’s continue our tour of the park.
Chicago Gaelic Park is much more than a cultural center. It serves as a community gathering place that offers Irish music, dance, language, and cultural programs while hosting festivals, concerts, and family events throughout the year. The campus also supports youth and adult sports, community organizations, private celebrations, and charitable events, making it an important hub that brings people together across generations.
During the summer, the outdoor pub offers a relaxing place to enjoy a drink with friends while taking in the lively atmosphere of Gaelic Park. Guests can also have food delivered from the park’s restaurant, making it easy to enjoy a complete meal without leaving the patio.
We wrapped up the day with a hearty Irish pub meal and plenty of good conversation at Chicago Gaelic Park. The outdoor pub provided the perfect setting to relax, reflect on the day’s adventures, and enjoy the warm ‘HOT!’ summer evening. It was a fitting end to a day filled with great food, local history, and memorable experiences across Chicago Southland.
Summary of the day
Our Chicago Southland adventure began with a hearty breakfast at Grady’s Snack N’ Dine before satisfying our sweet tooth at Gayety’s Chocolates. From there, we sampled handcrafted beers and delicious food at Flossmoor Station Brewery, where we discovered why it remains a favorite gathering place for the community. Next, we visited Lotton Art Glass and watched talented craftspeople transform molten glass into beautiful works of art while learning firsthand about the skill, precision, and intense heat required for glass blowing.
We ended the day at Chicago Gaelic Park, enjoying authentic Irish pub food and relaxing on the outdoor patio while reflecting on a day filled with local flavors, rich traditions, and unforgettable experiences. Chicago Southland once again proved that some of the best travel memories come from discovering the unique people, places, and stories found just beyond the city. Check out all Chicago Gaelic Park has to offer.
Here you are! You’ve finished reading about all things from the day. Click or tap here to go back to the overview.
Classic Rock Recollection
“Danny Boy” by The Irish Tenors
But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow
Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow
‘Tis I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow
O Danny boy, O Danny boy, I love you so
Written by: Fred E. Weatherly
While it’s not a Classic Rock song, it honors the Irish as the last part of this post!
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