Joliet is a growing city of more than 126,000, located along the Des Plaines River, with a lifestyle focused on entertainment and arts, action sports and gaming.
The city's main performance venue, the lavish 1920s Rialto Square Theatre, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. National musical, dance, theater, and comedy acts perform here. Art studios, galleries, and murals are located throughout town. The Joliet Area Historical Museum and the Slovenian Woman's Heritage Museum explore Joliet through time. At Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park, a riverwalk and murals border the city's original downtown commercial district. Two riverboat casinos, Argosy's Empress Casino and Hotel and Harrah's Joliet Casino and Hotel provide gaming, restaurants and lodging.
The Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway, provide NASCAR, drag racing and dirt track racing spring through fall. At Challenge Park Xtreme visitors can have a paintball fight, practice their skating moves or go mountain biking. For families, Splash Station Waterpark provides pools and slides and Haunted Trails Family Entertainment Center offers rides, games and go-karts.
Outdoor activities are available at Pilcher Park Nature Center and the Forest Preserve District of Will County which both have hiking, biking and cross-country skiing trails. There three golf courses in Joliet and two others nearby.
Joliet is 46 miles southwest of Chicago. It is accessible via Interstate Highway 80, U.S. Highways 30 and 52, and State Highways 6 and 53. There are many national chain hotels in Joliet.
