Things to Do in Glenview

Founder Ian Jacobson grew up on the Lake, and started his board-top paddling program after his passion for the sport ignited during a trip to Hawaii a few years ago. His love for the low-impact activity also feeds his interest in its safety; as he spreads awareness of the sport, he makes sure customers know when it's safe to venture out into calm or choppy water. His passionate team gathers a range of paddling certifications, such as ACA and WPA, and many staffers are equipped with official training in first aid and CPR as well as unofficial training in blowing bubbles. Some of the team honed their boarding skills on the waves of California and Hawaii, and several boast a background in stand-up paddleboard yoga and fitness instruction.

Dubbed "the epicenter for the paddle community in Chicago" by Chicago Now, Jacobson's company ignites his passion for the sport of standup paddleboarding in others with rentals and instruction atop calm waters boasting sweeping skyline views. As shoulders, backs, and arms work to propel the boards forward under his instruction, the core engages to keep balance on the board, resulting in a full-body workout enlivened with the pleasure of sunny skies and the thrill of submarine sightings in Lake Michigan. Featured on NBC Chicago's 1st Look and in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago SUP—formerly Great Lakes Board Company—and Jacobson grabbed attention for pioneering the relaxing full-body workout in the Midwest, as well as for their innovative board-top yoga classes (SUPyo) and SUPFit classes which were featured in Chicago Magazine's Best of 2012 issue. On St. Patrick's Day, the Chicago SUP crew paddles their way down the dyed-green Chicago River while their street team gives away free goodies and offers a chance to win a discount on board rental; see their Facebook page for more details on this contest. In the 2013 Expedition Paddle Series, he and his team point paddlers toward attainable goals as they paddle decked in headlamps toward Navy Pier for fireworks, or simply take in the skyline at sunset—often paired with paddling instruction.

Thanks to the innumerable breweries strewn throughout its iconic neighborhoods, Chicago has grown into a craft beer hot spot. During the 2nd annual Chicago Craft Beer Festival, the metropolis’s brews shine alongside regional and national beers beloved for their unorthodox flavor notes, subtle malt flavors, and Brooklyn accents. As participants traverse the grounds of St. Michael’s Parish—accompanied by live music from performers such as Tyrone Wells and Marcia Ball—they can sample more than 75 distinct beers, comparing ales, pilsners, and Belgian-style suds.

Growing up in deserts of Saudi Arabia, Rami learned what it meant to be endlessly surrounded by a single element in every direction. He just found he preferred water to earth, taking up Scuba diving in 1994, and, after a brief midlife hiatus, making it his career. Now, as the owner and head-instructor of Scuba Sensations, he shares the passion that drove him over land and under sea halfway around the globe. He certifies new divers to go find their own adventures underwater, or helps advanced students hone their skills to take on new submersible challenges.

When winter weather blows its way in off the lake each November, a Cubs parking lot situated in the shadow of Wrigley Field transforms into a full-size ice-skating rink, which remains in operation until the beginning of March. There, guests glide atop glistening steel blades, twirling around the icy expanse while taking in views of Wrigley Field’s iconic exterior and extremely delayed fly balls.

Second City, Chicago's legendary sketch-based improv troupe, has launched the careers of hundreds of comedians since it first opened in 1959. Today, the Old Town theater continues to prompt guffaws with daily performances by the next generation of John Belushis, Steve Carells, and Tina Feys. The troupe's iconoclastic sketches tackle contemporary and previously contemporary issues often centered on Chicago. At night, guests pack the house in cabaret-style seating as cocktail waitresses weave throughout the crowd to deliver drinks and snacks. Throughout its training centers in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Toronto, Second City fortifies the funny bones of 13,000 aspiring actors, improvisers, and extemporaneous soapbox speakers every year.

Howard Malpass enjoys sharing the sport of fly fishing with others, whether teaching a course on the subject at Bossier Parish Community College or showing a child how to tie their first fly. At his shop, Gray Wolf Fly Shop, he draws on this passion for teaching during three-hour introductory courses that include hands-on casting practice and basic tips on how to use flies to attract fish rather than attempt to prove spontaneous generation. His expertise also helps him match patrons with Wapsi fly-tying products, sturdy casting rods, and all-terrain gear, such as durable Korkers fishing boots.