let’s go! LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS VISITORS GUIDE WELCOME TO LAKE COUNTY WORLD-CLASS SHOPPING SMALL-TOWN CHARM PLAY ALL DAY STAY ALL NIGHT TOP 5 MOST INSTAGRAM-WORTHY PLACES IN LAKE COUNTY VisitLakeCounty.org VISITLAKECOUNTY.ORG 1 HATE TO TRAVEL? LET US POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. Whether you’re right down the road or a little bit further, it’s time you love to travel – even before getting on the plane. Experience Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport’s affordable parking, short lines, great shops and restaurants, low fares and over 40 nonstop destinations. What’s not to love? FLYMKE.COM 2 800-LAKE NOW LAKE COUNTY THE ART & SOUL WHAT’S INSIDE 16 OF LAKE COUNTY Welcome to Get Out and Play 4 Lake County 30 Lake County is Treat Your Taste Buds 6 Always in Season 34 Great Times Your Table is Waiting 8 All Year-Long 36 Coast, Splash, Lake County 10 Joust, Fly and Dance 42 Libation Trail™ TREAT YOUR Play All Day Great Experiences 34 TASTE BUDS 12 44 Stay All Night The Art & Soul Stay the Weekend 16 of Lake County 46 Discovery is Getting Around, 18 Always Fun Services, & Chambers of World-Class Shopping 50 Commerce 22 Small-Town Charm Top 5 Most One-of-a-Kind Treasures Instagram-Worthy 24 52 Places in Lake County STAY THE 28 The Great Outdoors 55 #LetsGoLakeCounty 46 WEEKEND Visitor Information Center & Administrative Offices 5465 West Grand Avenue, Suite 100 Gurnee, IL 60031 Whether you’re planning a family vacation, a couple’s getaway weekend, a sporting event 800-Lake-Now (525-3669) or a group tour, Visit Lake County is here to help. [email protected] Call 800-525-3669 or email [email protected] Go to VisitLakeCounty.org for a listing of special for assistance. events, coupons and sign up for our e-newsletter. Interested in becoming a partner? Contact us Visit our 24-hour visitor information kiosk at the at 847-662-2700 or email [email protected]. I-94 Lake Forest Oasis, just north of the Hwy. 60 exit. 50M 6/19 VISITLAKECOUNTY.ORG 3 Welcome TO LAKE COUNTY You don’t have to travel far from home to find yourself in another world. Just an hour north of Chicago, the magic of Lake County begins. SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA It’s a world of soul-stirring beauty, At the bustling Six Flags Great America in living history, small-town charm Gurnee, enchanting rides delight the little and big-time excitement. ones. And 17 heart-pounding roller coasters You’ll be amazed at all the inspire awe—including the world’s fastest wonderful things you can do coaster—the new Maxx Force—a double- and see in just a day or two. inversion monster that whips riders from 0-78 mph in less than two seconds, Play a round of golf on a course set in a debuts in 2019. Love towering water slides? tallgrass prairie. Sip chardonnay at a concert You’ll find 11 of them at Great Wolf Lodge, beneath the stars. Hike through hushed forest Illinois’ largest water park resort. trails, stroll through historic mansions and Blessed with 26 miles of Lake Michigan shop on charming small-town main streets. shoreline and over 200 inland lakes carved Teach your kids how to fish for bass on a out by Ice Age glaciers, including the famed sparkling lake. Set up camp just steps from Chain O’Lakes, Lake County is a boating and a lake. Or relax on a Lake Michigan beach, fishing wonderland. Water ski. Sail. Kayak. and let a perfect summer day wash over you. 4 800-LAKE NOW RAVINIA FESTIVAL Troll for king salmon on a charter boat The outdoor Ravinia Festival in Highland from Waukegan Harbor. Find a secluded Park runs from May through September with cove for a swim. And enjoy the view at a a schedule of world-renowned performers. lakeside restaurant. Once an ornate movie palace, the historical Come and revel in the great outdoors. Genesee Theatre in Waukegan welcomes Within the nearly 31,000 scenic acres of the national music acts, top comedians and Lake County Forest Preserves and across stage performances. Marriott Theatre the stunning landscapes of two state parks, in Lincolnshire stages Broadway musicals you’ll find kayaking, biking, hiking, throughout the year. birdwatching and camping. History lives in Lake County and the Along the 19th century cobblestone Bess Bower Dunn Museum in Libertyville will walkways of Historic Downtown tell you the fascinating story of Illinois’ most Long Grove and down the tree-lined beautiful county—from prehistoric times to streets of Main Street Libertyville you’ll the present. Plus, there are 96 Lake County discover charming boutiques, galleries, buildings, homes, historical districts and wine stores and antique shops. Or you landmarks listed on the National Register can join the savvy bargain hunters at of Historic Places—such as the majestic Gurnee Mills, where over 200 brand Cuneo Mansion and Gardens in Vernon and retail outlets deliver great discounts. Hills and the 10-acre estate housing the David Adler Music and Arts Center in All year-round across Lake County, Libertyville. Built in1837, the Caspar Ott you’ll find hundreds of festivals, Log House in the Deerfield Historic Village celebrations and events of every kind. is Lake County’s oldest standing structure. In late July, the Lake County Fair in Grayslake offers five days and nights This only scratches the surface of what Lake of all-American family fun. County has to offer. Next weekend, Let’s Go! Beginning in September, Photo © Lake County Forest Preserves the Lake County Spooks & Spirits™ Autumn Celebration is packed with nearly two amazing months of haunted houses, harvest celebrations, amusement park rides, concerts, street festivals and corn mazes. VISITLAKECOUNTY.ORG 5 What’s your Autumn Autumn in Lake County is that magical favorite season? time when the forests and fields become a riot of reds, oranges and yellows. Summer From September through November, Lake County has all you need for one-of-a- it’s also the season for the Lake County ™ kind outdoor experiences. With a wealth of Spooks & Spirits Autumn Celebration. lakes and waterways, Lake County is perfect Enjoy music and family fun at The Great for boating, swimming and fishing. Highwood Pumpkin Festival. Take on world- Hike tranquil trails while enjoying the beautiful class corn mazes and more at Richardson scenery. Get your thrills on world-class Adventure Farm and Didier Farms roller coasters and water park slides. PumpkinFest. It’s thrills by day and frights Don't miss on Grass Lake: Blarney Island’s by night at Six Flags Great America Fright Thunder on the Chain, where the drag boats Fest in Gurnee—featuring scary-fun rides and reach 150 mph on Thursday nights. And be haunted attractions. And, the spirits are very sure to join the party at lively summer festivals, near on the Lake County Libation Trail,™ like Vernon Hills' Summer Celebration and as local craft breweries, wineries and Lake Zurich’s Rock the Block. distilleries serve up flights, bites and pairings. LAKE COUNTY IS ALWAYS IN SEASON. Winter Spring Have the most wonderful time of the holiday Spring starts a month early in Lake County season in Lake County. Snowmobile, ski or with its very own Restaurant Week in early snowshoe through the beautiful Lake County March. What’s on the menu? The flavors of Forest Preserves. Shop for that perfect over 60 participating fine to casual dining gift at Gurnee Mills or one of our many destinations, brew pubs and cafés. specialty shops. Don’t miss our holiday event Plus, you can enjoy exclusive prix fixe menus highlights: a Dickens Holiday to remember in and special offers that are only available Libertyville or Six Flags Holiday in the Park. during these “Ten Days to Savor.” And, kids’ eyes will light up as Antioch brings holiday scenes to life with more than 60 over- sized shadow boxes on display as part of their Celebrate it Kringle Christmas Village Tour. in Lake County! 6 800-LAKE NOW VISITLAKECOUNTY.ORG 7 GREAT TIMES ALL YEAR-LONG No matter when you visit, something fun and exciting will be going on. Find full details, dates and times at VisitLakeCounty.org. Alpine Fest Lake Zurich David Adler Festival Celebrate Fox Lake— of the Arts Annual Independence Deerfield Family Days Libertyville Day Celebration Fourth of July Celebrations Grayslake Color Aloft Naval Station Great Lakes, North Chicago Grayslake Craft Beer Fest and Lake Zurich Balloon Festival Highland Park’s TAC Festival Fox Lake Bloody Mary Fest Grayslake Summer Days Festival of Fine Arts Highland Park Sidewalk Gurnee Days Libertyville Days Festival Sale Days Little Bear Rib Fest Long Grove Strawberry Fest Lake County Fair Vernon Hills Grayslake Port Clinton Art Festival Mundelein Craft Beer Fest Mundelein Community Days Highland Park Nostalgia Days Potawatomi Trails Pow Wow Zion Scoop! Zion Waukegan The Tempel Lipizzans Spring Lake Park Art Festival Taste of Summer Festival Performances Begin Lincolnshire Antioch Old Mill Creek Village Green Center Wizards Weekend Vernon Hills Heroes Night Antioch Summer Celebration Lincolnshire JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER Deerfield Harvest Fest Des Plaines River Trail Races Fox Lake Festival of Lights Vernon Hills Didier Farms Legions of Craft Beer Festival PumpkinFest Opens Fox Lake Pumpkin Jubilee at Six Flags Lincolnshire North Park Boo Bash Gurnee Fiestas Patrias Parade Lincolnshire and Festival Wilmot Mountain Opens Waukegan Trick or Tween Halloween Lake Zurich Jubilee Days Festival Zion The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival ks & Spir Long Grove Apple Fest oo it po s p ™ Six Flags Fright Fest S ™ Mundelein Fine Arts Festival Gurnee LL A A nn KK OO Richardson Adventure Farm II Vernon Hills Fall Fest E TT C AA O RR Corn Maze Opens U BB N LLEE Zion Fall Fest TY CEE , I N C Spring Grove llino TUM ZombieWauk ois AU Rock the Block Waukegan Lake Zurich ™ Six Flags Fright Fest Begins SPOOKS & SPIRITS Gurnee Have a scary good time at Lake County’s annual autumn celebration.