Around the World in 18 Datacentres – Chicago

VPS.net has servers in 18 global locations. In this series, we go virtual globetrotting to discover more about where they are.

Elk Grove Village is the breezy town near the Windy City. But unlike in Chicago, where the air gusts around the towers of skyscrapers, here the breeze rustles the leaves in trees and forests. The village is surrounded by more than 473 acres of park district. There are 44 parks, sweeping lakes, and miles of sports fields.

The village itself is an all-American calendar girl. The front lawns of houses are buzz-cut short and mailboxes stand in salute at the end of wide paved driveways. You can imagine cherry pies cooling on windowsills inside.

The thread of this village is homespun. The village calendar is penned-in with community events, including a summer parade and fireworks, and a Christmas tree-lighting festival.

Insider Travel Tips from Jim, Director of Infrastructure

Eat: Breakfast is for champions at the Wild Berry Cafe on Meacham Road. The pancake stacks here are skyscrapers in themselves.

Eat: Weber Grill on Meacham Road has a dish called Beer Can Chicken on the menu. According to the waitresses, it’s made by baking a chicken with a beer can inside.

See: The attractions around Elk Grove tend to be family-centric, like Rainbow Falls Waterpark. But if you don’t want your days out to have a PG rating, go grown-up with a game of golf at Fox Run Golf Links.

Shop: Throughout the summer, a regular Saturday farmer’s market takes place in Elk Grove Village. Trestle tables near the clock tower are piled up with fruit, homemade breads, artisan salsas, flowers, nuts, local honey and popcorn.

To find out more about VPS’ datacentres, visit the locations page of the main website.