fabyan villa museum & japanese garden

We had so much fun sledding here. The windmill and riverfront location on the Fox River is stunning. Trails, art and statues are wonderful as well. Highly recommended.

The Fabyans were a very wealthy, childless couple with exotic hobbies. He tinkered with inventions, a decoder device, etc. There are cages that housed a bear and other zoo animals. The lavish Japanese garden is lovely. . There is a nearby outcropping of rocks at the southern end of the bike path in the river that dates back thousands of years, only recently discovered during a drought. The property contains Art Deco era statuary. And the mansion includes Frank Lloyd Wright designs. Get an official tour or you won't get the full experience. (I notice some reviews mention the location as Geneva, but I am almost certain it is in Batavia.)

If you like to have a good background for your photos along the river and in a Japanese Garden, this is the place to go.

We had originally set out that day to go to Aurora to shop at the Outlet Mall, but found it mobbed with shoppers and no where to park. So because we were already in the area we thought we would check and see if there was anything to see here. To our amazement we found this place by using our GPS and looking for local attractions. Located in a Forest preserve in Geneva we were pleasantly surprised to find such a beautiful little piece of heaven. Beautiful clean picnic grounds with tables, immaculately kept. It was only a short walk over a bridge on the Fox River, to a beautiful home and lovely Japanese Gardens situated nearby. Being that it was rather late in the day we were unable to enter and view the home, but the gardens, even though closed, could be seen from over the short fence. The best surprise was the large 5 story working Windmill also located nearby. There are tours available for both the Home and the Windmill but we were to late to take them. Needless to say we will be back to do them and enjoy the beautiful and tranquil grounds and the Fox River. Would love to try our hand at kayaking the river and there are wonderful bike paths in the area to ride also. The town of Batavia and Geneva are also great places to visit.

Frank Lloyd Wright in Batavia? Yes and a little gem too. If that weren't enough, hearing about Colonel Fabyan's interesting life and hobbies, strolling the beautiful grounds or riding on the bike path next to the Fox River should offer something for everyone. Our only disappointment was not being able to walk through the exquisite Japanese Garden. Seems that brides and grooms have discovered this lovely gem and rent the garden out for pictures (and privacy so no photo bombs). Did I also mention the working windmill?

Simply beautiful and amazing views. Just go, enjoy and take lots of pictures. Many people in the Fox Valley greatly enjoy the museum and garden. Well worth a visit.

I love Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture and this example of a remodeled farmhouse is no exception. The story behind the design is well presented by the volunteers with lots of fascinating background. Set that alongside the Japanese Garden, the bear pit, the windmill all situated alongside the beautiful Fox River. Charming! Opening hours are limited as it's supported by volunteers, but it's still a great place to visit any time.

I love the Japanese Garden. There is usually a gardening expert on hand to handle any enquiries about the plants, which is really informative. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit, and note that the garden is open only for a few hours on Wednesdays and Sundays. However, even outside of opening hours, it is still possible to look over the low walls and have good views of the garden. The villa itself is lovely and interesting, and the entire estate is a nice place for cycling, picnicking and general wandering around. A visit inside the windmill is fun, too.

Col. George Fabyan was a true American character. He built a personal fortune in business in the early part of the 20th century and used that to create the Fayban Farms and Riverbank Labs. The old farm house on the property was remodeled by Frank LLoyd Wright; it is now the Villa. Fabyan imported a Japanese couple to create the beautiful and tranquil garden. The former estate, now a County park, extends over the Fox River and includes the most authentic, working Dutch windmill in America. There is far too much to see to list here. Go for yourself, take a picnic and plan to spend the day.

Lovely restored japanese garden. Somewhat limited hours for public access but worth checking for hours to walk thru. Docents do a nice job of explaining history and meaning of the garden

The bridge from Island Park to the Fabyan Villa Museum and Japanese Garden is endlessly "under repair."A bit longer walk around the path gets you to these exhibits.Well-worth the additional steps to experience these places.

Lots of things to see and do here - Dutch windmill, Japanese Garden, bike trails, hiking, wildlife, picnics and more - check it out - parking off either Route 25 or Route 31 just north of Fabyan Parkway

The Fabyan Villa shows you how the Fabyan family was living here during the last century, The gardens are kept up very nicely and on Wednesday and Weekends you can visit the Japanese Garden for a stroll or just to meditate. Sometimes it is also used for special photographic events, but you need to make an appointment for it. Enjoy also a stroll along the Fox River or take a bike

I try to visit often. A great place to take photos. A beautiful Windmill , lighthouse , a Japanese garden and Museum. Crossing the Fox river you can see many birds and painted turtles. There are many frequent visitors so a friendly atmosphere. Bring food or drinks with you.

The garden was very pretty but they need to do something about the standing water. It takes away from the beauty. The museum was interesting and the tour guide was knowledgeable.