Things to Do in Warrenville

Carriage Greens Country Club’s 18-hole course stretches across 6,395 yards of pristine fairways hemmed by native wetlands and mature trees. Cattail-lined water hazards loom on the edges of 10 holes, testing golfers' course management and sustaining a sophisticated underwater civilization that uses golf balls as currency. Golfers can prepare for the round with a stint at the club’s driving range, refuel with a hearty nosh at the Sandtrap Grill, and recapitulate flush drives and pinpoint approaches with a classic martini at the 8700 Club & Lounge, open Friday and Saturday evenings.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• Length of 6,395 yards from the farthest tees
• Three tee options
• Scorecard

Memories & Beyond's papers, dies, stamps, tools, and classes equip crafters with all the materials and skills needed to preserve precious keepsakes. Underneath an enormous red sign reading "scrapbooking," 6,000 square feet of ribbon and stationery unfold before visitors, helping them to chronicle distant journeys with an extensive travel section or show off regional pride with a wealth of Chicagoland-themed papers. Each Friday and Saturday night, hobbyists gather amid the account machines, die cuts, and tables of the crop room to craft and share drinks and snacks. Classes hone basic and advanced scrapbooking skills sets, from matching basic colors and patterns to constructing stunning gift cards from layered paper or documenting memories before they even happen.

Beneath the historic Tivoli Theatre lies Tivoli Bowling Center, an underground playground with a dedicated staff and 12 family-friendly lanes with automatic scoring. At the base of an inconspicuous staircase, slick wooden surfaces greet multicolored balls as they careen toward unsuspecting pins. During "glow bowling" sessions, lights go down and music cranks up, lending lanes a luminescent ambiance. Along with adult and youth leagues, open gutters and protective bumpers accommodate different age and skill groups. While waiting for turns, bowlers can hit the lounge area, where 50-inch televisions assist relaxation along with comfortable, theater-style seating. Pinball, arcade games, and pool round out afternoon retreats to downtown Downers Grove's basement.

The course at Bliss Creek Golf Club invites golfers to conquer its 5,436 yards of tree-lined fairways and greens buttressed by menacing water hazards and bunkers. After limbering up at the driving range or practice putting green, players send drives streaking down the first-hole fairway as cocktail-sipping onlookers casually applaud from the grill deck that overlooks the verdant alleyway. Rounds of 18 typically clock in at less than four hours, leaving players plenty of daylight for cooling off in water hazards or borrowing bunker sand for pleasant dreams that bring back the mashie niblick club.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• Length of 5,632 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 67.0 from the farthest tees
• Slope of 115 from the farthest tees

Slice-prone swings and inconsistent putting strokes meet their demise at Green Valley Golf Range, where guests crush golf balls at an 80-station driving range and sends putts through a tricky mini-golf course. The range boasts towering lights and 20 covered, heated hitting stalls to furnish practice at night, during inclement weather, and through the eternal ice age of the future. The practice facility—which also encompasses a putting green, chipping area, and sand trap—replaces its golf balls every year, ensuring quality equipment for players' enjoyment.

A lighthouse, a pint-sized car, and other old-fashioned obstacles await players at the mini-golf course, a circuit best conquered with laser-like focus attained with the help of Green Valley's complimentary coffee. Clubbers can replenish energy stores sapped after a long day of practice or bench-pressing their driver with a soft-serve ice-cream cone, a slice of Rosati's pizza, or a hot dog, all of which are sold in the Green Valley Ice Cream Shoppe.