The Unknown Ahead

There are so many great things to do in Chicago that there isn’t really a reason to rent a car and venture into the suburbs…or is there? Here are six amazing attractions in the suburbs that are worth the extra adventure!

Six Flags Great America

One hour north of Chicago you can find a pretty epic theme park that is definitely worth a day of exploration if you’re seeking thrills. Six Flags Great America is a huge amusement park that has rides, shows, and thrills for the whole family. Boasting over 75 rides and attractions, you can certainly spend an entire day trying not to throw up your funnel cake. There are 14 awesome roller-coasters (my favorite is Iron Bull), but there are also plenty of rides for our shorter friends too.

Six Flags usually opens in mid-May, is open all summer long, and then goes to weekends-only in the fall. If you’re around town in October, they have a pretty intense Halloween experience that I absolutely recommend! Fright fest is tame enough during the day for smaller children (although some of the decor is still a little scary), but it gets crazy after 6pm. If you’re traveling with teens, I’d say it’s a “must do” activity in the Chicagoland area. Enter at your own risk!

Prices vary significantly depending on how much you want to stand in line. Your basic park admission is just $45 per person. However, if you want to skip the lines and be treated like a VIP, you can check out the FLASH pass options. The top tier is FLASH Pass Ultimate which will run you $185 per person.

During the summer months, Six Flags also gives you access to Hurricane Harbor which is the water park on the property. Personally, the idea of standing outside in line for water slides and constantly reapplying sunscreen on my impatient kids does not appeal, but lots of people love going to Hurricane Harbor. Bring a quick dry towel and some water shoes so that you can enjoy the theme park too.

Great Wolf Lodge Water Park

You drove all the way to Six Flags, so you might as well stay one night at Great Wolf Lodge. Both attractions are located in the northern suburb of Gurnee. This hotel has a great wilderness theme and has an indoor AND outdoor water park. Although it’s a little smaller than its counterpoint in the Wisconsin Dells, the Illinois Great Wolf is still a lot of fun.

The rooms are very well situated for families with younger kids. You can get your normal two double beds, but they also have rooms with a big bed for mom and dad, and really cool bunk beds for the kids. This is ideal if you want to stay up with some beers and have a little privacy while the kids are winding down in their beds. The fun bunk bed rooms run about $280 per night and include access to the water park. You can invite the whole extended family and get a room for 12 people at $800 per night. There are a lot of options in-between as well.

If the kids somehow get bored of epic water slides, lazy rivers, wave pools and hot tubs…there’s even more! Entertain those children with the arcade, mini golf, bowling alley, rock climbing wall, ropes course, and MagiQuest. All of these activities come with an additional price tag.

Medieval Times

Let’s go back in time and enjoy a feast while being entertained by falconry, jousting, and combat! Although it takes you back to the 1400s, Medieval Times is only a 45 minute drive from Chicago. The giant castle greets you with crowns and banners to support your knight. Get there early to mill about the shops, have a drink, check out the torture museum, and see the horses. If it’s a special occasion, you can even have someone knighted by the Queen!

Once you’re seated in the arena, you’re ready to cheer on your specific knight. I’ve been to Medieval Times a zillion times, and my knight has never won. *sad face* But it’s still a lot of fun! They do change the show from time to time, so it never gets stale. You’re served a multi-course meal of soup, chicken, corn on the cob, and dessert while you enjoy the tournament. It’s really a lot of fun.

There are usually two shows per day on the weekends. Adult tickets will run you about $70 while kids 12 and under cost $40. I think this is a pretty popular buy on Groupon, so you can definitely find discounts.

Legoland

It’s easy to add Legoland to your trip to Medieval Times. Both activities are really close in the suburb of Schaumburg. If you want to fill up a day, visit Legoland, have some lunch at one the many Lettuce Entertain You restaurants in the area, head to Wood Field Mall for some shopping, and then go to the late showing at Medieval Times.

If I’m being honest, I think Legoland is a little pricey. You can get basic admission for about $25 per person or spend nearly $40 per person if you want a minifig, digital photos, etc. The first floor is primarily things that are already made with Lego that are pretty impressive to see. They have a whole immersive jungle area that is made entirely of Lego. There are a few rides made of Lego too. I thought the coolest part was just the imagination areas where they have gigantic tubs of Lego and ideas posted on the walls. One spot had ideas for cars and then there was a ramp where you could race your creations and smash them to bits. There’s also an indoor playground area where kids can run around to their hearts content.

This place is probably best for littler kids under the age of 12. Depending on your kids focus levels for Lego building, you could spend about 2 hours here or more.

Ravinia

A night on a picnic blanket under the stars eating charcuterie and listening to music. Sounds pretty dreamy, right? You need to visit Ravinia! Located north of Chicago in Highland Park, you can either drive or take the train to this location. Only open in the summer months, Ravinia is home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when the weather warms up. But this venue also gets major headliners like Trombone Shorty, Frank Sinatra, Lady Gaga, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Although you can purchase pavilion seats, I love sitting in the lawn with my little roll-up picnic table, a chic blanket, and all the cheese possible. You can also BYOB and bring a few bottles of wine. It’s a real summer highlight for most people in the Chicagoland area. Just be sure to get there early to carve out your spot in the grass. Finding a spot in the lawn and setting up an extravagant picnic is like a sport for Chicagoans in the summer – it gets intense. If driving, be sure to bring some cash for parking. There are also off-site parking locations and shuttles to/from the venue.

Chicago Botanic Gardens

Located in the same area as Ravinia, The Chicago Botanic Gardens isn’t in Chicago at all! Also located in Highland Park, this park boasts 385 acres of gorgeous gardens, sculptures, butterflies, dining, and miles of trails. My favorite is the Japanese Garden with its winding waterways and quaint bridges. There’s also a children’s garden with model trains that will delight our youngest visitors.

If you’re interested in getting family photos done while you’re in Chicago, this would be a great location. There are so many great spots for photos! The rose garden is particularly lovely certain times of the year too.

You could easily spend all day here, so if you’re visiting in the summer, I’d suggest hanging out at the gardens during the day and then seeing a show at Ravinia that evening.