Things to Do in West Chicago

Evil Intentions Haunted House evokes the details of its site’s checkered past to conjure the stuff of nightmares. The area the haunted house now occupies has been plagued with creepy occurrences for more than a century. Since the 1890s the expanse has been used as the premises of a coffin company, a stomping ground for escapees from a nearby mental institution, and a gathering place for the occult’s summer softball league.

Starting in 2005, the Evil Intentions Haunted House team slowly transformed this troubled spot into a haunted house that comes alive with shrieks once night falls. Visitors can leave their cars in the free parking lot and gather in the indoor waiting area before exploring more than 20,000 square feet of tortuous halls filled with dark decor and costumed frights. Demonic clowns, faceless butchers, and cleaver-wielding lunatics creep around corners and leap out of hidden alcoves, scaring both passing patrons and the actual ghosts who occupy the building.

Got Air Scuba employs a staff of passionate, knowledgeable PADI-certified instructors. They teach a variety of classes, ranging from introductory courses to advanced specialty courses, such as a rescue diver course and Divemaster program. To facilitate courses, the dive shop stocks gear from ScubaPro and Bare Dive Gear. Once students have learned the ins and outs of breathing underwater, they can partake in a trip to an exotic locale. Past destinations have included Cozumel, Mexico, and some really big puddles.

Wines for Humanity's professional wine advisers lead in-home tastings that teach guests the finer points of a five-point wine-tasting technique, all while raising funds for local charities. As students sip several exclusive vintages, they learn to judge wines' colors, aromas, and voting records, as well as pick out suitable food pairings. Wine Advisors will arrive half an hour before the tasting begins bringing the tasting glasses and wine. Hosts are encouraged to prepare suggested cheese pairings and crackers to complement the wines. Wines that are selected for tasting run at an average of $20 per bottle. A portion of every bottle selected for your own enjoyment generates a donation for UMOM New Day Centers, a charity that supports the prevention of homelessness for families with children in Maricopa County.

The Illinois Horseperson of the Year in 2004, Janet Sassmannshausen acts as Kinvarra Farm's lead instructor, controlling the reins of a United States Hunter Jumper Association–certified training staff. Since 1984, everyone from first-time riders to voracious competitors has visited Kinvarra Farm seeking to refine his or her skills during equitation programs, which have produced many year-end state titles as well as mentions in riders' families’ holiday newsletters. The farm's show team consistently finishes in the ribbons for Zone 5, and individual students pay homage to their lead instructor by winning Horseperson of the Year titles in their own divisions.

Following the aroma of freshly popped corn through Sundae’s Too Ice Cream Shop, guests find themselves standing in front of Bensenville Theatre’s two intimately sized, 130-person theaters. The twin screens flicker to life two to three times daily, showing a selection of recent Hollywood blockbusters during weekday matinees or nightly showings. A concession stand helps supply guests with popcorn for staving off hunger or stuffing shirts in an effort to emulate the muscular physique of Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Despite a close encounter with a hammerhead shark, Learn Scuba Chicago's Captain Bob just keeps on scuba diving. The aquatic expert got an up-close peep of shark teeth on his very first Caribbean dive, yet has scarcely taken his flippers off since. Captain Bob leads diving courses, which range from thrilling dips for beginners to rescue-diver certifications. Students plunge into indoor pools at Water's Edge Aquatic Center in Bensenville, the UIC campus, and Northeastern Illinois University campus, with open water dives held at Kankakee's Haigh Quarry. Depending on the course, Learn Scuba Chicago lends or sells student equipment such as masks, fins, snorkels, and gills.