Things to Do in Huntley

The Racine Civic Centre's campus sprawls along the shores of Lake Michigan, its three venues bustling with nearly every kind of celebration throughout the year. The strains of symphony concerts often resound through Festival Hall; the neoclassical 1920s-era Memorial Hall conceals eight different spaces behind its imposing stone façade; and warm weather scatters the merriment of assorted festivals and seagull family reunions across the lawn of Festival Park.

Chicago Electric Boat Company's canopied, comfortable vessels navigate the scenic waters of the Chicago River, stirring up the reflected lights of the Loop's skyline in their wake. Groups lounge in plush seating as their elected driver easily steers the boat, bobbing along at cruising speeds of 4–5 miles per hour. Integrated sound systems pump out sailing music from iPods and other devices, and onboard accommodations create ample space for staging drinks, light refreshments, and Battleship tournaments. The company keeps a roster of certified captains and tour guides on hand and offers catering services from six local eateries, including Pizzeria Uno and Bar Louie.

Chicago Savvy Tours’ knowledgeable guides unearth the Windy City’s gritty and occasionally hilarious history as they lead groups in and out of architectural landmarks during walking tours heralded by CBS Chicago as one of the city’s best. Tours wind past distinctive architectural works such as Adler and Sullivan's Auditorium building, the Mies van der Rohe–designed Federal Plaza, and the John Hancock building, named after the inventor of autographs. Year-round tour dates are available, with the heaviest rotation of times in the summer. Children are welcome, though like politics and prescription-drug ads, most of the content appeals to adults.

Led by a team of knowledge-packed guides, Joyce Walks Chicago introduces out-of-towners and natives alike to the Second City's historic hoods during a full schedule of weekly walking tours. Each unique jaunt showcases a variety of hidden gems and well-known attractions, such as the Lincoln Park and Old Town tour, which weaves along the lakefront, or the Loop Art & Architecture tour, which lets participants examine The Picasso and solicit autographs from famous skyscrapers. The company's well-researched repertoire also includes seasonal treks that unveil some of the city's most decorated dwellings, affording tour takers the chance to absorb winter's twinkling lights and summer's stickball games between neighborhood pigeons.

The bronze likeness of Michael Jordan—the Bulls' #23 and basketball's undisputed king—leaps into the air in front of the United Center, ascending into the annals of sports history. Across town, the sound of Babe Ruth's most famous homer rebounds off of the iconic walls of Wrigley Field. The Roman-meets-modern architecture of Soldier Field—where Walter Payton, Mike Ditka, and "The Fridge" grew to larger-than-life—straddles Chicago's lakefront. The resounding Black Sox scandal clashes with the victorious 2005 World Series Champs banners at U.S. Cellular Field, where the White Sox's famous exploding scoreboard towers above the Bridgeport neighborhood.

During an air-conditioned bus ride, local comedians wax historic as tourists are brought within earshot and camera-shot of Chicago's proudest pro-sports franchises. The Chicago Sports Tour parades from the North to the South side, brushing shoulders with famous ballparks and weaving through more than a century of athletic anecdotes and civic pride. Augmented by laughs and entertainment, it reveals more than the brick-and-mortar façades of the famous stadiums. The guides bring each building to life with fascinating anecdotes, and rides from one stadium to the next cover neighborhoods such as Wrigleyville, Bridgeport, and Little Italy—where fans and players alike eat, drink, and argue about their favorite peanut vendors.:m]]

Painted the distinctive international orange of the Golden Gate Bridge, to which it bears more than a passing resemblance, the signature bridge at Browns Lake Golf Course crosses the Fox River in style. Players walk over this sleek structure after they’ve made their play off the tee on the par 3 12th hole. Thankfully, they need not fly the San Francisco Bay or lay up on Alcatraz to reach the green in regulation: a 150-yard strike with enough loft ought to do the trick.

Players have been attempting this feat with varying degrees of success since 1921, when the course opened. Wedged between the river to the west and Browns Lake to the east, it's designed to challenge golfers of all handicaps. A round here represents a 6,449-yard loop from the back tees, filled with enough elevated greens to make players reconsider both their club selections and their reluctance to ask their caddies for a piggy-back ride. Though they may want to steer their golf balls clear of it, visitors can admire a bunker in the shape of comic-strip character Andy Gump on the par 3 fourth hole, which was designed to pay homage to local native Sidney Smith, his creator.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,443 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 70.8 from the back tees
• Course slope of 124 from the back tees