Sun City Huntley

Sun City Huntley by Del Webb is the Midwest's largest 55+ active adult community, spanning approximately 2,200 to 2,300 acres in the village of Huntley, Illinois — about 50 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. Built between 1999 and 2013 by Del Webb (a Pulte Homes brand), the community comprises 5,489 homes organized into 41 distinct neighborhoods, each with its own resident council. Home options include condominiums, four series of ranch-style townhomes, and eight series of ranch-style single-family homes, ranging from roughly 1,000 to over 3,000 square feet. A third of the community's land is preserved open space, including Wildflower Park, a 14-acre stocked fishing lake, and miles of walking and biking trails. The social heart of Sun City Huntley is Prairie Lodge, a 94,000 sq ft clubhouse recognized as the largest in Illinois. Inside residents find a state-of-the-art fitness center with cardio and weight equipment, an indoor walking track, an indoor lap pool, a 20-person indoor whirlpool spa, a resort-style outdoor pool, a grand ballroom with an elevated stage and dance floor, a card room, ceramics studio, arts and crafts studio, sewing room, computer lab, and many club meeting rooms. A second clubhouse, the 20,000 sq ft Meadow View Lodge, adds its own fitness center, aerobics and dance studios, hobby and game rooms, ballroom, and an additional outdoor pool. A third amenity building, the 4,800 sq ft Millgrove Woodworking Shop, houses a full woodworking studio, billiards hall, and a model railroad setup. Outdoors, residents enjoy Whisper Creek Golf Course — an award-winning 18-hole layout designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash, with water in play on more than half the holes and discounted fees and preferential tee times for Sun City residents. The Tall Oaks Tennis and Pickleball Club offers eight lighted tennis courts plus pickleball courts, and the community also features six bocce ball courts, horseshoe pits, a lighted softball stadium, a sand volleyball court, gardening plots, and a playground for visiting grandchildren. Lifestyle programming is exceptional. A full-time activities coordinator keeps the calendar packed, and residents can choose from more than 80 chartered clubs and interest groups covering fitness, sports, performing arts (Prairie Singers, Theatre Company, jazz band, string orchestra), crafts (ceramics, woodworking, arts and crafts), cards and games (bridge, pinochle, scrabble), and outdoor pursuits (softball, biking, fishing). Fitness programming includes cardio, strength, cycling, boot camps, golf fitness, personal training, yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, meditation, dance, and aquatic classes. Dining and wellness are built into the community. Sun City Huntley is one of only two Illinois 55+ communities with an on-site restaurant — Jameson's Charhouse — plus the Sports Pub, the Brunch Café, and More Brewing Company. The on-site Wellness Center is operated in partnership with Northwestern Medicine, offering health screenings and wellness resources without leaving the community. Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital is about 5 miles away. The community sits just off I-90 at Route 47, giving residents quick access to Chicago (50 miles), O'Hare International Airport (36-38 miles), Midway Airport (60 miles), and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital (9 miles). Everyday shopping along the Randall Road corridor includes Aldi, Jewel-Osco, Trader Joe's, Meijer, and Walmart. Sun City Huntley straddles Kane and McHenry Counties, and homes tend to sell quickly — recent average days on market run 5 to 12 days. An interesting cultural note: many Sun City Huntley residents still work full or part time and stay close to Illinois-based family, which gives the community a different energy than purely retirement-focused Sunbelt Del Webbs.