WATER PARKS ^
- 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 ^
- 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 ^
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 ^
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