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Activities
8/7, Fox Lake
Venetian Night
Piskatee Lake/Dockers
33 W. Grand Ave., Fox Lake
(847) 587-2151
The annual Venetian Night celebration may be missed in Chicago, but Fox Lake is
filling the gap with this decorated boat parade and block party, which includes
fireworks after dark.
8/14-8/15,
Great Tastes Fine Arts Festival
Downtown
Long Grove
307 Old
McHenry Rd., Long Grove
(847)
634-0888
www.longgroveonline.com
8/21, Arlington Million & the
International Festival of Racing
Arlington Park
2200 W.
Euclid, Arlington Heights
(847) 385-7500
www.arlingtonpark.com
The 28th
edition of the Grade I Arlington Million at a mile and a quarter is a race that
attracts the best grass runners from around the world. Other races include the
Grade I $750,000 Beverly D., sister race to the Million, and the Grade I
$400,000 Secretariat Stakes for three year olds. This is a truly exciting event
that’s the centerpiece of the horse racing season. The 8/20 Mane Event Million Dollar Block Party takes place in
downtown Arlington Heights (Campbell Ave. & Vail Ave.) from 6 p.m.-midnight
the previous day in celebration of the event; call 847-253-1703 for
information.
Places
Arlington
Park Racecourse
2200 W. Euclid
Ave., Arlington Heights
(847) 385-7500
www.arlingtonpark.com
Come for
world-class horse racing at one of the nation’s premier racetracks!. Bring the
family, enjoy the weather and take in some heart-pounding horserace thrills
Thursdays through Sundays (including Monday, July 5 and Monday, September 6).
The season closes 9/26. Look for Sunday Family Day activities (crafts, petting
zoo, pony rides) and Miller Lite Party in the Park Fridays. Other events
include Independence Day/Boy Scout’s 100th Anniversary Jubilee on
7/4, Fiesta in the Park on 7/11, Ladies Day/Pink the Park on 7/24, Blackhawks
Legends Day on 7/29, a Celtic Celebration on 9/12. The biggest event of the
season, the Arlington Million and the International Festival of Racing, takes
place on 8/21.
Chicago
Indoor Racing
301
Hastings Dr., Buffalo Grove
(847)
941-9400
2381 W.
Army Trail Rd., Addison
(630)
433-3700
This
exciting indoor go-kart racing, dining and meeting destination is run by
well-known auto racer Tony Stewart.
Crabtree
Nature Center
3 Stover
Rd., Barrington
(847)
381-6592
Long Grove
Confectionery Company
333 Lexington
Dr., Buffalo Grove
(888)
459-3100
Experience
the old-fashioned way of making chocolates in this 85,000 sq. ft. facility.
Learn about the company’s candy kitchen, watch chocolates being made and enjoy
a few samples before you go. The Chocolate Factory tour takes approximately one
hour. Call for details.
Long Grove
Village
307 Old
McHenry Rd.
Routes 83
& 53, Long Grove
(847)
634-0888
www.longgroveonline.com
Long Grove
is well known for its gift stores, antique shops and special dining.
People come long distances by auto and chartered bus to spend a day
here. “Downtown” Long Grove contains some 120 specialty shops and
restaurants. With few exceptions, all are open seven days a week, all
year long. Come for the Great Tastes Fine Arts Festival, 8/14-8/15; the
International World’s Tour, 9/4-6; and the Heritage 5K Run & Walk, 9/11.
Legoland
Discovery Center
Streets of
Woodfield
601 N.
Martingale, Schaumburg
(866)
929-8111
www.legoland.com
Enjoy
30,000 square feet of Lego-themed excitement, including indoor amusement
park-like attractions such as the Dragon Ride and a 4-D cinema (3-D glasses
plus snow and wind effects) currently featuring two movies playing daily. A
giant play area and cafe lets you experiment with all sizes of blocks, and
build and race your own LEGO vehicles. And, of course, you can view all kinds
of Lego sculptures in the Jungle Adventure and in Miniland, featuring the city
of Chicago.
Medieval
Times
2001 N.
Roselle Road, Schaumburg
(888)
WE-JOUST
www.medievaltimes.com
That castle
you can see just off I-90 at Roselle Road is the site of heroism, adventure
and plenty of tournament-based
excitement. Think of it as dinner theatre inspired by more chivalrous times,
featuring knights, princesses, battles of honor and high-stepping horses. A
state-of-the-art tech setup and a narrative-driven show that incorporates
jousting and split-second choreography provide fantasy fun for the whole
family.
Shri
Swaminarayan Mandir (BAPS) Temple
4N739 IL Route 59, Bartlett
(630) 213
2277
The BAPS
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chicago is the largest traditional Hindu Mandir of
stone and marble to be constructed in the United States. You can tour the
temple and visit the cultural center.
Cuneo Museum
1350 N.
Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills
(847)
362-3042
www.cuneomuseum.org
The
mansion, built by Commonwealth Edison founder Samuel Insull in 1914, features
opulent Venetian-style architecture, such as a 40-foot-high great hall with
arcaded balconies, sky-lit ceiling, grand staircase, double formal dining
rooms, and a private chapel with exquisite stained glass windows and wonderful
frescoed ceilings. Enjoy a significant collection of art, tapestries, oriental
rugs and sculpture; the grounds comprise 75 serene acres of lakes, fountains,
formal gardens, antique classic statuary, and a conservatory housing exotic
plants. Closed Mondays. Piano Man Mike Sigman performs 7/21 and an ABBA salute
takes place 8/11.
Fox River
Trolley Museum
361 S.
LaFox St. (Rt. 31), South Elgin
(847)
697-4676
www.foxtrolley.org
The museum
operates a variety of antique trolleys, many from long-vanished tracks that
once connected Carpentersville, Elgin, Aurora and Yorkville. Closed on
weekdays. Open Saturdays through Labor Day weekend and Sundays through 11/7.
Illinois
Railway Museum
7000 Olson
Rd., Union
(815)
923-4000
www.irm.org
Relive the
glory days of the railroad at this museum, which hosts one of the largest
collections of railway equipment in the country. Over 400 pieces of
equipment—including electric, steam and diesel engines and cars—are preserved,
restored and operated here. Highlights include the only running Zephyr in the
country and the definitive collection of Chicago streetcars. Events include the
Independence Day Trolley Pageant, 7/4; Diesel Days, 7/17-7/18; 20th
Annual Vintage Transport Extravaganza, 8/1; Day Out with Thomas, 8/13-8/22;
Labor Day Weekend, 9/4-9/6 and Museum Showcase Weekend, 9/18-9/19.
Lake County
Discovery Museum
27277 Forest Preserve Dr., Wauconda
(847) 968-3400
www.lcfpd.org
Hands-on
interactive exhibits introduce the history of Lake County in a fun learning
environment. The museum also displays the nation’s largest permanent exhibition
on the history and significance of postcards. A local artist gallery displays
art from Chicagoland artists. Through 8/15, view “Charles Warner’s Cathedrals,”
five folk art pieces that hearken back to the artist’s European childhood, and
through 8/22 come for “Golden Legacy: Original Art from 65 Years of Golden
Books.” On 7/10-7/11, enjoy the 19th Annual Civil War Days
re-enactment.
Volo Auto
Museum
27582 Volo
Village Rd., Volo
(815)
344-6062
www.volocars.com
Now in its
46th year, the 30-acre Volo theme park is famous for its multimillion-dollar
automobile collection of nearly 300 antique and famous cars displayed in five
climate-controlled showrooms. For kids, a fun 1950s exhibit of Hollywood TV
puts cars on view in a food court, military displays, and three large antique
malls. The Volo Military History Museum includes dioramas of WWII, Vietnam and
the latest exhibit on The Gulf War. The exhibit also features other
historically significant military artifacts. Closed Mondays. This spring, vehicles
on display will include cars from “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull” and
“Batman: The Dark Knight“ as well as “Speed Racer”’s Mach 5 and “Cars”’ Doc
Hudson. Come for a Mother’s Day event on 5/9, enjoy the Spring Car Corral on
5/29-30, treat your dad for Father’s Day on 6/20 and look for more auto-themed
events throughout the year.
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