space-adventure Archives

It’s safe to say you’ve conquered summer. From playing hard at the coolest playgrounds to checking out Chicago’s newest eateries, you’ve given summer all you’ve got. But, before the school bell rings give your kids one more adventure at a local amusement park. From a pirate-themed destination to an amusement park that’ll get you amped for Halloween, here’s where to go to end your summer with a bang.

photo: Haunted Trails

Haunted Trails Family Amusement Park
Fall is coming, but the monsters are already here. Get ready for a ghoulish good time at Haunted Trails Family Amusement Park where your kids can choose from two mini-golf courses, scream for joy on rides like the Dragon Coaster, Monster Hop or Bone Shaker or get their thrills on three go-kart tracks (there’s even a track specifically for kids as young as four years old). End your adventure by fueling up on homemade pizzas, specialty sandwiches wraps and fresh salads.

Open: June-Aug. from Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Cost: There is no admission fee, all attractions are pay as you play and cost $2-$6.50, with additional costs for tokens in the game rooms and batting cage rentals, see website for more details.

1423 N. Broadway St. (Rt. 53)
Joliet, IL
815-722-7800
Online: hauntedtrailsjoliet.com

photo: Kid Pirates by Michael Coghlan via flickr

Pirates’ Cove
Ahoy mateys! Pop on a pirate hat and sail on over to Pirates’ Cove for a pint sized magical journey. It’s all about staying active in this park and with the Barnacle Bay Paddle Boats, PJ’s Perch Climbing Area and the Pirate Plunge Fun Slide, it’s a pirate’s (active) life for your little ones. If you’re looking for a breather, take a relaxing ride on the Capitan’s Carousel and the Safari Express Train. As a special treat, Pirate’s Cove Movie Night is taking place at dusk (around 6:15 p.m.) on Friday, September 11, 2015 with a screening of the Disney classic, A Goofy Movie.

Open: May 30-Aug. 16; Mon., Wed., Fri. & Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tues. & Thurs., 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Additionally they are open Sat. & Sun., Aug. 22-Sept. 13 & Mon., Sept. 7; noon-4 p.m.

Cost: Tickets starting at $11/non-resident child; $9/resident child; free for adults; check website for additional price information.

901 Leicester Rd
Elk Grove Village, Il
847-437-9494
Online: elkgroveparks.org/Pirates_Cove

photo: Donley’s Wild West Town by jacksonpe via flickr

Donley’s Wild West Town
Introduce your little city slickers to a little slice of the frontier. Pan for your own treasures at The Sweet Phylis Mine, practice some nice shootin’ at the pop gun gallery, take a whirl at the art of Tomahawk throwing and learn how to rope a steer like the pros. Of course, there will be plenty of time for pony rides and train rides.

Open: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. everyday.

Cost: Tickets starting $17/person; free for children 2 & under; discount tickets available at select Walgreens.

8512 South Union Rd.
Union, Il
1-800-290-2090
Online: wildwesttown.com

photo: Santa’s Village AZoosment Park by Martin Lewison via flickr

Santa’s Village and aZoosment Park
Come for the rides, stay for the animals. With 19 rides, this park is a kiddie dreamland. Your fam can take a swing on the pendulum of fun that is the Viking Sea Dragon, take a trip on two sweet coasters, have a whippin’ good time on a classic tilt-a-whirl, and visit the ferris wheel and space adventure built specially for the kiddos. If fuzzy creatures are more your pace, meet new animal friends on Tortoise Island, pet the bunnies hopping through the park, strike a pose with slinky snakes and take a relaxing pony ride. Don’t forget to visit the Alaskan Railway, which goes through the Caribou Crossing animal exhibit to get your little ones up-close and personal with the reindeer, bobcats and foxes.

Open: Aug. 10-14 & 17-21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Aug.-Oct., Sat. & Sun, Sept. 7 & Oct. 12, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Cost: Tickets starting at $22.75/person, plus tax; $16.75/senior (65 & up) & veterans, plus tax; $18.75/person, plus tax for Late Day admission, 3 hours before the park closes.

601 Dundee Ave.
East Dundee, Il
847-426-6751
Online: santasvillagedundee.com

Do you have any tips on visiting these mini-amusement parks with your kids? Which one is your favorite? Leave us a comment below!

— Natasha Davis

We’re proud to present the world premiere of the first video from Recess Monkey‘s 8th studio album Deep Sea Diver. We caught up with the band inside the Sirius XM studios in midtown Manhattan last week to get the scoop on the making of this under-the-sea video, how they plan to present the new songs live, and why there isn’t a single reference to Martin Short’s synchronized swimmer character from SNL.

Let’s put the rumors to bed straightaway: Recess Monkey’s new single, and its accompanying video, is neither a riff on The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” nor an homage to Wes Anderson’s cult film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissuo. That said, “Tambourine Submarine” IS a nugget of nautical pop rock gold, and the video, well, let’s just say that Bill Murray in a red beanie hat wouldn’t look entirely out of place.

The Seattle trio used their trusty green screen to create many of the outer submarine scenes in the 2 1/2 minute deep sea adventure video, as well as a realistic submarine control room set originally constructed as a replica Millennium Falcon cockpit. Bassist Jack Forman spent the better part of a week constructing the Star Wars/underwater vessel prop in his basement with basic household items like cardboard and colorful tape, and copious amounts of ingenuity. Such is the daytime life of a successful kindie rock bass player and Sirius XM Kids Place Live on-air personality! (Forman hosts the “Live From The Monkey House” show that follows Absolutely Mindy in the afternoon.)

Recess Monkey’s humor, which bubbles near the surface of everything they do, is front and center during the dramatic opening credits of the “Tambourine Submarine” video you’re about to watch. Pay careful attention to the absurd character names they’ve given to each other, and enjoy this song & video!

For anyone else desperately hoping to see or hear a Martin Short synchronized swimmer SNL sketch reference on the first water-based Recess Monkey concept album, fear not! Forman confirmed that there are plans to utilize a subtle “I’m not a very strong swimmer” overtone during the band’s next video from Deep Sea Diver, for the percussion-perfect song “The Deep End.”

For a band that makes its bones on the road, Recess Monkey has a fair amount of planning to do ahead of their Summer 2013 tour. Forman admitted that it’s probably time to retire their sparkly silver sequenced pants now that they’re a couple of albums beyond the superhero and space adventure themed Flying and The Final Funktier CDs. When you catch the band live this year, in support of Deep Sea Diver and its companion Desert Island Disc (to be released in the fall), don’t expect to see Jack, Drew, and Korum performing in Speedos or Finding Nemo clown fish costumes. Instead, you’ll enjoy hearing many Recess Monkey hits, like “Marshmallow Farm” and “Flapjacks”, as well as a smattering of new tunes, all performed in tastefully ridiculous attire.

Deep Sea Diver is out June 15. Pre-order the album and/or find out more about Recess Monkey on their website, and be sure to catch the band on tour this summer (dates and cities forthcoming.)

What is your favorite Recess Monkey song?

— Jeff Bogle

Recess Monkey photo by Kevin Fry (the band, from left to right: Drew Holloway, Korum Bischoff, Jack Forman)

ML Interest Tag: space-adventure

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