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Family Fun Guide To Wheeling

Chicago's northwestern suburb of Wheeling is a little over 8 miles square, and known for its restaurants. The Metra line passes through Wheeling, allowing for an easy commute to Chicago. The village boasts good schools, racial diversity, forest preserve space and even an airport. Family Circle August 2008, lists Wheeling as one of the 10 best towns in the US to live in.
willie-slide
(credit: Wheeling Park District)

Wheeling Park District

Outdoor Aquatic Center
327 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling
June 4-August 19th
(847) 465-POOL
Hours:Weekdays 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Cost: General Admission - $9.75 resident, $12.75 non-resident; Youth Admission - $8.25 resident, $11.25 non-resident; Senior (62 yrs+)  - $7.25 resident, $8.75 non-resident

The Village of Wheeling park district just celebrated their 50th anniversary in July by opening a time capsule buried 25 years ago. They offer free summer concerts and a wide array of classes for adults and kids of all ages. Their crowning glory is an impressive indoor and outdoor water park.

Picture 2
(credit: palwaukee.org)

Chicago Executive Airport

www.palwaukee.org

Kids fly free during The Young Eagles program, designed to give children ages 8-17 their first airplane ride free of charge. Volunteer pilots take kids on 15-20 minute flights in their own aircraft and show them how pilots control an airplane and work with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) for safety. At the end of their flights, each child's name is entered in "the world's largest logbook" at EAA museum headquarters, then each kid gets to take home a certificate signed by their pilot and national program chairman Harrison Ford. Back on the ground, kids can learn aviation chart reading, aerodynamics, radio communications, understanding weather and theory of flight.
 
Rallies are held quarterly with make-up days 1 week and 1 day after the rally date or as announced. Flights start at 10:00AM and generally run until 2:00PM.
 
To sign-up individual children or a group, call the Young Eagles Hotline at 847-883-8388 and follow the menu. To learn more about the EAA's Young Eagles program, visit www.EAA.org and click on Young aspiring pilots.

home2
(credit: www.superdawg.com)

Family-Friendly Food

Superdawg
333 S. Milwaukee Ave.
Wheeling, IL 60090
Sunday –Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Hours: Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight
Cost: Varies
www.superdawg.com

Wheeling is known for its restaurants, and families can find a wide array of choices in a range of prices, but for kid friendly fun, you can't beat Superdawg. Kids love the ginormous, cartoon personifications of a girl and boy hot dog looming over this 50's style drive up. Their condiment laden Chicago dogs are tasty, too. This is also a birthday party hot spot, where the host can send all the guests home with stuffed versions of the Superdawg mascots. The Wheeling Superdawg opened in January 2010, 11 miles north of the original, which has been a Chicago staple since 1948!

Bob Chinn's Crab House
393 S. Milwaukee Ave.
Wheeling, IL 60090
847-The-Crab
Lunch: Mon–Fri 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat-Sun 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dinner: Mon–Thu 4:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Fri 4:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m., Sat 3:00 p.m.-11:30 p.m., Sun 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Cost: Varies
bobchinns.com

If you're in the mood for fantastic seafood and a nicer, sit down dining experience, that still has kids menus and welcomes families, check out Chinn's. Back in 1982, they bought out the historic Hartmann House and built it into a highly successful crab house, known for their "World Famous" Mai Tai's.

Forest Preserves

Potawatomi Woods
333 W. Dundee Rd.
Wheeling, IL 60090
800-870-3666

Dam #1 Woods
701 S. Milwaukee Ave.
Wheeling, IL 60090
800-870-3666

Explore a fun filled, accessible wilderness along the Des Plaines River, through Cook County's north suburbs. Both of Wheeling's larger forest preserve parks feature stone picnic shelters, biking trails, fishing and nature watching.

Bonnie Kenaz-Mara explores adventures in urban-odd ball-off the wall-alternative-eco-punk parenting in Chi, IL. at ChiILMama.com.
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