Schaumburg, IL Outdoor Activities

The hum of Honda GX200 engines pervades both of Chicago Indoor Racing locations, where a duo of tracks takes Bowman go-karts through a series of turns and straightaways at speeds of up to 35 mph. When not trying to clock in top lap times from driver's seats perched 1 inch from the ground, guests can set other objects in motion at billiard tables and shuffleboard tables, which can be rented by the hour or millisecond. Clark’s Café at the Addison location and Stewart’s Bar & Grille in Buffalo Grove refuel guests with casual American fare and shots of motor oil.

Opening weekend is a time for renewed hope, reordered batting lineups, and refreshing scents of glorious gunpowder in the sky. Catch the Flyers on May 28 for post-game fireworks after the hometown bats light up the Gary SouthShore RailCats, or pay homage to babies named Ruth as you run the bases with the kids on Family Day May 30. On May 31, remix Memorial Day grill-outs by downing two dogs off the bat, and score dollar dogs throughout game. Armed with a starter kit of ballpark eats and ballgame spheres, show the youngsters how to properly grip a fastball, a frank, and a cardboard sign that irrefutably proves fanmanship.

Par-King Skill Golf has been churning out rounds of family-friendly fun for the Chicagoland area since the 1950s. With two separate 18-hole courses, six water challenges, twelve moving obstacles, numerous curbs, and surprising elevation changes, Par-King is a step up from the flat mini-greens of yesteryear, and 3 club-lengths more entertaining than the regulation-sized greens of normal-sized golf. Play a full 18 holes as you gape and gander at twirling clowns, roller-coaster ramps in the vein of Rube Goldberg, elaborately-painted totem poles, and recreations of famous landmarks such as Mt. Rushmore and the Sears Tower. This colorful landscape of golf-based adventure is refurbished and repainted every winter to provide a consistently-beautiful, clean, and safe experience during April to October operations. Although the park is family-oriented, they maintain a stout 48-inch height requirement to play or playact in the playing area; this is enforced purely with safety in mind, as the challenging course terrain may prove hazardous to the diminutive.

Old Orchard Country Club is tucked behind a wall of thick, mature trees that ensconce guests in a serene golfscape highlighted by a well-manicured driving range and scenic 18-hole course. Golfers can warm-up drivers and stretch-out irons while pelting practice balls down a range bound to the rear by a small creek that doubles as a practice water hazard and stage for tadpoles to rehearse future roles as eventual princes. The range is maintained by a diligent ball collector and hugged to the right by a rolling fairway that prompts range balls to dream of one day being promoted to a tournament ball, and one day retiring on a mini golf course.

At Woodwind Farm, trainers Bonnie and Megan Kittredge guide both riders and horses through professional instruction in a large indoor arena. In addition to honing horses’ show skill, the duo acquaints human students to riding fundamentals during group and private lessons for adults, teens, and children as young as 4 years old. Instructors with more than 120 years of combined experience preach the need for safety and proper horsemanship, helping beginners get comfortable in the saddle and experienced riders improve their form. The farm also instills a love of riding in its youngest students with children's birthday parties and the Showstoppers youth group, which raises funds for charitable organizations and keeps rebellious young horses from associating with gangs of streetwise chickens.