Best Family-Friendly Attractions
Explore the best best family-friendly attractions options for kids and families in Arlington Heights
Wonder Works Children's Museum
Play space & concerts for young kids. 6,400 sq. ft. of play areas & interactive exhibits plus concerts tailored to kids 1 through 6.
Cosley Zoo
5 acres of native Illinois animals. 5-acre facility featuring native domestic animals & wildlife, plus ponds, a barn & natural habitats.
Hidden Lake Forest Preserve
Scenic area with fishing & hiking spots. This tranquil destination features trees & ponds, plus kayaking, fishing, hiking & picnicking.
Brookfield Zoo
Sprawling zoo with thousands of animals. Lions, tigers, dolphins & more frolic in natural indoor & outdoor settings at this wildlife park.
The Morton Arboretum
Sprawling garden & nature preserve. Diverse 1,700-acre nature preserve with a maze garden & tram plus picnicking, hiking & biking.
Children's Garden
Hedge maze, gardens & suspension bridge. Peaceful, arboretum area featuring a hedge maze, pond, themed gardens & a suspension bridge area.
Garfield Park Conservatory
Gardens, athletic fields & fishing. 184-acre park with a swimming pool, fishing lagoon, athletic fields & tennis courts.
Hurricane Harbor Chicago
Water park with slides & a lazy river. Sprawling fun park offering a lazy river, tube slides & water-based thrill rides, plus kiddie zones.
Sensory Garden Playground
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Six Flags Great America
Amusement park with rides for all ages. Sprawling amusement park with more than 100 rides & attractions, including myriad roller coasters.
Oz Park
Wizard of Oz-themed playground & park. Oz-themed playground/park with statues of the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion & Dorothy.
Lincoln Park Zoo
Free zoo with an interactive farm. Small, free zoo with lions, primates, reptiles, a children's area & an interactive farm exhibit.
Island Park
Riverside retreat with a playground. Scenic waterfront park offering a treehouse-themed playground & a picnic pavilion.
Chicago History Museum
Chicago history brought to life. Photos, artifacts, newsreels & dioramas bring to life historical events, architecture & culture.
Seager Park
Park with a playground, sports & more. Park featuring an interpretive center, a playground, sports facilities, trails & more.
360 CHICAGO
Observatory with tilting glass platform. Observatory on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Building with a tilting glass lookout 1000ft up.
DuPage Children's Museum
Hands-on play & learning exhibits. Play & education center for young children, with many fun & experimental activities, plus a cafe.
Skydeck Chicago
Panoramic views from 1353 feet above. 103rd floor of the Willis Tower with clear observation boxes & views extending to four states.
Riverwalk
Scenic walkway along the Chicago River. Riverside pedestrian path featuring city views & dining, plus bridges, fishing piers & boat docks.
Millennium Park
Green space with art, theater & ice rink. 24.5-acre green space with a video display, the reflective "Bean" sculpture & an outdoor theater.
Milton Lee Olive Park
Tranquil green space with skyline views. Secluded urban oasis on the water with city skyline views, serene paths & circular fountains.
The Naperville Riverwalk
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Chicago Children's Museum
Hands-on experiences for children. Family museum on Navy Pier with lots of interactive exhibits, including many for young kids.
Centennial Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Riverwalk Park
Recreation spot with many activities. Classic urban park offering a playground, ice rink, trails, horseshoe pit & a paddle boat pier.
Navy Pier
Destination with rides, shops & food. Former Navy training center draws crowds with carnival rides, restaurants, shops & fireworks.
Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain
Elaborate rococo landmark from 1927. Among the world’s largest, Grant Park’s 3-level rococo fountain (1927) offers light & water shows.
Grant Park
Home to numerous Downtown attractions. 312-acre centerpiece of Downtown housing some of the city's busiest attractions.
Field Museum
State-of-the-art science museum. State-of-the-art museum of science & invention, with the world's largest Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Country Lakes Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
The Museum Campus
Lakefront park with famed institutions. 57-acre grounds with the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium & Field Museum, plus dining & lake beach.
Shedd Aquarium
Aquatic creatures from around the world. State-of-the-art indoor aquarium, famous for its variety of habitats & views of Lake Michigan.
Adler Planetarium
Museum with high-tech exhibits & shows. Interactive exhibits & high-tech sky shows entertain stargazers, lakefront views are a bonus.
Northerly Island Park
Lakefront nature park & music venue. 91-acre peninsula with skyline views, hiking, fishing & playing plus a fieldhouse & live music acts.
Red Oak Nature Center
Park with trails & nature programs. This rustic park offers hiking trails & a cave, plus nature programs & events.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
Springbrook Prairie
Bird habitat, biking & running trails. Expansive natural area including meadow & prairie habitat for birds plus running & biking trails.
Knoch Knolls Nature Center
Kid-friendly nature & educational center. Nature center with kid-oriented exhibits, including an aquarium, live animals & a playground.
Knoch Knolls Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
Historic displays in an old fire station. Artifacts, engines, memorabilia & interactive displays in an 1894 Victorian fire station.
Phillips Park Zoo
Historic park housing native animals. Year-round animal park since 1915 with 40+ native species of mammals, reptiles & birds.
City of Aurora- Phillips Park Zoo
Golf course, zoo & recreation area. Vast city park comprising a golf course & pro shop, zoo, sporting fields & family recreation areas.
Boundless Adventures - Kenosha Zipline & Aerial Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
America's Action Territory
Park for laser tag, mini-golf & more. Family entertainment center with go-karts, laser tag, mini-golf, bumper cars & an arcade.
Tot Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Lincoln Park
Recreational sports & a kids' play area. 42-acre park offering a disc-golf course & sports fields/courts, plus a playground, pond & walkways.
Eichelman Park
Scenic park with a beach & playground. Quaint park offering a beach & views of Lake Michigan, plus trails, a playground & flower garden.
Dinosaur Discovery Museum
Dinosaur skeletons, specimens & exhibits. This museum focusing on the link between dinosaurs & birds features many educational displays.
Kenosha Public Museum
Natural science & fine art exhibits. Modern facility with mammoth skeletons & other natural science artifacts, plus a fine art gallery.
Civil War Museum
Exhibits focusing on local soldiers. Museum spotlighting Civil War soldiers from the upper Midwest region through relics & exhibits.
HarborPark
Waterfront park with seasonal events. Scenic green space boasting a lakeside promenade, a splash pad, a sculpture garden & summer events.
Kenosha History Center
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Kenosha (Southport) Light Station
Restored 1860s lighthouse with exhibits. Restored 1860s lighthouse & keeper's residence, now a museum with local fishing & shipping exhibits.
Kenosha Lighthouse Studio
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Simmons Island Park
Lakefront area for sports & recreation. Scenic Lake Michigan park with a beach, lighthouse & picnic tables, plus trails & a playground.
Sunrise Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Kenosha Dream Playground
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary & Arboretum
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Petrifying Springs Park
Green space for hikes, picnics & golf. 360-acre park with wooded trails, an 18-hole golf course, picnic areas, playgrounds & ball fields.
Racine Zoo
28-acre lakefront zoo & playground. 28-acre zoo on Lake Michigan featuring animal exhibits, a playground & a miniature train.
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