At the heart of this is the renovation of the wonderful Genesee Theatre, a downtown mainstay since 1927 and a key performing arts venue for the region after reopening in 2004.

Waukegan has an artistic flavor, underlined by ArtWauk, a monthly event in rude health, with lots of participating artists and local businesses.

In summer Lake Michigan becomes a huge attraction, and there are miles of sandy shorefront both in Waukegan and next door at the massive Illinois Beach State Park.

All the while Six Flags Great America, the largest theme park in the Midwest, is ten minutes door-to-door to the west.

1. Genesee Theatre

Source: edward P. steinburg desnged / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 3.0

Still a magnificent landmark for downtown Waukegan almost a century after it opened, the Genesee Theatre (1927) has held onto its historic character both inside and out.

The venue was conceived as a moviehouse and vaudeville stage, but also incorporated retail space and 40 apartments.

No expense was spared in the construction, be it a state-of-the-art heating and cooling system, fireproof materials, seven tons of marble or 1,200 yards of opulent tapestries.

You can glimpse much of that finery in the auditorium, which can hold 2,403 people and has marvelous, restored plaster moldings and a gigantic chandelier.

This is a stage for a wide variety of entertainment, from touring Broadway shows to movies, concerts by major artists, ballet, big-name live comedy, tribute shows and all kinds of fun for kids.

2. Six Flags Great America

Source: Lyubov Timofeyeva / shutterstock

One of the 20 most popular theme parks in the entire country is little more than ten minutes west of Waukegan.

First opened in 1976 as Marriott’s Great America, the park has 15 pulsating roller coasters among its 50+ attractions.

A few standouts for thrillseekers are Raging Bull, which has a drop of 208 feet, Batman: The Ride, with five inversions, and Vertical Velocity, hitting 70 mph in under four seconds.

Right next door to Six Flags is Hurricane Harbor Chicago, which became a separate admission park in 2021.

Set around the spacious wave pool, Hurricane Bay, this has a tangle of slides, along with the child-friendly Buccaneer Bay. One record-breaker at Hurricane Harbor is Tsunami Surge, the tallest water coaster in the world, at 86 feet.

3. Bowen Park

Source: Donna Ochoa / shutterstock

This gorgeous park in the north of Waukegan has an interesting past and was first laid out in 1843.

In those times this was a residential property, used as a summer residence by a succession of important people, including one-time Chicago mayor John Charles Haines (1818-1896).

The park, serving as a country club for much of the 20th century, was sold to the Waukegan Park District in 1963 and is now an urban park with some wonderful features.

These include stands of old growth forest and a natural ravine, as well as a slew of amenities like the Waukegan History Museum, Jack Benny Center for the Arts, creatively designed environmental learning stations, a formal garden, fitness stations, a skate park, modern playground equipment and a splash pad.

Given the abundance of mature deciduous woodland, fall is a magical time at Bowen Park.

4. Waukegan History Museum

Source: Teemu008 / Flickr | CC BY-SA

The beautiful Haines House (c. 1843) in Bowen Park is home to the Waukegan Historical Society, which maintains an excellent museum here.

The property is one of the oldest in Lake County, and offers an insight into local life in Waukegan in the 1870s with the help of furniture and fittings like drapes, wallpaper, carpets and light fixtures that once belonged to important local families.

The museum brims with interesting objects recalling famous local personalities, like a trunk that belonged to Jack Benny in his vaudeville days.

You can also find a bed used by Abraham Lincoln when he came to Waukegan in 1860 and a clock damaged when the Lake County courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1875.

5. Illinois Beach State Park

Source: Jacob Boomsma / shutterstock

There’s almost seven miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline on Waukegan’s northeast outskirts.

This 4,160-acre park is set on two neighboring units, and comprises a delicate dune system in which more than 650 different plant species have been recorded.

On the sandy ridges grow aromatic pines and stands of black oaks, loosely dispersed in a savanna-like habitat.

In summer the big attraction is of course the beach, which has designated swimming areas, complemented by picnic tables, a campground, park store and the 96-room Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center.

6. Waukegan Municipal Beach

Source: Donna Ochoa / shutterstock

Just north of the harbor in Waukegan is a lovely place to spend a sunny day by Lake Michigan. Waukegan Municipal Beach is a mile of natural sand fringed by some of the last remaining dunes in the area.

The water at the beach is claimed to be the cleanest and clearest in Lake County. The surrounding park covers more than 400 acres, and facilities for swimming, sunbathing, kiteboarding, sand volleyball and sand soccer.

The Stiner Pavilion, just in from the beach, schedules concerts and festivals all through the summer.

Mobile food vendors line the beach on summer weekends, and if you’d like a sweet treat, look no further than Dockside Ice Cream in a cute clapboard cottage near the harbor.

7. Downtown Waukegan

Source: puroticorico / Flickr | CC BY

With a slew of independent businesses, a percolating arts scene, historic architecture and tree-lined streets, downtown Waukegan merits a little exploration.

Food-wise you’re in good hands, with great options for hearty pub fare, tacos, steaks and Caribbean food, while in summer there are great little spots for hot dogs and ice cream just across the tracks at the marina.

As we’ll see, the third Saturday of the month is ArtWauk, a thriving community event, while there’s a steady flow of world-class live entertainment at the Genesee Theatre and the more intimate Three Brothers Theatre.

8. ArtWauk

Source: ArtWauk / Facebook

On the third Saturday of every month downtown Waukegan becomes the cultural hub on the North Shore with a multidisciplinary art extravaganza that has now been going for more than a decade.

ArtWauk is steeped in arts and crafts of course, with a cluster of studios and galleries downtown opening their doors to visitors to view and purchase painting, sculpture and decorative pieces.

But there’s also a big helping of comedy, live music, film and street theater, along with great food and drink from local eateries and bars.

9. Zümbier Brewery

Source: Zümbier / Facebook

Even in these days when there’s a craft brewery in every town, the Chicago area leads the way.

Chicago counts more breweries than any other city, in an industry that employs upwards of 50,000 people. One local establishment in rude health is Waukegan’s Zümbier, founded and owned by a husband and wife team, one half of which is German.

There’s a German accent when it comes to the brewery’s lineup of “biers”, produced in small batches and including 22 year-round brews and a handful of season/special releases.

A few picks are Talea (Düsseldorf Altbier), Kölsch Diddy, Hanseatic (Belgian Dark Beer), Comrade (Imperial Stout), Liberty Call (IPA) and a choice of juicy sours.

The trendy taproom is open Wednesday to Sunday, and puts on live music and trivia nights, and serves some delicious homemade popcorn.

10. Fishing Charters

Source: HTurner / shutterstock

With a harbor and 1,000-slip marina loaded with facilities, Waukegan is a natural choice for fishing trips on Lake Michigan.

The harbor has an extended season, from the start of April to the start of November, and there’s world-class salmon and trout fishing throughout this time.

You don’t need to bring anything with you, or have any fishing experience, because you’ve got a host of fishing charter companies based in Waukegan ready to take you onto the lake for a perfect day.

A few to check out are Captain Don’s Charter Fishing, Lake Michigan Charter Fishing, Waukegan Charter Boat Fishing, Kristy Lynn Charters, Bear King Fishing and Windy City Salmon.

11. Robert McClory Bike Path

Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology / Flickr | CC BY-SA

A 26.5-mile path passes through Waukegan close to the lakeshore, from Highland Park in the south to the Wisconsin state line.

This follows some of the right of way of the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad, an interurban line that operated from 1916 to 1963.

The route is lovely, leading mostly through peaceful and leafy suburban communities, with parks and natural spaces on the route, including Waukegan’s Lyons Woods Forest Preserve.

And if you get tired the trail is always close to the Metra line, so you can always catch a train back to Waukegan.

You can also continue your trip to Wilmette at the south end via the connecting Green Bay Trail, and Kenosha, WI, at the northern terminus on the 3.5-mile Kenosha County Bike Trail.

12. Lyons Woods Forest Preserve

Source: Donna Ochoa / shutterstock

Lake County Forest Preserves manages almost 31,000 acres of public land, all within easy reach of Waukegan.

These are spread across dozens of parcels, within indoor and outdoor attractions, more than 200 miles of trails and amenities for activities like golf, fishing, swimming, winter sports, dog walking, horseback riding and more.

One space on Waukegan’s doorstep is the 345-acre Lyons Woods Forest Preserve, which has a mosaic of habitats from mature oak woodland to prairie, wetlands and pine groves.

The preserve is on high ground atop the bluff lands bordering Lake Michigan and has 2.5 miles of trails for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing in winter.

13. Jack Benny Center

Source: 18percentgrey / shutterstock

In Bowen Park, this multidisciplinary arts center is the seat of the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra and Concert Chorus, and the Bowen Park Theatre and Opera Company.

Both companies schedule numerous performances each year, while the center also offers private music lessons and classes in theatre, dance and more for youth and adults.

The venue is named for the much-loved entertainer Jack Benny (1894-1974) who grew up in Waukegan and returned to star in the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra’s debut performance in 1974.

Two dates to mark on the calendar are Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine Fine Arts Festival in early June and the Joseph A. Favero Memorial Do It Yourself Messiah, normally on the third Saturday in December.

14. Ray Bradbury Experience Museum

Source: Ray Bradbury Experience Museum / Facebook

The hugely influential writer Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) was born in Waukegan and spent his early childhood here. He returned on and off until the age of 14 when his family moved to Los Angeles.

Waukegan stayed with Bradbury, and was referred to as Green Town in many of his classics. It follows then that there should be a museum for Bradbury in Waukegan, and this was some years in the planning, finally opening in 2020 on the author’s centennial when visitor attractions were subject to restrictions.

When we wrote this article the museum was not yet a full fledged attraction, but before long this space on Genesee Street will be filled with interactive experiences studying Bradbury’s roots in Waukegan, his vast impact on 20th-century culture and his unique vision for the future.

15. National Museum of the American Sailor

Source: ChicagoPhotographer / shutterstock

A brief trip down to the navy station at Great Lakes will bring you to one of the country’s 10 navy museums managed by the Naval History and Heritage Command.

With more than 40,000 artifacts in its collections, the National Museum of the American Sailor gives an in-depth account of the U.S. Navy from colonial America to the present day.

You can peruse uniforms, accessories, weapons and a wealth of imedia, including the largest archive of boot camp photography in the country.

When we wrote this article the main permanent exhibit was Sails Unfurled: The Dawn of the United States Navy, 1775-1865, filled with interactive features like a knot-tying station. There was also a superb temporary exhibit showing the changing designs of navy tattoos.

The post 15 Best Things to Do in Waukegan (IL) appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

At that time the city was a manufacturing hub, and two beautiful Gothic Revival skyscrapers from the pre-Depression heyday command Elgin’s skyline.

Holdovers from those boom days include a sprawling public park, an award-winning library and even an astronomical observatory constructed in 1910 to provide accurate data for the Elgin National Watch Company.

There’s culture aplenty in this elegant spot on the Fox River, with a leading regional orchestra, superb museums and high-quality performance venues.

The riverside is an attraction in its own right, lined with parks and a multi-use trail that runs from Algonquin to Aurora.

1. Elgin History Museum

Source: Teemu008 / Flickr | CC BY-SA

Elgin Academy, founded in 1839, is the oldest coeducational, non-sectarian college preparatory school west of the Allegheny Mountains.

An original building for this institution is the Greek Revival-style Old Main (1856), which was sold to the city to be restored in the 1870s.

This building now holds the excellent Elgin History Museum, charting the story of the city from a few perspectives.

From River to Rails looks at Elgin’s earliest days through the 1890s and the arrival of the railroads, while Made in Elgin explores the many different products manufactured in the city in its industrial prime.

There’s a detailed introduction to Elgin’s wealth of historic architecture, as well as a whole room dedicated to the Elgin National Watch Company, a market leader in the first decades of the 20th century.

Finally, Elgin: 20th Century looks at the key events up to the 1970s, including prohibition and the Palm Sunday Tornado of 1920.

2. Lords Park

Source: davidwilson1949 / Flickr | CC BY

In the 1890s the wealthy Lord family purchased this 108-acre tract of land and gifted it to the City of Elgin to be used as a public park.

Lords Park is as genteel as they come, with beautiful stands of mature oak and hickory on undulating terrain.

There are two picnic shelters here, along with a zoo (more later), two playgrounds and facilities for tennis, little league baseball and basketball.

You’ll also see some fabulous monuments, like the gorgeous two-story park pavilion, raised in 1898 and the purpose-built Neoclassical museum building, which we’ll talk about later.

3. Lords Park Zoo

Source: Andreas Vogel / shutterstock

On the south side, Lords Park has had a zoo since the 1890s and this is a beloved summer attraction in Elgin attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year.

The zoo, in gorgeous grounds, has traditionally focussed on species native to Illinois, but has kept a lion in the past.

Nowadays you can see bison, white-tailed deer and elk in the pasture, and this is bordered by a pond with wild geese and ducks.

At the north end children adore the Farm Zoo, where they can interact with domestic animals like goats, pigs, cows, sheep and a miniature donkey and llama.

4. Fox River Trail

Source: Ronincmc / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 4.0

Elgin is one of a string of communities on a 40-mile multi-use trail that tracks the Fox River from Algonquin in the north to Aurora in the south.

Large sections of the route follow the former rights of way of freight and interurban railroads laid down in the 1890s.

This makes for an easy gradient and little interference from road traffic, and on the way are fishing spots, boat launches, picnic areas and endless options for food and drink.

The Fox River Trail may be at its best in Elgin where it stays remarkably close to the water’s edge, passing through a sequence of parks and bordered by cultural amenities and restaurants.

You could make a little detour to Walton Island Park, where a pair of river islands are connected by footbridges and have little lawns, flowerbeds and shelters.

5. Elgin Public Museum

Source: Elgin Public Museum / Facebook

In Lords Park, this museum was established in 1920 and is housed in a fine Neoclassical building completed in 1907.

The Elgin Public Museum is dedicated to natural history and anthropology, and is the only attraction of its kind in the Fox Valley area.

Inside, exhibits cover the La Salle Expeditions of the 17th century, as well as Ice Age mammals, Native American ways of life, Amazon Creek fossils, rocks and minerals and the natural habitats of the Fox River.

There’s always a compelling temporary exhibit to check out, as well as the Discovery Room, an educational space for younger visitors, centered on an interactive T-Rex model.

6. Gail Borden Public Library

Source: Wonderlane / Flickr | CC BY

Elgin has a public library that would be the envy of most cities. This is named after the inventor of condensed milk, Gail Borden (1801-1871), who set up a factory here in 1866.

The original Gail Borden Library was in the historic Scofield mansion until 2003 when this spectacular new complex opened in picturesque grounds on the east bank of the Fox River.

For Elgin residents this is a wonderful public resource, with a cafe, the day’s newspapers, computers, free Wi-Fi and of course a giant collection of books, DVDs, audiobooks, video games and puzzles.

And that’s before we talk about the library’s programs, which include all sorts of clubs, children’s activities, music performances, exhibitions, talks, presentations and more.

7. Elgin Fire Barn No. 5 Museum

Source: Teemu008 / Flickr | CC BY-SA

This stately-looking building southeast of downtown is in fact a former fire station, operating from 1903 until as recently as 1991.

Elgin’s fifth engine fire barn is in the Classical Revival style, designed by local architect Smith Hoag who intended the building to resemble a storefront. The building is now a repository for Elgin Fire Department’s most prized artifacts.

Along with uniforms, badges, helmets and photographs are vehicles like a Silsby horse drawn steamer engine from 1869 and an American Lafrance Fire Engine dating to 1929. The former was used to fight the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

8. Elgin Historic District

Source: Teemu008 / Flickr | CC BY-SA

Enclosed by Villa Street in the south and Park Street in the north is the oldest portion of Elgin, first settled by European Americans in the 1830s.

This sizable historic core, one of five in Elgin, has 697 buildings (429 contributing) and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983.

Exploring the historic district you’ll come across a large spectrum of architectural styles as the area was developed across the last decades of the 19th century and up to around 1930.

The oldest structures, like the Gifford-Davidson House (1850), are in a vernacular Cobblestone style, predating the Victorian architecture that came later in the 19th century.

Few vacant lots remained after the 1920s and new construction has been rare, so almost every block in the district is dominated by handsome century-old houses, apartment buildings, former factories, churches and public buildings.

An especially pretty ensemble can be found at Gifford Park, which was first landscaped in 1844 and with a charming gazebo at the center.

9. Festival Park

Source: Lumena / shutterstock

In a perfect setting right on the river, this beautiful space has a dual role as a neighborhood park loaded with amenities and as a venue for some of Elgin’s biggest annual events.

The Fox River Trail runs through Festival Park, while for families there’s a superb playground and an ever popular splash pad that stays open from 10 am to 8 pm in the summer months.

It’s hard to miss the silhouette of the Grand Victoria Casino just downriver. The casino schedules a season of concerts in summer, while Elgin also organizes events like the Summer Movies in the Park series, as well as get-togethers as diverse as Ribfest in June and the Festival of Lights during the holiday season.

10. The Hemmens Cultural Center

Source: Jerry Bergquist / shutterstock

Founded in 1950, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra is held as one of the foremost regional orchestras in the United States.

The list of famous musicians and conductors who have performed with the orchestra is formidable and includes Yo-Yo Ma, Benny Goodman, Rachel Barton Pine, Pepe Romero, Rosen Milanov, Jennifer Koh and Nicola Benedetti.

The orchestra’s seat is the 1,200-seat Hemmens Auditorium, right on the east bank of the Fox River. A typical season brings some 40 performances, in a diverse program that features classics, educational concerts, pops and holiday shows.

Noted for its clear sight lines, the auditorium also has a rich program of plays, dance performances, concerts by famous recording artists and live comedy throughout the year.

11. Elgin Art Showcase

Source: Azer Merz / shutterstock

One of the finest pieces of heritage in downtown Elgin is the Professional Building, eight stories tall and built in the Gothic Revival style in 1928.

Although renovations have been mooted, the Professional Building is still mostly used for offices, and at the time of writing a state senator (Cristina Castro) and state representative (Anna Moeller) were based here.

In 2007 the eighth floor was remodeled as a superb multidisciplinary arts space, hosting intimate art exhibitions and a wide array of performances.

There’s a capacity for 100 spectators up here and the view of the city at this height is unparalleled.

12. Kane County Forest Preserve District

Source: Jerzy Szwoch / shutterstock

One of the special things about Elgin is the sheer quantity of nature all around. For a century now, the Kane County Forest Preserve District has sought to safeguard and restore dozens of natural areas within minutes of Elgin.

These parcels of prairie, forest and wetlands add up to a total 20,000 acres, ready for all sorts of activities.

You could go on a hike or bike ride, take a horseback trip, enjoy a family picnic, go camping, nature spotting, play golf, go fishing or take your dog to an off-leash area.

A few of the spaces within minutes of downtown Elgin include the Poplar Creek, Raymond Street and Kenyon Farm forest preserves on the Fox River’s east bank, or Otter Creek, Eagles, Tyler Creek and Burnidge Forest Preserves close to the west bank.

13. Fisher Nuts

Source: Ken Wolter / shutterstock

One of the largest employers in Elgin is the Fisher Nuts brand, which moved into a one million square-foot facility in the city in 2007.

Sold at ballparks all over the United States, Fisher Nuts was established in Minnesota in 1920 and is famed for its pioneering honey roast range that was launched in the 1970s.

You can head to their facility in Elgin to visit the enormous factory store, which has an almost overwhelming variety of nuts, chocolate and other tempting candy.

Naturally you’ll find pecans, cashews, peanuts and almonds, in all kinds of different flavors and preparations, from dry roasted to covered in chocolate.

Alongside these is a massive variety of old time candy and chocolate, as well as nut butters of all kinds made fresh to order.

14. U-46 Observatory/Planetarium

Source: Teemu008 / Flickr | CC BY-SA

From the end of the 19th century to 1968 the local economy was dominated by the Elgin National Watch Company.

For most of this time the company was the largest manufacturer of fine watches in the country.

And to produce a more accurate watch the brand even constructed an observatory to provide more precise data on time, accurate to within tenth of a second.

Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the observatory was completed in 1910 in a Classical Revival style and was later donated to the local school district, with a planetarium added in 1963.

As well as being a fascinating monument, at the corner of Raymond and Watch streets, the facility opens to the public for a series of sky shows during the school year.

15. Grand Victoria Casino

Source: Nejdet Duzen / shutterstock

Elgin is home to one of the nine riverboat casinos in the state of Illinois. This is permanently “docked” on the south side of Festival Park, and is also among the city’s top ten employers.

Revenue from the Grand Victoria Casino goes into the city’s coffers, helping to fund programs as varied as film screenings, toy collecting and housing restoration.

When we wrote this article the casino had around 1,100 video poker and slot machines, along with 36 table games.

There’s also full-service sports betting via the bookmaker William Hill on the casino floor, as well as high-profile entertainment and dining choices ranging from a steakhouse/bistro to a deli, buffet and pizzeria.

The post 15 Best Things to Do in Elgin (IL) appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

This is a highly diverse part of Chicagoland that was settled by a large Jewish population, including many Holocaust survivors, in the wake of World War II.

Skokie continues to have a large Jewish community, making up about a third of the population, and is home to several Orthodox schools and has an active Chabad.

For visitors this is a welcoming place that takes pride in its cultural makeup, with a high-profile Holocaust museum, a passion for the arts, an upscale Westfield mall and first-class public amenities.

1. Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

Source: victor408 / Flickr | CC BY

This institution had been almost 30 years in the pipeline when it opened in 2009. The origins of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center go back to an attempt by a Neo Nazis group to march in the village in the early 80s.

In a building designed by Stanley Tigerman, the museum exhibitions approach the Holocaust and topics like prejudice and hatred, using state-of-the-art museography.

The detailed Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition is a moving but educational timeline, taking your from pre-war Europe through ghettoization, concentration camps and then resettlement.

Another permanent display is the Take a Stand Center, using technology to emphasise contemporary social justice and relate Holocaust survivor accounts.

Finally, Make a Difference is an interactive attraction for children up to the age of 12, encouraging self-esteem, empathy, leadership skills and positive decision making.

2. Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park

Source: Chicago's North Shore Conventions & Visitors Burea / Flickr | CC BY

The Skokie bank of the North Shore Channel drainage canal beside McCormick Boulevard had been an eyesore for decades until it was transformed into this sensational linear park.

This project, a collaboration between the Village of Skokie and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, began in the late 1980s and has resulted in dozens of engaging sculptures and installations beside the channel.

Arranged across four sections, these are surrounded by beautiful landscaping, with lawns and slowly maturing trees, and are easily accessed via the North Shore Channel Trail.

What makes the park compelling is the variety of styles and materials, and among the works by leading international sculptors are pieces by the students of local high schools.

3. Emily Oaks Nature Center

Source: Gregory Johnston / shutterstock

You can get reacquainted with the natural world at this tranquil parcel of wilderness in Skokie.

Over 13 acres, the Emily Oaks Nature Center is composed of oak woodland, grassland speckled with wildflowers in early summer and two ponds, all ready to be discovered on a trail.

These habitats harbor rich wildlife, with coyotes, red foxes, Cooper’s hawks, flying squirrels and great blue herons all frequently spotted.

The center has an educational vocation, hosting interactive displays and organizing activities as varied as birding, identifying wildflowers, storytelling campfires and seasonal celebrations like Earth Day.

4. Westfield Old Orchard

Source: On The Run Photo / shutterstock

This plush outdoor mall has been part of the Skokie shopping scene since 1956 and was purchased by the Westfield brand in 2002.

When we wrote this article the four anchor stores were Bloomingdale’s Nordstrom, Macy’s and Barnes & Noble.

On elegant alleys with flowers, trees, hedges, streetlamps and a fountain are favorites like Zara, Sephora, Gap, Foot Locker, Apple and Banana Republic, as well as plenty of premium brands including Rolex, Michael Kors and Tiffany & Co.

When it comes to dining, there’s a mix of food court mainstays and fast casual chains from Shake Shack to Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings and Nando’s. And you can include a movie in your outing at the CMX Westfield Old Orchard.

5. North Branch Bike Trail

Source: John Ruberry / shutterstock

Roughly tracing the course of the North Branch Chicago River, this Class I bicycle trail winds through northeastern Cook County for 22 miles.

The southern trailhead is not far from Skokie at Gompers Park, and from there it arcs round, passing through a piece of Skokie at Harms Woods just west of Westfield Old Orchard and one of a long chain of forest preserves along the route.

The trail is especially pretty north of Skokie proper, along the Skokie Lagoons, recording more than 200 bird species, before reaching the Chicago Botanic Garden at Glencoe.

From there you can get onto the Green Bay Trail, on the old trackbed of the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad.

6. North Shore Center for the Performing Arts

Source: Chicago's North Shore Conventions & Visitors Burea / Flickr | CC BY

Right in Skokie is a modern destination for theatre, comedy, dance and music. The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1996, and offers superb cultural, literary and educational programs for the residents of Skokie and neighboring communities.

The center consists of an 867-seat main stage theater, along with a flexible 318-capacity auditorium for performances and community events.

In recent years the center has also put on an exciting series of outdoor concerts in the Out Back Parking Lot.

Keep an eye on the schedule for a rich lineup, offering music of all styles, famous comedians, dance, broadway shows and magic.

7. Skokie Heritage Museum

Source: Skokie Heritage Museum / Facebook

Within a few steps of the Village Hall is a pair of fascinating old buildings that together serve as the Skokie Heritage Museum.

The first of these is the Historic Engine House, constructed in 1887 as a response to the Chicago Fire of 1871.

This fine brick building was decommissioned in 1969 and today houses permanent historical displays on the first floor, as well as traveling and temporary exhibits on the second floor.

Just behind it is a wonderful piece of Skokie history in the form of an original log cabin, raised in 1847 by the early Niles Township settlers Nicholas and Elizabeth Meyer.

8. Skokie Theatre

Source: Skokie Theatre / Facebook

Catching the eye for its glossy Art Moderne style and checkerboard motif, the Skokie Theatre has been around in some form since 1915.

The current design dates to an expansion and remodeling in the 1940s. For most of its history the venue was a single-screen movie theater, before finally closing in 2004 and becoming a live performance venue.

Today the Skokie Theatre is run by MadKap Productions, programming musicals, concerts, talent shows, plays, stand-up and sketch comedy, seasonal celebrations, cabaret, kids’ shows, Oscar night screenings and much more.

9. The Exploritorium

Source: Exploritorium / Facebook

A fantastic option for rainy days, the Exploritorium is an interactive indoor playground run by the Skokie Park District and recently acclaimed by the Chicago Tribune.

This attraction is creatively designed to help children learn through open-ended play.

There are two and a half stories of tubes and tunnels to explore, along with a climbing wall, a water play area with a water vortex, a costumed dress-up area with a stage, the Engineering Megastation and the train-oriented Transportation Station.

10. Skokie Water Playground

Source: Ryan Dickey / Flickr | CC BY

The Skokie Park District maintains two excellent outdoor aquatic facilities. The larger of these is a water park that can be found just north of the Emily Oaks Nature Center.

This boasts an expansive, 14,000-square-foot main pool with beach entry, as well as three water slides.

The fully-accessible splash pad, with its many jets and sprinklers, is always a hit with kids, and one thrilling feature is a 300-gallon tip bucket that fills and then drenches everyone below.

There’s a concession stand for a snack, cool drink or frozen treat, and there’s room enough for all families to spread out and relax.

11. Devonshire Aquatic Center

Source: Roman Samborskyi / shutterstock

Another much anticipated summer institution for families in Skokie is the Devonshire Aquatic Center.

This facility hosts a wealth of programs, from swim lessons, to gender-specific swim sessions, parent/tot swims and even “Dive-in Movies”.

The center consists of a large main pool, with beach entry and swim lanes. This is complemented by a separate dive tank with a three-meter drop slide, as well as a fully accessible splash pad.

There’s a concession stand here, open all summer, and a sun hill for some post-swim rest.

12. Skokie Valley Trail

Source: AStolnik / Shutterstock

Starting by the Dempster-Skokie L station and running south is a popular bike trail extending through Skokie.

Following the ComEd right of way, the trail is a wonderful shortcut through the village for cyclists and passes through the west side of the Emily Oaks Nature Center.

At the time of writing this article the Skokie Valley Trail was in the process of being connected to the Valley Line Trail, allowing rides through a succession of Chicago’s northern suburbs, including Wilmette, Glenview and Northfield, as well as Lincolnwood in the south.

13. Skokie Festival of Cultures

Source: Skokie Festival of Cultures / Facebook

It’s fitting that a place as diverse as Skokie should host a wildly successful celebration of world cultures.

This event takes place across two days in May in Oakton Park, and has grown dramatically since its inception in 1990.

Now some 40 cultures are represented, with arts and crafts, folk music and dance, children’s games, cultural booths and a truly international array of food.

The event’s showpiece is a display of the flags for every nation represented in the festival, and a mini train ride meanders through the park during the celebration.

14. Skokie Farmers’ Market

Source: Jerry Bergquist / shutterstock

A hallmark of the summer and fall in Skokie, the village’s farmers’ market takes place on Sunday mornings from the start of June to the beginning of November.

The location is the Village Hall parking lot, where you’ll encounter a large array of vendors for local fruit and vegetables, cheese, herbs, flowers, preserves, honey, sauces, pastries and more besides.

The farmers all come from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, and much of the produce you see was picked only hours before. There’s also usually some inviting food to go, with a popular stand that makes great tacos and tamales.

15. Georgia Nut Company

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A major employer in Skokie is this nut and confectionery company, founded by one Rose Musso in 1945 and now in the fourth generation of the same family.

One of the largest privately held snack manufacturers in North America, the Georgia Nut Company has a massive manufacturing facility in Skokie and you can drop by the retail store here for great deals on their range.

This could be honey roasted peanuts, yogurt pretzels, chocolate almonds, milk chocolate malt balls, roasted cashews, dried fruits, sugar-shelled chocolate and all sorts of beautifully packaged seasonal treats.

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This is reflected in many aspects of local life, and for visitors it means ethical and sustainable independent businesses, especially in the shopping areas at Main Street and Dempster Street.

Northwestern University, one of the top institutions of higher learning in the country, is right in Evanston and is central to the city’s character. The main campus merits a visit for its excellent art museum.

In fact this is one of a few museums that deserve a visit in Evanston, devoted to topics as varied as Native American cultures, stained glass and Toby Jugs.

1. Northwestern University

Source: Liz Albro Photography / shutterstock

Easily the largest employer in Evanston, and something that contributes to the city’s unique culture is Northwestern University, one of the top research universities in the United States.

A few of the items on this list are university institutions, like the excellent Block Museum of Art or the Dearborn Observatory.

The university is also renowned for its performing arts, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Pharell Williams, David Schwimmer and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are among the alumni.

Be sure to check the calendar for the Wirtz Center for the Performing arts, while sports fans can cheer for the Wildcats on Saturdays during the fall season, when the university’s Big Ten Conference football team plays at Ryan Field.

There’s a pep rally at Wildcat Alley in the hour before kick-off, with local talent and music from the university’s marching band.

2. Block Museum of Art

Source: Madcoverboy (talk) / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 3.0

Something unmissable at Northwestern University is the institution’s highly-regarded art museum.

The Block Museum of Art has been around since 1980, and in 2000 moved into a glass-clad Modernist by Dirk Lohan, grandson and student of Mies van der Rohe.

The collection is sensational, specializing in Chicago graphic art from the 1930s and 40s, American computer-generated art, South African prints from the early 1990s and Midwestern documentary photography.

A few renowned artists featured in the collection are Barbara Hepworth, Carrie Mae Weems, Joan Miró, Max Beckmann, Jasper Johns and Chuck Close.

Visit for expertly curated solo and collective exhibitions. Recent subjects have been Abstraction in the Arab World, American Art Against Anti-Black Violence, Latin American Pop Art and video art by Isaac Julein.

3. Evanston History Center

Source: Teemu008 / Flickr | CC BY-SA

The 30th vice president of the United States, Charles G. Dawes (1865-1951) spent the last forty years of his life in Evanston.

He is remembered in particular for the Dawes Plan (1925), which resolved the issue of German WWI reparations, and which earned him a Nobel peace Prize. Dawes’ Chateauesque lakefront mansion, dating back to 1894, is open to the public for docent-led and self-guided tours.

The property is replete with period furnishings and art belonging to the Dawes family. There’s a portrait of Dawes’ ancestor William Dawes (1745-1799), famous for helping to alert about the approach of British troops at the outset of the American Revolution in 1775.

A tour takes in the library, kitchen, dining room and great hall, and there’s a permanent exhibit recording Evanston’s history, from uninhabited wetlands and swampy forest to the present day.

4. Mitchell Museum of the American Indian

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This fantastic museum in the northwest of Evanston explores the history of Native American from paleo-Indians to the present day.

The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian was founded in 1977 and its main exhibition is the compelling and artifact-rich Regional Tour of American Indian Cultures.

Here you can find out the traditional ways of life, art and story of Native American peoples in the Arctic, Woodlands east of the Mississippi River, on the Northwest Coast, in the Southwest and on the Plains.

As you go you’ll read well-researched accounts and see examples of weaving, beadwork, Katsina dolls, masks, pottery, bandolier bags, gutskin parkas, snow goggles, canoes and totem poles.

There are also temporary exhibits on a diversity of topics, from jewelry to the Native American heritage of modern Illinois.

5. Grosse Point Lighthouse

Source: Nejdet Duzen / shutterstock

Built in 1873 after a series of maritime disasters, the Grosse Point Lighthouse became the lead beacon guiding traffic on the lake into Chicago.

The lighthouse is still active, with a range of 18 nautical miles, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

You can take a tour of this building, and enjoy the panorama from the top 113 feet above Lake Michigan, while the keeper’s house has interpretive displays.

Close by you’ll find the handsome but long empty Harley Clarke Mansion (1927), in grounds designed by feted landscape architect Jens Jensen.

And down on the lakefront is Lighthouse Beach, one of the best places to spend a warm summer’s day in Evanston.

6. American Toby Jug Museum

Source: Ryan Dickey / Flickr | CC BY

This sensational museum is devoted to the Toby Jug, a form of pottery jug that emerged in England in the 18th century, as well as the character jugs that derived from them.

The collection is extraordinary, composed of 8,000 pieces, elegantly presented in 97 glass cabinets.

Authentic and characterful 18th-century Toby Jugs are the basis for the collection, and there are 300 in all.

These are displayed along with Royal Doulton character jugs, works of majolica, antique miniatures for dollhouses and a fun display of character jugs spanning the history of pop culture, from Star Wars to Marvel.

7. Shopping

Source: James Andrews1 / shutterstock

Keen to nurture local businesses, Evanston has several low-rise shopping districts. From south to north, the first of these can be found on Howard Street, and then you’ve got Main Street, Dempster Street, Downtown and then Noyes and Central Street in the north.

Each area warrants exploration and is served by Metra or L stops. Arguably the best place for independent stores is Main Street and Dempster, rolled together as the Main-Dempster Mile.

There you can browse for ethical fashion, Belgian chocolate, fabrics, pet products, hemp/CBD products, vintage jewelry, collectible fossils and minerals, grain to glass liquor and so much more.

Food-wise this area is just as diverse, with everything from Argentine cuisine to Korean-American, gourmet pizza, pan-Asian, kombucha, sushi and sustainable coffee shops.

Back in downtown Evanston, the farmers’ market trades on Saturday mornings from the beginning of May to early November.

8. Halim Time & Glass Museum

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Also in Evanston’s contingent of sensational museums is this attraction with two separate but equally impressive collections.

As the name suggests, the Halim Time & Glass Museum is dedicated to stained glass and timepieces.

When it comes to the former, there are pieces by the masters of the American School, including Tiffany, Lamb, Tillinghast and Sperry.

The Treasures of Louis Comfort Tiffany exhibit tracks the artist’s creative life, through oil paintings, pastels, watercolors, pottery and stained glass.

The Clocks of the World exhibit is no less enthralling, with more than 1,100 timepieces, counting pocket watches, automatons, chronometers, tall case clocks and tower clocks spanning centuries.

9. Evanston SPACE

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Often listed among the best live music venues in Chicagoland, Evanston SPACE is an innovative music hall, established on Chicago Ave, close to Dempster’s L station in 2008.

The genre-hopping list of artists and bands to have performed here over the last decade and change is impressive and features Nick Lowe, Brandi Carlile, David Lindley, Robyn Hitchcock and Terrence Blanchard.

There’s room for audiences of 250, seated at candle-lit round tables, and the venue is also used for lectures, discussions, live radio broadcasts and regular podcast tapings.

10. Clark Street Beach

Source: James Andrews1 / shutterstock

Just east of downtown there’s a welcoming stretch of waterfront, typically patrolled by lifeguards from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

To access Clark Beach during the summer season you’ll need a season pass or day pass, while on Mondays there’s free access for Evanston residents.

What you’ll find is an enticing and clean sweep of sand with a large designated swimming area, as well as volleyball nets towards the north end.

And although you’ll need to pay a fee, everything is well maintained, including showers and bathrooms.

There’s a beautiful green space behind at Centennial Park, as well as a big choice of restaurants a few steps away downtown.

11. Dawes Park

Source: James Andrews1 / shutterstock

Directly south of Clark Street Beach is possibly the prettiest public park in Evanston. Slightly elevated, Dawes Park is especially lovely early on in the day from spring to fall when you can watch the sun come up over Lake Michigan.

The central feature here is the shallow Arrington Lagoon, which has a pair of fountain jets, a little island at the south end and a stage on the north bank for outdoor concerts in summer.

The lagoon, encircled by grassy banks, is a magnet for water birds and a fine place to while away an hour or two with a book in summer.

In the winter the lagoon becomes a skating rink once the water freezes. Next to the lagoon is the Church Street Power Boat Ramp, at the head of Greenwood Beach, also open to the public.

12. Merrick Rose Garden

Source: James Andrews1 / shutterstock

Understandably a popular place for wedding photo sessions, Merrick Rose Garden is in a leafy residential neighborhood just southwest of downtown Evanston.

Perfectly manicured with geometric beds, a small sunken lawn and clipped shrubs and hedges, the garden is planted with upwards of 2,000 roses from more than 200 varieties.

This space was first laid out in 1948, and at the south end is the much older Centennial Fountain, purchased by public donations in 1876.

The current fountain is a replica cast in 1912, and renovated in 1951, 1988 and most recently in 2000.

13. Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park

Source: Chicago's North Shore Conventions & Visitors Burea / Flickr | CC BY

This park is right on the North Shores Channel, which marks Evanston’s western boundary.

On the west bank, the linear park continues for two miles, divided into four half-mile sections. It was created in the late 1990s on what was previously disused land, and at the time of writing there were over 60 sculptures on show, among lawns, trees and shrubs.

These works are composed from a variety of materials, including stainless steel, bronze, concrete, salvaged aircraft aluminum, redwood, stoneware or fired clay.

Among the artists involved are prominent sculptors like Rüdiger Seidt, Stacy Latt Savage and Fisher Stolz, but also groups of students of local high schools.

14. Dearborn Observatory

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Something intriguing on the Northwestern University campus is this astronomical observatory in a Richardson Romanesque built with rusticated limestone in 1888.

The facility dates back earlier, to the 1860s, operating what was then the largest refracting telescope in the world. In 1939 the entire building had to be moved a few hundred feet to the southeast to make way for the university’s Technological Institute.

You can visit the Dearborn Observatory on Friday nights for public viewing sessions inside the dome. This structure has distinctive aluminum cladding, and its hand-crank mechanism was replaced with an electric motor in 1997.

15. Baha’i House of Worship

Source: Nejdet Duzen / shutterstock

Dating back to the 19th century, the Baháʼí Faith is a new religion, the core tenet being the fundamental unity of all the world’s religions.

At the time of writing this article, the faith had established ten houses of worship around the world, in places like Langenhain, Germany, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Santiago, Chile and Sydney, Australia.

But the oldest of all, completed in 1953, can be found by the entrance to the North Shores Channel in nearby Wilmette.

Open as a devotional space for any faith, the temple is under a majestic dome, rising to 138 feet and surrounded by fountains and gardens.

There’s seating for 1,191 people here, and the architecture is imbued with symbols from all the major religions, notably on the exterior pillars where the profuse mouldings contain the Star of David, the star and crescent, the Christian Cross and swastika motifs for the Hindu and Buddhist faiths.

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Big swathes of the Village of Palatine are given over to parks, golf courses and nature preserves, so there’s ample opportunity to get outside in the summer, whether you’re hiking in woodland, swinging a club, boating, fishing, swimming, cycling, horseback riding, or throwing a frisbee.

Palatine also has a high-quality outdoor mall and sits within minutes of famous attractions like Medieval Times in Schaumburg or the famous old racecourse at Arlington Park.

Closer to home you can catch Palatine’s latent acting talent at the Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, while the village has a popular farmers’ market and a series of festivals and events in summer.

1. George Clayson House Museum

Source: Teemu008 / Flickr | CC BY-SA

This historic house museum, operated by the Palatine Historical Society, is on the south side of the Community Park.

The property, named after a 19th-century occupant and member of the Palatine Board of Trustees, was built in 1873 in a refined Second Empire style.

True to that French style, the house has a mansard roof. Inside, the house looks as it did at the end of the 19th century, and is flush with Victorian furniture donated by Palatine residents, as well as restored original fittings like mantelpieces.

You can check out displays of antique costumes, kitchen implements, toys, books and more. On the grounds there’s also a historic carriage house, relocated to this site from Plum Grove Rd, as well as a delightful garden and a shed containing historic tools.

2. Community Park

Source: Parilov / shutterstock

Close to the Village Hall and the Clayson House Museum is Palatine’s main park for recreation, as well as a space for festivals and concerts. Community Park has a skate park and amenities for soccer, basketball and baseball.

On the southwest corner is the Palatine Skate Park, open in winter, while the Family Aquatic Center on the southeast side is a 3,000-square-foot facility with slides, an enormous beach-entry pool and much more.

Meanwhile the Fred P. Hall Amphitheater opened in 1988 and hosts free concerts, events, recitals and movies all summer long.

3. Deer Park Town Center

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Touted as an open-air lifestyle center, this shopping center lies just beyond Palatine’s northern fringe and is a pleasant place to spend some time browsing on a summer’s day.

There’s an upscale atmosphere along these city-like streets, with lots of greenery and familiar brands like Apple, Sephora, American Eagle, Barnes & Noble, Banana Republic, Gap and Pottery Barn.

Food-wise you’ve got a choice of noodles, poke, pizza, Italian, Mexican, as well as sweet treats from the likes of Cold Stone Creamery. Finally there’s a 16-screen Century Theatres location right here for family outings and date nights.

4. Deer Grove Forest Preserve

Source: SB SHOTS / shutterstock

Back when Palatine was a little village in the 1860s, the residents would venture into this wild area to the north to collect firewood.

In 1911 the veterinarian Dr. John Wilson developed a portion of the Deer Grove into a private park, served by the long defunct Lake Zurich and Wauconda Railroad.

The land was later protected to prevent development, becoming the first forest preserve in Cook County.

Today Deer Grove has two distinct sections, East and West, to visit, adding up almost 2,000 acres and containing prairie, wetlands, wooded ravines and undulating upland forest.

There are around 15.5 miles of trails snaking through this landscape, with opportunities to admire spring woodland wildflowers and amphibians like the blue-spotted salamander.

5. Riemer Reservoir Park

Source: Diego Trabucco / shutterstock

On relatively high ground at the heart of Palatine, close to the village’s Metra station, is another picturesque park.

The open space and elevation at Riemer Reservoir Park makes this the best place to watch the sun go down in Palatine.

The big attraction here is the 18-hole disc golf course, well-maintained and a fantastic introduction to the sport for newcomers.

Thanks to the hilly setting the park becomes a go-to for sledding in the winter, while in summer there’s lots of room for picnics, and a large shelter can be found by the park’s namesake reservoir on the south side.

6. Medieval Times

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One of the ten locations for this famous Medieval-themed dinner theater can be found on the southwestern edge of Palatine.

The production values at Medieval Times are always impressive, involving jousting, horsemanship, spectacular hunts, swordplay, falconry and an engaging storyline.

Despite being housed in an arena, the Schaumburg location always gets good crowds. For food you’ll have a Medieval-inspired meal of rotisserie chicken, bread and sweet corn, while vegan and allergy-friendly options are available.

And if you really want to go all-out, there are side attractions and a menu of special packages to check out.

7. Twin Lakes Golf Course & Recreation Area

Source: TeodorLazarev / shutterstock

A great place for an active day outside in summer, this facility has something for everyone.

First up there’s a nine-hole executive golf course, in great condition and listed as one of the top three of its kind in Chicagoland.

This is accompanied by a lakefront driving range, and if you’d like to polish your game you can sign up for golf lessons.

Aside from the golf facilities there’s another expansive lake for fishing, pedal-boating and kayaking, while on the grassy, tree-lined shore you’ve got a children’s playground, volleyball courts and lots of places to laze and enjoy a picnic on a sunny day.

8. Plum Grove Reservoir Park

Source: Rajesh Vijayakumar / shutterstock

Curling around the east side of the Harper College campus in Palatine is this peaceful neighborhood park on the shores of Plum Grove Reservoir.

A paved multi-use trail hugs the reservoir’s south and west banks, for walking, jogging and bicycling.

The reservoir itself is a popular fishing destination, with plentiful bass, perch, catfish, crappie and pike.

Close by are handy park amenities like a playground for children, a shelter, picnic tables, grills and a dog park, though it’s worth remembering that registration and annual fees apply to use this facility.

9. Palatine Farmers’ Market

Source: Javani LLC / shutterstock

The Palatine Station parking lot is the stage for an excellent producers’ market, unusual because it trades all year round.

From November through April you can visit on the first and third Saturdays, and then every Saturday for the rest of the year.

At the time of writing there was a diverse list of vendors offering seasonal and organic fruit and vegetables, honey, freshwater fish, cheese, spices, fresh garlic and garlic products, eggs, bread, artisan confectionery and baked goods.

There’s always food to go here as well, with a choice of vegan and vegetarian specialties, grilled cheese, soups and tamales.

10. Palatine Hills Golf Course

Source: Mikael Damkier / shutterstock

A fine public course on blue grass, Palatine Hills has been part of the scenery in the village since 1968 and continues to offer a testing but fun round.

The greens are always true, and there are plenty of interesting hazards, with no fewer than 29 bunkers and water coming into play on 10 holes.

Residents and non-residents can book a tee time up to seven days in advance, and you can practice those crucial shots at “The Hills” short game area.

As well as a practice green there you’ll find three holes at the Short Course here, perfect for younger players and newcomers.

11. Escapeocity

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One of dozens of establishments lining U.S. 14 on its way through Palatine is Escapeocity, an escape room attraction with two intricate and engrossing rooms to explore and solve in an hour.

Designed for groups of two to eight people, and for ages 10 and above, these are regularly updated with new themes.

When we put this list together there was La Résistance, in which you search the apartment of a missing WWII codebreaker, and E.T. Extra Toppings, in which you have to get to the bottom of some strange goings-on at a pizza restaurant called, Area 50-Yum.

12. Brandt’s of Palatine

Source: Brandt's of Palatine / Facebook

At the corner of U.S. 15 and Quentin Road is a restaurant that has been a local favorite for well over half a century.

Specializing in American and regional comfort food like Wisconsin cheese curds, ribs, quesadillas, wraps, sandwiches, brats and its famous Brandt’s Burger, this establishment is housed in a building that dates back more than 140 years.

Before the days of Brandt’s, the building was connected to the violent bootlegger and mob boss Roger Touhy (1898-1959) and operated as a speakeasy during the last years of Prohibition in the 1930s.

13. Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center

Source: Media Whalestock / shutterstock

Just next to the Palatine Village Hall is a grand, 431-seat auditorium bringing live entertainment to the residents of Palatine and the surrounding area.

The building is historic, dating back to 1928 when it belonged to the original Palatine High School and was named for its first principal, Charles S. Cutting.

This facility is one of only a few in the region to be owned and run by the local park district, and is a lively community stage, hosting a wealth of theater productions, dance recitals, band concerts, choral performances and film screenings throughout the year.

The theater’s Broadway-style shows are produced by the local group, Music on Stage, which has been part of the cultural fabric in Palatine since 1957.

14. Downtown Palatine Street Fest

Source: Melinda Nagy / shutterstock

A cosier version of Taste of Chicago, this family friendly event takes over the streets of downtown Palatine on the weekend before Labor Day.

Street Fest is a chance for Palatine’s diversity of restaurants to showcase their food. Children meanwhile will be thrilled with the Kids Zone, staffed by community nonprofit organizations.

Another pillar of the event is live music, with a mix of established artists and talented tribute acts, and the sets continue into the evening.

15. Hometown Fest 4th of July Celebrations

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In Palatine the 4th of July is a big community event with five days of fun and entertainment.

This is all organized by the Palatine Jaycees club and is centered on Community Park where there’s a carnival throughout the five days.

Hometown Fest brings activities like a scavenger hunt and a toss tournament, as well as live music and a craft/vendor expo.

One of the highlights is the parade, running along Wilson Street and Wood Street to Community Park.

Of course, the evening of the 4th of July is also met with fireworks and there’s a fleet of food trucks throughout the festival, many representing local restaurants.

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Bolingbrook stands out for its diverse population, and for visitors one of the big draws is a bustling outdoor mall flanked by national and international retailers like IKEA.

Another big feather in Bolingbrook’s cap is the sheer quantity of nature all around, at historic preserves and regenerated industrial sites like former quarries that are now lakes.

In fact the public amenities in the village are excellent, at a mammoth public library, a year-round water park, fishing lakes, two golf courses and extensive parks.

1. Pelican Harbor

Source: Suzanne Tucker / shutterstock

The only indoor/outdoor water park in the state can be found in Bolingbrook and is even a public facility.

You’ll find it at Volunteer Park and features a wealth of attractions whether you’re bringing your family for a day of summer fun or want to get some laps in.

Pelican Harbor has seven water slides, two zero-depth pools, a lap pool, a diving well, a hot tub, a lazy river, as well as a spray park and sand playground for younger kids.

This is a great option during the school summer break, with concessions outside and lots of space for parents who would prefer to relax on a sun lounger.

2. Hidden Oaks Conservation Area

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Run by the Bolingbrook Park District is this tract of wilderness where you can connect with nature all year round.

There’s an educational dimension to the Hidden Oaks Conservation Area, with exhibits about the wildlife native to Illinois, as well as hands-on activities, a small array of animals, a rooftop garden for picnics and a wonderful wooden playground.

The center also organizes a range of programs, classes and tours. You can set off on your own hike on signposted trails that connect in the north with the DuPage River Greenway Trail.

3. Hidden Lakes Historic Trout Farm

Source: Rocksweeper / shutterstock

Next door to the Hidden Oaks Conservation Area is a fantastic destination for sport fishing, managed by the Bolingbrook Park District.

This spot is made up of four lakes just south of the East Branch DuPage River. The lakes are couched in 15 acres of woodland, and on the site is the Tackle Box Bait Shop, open daily for equipment, bait and snacks, but also fishing licenses and permits.

The four lakes have large numbers of catfish, trout, bluegill and bass, and set the scene for a series of fishing derbies throughout the year.

4. The Promenade Bolingbrook

Source: James Andrews1 / shutterstock

Like the best outdoor shopping centers, The Promenade Bolingbrook could easily be mistaken for a dynamic commercial district in a city.

On genuine streets with trees, shrubs and flowerbeds are more than 60 shops, including Barnes & Noble, Macy’s, H&M, Claire’s, Victoria’s Secret and American Eagle.

These are interspersed by 12 restaurants offering indoor and outdoor dining, whether you’re up for pizza, American cuisine, ramen or hibachi Mongolian-stlyle.

The Promenade is part of a larger shopping area home to dozens of chain restaurants and big box stores for the likes of Costco, IKEA and Petland.

5. The Forge: Lemont Quarries Adventure Park

Source: The Forge: Lemont Quarries / Facebook

Just east of Bolingbrook there’s a new outdoor activity park on former industrial land previously quarried for yellow dolomite.

The park covers more than 300 acres next to the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and features ropes courses, the longest zip lines in the tri-state area, climbing towers and climbing walls.

The Eight Towers aerial ropes course is the main event, spread across ten acres and comprising 299 high ropes elements.

But the park also has extensive terrain for activities like laser tag and biking, as well as kayaking, canoeing or pedal-boating on pristine quarry lakes.

6. Whalon Lake

Source: EA Given / shutterstock

Nature has also returned to another quarry in the north of Bolingbrook at Whalon Lake. Right by the Hidden Oaks Conservation Area, Whalon Lake is an 81-acre body of water next to the DuPage river.

At the preserve you can stroll along a 3.71-mile section of the DuPage River Trail, also open for biking, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter.

The water is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie and walleye, and is also open to canoes and kayaks, which are available to rent from Naperville Kayak.

And if you’re here with your four-legged pal, the preserve has an extensive off-leash dog park, with designated spaces for smaller and larger dogs.

7. Wilderness Falls Mini Golf

Source: Andrey Armyagov / shutterstock

Right by Clow International Airport in Bolingbrook is a mini golf center worthy of a top theme park and rated as one of the best in the Chicago area.

Wilderness Falls has two 18-hole courses, in imaginative environments that include a 40-foot mountain, a 35-foot waterfall and a cave inhabited by Bigfoot.

On your round, keep an eye out for the attraction’s mascot, Maddox the Moose. Wilderness Falls also offers nine batting cages, six for baseball, with pitch speeds of up to 75 mph, and three for softball.

8. Illinois Aviation Museum

Source: Illinois Aviation Museum / Facebook

The 6,000-square-foot Hangar One at Clow International Airport is the setting for this museum open on Saturdays.

Despite the limited opening hours the Illinois Aviation Museum has a riveting aircraft collection that goes back to World War I.

From this period there’s a Fokker E.III, a Nieuport 11 and a Nieuport 12. Later models include a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, a North American T2 Buckeye, two North American T-33s, a homebuilt Jungster II and a UH-1C Huey gunship, made famous by the Vietnam War.

There’s also a trove of aviation artifacts to discover like uniforms and pilot equipment, as well as an early flight simulator, known as a Link Trainer.

9. Greene Valley Forest Preserve

Source: Hank Erdmann / shutterstock

These botanically diverse 1,388 acres are in the care of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

At the Greene Valley Forest Preserve you’ll get a sense of what the natural landscape was like more than a century ago, especially in the savanna between Greene Road and the East Branch DuPage River.

There are 12 miles of trails at the preserve for hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

A real highlight is the 190-foot scenic overlook, open on weekends May through October, and offering a complete panorama of DuPage County but also arresting views of the Chicago skyline, far off to the east.

10. Rocket Ice Arena

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If you’re in search of an affordable family activity, Bolingbrook’s public skating rink is a good bet.

The Rocket Ice Arena was established in 1999 and is rated among the best in the state, offering skate rental for as little as $3.

As well as regular public skate sessions (with music in the evenings), the rink offers freestyle slots, skating lessons for all levels and competitions for individual and synchronized figure skating.

On the hockey side of things you can also sign up for lessons, join a league team or just hit the ice on a casual stick and puck session.

11. Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve

Source: Eddie J. Rodriquez / shutterstock

Just off Bolingbrook’s east flank is another substantial parcel of natural space managed by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

Ecologically speaking, Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve is thought to be one of the most diverse spaces in Illinois, with 740 different native plant species.

This makes up three quarters of all the plants growing naturally in DuPage County, and in inhabiting these oak-maple woodlands, savannas and prairies are more than 300 species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians.

Much of the reserve’s southern portions are covered by a carefully maintained Bluff Savanna, supporting hickories, black walnuts and oaks as old as 200 years.

You can discover these important habitats along a multi-use 9.5-mile trail, laid with crushed limestone.

12. Fountaindale Public Library

Source: Fountaindale Public Library / Facebook

If you’re a Bolingbrook resident, the village’s public library is a godsend, with first-class amenities, services and programs.

Set amid parkland on W Briarcliff Rd, Fountaindale Public Library has a wide-ranging collection of titles, along with DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, computers, study rooms and meeting rooms.

Parents can bring their children to use designated computers or learn while they play at the creativity park. If you’re a cardholder you can borrow a Chromebook during your time at the library, while there’s also a wealth of other equipment on hand, from E-readers to tablets and studio equipment.

Added to that is a packed schedule of events, like arts and crafts, storytimes and movie screenings.

Non-residents can still visit the library to read the day’s newspapers and magazines, use a computer or make the most of the free Wi-Fi.

13. Johansen Farms

Source: Galina Sharapova / shutterstock

For much of the year Johansen Farms is mainly a garden center and nursery.

You can visit for everything you could possibly need for your yard, from perennials to shrubs, petunias, begonias, geraniums, long bloomers and all manner of pots, planters, baskets and other accessories.

But in the fall season Johansen Farms also becomes a true family attraction, complete with hayrides, a corn maze, nine holes of mini golf, train rides, air slides and a petting zoo where kids can hand feed farm animals and take pony rides.

14. iPiC Bolingbrook

Source: Stock-Asso / shutterstock

Established in 2010, and with more than a 100 locations in the United States, this upscale movie theater chain can also be found at The Promenade Bolingbrook.

The iPiC experience combines in-theater, chef-driven dining with state-of-the-art entertainment and luxurious comfort.

So you can indulge in signature cocktails and a contemporary menu to suit all palates and dietary needs, all at the push of a button.

This might be a beyond burger, buttermilk fried chicken, salad bowls or fancy popcorn with churro or truffle-parmesan.

The whole time you can simply ease back into your comfy, reclinable seat and enjoy the show.

15. Bolingbrook Golf Club

Source: danperry.com / Flickr | CC BY

For a municipal course, Bolingbrook Golf Club earns stellar reviews, blending championship golf with world-class facilities.

The 18-hole par 72 course was designed by the famed golf architect Arthur Hills and is a joy to behold from every hole.

You’ll be wowed by scenic elevated tees, rambling fairways and an abundance of water, with no fewer than seven lakes strewn across the landscape.

The signature par 3 15th hole makes the most of this with a true island green. To go with the superb course there’s a driving range with 70 hitting stations, along with a chipping area and putting green.

The post 15 Best Things to Do in Bolingbrook (IL) appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

At the heart of this is the newly remodeled Orland Square Mall, the largest in the Chicago Southland.

Something special about this village is the amount of open space given over to public parks, golf courses and nature preserves.

Orland Park has more than 60 parks adding up to 650 acres, as well as vast swaths of nature belonging to the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

And whatever the season, there’s endless inspiration for family activities here, with family fun centers, outdoor nature programs, a superb public water park, an indoor mini golf course and a great deal more.

1. Centennial Park

Source: Orland Park Recreation / Facebook

If you had to pick one place for outdoor recreation in Orland Park, this would be a good bet.

Served by the 153rd Street Metra station, Centennial Park has two enormous fishing lakes at its south end.

Bordering these is the Winter Wonderland Ice Rink, open November to March, with a warming hut where you can rent skates.

Also part of this sweeping complex are soccer fields, baseball fields, a large playground, a skate park, sledding hill, the Orland Park Health & Fitness Center and the Centennial Park Aquatic Center, which we’ll cover below.

2. Centennial Park Aquatic Center

Source: Village of Orland Park, Illinois - Government / Facebook

The water park at Centennial Park is a public amenity, but looks like the kind of thing you might expect to find at a big theme park.

Generally open May through September, this facility offers a large zero-depth pool surrounded by lawns and decks for lounging in the sun.

There’s a long lazy river encircling much of the center, along with a platform cliff jump and a pair of body slides, 328 and 200 feet in length.

If you’re just up for some exercise, the pool is open for lap swimming on weekday mornings, when you can also use the lazy river for lap walks against the current.

3. Orland Grassland

Source: Nagel Photography / shutterstock

Part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, this remarkable site is more than 960 acres of former farmland that has been allowed to revert to open prairie.

There’s a patchwork of habitats at the Orland Grassland, among them oak savanna, shrubland, wetland, woodland, open ponds and prairie.

The process of restoring nature to this place began in 2002, and already wildflowers and native grasses have begun to take hold once more.

More than 100 bird species have been recorded here since then, many rarely counted anywhere else, along with butterflies, grasshoppers, dragonflies and mammals like coyotes.

Natural footpaths weave through the interior of the Orland Grassland, while there’s a five-mile paved bike trail around the perimeter.

4. Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm and Fall Fest

Source: spablab / Flickr | CC BY-ND

A local fall tradition for more than four decades, this family-run farm opens to the public between September 25 and November 1 for all kinds of fun.

For a brief summary you’ve got a corn maze, a petting zoo, pony rides, 90-foot fun slides, train rides, pig races, a roller coaster, a haunted barn, kids’ fun house, hayrides and much more.

Of course the pumpkin patch is a big part of the ritual, also accessed via a hayride. And for food you’ve got classic fall treats like apple cider donuts and kettle corn, all freshly cooked on the day.

5. Orland Square Mall

Source: VGstockstudio / shutterstock

The largest mall in the Chicago Southland can be found in Orland Park.

This upscale shopping destination first opened in 1976 and came through a big revamp in the 2010s. Anchored by Macy’s, JCPenney and Von Maur, Orland Square Mall has upwards of 150 stores.

There are locations for Guess, Gap, Forever 21, Sephora, MAC Cosmetics, H&M, Pottery Barn and Victoria’s Secret, as well as an Apple store and a whole store dedicated to LEGO.

The food court is packed with familiar favorites like Panda Express, Sbarro and Taco Bell, and the mall also has a location for the Cheesecake Factory by Macy’s.

6. Orland Park History Museum

Source: SevenMaps / shutterstock

In the old Village Hall you’ll find Orland Park’s compelling history museum, charting nigh-on 200 years of local history.

Here you’ll learn the stories of the families that settled on this land in the 1830s, and find out about the village’s progress from a rural community of a few hundred in the 1950s to an expanding suburb by the 80s.

The museum’s collections are loaded with artifacts like diaries, photographs, maps, blueprints, books, household textiles, clothing, quilts, furniture, farming equipment, ceramics and sports memorabilia.

There are also fascinating programs, going into depth on topics like Dillinger’s time in Chicago, the black experience in Chicago and Lincoln’s assassination.

7. Space Golf

Source: Space Golf / Facebook

If you catch a rainy day in summer, or need a family outing during the Chicago winter there’s an indoor 18-hole mini golf course in Orland Park.

Space Golf, which has a retro sci-fi theme, with space creatures, flying saucers, kaijus, giant robots and alien planets, uses blacklight throughout to make the backdrops glow.

These details have also been designed with 3D in mind, and you can play your round with a pair of 3D glasses for an even more immersive experience.

Space Golf also has an arcade, and you’ll find a display of authentic movie props in the lobby.

8. Gizmos Fun Factory

Source: Gizmos Fun Factory / Facebook

Also indoor is this family activity center, in 47,000 square feet with seven major attractions. To sum up, these are a ropes course with zip line, bumper cars, go karts, robot laser tag, a soft-play maze, a laser maze and climbing walls.

Added to all that is a video arcade with the latest games and a restaurant for comfort food like pizza, burgers, wings, nachos and Wisconsin cheese curds.

Gizmos Fun Factory offers special deals on weeknights and is naturally a popular location for children’s birthday parties.

9. Orland Park Nature Center

Source: Gregory Johnston / shutterstock

Seven years in the making, this 28-acre site in the north of Orland Park opened to the public in 2020.

The center is mostly made up of an extensive tract of wetland donated to the village by Steven Gianakas, a prominent local businessman, in memory of his son George.

The wetland at Orland Park Nature Center is a magnet for birdlife, including great blue and black crowned night-herons, and the space features a paved walking loop and an amphitheater for public programs.

Directly west of the center is Orland Grove Forest Preserve containing McGinnis Slough, a haven for coots, ducks, egrets, herons and cormorants.

10. Marcus Orland Park Cinemas

Source: Jacob Lund / shutterstock

This huge complex at 16350 South La Grange Road opened in 1995 and has since been expanded to a 15-screen multiplex.

If there’s a new mainstream release that you want to catch then this is the place to go. For added comfort, try to book a showing at a screen with reclining “Dreamlounger” seats, which have a full seven feet of space between rows.

The theater has a variety of offers, like $5 movies on Tuesdays, $6 for students on Thursdays and early bird movies for $6 every day of the week before 11 am.

11. Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Park

Source: Nagel Photography / shutterstock

Moments away on the banks of the Cal-Sag Channel is a sprawling attraction made up of natural spaces, gardens, a ten-acre lake and an indoor nature center.

In these 85 acres you can explore prairie, woodland and wetlands, and one of the most spectacular features is a man-made waterfall.

Close to this is the buzz n’ bloom prairie, which is breathtaking in the summer months when the wildflowers are in bloom.

The heritage garden meanwhile grows crops typical of the region and then come harvest time donates them to the local food pantry.

Finally the nature center is engaged in a wealth of programs, from talks to classes showing you how to identify and cultivate herbs and make garden decorations from recycled materials.

12. The Center, Palos Park

Source: The Center / Facebook

Set in nature a few minutes from Orland Park is a non-profit organization hosting a wide array of activities and events throughout the year.

On beautiful grounds, The Center is a popular venue for weddings, but also hosts everything from art classes to guided meditation, summer camps, concerts, with hayrides and pumpkin picking in fall.

One beloved detail is the children’s farm, open Friday to Sunday and also a venue for educational experiences. The farm keeps chickens, goats, cows, pigs, ducks and rabbits.

13. Orland Bowl

Source: Aleksandar Karanov / shutterstock

Also on hand in Orland Park is this 50-lane bowling alley, open seven days a week and as late as 1 am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

For casual players, Orland Bowl takes reservations for open bowl sessions, but also leaves a few lanes free for walk-ins.

There’s free Wi-Fi at the alley, as well as plenty of arcade games and a kitchen baking fresh-tossed pizza.

Also here is Escapology, a set of six private escape rooms, intricately designed, with immersive themes and suitable for groups of up to eight people.

14. Schussler Park

Source: Marmolejos / shutterstock

We’ve seen that Orland Park is brimming with green public spaces, and one neighborhood park with a bit of everything is Schussler Park in the southeast of the Village.

This spot has tennis courts, a baseball field, a soccer field, picnic areas, a sledding hill in winter and an expansive kids’ playground on the southside with separate equipment for bigger and smaller children.

The park is divided by a large pond, attracting plenty of waterfowl, and no lack of people for fishing.

15. Doogan Park

Source: Diego Trabucco / shutterstock

Geared towards active recreation, this park on the west side of the village is popular for its disc golf course.

With nine holes, this course was set up in 2008 and poses a fun test in a moderately hilly, partially wooded landscape.

There’s a lot of open space at Doogan Park for walks, as well as amenities for tennis and baseball/softball, along with a children’s playground.

A tunnel on the park’s west side takes you under the Metra tracks to neighboring Brown Park, while the Orland Park Cultural Center on the east side is a venue for year round events with all kinds of programs you can sign up for.

The post 15 Best Things to Do in Orland Park (IL) appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

Some 75,000 people live in this mostly affluent municipality, featuring a dynamic downtown area with cultural amenities, shops and restaurants and cafes with sidewalk seating.

Arlington Heights is perhaps most famous for its racetrack, Arlington Park, founded in 1927 and staging three Grade I races in August.

The historical museum, with a collection of historic buildings, takes a look at the village’s late 19th-century origins, including the story of the German-born soda pioneer F. W. Müller.

There’s also ample public green space in Arlington Heights, whether you’re catching a summer concert at North School Park or trekking in the mature forest of Busse Woods.

1. Metropolis Performing Arts Centre

Source: Metropolis Performing Arts Centre / Facebook

Found amongst the independent shops and restaurants in downtown Arlington Heights is a thriving theater presenting and producing hundreds of performances annually.

The in-house company stages several major productions each year, a few recent picks being Rent, the 39 Steps, Spamalot, Moon Over Buffalo and the anticipated holiday institution, A Christmas Carol.

The theater, with seating for 329 spectators, also welcomes musicians, comedians and cabaret performances throughout the year.

As well as a theater company, Metropolis is a performing arts school, offering classes, lessons, workshops and camps for all ages.

2. Mitsuwa Marketplace

Source: WhiteBlush / shutterstock

Arlington Heights has a Japanese connection, as the home of the Chicago Futabakai Japanese School and an array of Japanese businesses dotted around.

One of these is the largest Japanese supermarket in the Midwest. Part of a chain with 11 locations nationwide, Mitsuwa Marketplace is not just a place to shop for hard-to-find specialty ingredients and kitchenware.

Of course, you can get hold of everything you need to make your own okonomiyaki or katsu curry, but this is like a hub for Japanese culture.

You’ll find music, toys, books, movies and an enormous selection of manga comics. The food court is a destination in its own right, with an almost overwhelming choice, ranging from sushi to ramen, tempura, takoyaki, bubble tea and Japanese baked foods.

3. Lake Arlington

Source: Phani Chaturvedula / shutterstock

This picturesque sheet of water encompassing 50 acres is a stormwater detention basin, excavated in the 1980s to ease flooding and then turned into a park by 1995.

Lake Arlington is like a blissful oasis, traced by lawns, tall grass, wetland and wooded areas, as well as a two-mile asphalt path for walks, jogging, biking and more.

Among the park’s resident waterbirds are great blue herons, Canada geese and mallards, and new interpretive signage will help you identify this wildlife.

Other new facilities include a playground, outdoor exercise area, fishing pier and sensory garden, while in summer you can rent a paddle boat or sailboat.

4. Downtown Arlington Heights

Source: belushi / shutterstock

Arlington Heights has a walkable downtown with a directory of independent shops and restaurants to go with the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.

Exploring this area you’ll come across Thai (Bangkok Cafe), Vietnamese (Pho an Heights), Italian (Fausto’s, Carlos & Carlos), Korean Ttowa Bistro), Spanish (La Tasca Tapas), Mexican (Javier’s, Mago Grill) restaurants, as well as a welcoming Irish pub (Peggy Kinnane’s).

Most of the sidewalks are shaded with trees and awnings, and there’s ample outdoor dining, as well as a sweet little plaza at the corner of South Vail Avenue and West Campbell Street.

Here and there are cute stores for home design, confectionery, jewelry, cosmetics, pet care and more.

5. North School Park

Source: R7mathews / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 4.0

This lovable neighborhood park is just south of the administration building for the Arlington Heights Park District.

Geared towards passive recreation, North School Park has an ornamental character, with lush lawns skirted by flower beds and shrubs, and no shortage of deciduous trees for shade.

Ringed by a flower display, there’s a fountain on the south side, close to a small playground for kids.

The park is a must during the winter holidays when you can come in the evening to marvel at the whimsical light displays. And then on summer evenings, North School Park hosts free outdoor concerts, and all you’ll need to bring is a blanket or lawn chair.

6. Arlington Heights Historical Museum

Source: Teemu008 / Flickr | CC BY-SA

A couple of blocks north of Arlington Heights train station is the village’s historical museum, in a complex of original and replica buildings.

On the site is a coach house from the 1880s with a carpentry shop from 1874, as well as a replica 1830s log cabin and the Banta House from 1908.

The linchpin here is the Müller House, from the 1890s and named for its owner, the soda entrepreneur F. W. Müller, who founded what is now known as Arlington Club Beverages.

You can learn the story of pop beverages in Arlington Heights at the Heritage Gallery, as well as touring those historic outbuildings and the restored Müller House and Banta House, which holds important collections of antique dolls and dollhouses.

Next door to the museum is the nationally recognized Arlington Heights Memorial Library, one of just 21 public libraries in the United States to earn a 5-star rating in Library Journal for each of the last seven years.

7. Ned Brown Forest Preserve (Busse Woods)

Source: Wildnerdpix / shutterstock

At Arlington Heights’ southern boundary is a vast natural preserve, encompassing 3,700 acres of suburban Chicago.

At the core of this is Busse Woods, the most cherished section, composed of a big parcel of mature Great Lakes hardwood forest, growing black ash, red maple and swamp white oak.

There are more than ten miles of bicycle trails in the preserve, a portion of which take you past a special protected pasture for elk.

Much of the southern part of Busse Woods is taken up by the lake of the same name, which is a flood catchment reservoir and one the largest bodies of water for boating and fishing in Cook County.

Kayak and rowboat rentals are available here in summer and you’ll have a fun time simply floating in this peaceful place and spotting wildlife.

8. Portillo’s

Source: jamie.sue.photography / shutterstock

This iconic chain was born in Villa Park in 1963, and despite its vast fanbase in the Chicago area has only recently started to expand into other states.

When we wrote this article there were more than 60 Portillo’s locations, and two could be found by Arlington Heights, at 806 W Dundee Rd and 1900 Golf Rd.

If you don’t want to hunt far and wide for the perfect Chicago hotdog, Portillo’s does one of the best, piled with the usual Chicago dog fixins like diced onion, pickle, tomato and sport peppers.

The chain also specialized in other Chicago favorites like Italian beef sandwiches bursting with ingredients and pasta dishes like penne ala vodka and mostaccioli.

9. Heritage Park

Source: Arlington Heights Park District / Facebook

In the south of Arlington Heights is this pretty suburban park, equipped with a slew of amenities.

Of the park district’s five community centers can be found in Heritage Park, along with a gym, pool, basketball courts, lighted tennis courts, beach volleyball court, a ballfield and age-specific children’s playgrounds.

In winter there’s plenty going here, thanks to the sledding hill and outdoor ice rink, set up with boards and lights.

If you’re just in Heritage Park for a stroll, there’s a mixed-use path curling past the hardwood trees, and you continue your walk at the verdant Kingsbridge Arboretum, just off the park’s southwest corner.

10. Thrown Elements Pottery

Source: Robilad Co / shutterstock

In a gentle and nurturing environment, Thrown Elements Pottery is a studio inviting the public for classes, workshops and lessons.

These experiences are offered to all ages, from kids to teens to adults, and in skills like handbuilding, wheel throwing and pottery painting.

There are also Paint Your Own Pottery sessions, in which you can decorate a ready-made piece of pottery in the studio and then return in a few days to pick it up after it has been fired and glazed.

This can be done in a “paint and sip” session, with a bottle of wine and some friends. The studio also sells pottery supplies and expertly crafted ceramics.

11. Walker Bros. Original Pancake House

Source: Walker Bros. The Original Pancake House / Facebook

Another Second City mainstay is this series of pancake houses scattered across the Chicago area.

The Walker Bros. in Arlington Heights opened in 1987 while the chain has been around since 1960, and the concept was actually imported from the Original Pancake House that opened in Portland, Oregon in 1953.

There’s a touch of class to the Arlington Heights location, with an interior ornamented with stained glass, carved oak and brass fittings.

And if you’re hankering for comforting breakfast food you’ve come to the right place, with stacks of pancakes in a host of different preparations, as well as omelettes, eggs cooked to order, French toast, Belgian waffles and big choice of platters and sandwiches.

12. Laugh Out Loud Theater

Source: Andrey_Kuzmin / shutterstock

Chicago has a rich comedy tradition, having given a start to some of America’s most beloved comedians, from John Belushi to Amy Poehler, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert and Tina Fey.

Close by in Schaumburg you can sample the next generation of talent at Laugh Out Loud Theater.

This club deals mainly in improvisational comedy, and puts on shows for both adults, as well as family-friendly performances for younger audiences.

You can also sign up for improv classes. These are open to all, whether you’re learning the foundations or exploring the different kinds of short form improv.

13. Arlington Lakes Golf Club

Source: Bohbeh / shutterstock

In the south of Arlington Heights, close to Busse Woods is an award-winning parks district course open to the wider public.

The location has an interesting past, as the course is laid out on what was a Nike Missile Base in the wake of WWII.

The course took shape in the late 1970s and in 1916 was given a thorough renovation led by renowned architect Mike Benkusky.

This is an 18-hole, par 68 that maximizes a 90-acre plot next to an army base. There’s an open layout, water is involved on 13 of the holes, and the greens are lightning fast, but can be hit from almost anywhere.

14. Topgolf Schaumburg

Source: Topgolf (Schaumburg) / Facebook

Chicago’s climate makes golf purely a seasonal activity, with the exception of this attraction in Schaumburg.

There are Topgolf locations across the country now, and the concept is essentially a cross between a driving range and a bowling alley, injected with a party atmosphere.

The hitting bays, rented by the hour, are heated, and the range uses ball tracking technology and HDTV displays so you can compete against your friends at all kinds of challenges.

At the time of writing there was even an Angry Birds game that you control with your drive. Food and drink are at the heart of the experience, with a fully licensed bar and a menu akin to a fast-casual restaurant.

15. Arlington Park

Source: Ken Schulze / shutterstock

With its own train station and a history going back to 1927, one of the most fabled tracks in American horseracing can be found in Arlington Heights.

The reason this course is at the bottom of this list is that when we wrote this article its future was in severe doubt.

The track has a massive, six-story grandstand, with seating for 35,000 people and a clubhouse that holds 12,000.

These are packed out in early August for the International Festival of Racing, during which there are three Grade I races on turf.

These are the Arlington Million, the Beverly D. Stakes and Secretariat Stakes, with purses of $1,000,000, $600,000 and $500,000 respectively. At the time of writing the course was up for sale for potential redevelopment.

The post 15 Best Things to Do in Arlington Heights (IL) appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

The neighborhood is known for having many parks and green spaces and for being in a great location; it’s only half an hour from downtown Los Angeles.

In West Hills, there are many historic landmarks, restaurants, and shopping areas, such as Fallbrook Center, West Hills Shopping Center, Westfield Topanga & The Village, and Platt Village.

Below are 15 of the best things to do in and around West Hills, California.

1. Get to Know West Hills with an Outing to Knapp Ranch Park

Source: Marmolejos / shutterstock

Knapp Ranch Park is a community park divided into two sections and has many facilities and opportunities for outdoor activities.

The section near Kittridge Avenue features a softball diamond, basketball and tennis courts, a playground, and picnic areas.

The other section near Twisted Oak Drive features walking trails and picnic areas surrounded by spectacular views.

2. Visit the Chumash Indian Museum

Source: TOLocal / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 4.0

The Chumash Indian Museum is an indigenous interpretive centre situated in nearby Thousand Oaks.

The museum, which is on the grounds of a former Chumash village, displays items related to the history of the Chumash people, including artefacts such as tools and woven bowls.

Outside the museum are replicas of traditional houses, a nature preserve with a series of hiking trails, several ethnobotany gardens, and two rock shelters with ancient pictographs.

3. Grab a Healthy Meal at Jinky’s Cafe

Source: Jinky's Cafe, West Hills / Facebook

Jinky’s Cafe has had a presence in West Hills for quite a few years. This popular eatery is one of the best places around for delicious, healthy food and drink options.

While it’s mostly known for its chilli, available in more than 20 different flavours, Jinky’s serves a wide array of items for breakfast and lunch.

Pancakes, omelettes, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes are just some of the items you’ll find on the menu. Gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options are also available.

You can choose from many flavours of smoothies and fresh juices, and there’s also a coffee bar on-site.

4. Explore The Gardens of the World

Source: SykoSam / Flickr | CC BY-SA

The Gardens of the World in nearby Thousand Oaks is one big botanical garden with several smaller gardens within it.

This beautiful garden features a variety of demonstration gardens, including a French garden with a large waterfall, an English rose garden, a Japanese garden with a koi pond, and an Italian grapevine garden.

A walking trail connects all the different areas of the garden.

5. Admire the City’s Historical Buildings

Source: lavocado@sbcglobal.net / Flickr | CC BY

West Hills may be a small area but there are quite a few historical buildings that are worth checking out.

Orcutt Ranch Estate was built in 1920 and was once the home of a Union Oil Company executive named William Orcutt. The property is also home to beautiful gardens and citrus orchards.

The Francis Lederer Estate is the former home of film star Francis Lederer. Today it’s a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.

The Francis Lederer Residence is another former property of Francis Lederer and is a stunning example of a structure built with several architectural styles, including Mediterranean, Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival.

The Leonis Adobe is thought to be the oldest remaining building in the region. Constructed in 1844, it was once the home of a prominent rancher named Miguel Leonis. Today, this site is also a living museum and you can tour the house, barn and blacksmith shop.

6. Get Outdoors at Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park

Source: trekandshoot / shutterstock

Situated at the point where the Santa Susana Mountains join the Simi Hills, Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park is a beautiful wilderness area. It features deep canyons, steep ridges, and an abundance of flora and fauna.

A series of walking trails in this park each lead to an overlook where you can enjoy stunning views of the area.

As you explore the park, you’ll possibly spot some of the wild animals that live in the area, including coyotes, deer, and foxes.

7. Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village

Source: lavocado@sbcglobal.net / Flickr | CC BY

Situated about 25 minutes from West Hills, near Simi Valley, is a peculiar attraction that has become a California Historical Landmark. Known as Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village, the site is a stunning work of art.

The village was made by Tressa Prisbrey between the 1950s and 1970s. It’s made entirely from recycled items from a nearby landfill.

As you explore the site via the walkways, you’ll see shrines, buildings, and sculptures. Tours are available.

8. Enjoy Live Entertainment at The Conejo Players Theatre

Source: TOLocal / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 4.0

The Conejo Players Theater, situated in nearby Thousand Oaks, has been entertaining audiences with world-class live shows since the late 1950s.

It’s one of the oldest playhouses in the state and each season hosts a wide variety of performances, including plays, musicals, and stand-up comedy acts. Many renowned actors have performed here, including Kurt Russell and Amanda Bynes.

9. Visit the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum

Source: Skateboarding Hall of Fame / Facebook

Skateboarding is a popular sport in California and even if you’ve never ridden a board, the Skateboarding Hall of Fall and Museum is a fascinating place to visit.

Since 2009, the museum in nearby Simi Valley has been dedicated to showcasing the history and culture of skateboarding. It also honors the contributions of the key players who made the sport what it is today.

Inside the museum are exhibits displaying artefacts, memorabilia, and photographs related to skateboarding through the years.

10. Admire Beautiful Art at the Conejo Valley Art Museum

Source: Conejo Valley Art Museum / Facebook

The Conejo Valley Art Museum is a leading fine art museum in nearby Thousand Oaks. Since the late 1970s, the museum has showcased up to seven different exhibits throughout the year.

Much of the artworks are modern and are created by artists from all over the world, including well-known artists such as David Rose and Elizabeth Williams.

The Thousand Oaks Artwalk is a popular event that takes place every year and features outdoor art displays and concerts.

11. Explore Calabasas Creek Park

Source: Calabasas Creek Park / Facebook

Calabasas Creek Park is a beautiful park that offers the best of both worlds. Visitors of all ages can enjoy a range of attractions while getting fresh air and learning about local history.

Situated in the downtown area of nearby Calabasas, this long-standing park features exhibits detailing what life was like in the late 1800s.

A replica of the original park, antique furnishings, and the Calabasas Jail, are some of the historic elements you’ll see as you explore the park.

Also on-site is a realistic restoration of an ancient Chumash village where you can learn all about these native people, their culture, and how they lived before the arrival of Europeans.

12. Taste Local Wine at Alma Sol Winery

Source: ALMA SOL Winery / Facebook

Alma Sol Winery is a family-run winery situated in nearby Thousand Oaks. Since 2011, the winery has been crafting outstanding Bordeaux single varietals and other blends.

All grapes used in the creation of their wines are hand-picked and artisanal winemaking techniques are at the forefront of their business practices.

Some of the wines that are made include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Tempranillo. These and other creations can be sampled at the on-site Sunland Vintage Winery Tasting Rooms.

13. Get a History Lesson at the Santa Susana Depot Museum and Model Railroad

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The Santa Susana Depot Museum and Model Railroad in nearby Simi Valley is an interesting place to visit for all ages. This depot represents an old Southern Pacific depot and is now a beautifully-refurbished historic site and museum.

Exhibits include a replica of the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot and a model of the city of Simi Valley. Other items on display include various artefacts such as tools, equipment, and memorabilia related to the railroad.

14. Spend a Day in Nature at Malibu Creek State Park

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In 1974, Malibu Creek State Park was created to preserve the Malibu Creek Canyon.

This beautiful park in the Santa Monica Mountains features more than 8,000 acres of green space where you can participate in a wide range of outdoor activities.

Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, horseback riding, picnicking, rock climbing, and nature viewing are among the popular activities in the park.

As you explore the park, you’ll see three natural preserves and the remains of former Chumash Indian homesteads.

15. Take a Tour of the Strathearn Historical Park & Museum

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Situated in nearby Simi Valley, the Strathearn Historical Park & Museum takes you on a trip into the past.

After you finish browsing the visitor centre, you have two choices when it comes to how you’ll explore the park. The first option is to tour it on your own. The second option is to tour it with a guide.

The outside grounds are where you’ll find many well-preserved buildings, including the Simi Library, the Strathearn Windmill, the Wood Ranch Barns, and the Currier Apricot Pitting Shed.

You can visit each of these buildings but only visitors who embark on a guided tour can explore the inside of these buildings.

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Chatsworth is known for its pleasant year-round weather and central location with easy access to the nearby cities of Northridge, Canoga Park and West Hills. It’s also known for being quiet and peaceful and for its Old West appeal.

Chatsworth is situated in the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains, and this location is perfect for many outdoor activities including hiking, biking and horseback riding.

In Chatsworth, there are many parks, restaurants and shopping areas including Northridge Fashion Center, Mason Devonshire Plaza and Chatsworth Center.

Below are 15 of the best things to do in and around Chatsworth, California.

1. Relax and Rejuvenate in Chatsworth Park North

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Chatsworth Park North is the perfect place to relax and get your first taste of the city upon arrival.

The park is home to many facilities including basketball and volleyball courts, softball fields, fitness equipment, playgrounds and picnic areas with barbecue pits.

An easy hiking trail is onsite and takes hikers to a scenic area where you can watch the sunset or admire the stunning views of the area. Restrooms are also on site.

2. Enjoy a Live Performance at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center

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The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center was once the Simi Community Methodist Episcopal Church.

If you’re interested in architecture, you’ll love the original features that have been intact since it was built in the 1920s including the stained-glass windows.

Since it reopened as a cultural venue in the mid-1990s, it has hosted a wide variety of live entertainment events. Throughout the year, theatrical performances, musicals, jazz shows and concerts are showcased.

3. Indulge with Southern Soul Food at Les Sisters’ Southern Kitchen & BBQ

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Since 1986, Les Sisters Southern Kitchen & BBQ has been offering Southern Californians a taste of New Orleans and the Southeast.

Cajun and Creole-influenced dishes are served at lunch and dinner. Appetizers, sandwiches, poboys, burgers, baby back ribs, black-eyed peas and rice, wings, southern fried chicken, cornbread and various barbecued items are just some of the things you’ll find on the menu.

4. Visit the Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park

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While visiting a cemetery may seem like an odd choice while on vacation, The Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park in nearby Calabasas is a very unique cemetery that would be of particular interest to pet owners and animal lovers.

As the name suggests, it’s the final resting grounds for more than 42,000 pets from around the area.

The park was started by a local veterinarian and is the final resting place of many pets who belonged to celebrities.

5. Admire Modern Art at Artvanta

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Artvanta is an art museum in Chatsworth that showcases a wide variety of modern artworks from around the world.

A variety of rotating exhibits are displayed throughout the year. Some of the past exhibits have includes Alphabets – Reinvented and Vessels of light. Typically, there’s a mix of art on display including paintings and sculptures.

Guided tours are available, and a number of events take place throughout the year.

6. Learn About Local History at the Strathearn Historical Park & Museum

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The Strathearn Historical Park & Museum, which is located in nearby Simi Valley, takes visitors on a journey into the past.

Start your visit at the on-site visitor’s centre before heading outdoors to explore the grounds. You can tour the park on your own or you can join a guided tour.

As you explore the grounds, you’ll find many well-preserved buildings including the Simi Library, the Strathearn Windmill, the Printz/Powell Colony House and the Currier Apricot Pitting Shed.

You can visit the buildings, but only visitors who are accompanied by a guide can explore the inside of these buildings.

7. Sample Local Craft Beer at Hand-Brewed Beer Co.

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Since 2014, Hand-Brewed Beer Co. has been producing tasty, quality craft beer. These beers are produced on site, and you can sample a wide variety of creations in the laid-back tasting room.

Some of the beers that are on tap include Rocky Peak Red, War Eagle Lager, Flat Earth IPA and Imperial Honey Hand Blonde Ale.

8. Visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

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At the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in nearby Simi Valley, you’ll learn about the life and times of former president Ronald Reagan.

Inside this huge complex are many exhibits housing items related to various periods of his life including his childhood, his movie career, his political career, his military service and his family life including his marriage to former First Lady, Nancy Reagan.

As you go through the museum, you’ll also see the antique Ford Mustang that he rode in during a notable campaign and the outfit he wore for his inauguration.

9. Explore Corriganville Park

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Once known as Corriganville Movie Ranch, Corriganville Park in nearby Simi Valley is a beautiful green space and popular tourist attraction. The unique thing about this park is it was once a movie studio and ranch.

The contrasting scenery around the park, which consists of large boulders, mountains, lakes, waterfalls and caves, served as a backdrop for scenes in many well-known TV shows and movies.

Today, you can explore this park and admire the spectacular scenery and see the remnants of its movie days. A series of walking trails are on site to make it easier to get around the park.

10. Check Out Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village

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Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village is a unique attraction situated in nearby Simi Valley. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Tressa Prisbrey’s creation took almost two decades to built and is today considered a striking masterpiece.

The village is made entirely of recycled materials from an area landfill. As you stroll along the walkways, you’ll pass shrines, sculptures and buildings. Guided tours are offered.

11. Go on a Shopping Excursion at The Commons at Calabasas

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The Commons at Calabasas attracts both shoppers and observers. Shoppers come to this elegant complex to shop at high-end stores such as Sephora and Williams-Sonoma.

Observers come to search for the celebrities who are often spotted there and to admire the stunning architecture of the building.

Also on site are a variety of entertainment venues and many dining options.

12. Go Hiking along the Trails at Stoney Point

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Stoney Point, which is near Chatsworth, is a popular spot for hiking and climbing. There are a number of great hiking trails passing through the area. While each one is different from the others, there’s always something interesting to see no matter which path you decide to take.

As you explore the area, you’ll see many natural features including large boulders, rock formations, caves, dens, alcoves and streams.

You’ll also have the chance to spot a wide variety of bird and animal species and observe native plant life. The trails are dog-friendly.

13. Go Back in Time at the Santa Susana Depot Museum and Model Railroad

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Chatsworth and its surrounding area has a long railroad history and the Santa Susana Depot Museum, and Model Railroad in nearby Simi Valley is where you can learn all about it.

This fascinating museum is located inside a historic Southern Pacific Depot that has been expertly-restored to look just as it did back in the 1950s.

Inside the museum, you’ll see artefacts, memorabilia, a mini representation of Simi Valley and many other items related to the history of the city and the railroads.

14. Get Back to Nature in Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park

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Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park is a beautiful nature area located in the spot where the Santa Susana Mountains meet Simi Hills.

The best way to explore this park is via the hiking trails that pass through it. As you wander along these trails, you’ll see steep ridges, deep canyons and scenic overlooks where you can admire the stunning views of the area.

You’ll also be able to observe a wide variety of plants and possibly spot some of the wild animals, such as ring-tailed cats and gray foxes, that are often seen in the area.

During your excursion in the park, you’ll learn about the colourful history of the area including how it was once a major transportation corridor as far back as the mid-1700s.

15. Visit the Leonis Adobe Museum

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Constructed in 1844, the Leonis Adobe Museum in nearby Calabasas is the oldest remaining structure in the San Fernando Valley.

It was once the private home of Miguel Leonis who was a wealthy rancher in the area. Today it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is a living museum dedicated to preserving the history of the adobe.

As you explore the museum and grounds, you’ll get a feel of what it was like to live on a ranch in those times. Situated on site are various old buildings including a barn and a blacksmith shop.

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