Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
191
the F erris wheel and car ousel at N avy P ier. N ot enough ex citement for y ou? Thrill-
seekers should head directly to an amusement park.
Six Flags Great America
All ages.
One of the Midwest's biggest theme/amusement
parks is located midway betw een Chicago and M ilwaukee on I-94 in G urnee, Illinois.
The park has more than 100 rides and attractions and is a favorite of roller coaster devo-
tees. There are a whopping 10 of them her e, including the nausea-inducing D éjà vu,
where riders fly for ward and backward over a twisting, looping inv erted steel track, and
Superman, where you speed along hanging head first (with y our legs dangling). O ther
don't-miss rides for the strong of stomach include the Iron Wolf, where you do corkscrew
turns and 360-degree loops while standing up, and the American Eagle, a classic wooden
coaster. Because this is a place that caters to families, y ou'll also find plenty to appeal to
the young set. The Looney Tunes National Park is full of kiddie rides with a car toon
theme; other worthwhile stops include the double-decker car ousel and bumper cars. Six
Flags also has liv e shows, IMAX movies, and r estaurants. If you take the tr ouble to get
out here from the city, allow a full day.
I-94 at Rte. 132 E., Gurnee .
&
847/249-4636.
www.sixflags.com. Admission (including unlimited rides,
shows, and attractions) $43 adults, $35 seniors and children over 54 in. tall, free for children 3 and under.
Daily May 10am-7pm; June-Aug 10am-10pm; weekends only in Sept 10am-7pm. Parking $10. Take I-94
or I-294 W. to Rte. 132 (Grand Ave.). Approximate driving time from Chicago city limits is 45 min.
6
6
HISTORIC HOUSES
OAK PARK
Architecture and literary buffs alike make pilgrimages to O ak Park, a nearby suburb on
the western border of the city that is easily accessible b y car or train. Bookworms flock
here to see the town where Ernest Hemingway was born and grew up, while others come
to catch a glimpse of the F rank Lloyd Wright-designed homes that line the w ell-main-
tained streets.
Getting There
BY CAR
Oak Park is 10 miles due west of downtown Chicago. By car, take the Eisen-
hower Expressway (I-290) west to Harlem Avenue (Ill. 43) and exit north. Continue on
Harlem north to Lake Street. Take a right on Lake Street and continue to Forest Avenue.
Turn left her e, and immediately on y our right y ou'll see the
Oak Park Visitor Center
(see below).
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Take the G reen Line w est to the H arlem stop ,
roughly a 25-minute ride fr om downtown. Exit the station onto H arlem Avenue, and
proceed north to Lake Street. Take a right on Lake Street, follow it to Forest Avenue, and
then turn left to the
Oak Park Visitor Center
(see below).
BY TOUR
The
Chicago Architecture Foundation
regularly runs guided tours fr om
downtown Chicago to O ak P ark. F or details, see “Chicago Ar chitecture F oundation
Tours,” p. 202.
Visitor Information
The
Oak Park Visitor Center,
158 Forest Ave. (
&
888/OAK-PARK
[625-7275]; www.
visitoakpark.com), is open daily fr om 10am to 5pm A pril thr ough O ctober, and fr om
10am to 4pm November through March. Stop here for orientation, maps, and guidebooks.
