Last summer my family and a bunch of friends traveled to Chicago to check out the Willis Tower’s new glass cube attraction. The Ledge juts out from the 103rd floor Skydeck of the former Sears Tower, and allows you to look straight down to the city below from 1,353 feet in the air. I could barely look at the glass case, never mind about climbing in. Conversely, my then 5-year-old had a field day on The Ledge, sprawling across the floor and posing for photos while sitting pretzel-legged against the back wall, so it appears as though she is floating … Continue reading →

With the price of gas draining the wallets of drivers from coast-to-coast, travel experts are predicting that many families will be sticking close to home this summer. This comes as good news to theme parks that are located near several major cities. For example, Six Flags Great America practically straddles the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. Located in Gurnee, Illinois, its close proximity to Milwaukee and Chicago make it an easy and affordable day trip for tens of thousands of summer travelers, including my own family. However, Great America is not the only amusement park situated in a convenient locale. … Continue reading →

And so it begins… the countdown to the craziest summer rides around. Today was the official unveiling of a wooden roller coaster dubbed the “Zippin Pippin” at Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin. My 6-year-old is dying to take a spin on the legendary thrill ride, which is considered one of the oldest existing wooden roller coasters in the United States. It was recently transported to northeast Wisconsin and now anchors the family-friendly theme park. We’ll see next week if my daughter is tall enough to make her summer dream come true. In the meantime, there are a … Continue reading →

Bloody appendages, stabbed rats, decapitated creatures, knife-wielding, pig-faced butchers and intestine-covered caskets don’t make for sweet dreams, especially if you’re a six-year-old looking to meet Bugs Bunny for the first time. Thankfully, the folks at Six Flags Great America realize this. Hence the decision to keep certain portions of the theme park scare-free for its youngest guests during its annual Fright Fest extravaganza, which runs weekends throughout October. If the popular Gurnee, Illinois, attraction didn’t offer thrills without chills, then there would be no way that I could have spent last Saturday making magical memories with my daughter at Six … Continue reading →

What do you get when you mix 200 pounds of blood-red dye with hundreds of rubber snakes, bats, rats, skulls and body parts, a gigantic mutated spider and armies of eye-gouging, flesh starved zombies? Seriously spooktacular fun at Six Flags Great America. Halloween is in the air and no place helps you get your creep on better than Great America’s annual Fright Fest extravaganza. The popular Midwest theme park located in Gurnee, Illinois, is pulling out its most hair-raising haunts to celebrate the 20th season of Fright Fest. Then, it’s topping itself by unveiling spine-chilling new spooks to scare even … Continue reading →

Disney is all about the animals. After all, they don’t call it the House of Mouse for nothing. You’ve got a dancing duck, a goofy dog and twin chipmunks running around the theme parks on any given day, so I suppose it was about time that visiting pups got pampered at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Only don’t expect to take your furry friend on Space Mountain with you. Rather, Walt Disney World is going to the dogs in a different way. Starting today, you can drop off Fido or Fifi at Disney’s Best Friends Pet Resort. The upscale dog … Continue reading →

Summer fun came to a screeching for a visitor to the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter. According to reports, a 300-pound man was recently turned away when he tried to board the roller coaster, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, because he couldn’t fit into the ride’s seat. Universal reps say all the seat restraints on the ride require three clicks from the safety bar. If the bar does not click three times for a passenger, the person is asked to forfeit his seat. Sounds like a real summer bummer, right? Not if you are Banks Lee. Lee is … Continue reading →

They rank up there with cookouts, camping and concerts. Theme parks are an essential part of summer, and this year several major amusement parks are going interactive in ways that might surprise you. If your summer travel plans include visiting one of the following theme parks, then get ready to do more than just sit back and enjoy the thrill rides. Parks including Disneyland, Six Flags, and Legoland are catering to kids who want to be part of the action. Take a look: Disneyland Before he became “Wacko Jacko,” the later King of Pop, Michael Jackson was the star of … Continue reading →