Sterling, IL Outdoor Activities

Magic Waters' vast expanse of twisting slides, heated wave pools, and colorful attractions accessible to all visitors entertains entire families. While swimmers play, troops of lifeguards with extensive certification and training ensure safety, and mascots stand guard to pose for pictures with children and warn against the dangers of going down a water slide in a full-body costume. After careening through the mysterious darkness of the Abyss tube slide, guests drift down 1,200 feet of lazy river, sun themselves on the shores the wave pool, or opt for more adrenaline with the Double Dare Drop, which plunges riders 75 feet in seconds. Younger aquanauts puff up their water wings in the interactive complex of Tiki Island or leapfrog over floating lily pads in Little Lagoon.

After exploring the twists and turns of rivers and waterslides, guests refuel with burgers, pizza, and chicken at the Island Grill or indulge in cold, creamy treats at Culver's Frozen Custard. A lineup of upcoming events entertains all ages with contests and giveaways from Disney Radio on Friday Family Fun Nights, or the Herculean shifting of the hemispheres during Christmas in July.

Voracious engines devour yards of pavement as stock cars and custom racers whip around Sycamore Speedway's track at top speed, relying on their tires’ tread to keep them glued to the ground. Occasionally, the rubber grip gives way and spectacular smashups ensue, a much-sought-after sight during a Friday night Demolition Derby. The track welcomes souped-up models from any year between 1965 and 2012 to compete in its Super Late Model category, during which a huge variety of chassis and a marching band equipped with jetpacks perform a breakneck parade around the track. As racers test the mettle of their adrenal glands, spectators kick back in ample stand space to enjoy hot dogs, sodas, and other refreshments that can be purchased onsite.

Beneath the lofty ceiling at Carlson Ice Arena’s year-round rink gleams 17,000 square feet of well-groomed ice. Rented skates clasp guests’ ankles as they slice across its frozen surface during public skate sessions, and pupils in hockey and figure-skating classes learn to deftly maneuver blades to score slap shots, land lutzes, and scrawl cursive love notes for Zamboni drivers. Chilly fingers defrost as guests lounge in the 600-seat spectator stands, and iceless recreation areas such as the soft, three-level Sapora Playworld or the Tiny Tots Playspace host troupes of carousing kids.

Mike Mott and Cole Chaplin share more than just alliterative names; their mutual passion for promoting Iowa's tourism industry led them to found IA Segway together, and they continue to introduce visitors to the cultural richness of the Quad Cities with informative Segway tours. Mike and Cole command a fleet of Segway i2s—the company’s most current model—and teach tour groups how to safely operate the self-balancing steeds before blazing trails to spots of local and historic significance. Tours swing around scenic destinations such as the Figge Art Museum, McClellan Heights, and Credit Island, whose battlefield is strewn with denied credit cards that date back to the War of 1812.

Red Barn Golf Course's nine-hole, executive layout stretches across 2,120 yards of scenic, player-friendly terrain. The course promotes short game improvement with a preponderance of par-threes, while two holes that exceed 300 yards in length allow drivers and three-woods to doff their sequined headcovers for at least one heroic drive. Nineteen sand traps loom on the edges of the course's fairways and greens, adding drama to linksmen's orb-blasting expedition. The grounds also encompass a pro shop, putting green, short game area, and a full-length driving range, where guests will likely encounter PGA Instructor Marianne Floberg Kaiser, who roams the grounds, imparting golf wisdom in lessons and burying untold treasures throughout the course's bunkers.

Dropzoners give Skydive Chicago a perfect five-star average. Yelpers an average of 4.5 stars.