Monday, July 24, 2017

Road Trip: Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, IL)



Our family had a great experience at our first (family) trip to Six Flags!

Rides are restricted by height, so ensure your shortest family member is a min of 36" or you will be paying a lot of money for very little to do.

Main Height Breakdowns:
36" Height - Access to:
  • All the kiddie rides (think sitting in a car that follows a pre-set path; planes that circle).
    • Located in County Fair Kidzopolis & Hometown Square
  • 2 roller coasters: The Whizzer and Little Dipper (our small guy loved both)
  • Roaring Rapids & Yankee Clipper/Log Rides


42" Height - Access to all of the above and:
  • Justice League - 4D Laser Game
  • Demon - upside down roller coaster
  • The Dark Knight - completely dark indoor coaster (note: scared my 6yo and a nearby older child)

48" Height - All of the above and:
  • 12 additional coasters/water rides, including The Joker, Goliath, and Giant Drop

54" Height - Everything, including:
  • Batman
  • X flight
  • Superman


Noteworthy:
  • The park opens earlier than stated on the website, so arrive early for great parking and faster admittance.
  • Upon entry, beeline for the rides you most want to experience - no line; no wait! Most likely you will be able to ride it a few times without a wait.
  • We arrived when the park opened, and made it until 6pm before we tired out. Didn't even make it to Hurricane Harbor.
  • We came dressed in our swim suits, as there are splash pads and water rides in the normal park. We were glad we did.  Our kids did not enjoy roaring rapids or the yankee clipper (which was sad for the parents).
  • Food in the park is expensive, and many smart folks leave the park and eat in their car.

Look at this smart family!!
Cost Savings:
There are typically ways to save on ticket prices, so make sure to check online.

Kid's Jury: 4 stars
Had a great time. Would like it more if costs were lower for kids that can't do many of the rides :) Only complaint.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Annual Event: Chicago Dragon Boat Races


If you are wondering the best weekend to experience Chicago's Chinatown, my vote is the weekend of the Chicago Dragon Boat Races for Literacy.  We attend this every year and enjoy the races and overall ambience.

It's a great day to see the races and tour the Chinatown neighborhood! Just steps away is the Joy Yee restaurant for lunch, dinner, or try one of their huge smoothies!

If you missed the races this year, there is still plenty to see and do while in Chinatown.



< Enormous smoothie list equals the size of the smoothies. 


Noteworthy:
  • Located on the River, at Ping Tom Memorial Park.
  • The park has a nice playground and beautiful green space with Chinese-themed paths and bridges.
  • Cultural Performances take place throughout the day
  • Includes food trucks, neighborhood vendors/sponsors, and kids' activities
Cost Savings:
Free!

Location/Transportation:
Chinatown
Access to the area is great: Red Line Cermak/Chinatown Stop; Numerous bus routes; and even the Chicago Water Taxi!

Kid's Jury: 5 stars
Every year is fun