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Summer
Popular big ideas for the hot months.
WATER PARKS TOP
- Big Surf Wave Action Pool
- 847/255-5380, 411 S Maple St., Mt. Prospect
- Bollingbrook Aquatic Center
- Wave pool and water slide.
630/759-2727, 200 S Lindsey Ln, Bolingbrook
- Magic Waters
- Very large, 1hr from OHare, 50ft slide, wave pool, tubing, kid stuff.
800/373-1679, 7820 N Cherry Vale Blvd, Cherry Valley
http://www.cherryvalley.org/entertai.html
- Racing Rapids Action Park (part of Santa's Village)
- 400ft twisty slide, lazy river tube ride, go carts.
847/426-5525, 880 E Main, Dundee
http://www.santasvillageil.com
- Rainbow Falls Water Theme Park
- 3 slides, cliff diving, water fun house, mini golf.
847/228-2860, Elk Grove Village
http://www.elkgrove.com/life/parkrec.htm
- Skokie Water Playground
- 13-17 18-21, $5.25 child
847/674-1500, 4701 W Oakton, Skokie
http://www.skokieparkdistrict.org
AMUSEMENT PARKS TOP
- Great America. bigger than Disneyland! $18-50 10a-10p.
- Six Flags, 847/249-1776, 542 N Il Route 21, Gurnee.
EIGHT Mega mega coasters, three water rides, virtual reality,
and all the classics with cartoon character themes.
I-94 or I-294 West, exit Grand (Rt.132) East in Gurnee, look right.
http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica
- Kiddie Land
- Really nice modest place, notably compatible with little tykes.
Mini train, coaster, plume ride, carousel, etc.
708/343-8000, 8400 W North, Melrose Park
http://www.kiddieland.com
- Lambs Farm
- Reportedly very nice. Good for kids under 10.
847/362-4636, Rt 176 & I 94, Libertyville
http://www.lambsfarm.org
WISCONSIN DELLS TOP
Times and prices shown are for August 1999.
All can be expected to change practically week by week.
Take 90 North. I did it close to legal in only 3.5hrs.
A really well done vacation center, best on week days.
Majority of help seems to be imported. I met young people
working the summer from Finland, Germany, France, Hungary,
Poland, Israel and more.
- Main Contact
- 800/223-3557
Call a few weeks in advance for good brochures and magazine.
http://www.wisdells.com
- Big Chief Karts and Coasters
- $32 11a-7p.
Unbelievably huge Go-Kart park, 15 tracks.
Underwater, through a castle and giant trojan horse,
wooden bridges, jumps, bumper boats, coasters.
http://www.dellschamber.com/bigchief.htm
- Noah's Ark. America's Largest Waterpark!
- $24 9a-8p.
2 wavepools, 2 endless rivers, 33 waterslides, 4 kiddie water play areas,
a kiddie roller coaster, bumper boats, 18-hole mini-golf course,
12 restaurants and outdoor lounges, 5 gift and clothing stores,
and candy store w/ fresh fudge and caramel apples. In Wisconsin Dells.
See the 360 degree web cam.
http://www.noahsarkwaterpark.com
- Pirates' Cove Adventure Golf
- Visually incredible, five hilly courses, awesome landscaping, waterfalls,
helicopter ride, flaming volcano, arcade, more.
http://www.piratescove.net
- Tommy Bartlett's Robot World and Exploratory
- $9 8a-10p.
With the actual MIR backup, teriffic edu-tainment.
A little hokey but charming.
http://www.wisdells.com/tommybartlett
- Tommy Bartlett's Thrill Show
- 1p, 4:30p, 8:30p, $11-17.
Skis, juggling, fireworks, magic, comedy, stunts, beer, mosquitos.
Pretty darn good.
http://www.wisdells.com/tommybartlett
- Wisconsin Dells Original Fudge Shop
- The best of many. Big sign just says FUDGE.
In a very cool shopping and amusement strip.
- Wonder Spot
- Hwy 12, $4 9a-9p.
A mysterious shack where gravity doesn't behave quite right.
- Ramada Limited
- In by 3p out by noon, $108/night
1073 WisDells Pky
608/254-2218 or 800/845-2251
- Country Kitchen All You Can Eat Buffet
- Only sells chicken, mashed potatos, bread, tater tots and corn.
- Paul Bunyon's All You Can Eat Restaurant
- Only sells chicken, mashed potatos, bread and green beans.
- Places I want to go next time:
- American UFO & Sci-Fi Museum
Big Sky Twin Drive-In Theatres
Black Bart's Stagecoach Buffet
Circus World Baraboo
Corny's Go-Karts and Maze
Dells Auto Museum
Dells Mining Company
Extreme World
Family Land
Good Goody Gumdrop Candy Kitchen
Ho-Chunk Casino & Bingo
International Crane Foundation
J.B. Helicopter Rides
Laser Storm
Mid-Continent Railway
Original Wisconsin Ducks
Rick Wilcox Magic Theater
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Riverview Park & Waterworld
Serpent Safari
Shipwreck Lagoon Adventure Golf
Storybook Gardens
Timber Falls Adventure Golf
Uncle Gene's Moped Rentals
Wax World of the Stars
APPLE PICKING TOP
Though all the following names came up in my research, I have only actually heard from people who've
been to Wauconda. Wauconda is also the only one with a web site and well distributed brochures.
Furthermore, they have food and assorted other entertainment activities, especially in October.
Illinois:
Libertyville
847/362-0074
Mudelein
847/566-4520, sounds very good
mid-Aug through mid-Oct, call for info by apple type
Wauconda
800-36-APPLE, 847/526-8553, 1201 Gossell Rd, Wauconda.
Take I-294 or Rt. 12, apples 9.11-10.31.
http://www.waucondaorchards.com
Indiana:
William's orchard
219/778-2839, 500 East County Road, IN, near Rolling Prarie
Michigan:
Buchannon
800/422-1700, Philipeene
Columa
616/468-3073, Jollay
Eauclaire
616/461-4187, Treemendous
Baroda
616/422-2426, Jonathon's apple world
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