Ballard Nature Center

Located just minutes outside of Effingham, Ballard Nature Center is home to dozens of species of birds and wildlife. Natural prairie, wetlands, butterfly and hummingbird gardens, ponds, and creeks round out the outdoor experience. Activities at the Nature Center includes trail walks, kids' fishing, bird watching, picnics, and much more. An indoor activity center provides plenty for the whole family to do any time of year.

CITY: Altamont

National Great Rivers Museum

Located adjacent to the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, this museum is dedicated to telling the story of the Mississippi River, from its colorful history to its modern-day role as a major transportation corridor. The museum features kid-friendly, interactive and computer animated exhibits. Steer a towboat through the locks and dam via simulator, measure your water consumption or come face-to-face with river fish in the aquarium.

CITY: Alton

Jacoby Arts Center

Jacoby Arts Center is dedicated to creating opportunities for individual artists in their pursuit of artistic excellence and economic success. The stunning gallery presents works of regional and national artists and the retail shop, known as The Artist Shop, showcases items in a variety of media while providing artists a retail outlet to their audiences.

CITY: Alton

Haskell Playhouse

This Queen Anne-style playhouse was built for Lucy J. Haskell, daughter of Dr. William A. & Florence H. Haskell. The playhouse was an exact replica of the family home. Lucy died at age nine of diptheria and the Haskell's gave the estate to the City of Alton for educational & recreational purposes. The playhouse is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places and can be visited in Haskell Park.

CITY: Alton

Stage Coach Trails Livery

For those dreaming of harnessing, hitching and driving the big horses, here is your chance to enjoy an afternoon or a week. Stagecoach Trails offers good Belgian horses and good equipment for the beginner or old-timer wishing to relive days gone by. Come along and learn how it was done in days gone by! Our trails are located on some of the old original stagecoach and wagon trails. One most notably is the Frink-Walker Line, which ran from Chicago to Dubuque. On the trails we may find all kinds of wildlife including small game, deer, or perhaps the magnificent wild turkey. Come along, relax, and enjoy God's country.

CITY: Apple River

Laser Quest - Arlington Heights

Laser Quest is a family entertainment venue combining the classic games of hide-and-seek and tag with a high tech twist. Our multi-level arenas have specialty lighting, swirling fog and energetic music to add to the excitement for up to 30 or more players in each game.

CITY: Arlington Heights

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Open from mid-September through October 31, The Great Pumpkin Patch features 300 varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds from around the world, all grown on the farm. The beautiful grounds feature various mazes and gardens, farm animals, a u-pick pumpkin patch and the Homestead Bakery, offering fresh-baked goods. Live entertainment is presented on fall weekends.

CITY: Arthur

Route 66 Park & Tourism Center

This small park is right on Route 66, and it's a great place to check out the town of Atlanta. It is a great park, including flat area to run and playground for the kids to climb and run on, you and your family are sure to enjoy.

CITY: Atlanta

Luigi's Pizza and Fun Center

Enjoy the fun here that includes laser tag, an arcade room and great pizza.

CITY: Aurora

Vaughn Athletic Center Water Park

This year-round indoor water park has tube slides, zero-depth entry and interactive water play.

CITY: Aurora

SciTech Hands On Museum

An interactive, hands-on science and technology center with over 200 hands-on exhibits and an outdoor science park. Discover science and math can be interesting, accessible, and fun!

CITY: Aurora

Blackberry Farm's Pioneer Village

Go on a one of a kind country adventure you'll never forget! Become pioneers for a day on a real 1800s farm and village. Miniature train rides, pony rides, petting zoo, pioneer craft demonstrations, and special events.

CITY: Aurora

Aurora Arena Skate Center

Skate to the sounds of Top 40 music. The skate center also features special live organ music dance sessions.

CITY: Aurora

Ultimate Sports Dome

This sports spot features go-karts, batting cages, miniature golf and an indoor driving range.

CITY: Aurora

Splash Country Water Park

This deluxe water park features tube slides, a simulated river, zero-depth pools and sand activity areas.

CITY: Aurora

Airtastic Playland

A fun and exciting play land offering 10 inflatable play structures, four party rooms and two age-appropriate play areas.

CITY: Aurora

Villa Olivia Country Club Ski Area

Skiwee for kids 4-9 years old, snow tubing, ski, dining, golf, lessons, snowboarding, sleigh rides.

CITY: Bartlett

Batavia Riverwalk

A 32-acre park built in cooperation with Batavia Park District, the city of Batavia and the Batavia Riverwalk Committee. Park your bikes by the Depot Museum and stroll the boardwalks through the wildflower garden.

CITY: Batavia

Hall Quarry Beach

Hall Quarry features a zero-depth sand beach, two islands, a youth water slide, drop slide, and a diving tower with two- and four-meter platforms.

CITY: Batavia

Funway Entertainment Center

This year round entertainment center offers bumper cars, go-karts, mini-golf, batting cages, roller skating, an arcade and outdoor entertainment from April-September.

CITY: Batavia

Plum Creek Nature Center

This center features local natural history exhibits, hands-on displays for children, and family programs that are offered throughout the year. Picnic facilities and camping are available by reservation.

CITY: Beecher

Braeutigam's Orchards

Blackberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, tomatoes, and eggplant are the specialties at this orchard.

CITY: Belleville

Boone County Conservation District

The enchanting charm of Boone County’s Buffalo Creek creates a picturesque scene of nature at its finest. With a mission of preserving nature for generations to come, the area offers numerous educational events and festivals.

CITY: Belvidere

Grady's Family Fun Center

As Bloomington-Normal's only amusement park, Grady's features an 18-hole mini-golf course, batting cages, bumper boats, go-karts and kiddie rides.

CITY: Bloomington

Pelican Harbor Indoor/Outdoor Aquatic Park

Illinois' only indoor/outdoor aquatic park features seven water slides, a lazy river, two zero-depth entry pools, a spray play area, diving well, sand playground and two concession stands.

CITY: Bolingbrook

Wilderness Falls

Two mini golf courses, batting cages and an arcade are located at this family fun spot near Clow Airport.

CITY: Bolingbrook

Comfort Inn & Suites

Luxury at a moderate price, the Comfort Inn is conveniently located in Bourbonnais off I-57, near Olivet Nazarene University, Legends Sportsplex and Northfield Mall. With 114 new guest rooms, complimentary hot breakfast, free WiFi and onsite meeting room facilities, this property is ideal for business guests and leisure travelers.

CITY: Bourbonnais

Aspen Ridge Miniature Golf

This fun family spot, open April-October, offers two miniature golf courses.

CITY: Bourbonnais

Legends Sportsplex

This year-round facility offers five basketball courts, eight volleyball courts, two soccer fields, a video game arcade, bumper cars, two mini-golf courses, softball batting cages, a go-kart track, climbing wall and paintball field.

CITY: Bourbonnais

Polk-a-Dot Drive In

Drive-In founded over 50 years ago has become one of the most memorable attractions along Illinois Route 66. Stop in and see the collection of memorabilia and enjoy a great meal.

CITY: Braidwood

Brookfield Zoo

There's more than 200 beautifully landscaped acres to explore at Brookfield Zoo. Highlights include dolphin shows at Seven Seas, ape encounters at Tropic World and the chance for kids to dress up and play veterinarian at the Hamill Family Play Zoo. The zoo also offers an old-fashioned carousel and a wide variety of shopping and dining options.

CITY: Brookfield

eSkape

This 60,000-square-foot entertainment complex includes 36 lanes of bowling, a multi-level leaser tag arena, indoor batting cages, an arcade, nightclub and the Grillworks Restaurant.

CITY: Buffalo Grove

Haunted Trails - Burbank

The Burbank outpost of this year round family entertainment center features hundreds of games, rides, miniature golf, go-karts and batting cages.

CITY: Burbank

The Science Center of Southern Illinois

This center was designed for children ages 3-13 and their families. The science museum features several interactive hands-on exhibits dealing with a variety of basic concepts of science, as well as special events and programs.

CITY: Carbondale

Pagliai's Pizza & Pasta

This family-owned and operated restaurant has been successfully serving delicious Italian cuisine in Carbondale's downtown for more than 20 years. Known for both thin and thick crust, there's no question that "Pag's" has set the standard high for "Carbondale Style" pizza!

CITY: Carbondale

Carbondale Train Museum

Built in 1903 by the Illinois Central Railroad, the Old Railroad Passenger Depot has since been restored and now serves as home to the Carbondale Train Museum. Filled with information, artifacts and souveniers, the museum contains significant facts relating to Carbondale's history. Ring the bell of an original train car from the Illinois Central Railroad, which still sits on the track!

CITY: Carbondale

Coral Cove Water Park

Dive into this beach-themed water park with 2 tall tube slides, drop-slide, diving well, walk-in swimming pool, splash ‘n spray playground, sand play area and café. Locker rooms, showers & family restrooms. Available for group rentals for 50-1500 people.

CITY: Carol Stream

Laser Force Lazer Tag Zone

A 5,000 sq. ft. laser tag arena and a 2,500 sq. ft. game arcade is conveniently located by hotels and restaurants off I-64.

CITY: Caseyville

Cedarville Historical Museum

This museum is located in an 1889 school building and features a permanent exhibit honoring Jane Addams, who was born and raised in Cedarville. Miss Addams was an internationally famous humanitarian and social work pioneer who founded Chicago's Hull House and won the Nobel Peace Prize. Museum exhibits include personal items and memorabilia from her life and the life of her family. There are also changing exhibits on topics of local historical interest and a research center and a research center.

CITY: Cedarville

William M. Staerkel Planetarium

Do some star gazing at the second-largest planetarium in Illinois, located at Parkland College. More than 7,000 stars are projected onto the planetarium’s 50-foot dome. The Planetarium also features special children’s presentations and rock-and-roll light shows.

CITY: Champaign

Orpheum Children's Science Museum

The Orpheum Children's Museum, located in the 1914 Orpheum Theatre, is one of the finest buildings in downstate Illinois. Children of all ages are given the opportunity to learn science at their own pace in an informal setting.

CITY: Champaign

Charleston Putt-n-Swing

This family fun spot features an 18-hole miniature golf course and batting cages.

CITY: Charleston

Magic Waters Waterpark

Some of the many fun water attractions include the five-story Abyss (a dark tunnel tube ride), the two-person Splash Blaster water coaster, Tsunami Bay (Illinois' largest wave pool), Splash Magic River, and Little Lagoon for the tykes. The newest ride is the Double Dare Drop speed slides. Each slide drops riders 75 feet, making the thrill ride the steepest speed slide in northern Illinois.

CITY: Cherry Valley

Ritz-Carlton Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel), The

Steps away from the famous Magnificent Mile, the Four Seasons-operated Ritz-Carlton Chicago offers infinitely luxurious accommodations for both business and leisure travel. If traveling with kids, the hotel offers a number of relevant amenities, including children's menus in-restaurant and for in-room dining, children's coloring books, bathrobes and welcome amenities. Additionally, concierge service can help arrange a babysitter or help plan the next day's family outing. The hotel also offers "Cookies with the Chef", where children are invited into the hotel's award winning kitchen for a tour followed by a cookie making session.

CITY: Chicago

Hotel Monaco

Overlooking the Chicago River, this stylin’ hotel is within walking distance of the Magnificent Mile, State Street shopping and Millennium Park. Hotel Monaco is extremely pet friendly, with no fees or size restrictions for your furry friend.

CITY: Chicago

Omni Chicago Hotel

The 4-star - 4-diamond all suite hotel located on Chicago's famed Magnificent Mile, just a few short steps from world-class shopping, dining and cultural attractions. And if you are traveling with children, they can enjoy the The Omni Sensational Kids program, which provides four-diamond service to the hotel's youngest guests. Your children will enjoy plenty of kid-minded amenities, including games and books, a backpack upon check-in and menu choices prepared especially for young travelers. Parents are provided with a list of top family attractions in Chicago, local emergency numbers and a safety/first-aid kit which includes a night light and outlet covers.

CITY: Chicago

Amazing Chicago's Funhouse Maze

This Navy Pier funhouse takes visitors on a 15-minute, full sensory experience that challenges and dazzles guests to navigate through a series of mirror mazes set in the great city of Chicago.

CITY: Chicago

Tall Ship Windy

Navy Pier's resident 148-foot, four-masted schooner pays tribute to the Great Lakes' rich maritime heritage during a variety of cruises each day.

CITY: Chicago

Wrigley Field

The Friendly Confines is the second-oldest ballpark in the major leagues behind Boston's Fenway Park (1912).

CITY: Chicago

Millennium Park

In the heart of the city you’ll find a state-of-the-art park designed for the new millennium. Discover the reflective Cloud Gate sculpture, the multimedia Crown Fountain and the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, all with Chicago’s stunning architecture as a backdrop. The park is also host to many free cultural programs, concerts and family activities. Plus, there's alfresco dining in the summer and an ice skating rink in the winter.

CITY: Chicago

O'Leary's Chicago Fire Truck Tours

Board a genuine open-air antique fire truck and take a tour that focuses on the Chicago FIre, and stops at two Chicago fire stations. Reservations required.

CITY: Chicago

Chicago History Museum

The Chicago History Museum is a major museum and research center for Chicago and American history. From permanent galleries to special exhibitions and exciting programs, people of all ages are able to experience the past and better understand the present. Please call for museum hours, pricing and exhibitions.

CITY: Chicago

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

The urban gateway to nature and science. The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is a place where city dwellers can reconnect with the wonder of the natural world. From a hands-on water lab to a wilderness walk to the only international, year-round butterfly haven, science comes alive.

CITY: Chicago

Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier

Hands-on exhibits and daily-changing activities make every visit unique for young children and adults, too. Dig deep into the Dinosaur Expedition, try to stay dry in WaterWays, make a masterpiece in the KraftArtabounds Studio, and climb up to the crow's nest on the Kovler Family Climbing Schooner. Toddlers can have fun in Kids Town and Treehouse Trails.

CITY: Chicago

Vittum Theater

The 299 seat theater is named after Harriet Elizabeth Vittum, head resident of the Northwestern University Settlement House from 1907 to 1947. Miss Vittum was a friend, counselor, and good neighbor to thousands of new Chicagoans in her community. She advocated dramatic and musical arts because she believed that they empower self-expression and self-worth.

CITY: Chicago

Lincoln Park Zoo

Located in the heart of the city, the free Lincoln Park Zoo features an impressive ape house, the Farm-in-the-Zoo, a charming children’s zoo, and rides on an old-fashioned carousel. Catch ZooLights during the holidays, when the zoo features glittering light displays and seasonal family activities. The zoo was one of the locales featured in the film Return to Me.

CITY: Chicago

American Girl Place

Located at the famous Water Tower Place, you'll find the store girls of all ages want to visit. They come from far and near to experience the magic that is American Girl Place Chicago—featuring specialty shops, private dining and, of course, lovable dolls. The only destination of its kind in the world for girls and their families.

CITY: Chicago

Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum

The Adler Planetarium — America's First Planetarium — was founded in 1930 by Chicago business leader Max Adler. The museum is home to three full-size theaters, extensive space science exhibitions, and one of the world's most important antique astronomical instrument collections on display. The Adler is a recognized leader in science education, with a focus on inspiring young people, particularly women and minorities, to pursue careers in science.

CITY: Chicago

John G. Shedd Aquarium

Strap a mask and flippers onto your imagination and chart a course to the Shedd Aquarium. Have you ever seen eye-to-eye with a dolphin? Said hello to a penguin on a stroll to the South Pole? Immersed yourself in a flooded Amazon forest? Or met a friendly beluga whale? You can do it all at the Shedd! Photo courtesy of the John G. Shedd Aquarium

CITY: Chicago

California Pizza Kitchen - Chicago

Hearth-baked Pizzas, made to order pastas, innovative salads and delicious desserts. Also available for carry-out and delivery.

CITY: Chicago

Redmoon Theater

Redmoon Theatre was founded in 1989 in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Redmoon has won national acclaim as the country's leading creator of spectacle theatre -- a highly visual and inventive theatre style that embraces the act of transformation through pageantry, puppetry, contraption-type mechanical objects, robust physical movement, and surprising use of scale and special effects. Using this unique visual language, Redmoon transforms streets and stages into places of public celebration, capable of speaking across cultural, ethnic, and generational boundaries.

CITY: Chicago

WhirlyBall Chicago

WhirlyBall is a combination of basketball, lacrosse and bumper cars all rolled into one. WhirlyBall also features laser tag.

CITY: Chicago

Chicago Chocolate Tours

Take a fun, educational guided walking and tasting tour of select chocolate shops along the Magnificent Mile or in the Loop. Learn about the history of chocolate and sample chocolate delights on this tasty tour

CITY: Chicago

Shoot for the Moon

This exciting permanent exhibition features the fully restored Gemini 12 spacecraft and tells the story of astronaut Captain James A. Lovell, Jr.'s life and career using artifacts from his personal collection. Opens Nov. 6, 2008

CITY: Chicago

The Field Museum

Discover Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex ever found! At the Field Museum you can also get a bug's-eye view in the Underground Adventure, descend into an Egyptian tomb, be dazzled in the Hall of Gems, come nose to nose with the infamous man-eating lions of Tsavo, and walk among dinosaurs in Evolving Planet.

CITY: Chicago

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are made up of a talented group of young and veteran players this season. Come to Soldier Field and join the Bears' enormous fan base of die-hard supporters who enthusiastically cheer their team to victory.

CITY: Chicago

Museum of Science and Industry

A world of discovery awaits at the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Explore more than 800 exhibits, including the legendary U-505, a German submarine captured on the high seas during World War II; take off on a Boeing 727 airplane for a simulated cross-country flight; descend down a mineshaft for a tour of a realistic coal mine; and witness robots at work in a toy factory. Take a seat at the museum’s Omnimax Theater and watch awesome 3D flicks on a giant screen.

CITY: Chicago

Navy Pier

The Midwest’s number-one attraction is the place in Chicago for lakefront fun. Take an exhilarating ride on the sky-high Ferris wheel, board a sightseeing or dinner cruise boat, and see a live performance at the outdoor Skyline Stage or acclaimed Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Dine at one of Navy Pier’s many boardwalk restaurants and browse the unique shops and stands (a great place to pick up a souvenir).

CITY: Chicago

Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field

The North Side Chicago Cubs baseball team calls historic Wrigley Field home.

CITY: Chicago

Bike Chicago

Rent a bike and ride along the city's breathtaking Lakefront Trail with a guide from Bike Chicago, or pick up a free map and take your own self-guided tour. The section of the bike path that winds along North Avenue Beach is featured in the dramatic comedy The Break-Up.

CITY: Chicago