Cedar Lake, IN Outdoor Activities

From May until winter, the USHPA-certified instructors of Hang Glide Chicago spend their weekends accompanying passengers on tandem hang-gliding flights. Flight school sessions acclimate beginners to the sport before they board gliders, which are then towed into the air by a small plane. As flyers are released for their 2,500-foot free flight, they can steer their glider or let instructors guide the way as they take in the surrounding vistas. Students are welcome to bring their own cameras (wrist straps are recommended) or arrange to have their flight recorded by Hang Glide’s HD-panoramic video equipment or their instructor’s photographic memory. Flights take place from sunrise to sunset, and patrons can extend their experience by taking advantage of facilities that include camping grounds, bathrooms with showers, and a lake for kayaking or catch-and-release fishing.

The minds behind Chicago Sailboat Charters share their passion for the sailing experience by making waterborne adventuring accessible to the general public with group sailing charters. Fostering the atmosphere of a private charter, the captains ferry passengers out onto Lake Michigan, sometimes right along the shoreline, for stunning views of Chicago's skyline. Depending on the weather, the wave tamer may also cruise straight out onto the lake at varying speeds, letting Mother Nature's temperament dictate routes for a safe and relaxing outing. The crew encourages its guests to make the most of the trip by bringing snacks, drinks, and an inflatable blanket for a picnic out on the lake, and every sailboat comes equipped with a bathroom.

Before becoming a health coach, Jessica Marie was in the same boat as most office workers—plagued by exhaustion, persistent aches, and a poor diet. After studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and transitioning to holistic living, she and athletic husband Joe founded CHEW, short for Complete Health Education and Wellness. The duo transforms lifestyles without asking clients to count calories or burn their stock of Twinkies in a backyard bonfire. Instead, they expound moderation and balance of two food groups: primary—the actual food you consume—and secondary—other forms of nourishment, including relationships, spirituality, career, and physical activity.

Using this unique approach, Jessica Marie designs three-month programs that begin with reworking diets to achieve individual goals. Her plans often incorporate in-home coaching, healthy-food walking tours, or extra services, such as one-on-one grocery shopping and revamping favorite entree and Play-Doh recipes with nutritious ingredients. She transitions health from home to workplace with workshops that teach coworkers how to eat for energy or craft nutritious appetizers.

The hustle and bustle of the city can’t touch the calm waters of Lake Michigan. There, on gently rolling waves surrounded by fresh breezes, Kayak Chicago hosts tours and lessons, and lets paddlers take to the waters on their own with rentals. Captained by Dave Olson, a kayaker for more than 20 years and outdoor educator for more than 10, the company entrusts certified instructors and guides with shaping the strokes of kayaking newbies. Their tours take aquatic explorers out on the lake at night to ooh and ahh over summer fireworks or along the Chicago River to survey the city’s renowned architecture and map out their next bank heist. The staff also plants patrons on standup paddleboards for introductory lessons or wave-top rounds of SUPYoga or SUPPilates.