River Forest is proud of its rich architectural and cultural heritage and, together with its residents, diligently preserves this heritage and quality of life. Its earliest settlers can be traced to the Menominee, Chippewa and the Patawatoni Indians who settled along the Des Plaines River. In a frecent magazine survey, River Forest ranked "fourth" out of over 160 municipalities in the six-county Chicagoland area when it comes to quality of life, schools, recreational facilities and ease of commuting. A visit to the Trailside Museum will put your group in touch with nature in the beautiful wooded setting near the Des Plaines River. Add a stop at the charming River Forest Town Center, which boasts more than 80,000 square feet of retail shops, and wind up with a tour of Whole Foods Market- a beautiful European style market. If you are looking for a cost-effective meeting site, consider Concordia University and the Dominican University and Conference Center located in River Forest.