Things to Do in North Chicago

Refreshing zephyrs glide off freshwater lochs and onto SkipperBud's, an all-purpose marina with 20 family-owned locations peppered throughout the idyllic Midwest. New and used boats bearing high-end brands from Starcraft and Crestliner bob beside the sprawling facilities, where savvy salespeople bring decades of know-how to the 40-year-old company. Engine parts, safety tackle, and watersports equipment are also on hand, as are adept boat mechanics trained to tinker on most boat models, engine types, and jet-ski-hoverboard hybrids. Indoor storage facilities fend off the icy barks of Old Man Winter, and, in the summer, make for easy access to the local lakes via state-maintained launch points. Frothy whitecaps welcome the occasional captain-led cruise, as well as boating classes that cover safety, maintenance, and which mermaids aren't who they say they are.

Celebration Rentals’ moonwalks give at-home celebrations an extra boost of fun with hours of bouncing during half-day or full-day stints. Although they allow jumpers to defy gravity, Celebration’s moonwalks adhere to a strict code of safety that eschews sharp edges and trippable surfaces. Inflatables come in one of several themes, such as Disney princesses, superheroes, and classic solid colors, adding imagination and decoration to events. Each moonwalk measures 13’x13’, enough to fit several children or a basketball team in search of extra air time.

Shrill giggles and the pitter-patter of tiny sock-swathed feet echo off the walls of Pump It Up, where lilliputian guests pinball through a metropolis of inflatable slides and bouncy enclosures. During glow pop-in play sessions, tykes frolic in the radiance of special lights, and in pirate-themed sessions, youngsters don costumes or just feel less self-conscious about the parrot permanently affixed to their shoulder. Small groups of ankle biters tear through the facility during private parties, plummeting down slides, scaling plush ladders, and bounding off of springy floors.