Things to Do in Orland Park

Kindled on October 8, 1997—the 126th anniversary of Chicago's infamous blaze—the Chicago Fire played their first Major League Soccer season in 1998 as one of the league's first expansion teams—and nabbed its first and only MLS Cup in that inaugural season. Under the supervision of U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley, the club has been a hazard ever since, taking home four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophies and reaching the playoffs in nearly every year of its existence. Located in Bridgeview, Toyota Park hosts each home game, its grounds spacious enough to seat 20,000 and fertile enough for planting new soccer-net saplings each spring.

Originally constructed to host large-scale tournaments, Badlandz Paintball Field now accommodates recreational play across more than 400 acres of outdoor forts, creeks, and open fields. Open play draws beginning, intermediate, and advanced paintballers into challenging and fun scenarios. Multiple games kick off simultaneously, sending combatants headlong into battle on isolated fields, with players divvied up based on ability, equipment type, and Duck Hunt high scores to ensure a level playing field. Warriors navigate natural and manmade obstacles as they pummel competitors with polychromatic ammo throughout the woodsball, hyperball, airball, and x-ball courts. Methods of gameplay include elimination, capture the flag, and protect the president and encourage individual or team strategies such as designating snipers or concealing teammates in piles of chameleons. Badlandz staffers patrol the sprawling arena to enforce the game's rules and to ensure that all participants follow the field's stringent safety regulations. Players can bring their own paintballs or purchase them onsite. The facility also runs airsoft games during weekend open play.

Celebrating 15 years of touching lives & entertaining audiences in the Chicago Southland! The mission of The Center for Performing Arts is simply to present the finest in world class performing arts entertainment and education to the citizens of Chicago Southland at affordable prices.

The golfer addresses the ball at the tee box before taking aim at a target: a green on the other side of a water hazard, a classic forced-carry par three. Though it would not be out of place on any golf course, this particular hole is actually a part of the Chicago Players Club's 26-acre practice complex. In addition to the practice par-three hole, the facility encompasses a sprawling driving range with 55 grass hitting stations, 17 covered and heated hitting bays, and seven target greens. Adjacent to the range, golfers can hone their game around the green at the short game range, which includes a bunker to build sandcastle memorials to all of the golf balls lost in battle to course hazards. The entire complex is open year-round and lighted for after-hours practice.

Though golfers can find ample opportunities to improve their skills at the facility through solo practice, the Chicago Players Club can make practice sessions even more effective with advice from a staff of veteran instructors. The staff includes decorated PGA pros Mike Mandakas—who started the Chicago Players Club after working at both the elite Olympia Fields and Medinah Country Clubs—and Mike Harrigan, who played in eight Western Open PGA Tournaments and was the Illinois PGA Pro and Teacher of the Year in 1995. The staff offers lessons for players of all ages and abilities, as well as club-fitting services to ensure golfers and their equipment are emotionally compatible.

Housed inside of an airplane-hanger-like building with a high, A-frame ceiling, Chicagoland Paintball's battleground yields paintballing matches during all seasons. The center suits up players in rental gear before sending them onto the green turf floor to navigate mammoth inflatable X- and barrel-shaped obstacles. After the paint clouds clear, teams can agree to an armistice as they nosh on pepperoni pizzas and slurp down slushies at the onsite snack bar. And in the adjoining lounge, they recharge and recover with free WiFi and cable TV, plus nearby shower facilities that promote cleaner car rides home.