101 Things To Do in Lake County This Summer {2016}

According to Phineas and Ferb, there are 104 days of summer vacation (you’re welcome for the earworm), but in Mundelein we have 74 days of summer vacation. I have 101 fun things to do this summer in Lake County. How many have you done? What did I miss?

things to do this summer in lake county101 Things to do in Lake County

  1. Go out for ice cream
  2. Visit Six Flags Great America
  3. See a concert at Ravinia
  4. Visit Independence Grove
  5. Do your own playground crawl
  6. Watch a Little League game
  7. Take a walk in a Forest Preserve
  8. Go for a bike ride
  9. Fish
  10. Camp (in your backyard or Illinois Beach State Park)
  11. Pick an idea from Little Lake County’s 10 Fun Things to do With Kids in Lake County that Don’t Suck for Grown-ups
  12. Lay in a hammock
  13. Visit a restaurant (easier on the wallet when kids eat free)
  14. Climb a tree
  15. Splash at a spray park
  16. Try yoga on the beach at Lindy’s Landing
  17. Rent a boat
  18. Wake up early and watch the sunrise over Lake Michigan
  19. Grab a good book and sit on your deck
  20. Let your children make a photo album, video clip or news broadcast of your summer goals or highlights
  21. Watch the Olympics as a family
  22. Have your own backyard Olympics with fun yard games
  23. Train for a silly 5-K

    petting zoo at Lake ocunty fair
    © M. Haak | Little Lake County.com | 2015
  24. Visit the Lake County Fair
  25. Attend a nighttime activity with kids
  26. Enjoy one of the amazing festivals in Long Grove
  27. March in a Parade
  28. Blow Bubbles
  29. Draw with sidewalk chalk
  30. Visit a Farmers Market
  31. Make s’mores
  32. Miniature golf at the world’s most unusual golf course
  33. Visit the Lake County Discovery Museum before it closes!
  34. Plant a garden
  35. See the 30-foot DNA strand at Rosalind Franklin Medical College in North Chicago
  36. Build a bird feeder
  37. Grill out for dinner
  38. Skateboard  (my favorite spot is E. Noel Dr., Mundelein)
  39. Volunteer as a family (Try going to Save a Pet, Bernie’s Book Bank, or Feed My Starving Children.)
  40. Borrow technology from a library–many now loan out telescopes, video recorders and cameras.
  41. Write a letter to the President (or state representative or senator; find yours here under “Current Members of Congress” toward the bottom.)
  42. Borrow a new book from the library, like bird watching, and try and find a new bird.
  43. Make public art–paint rocks with smiley faces and leave them around town to make other people smile.
  44. Fix something
  45. Take something apart (give your kids $5 and head to Goodwill, The Salvation Army or the local dollar store and let them buy something that interests them, and then take it apart!)
  46. Have a lemonade stand (for a charity like Alex’s lemonade stand, OR just for fun)
  47. Take a tour! Find a police station, fire station, cemetery, church or something you’ve always wondered about.
  48. See the stars at an Astronomy Under the City Lights event
  49. See a play (Kirk PlayersMarriott Theatre, Genesee Theatre)
  50. Visit the Lake County Courthouse inWaukegan
  51. Ride the train
  52. Swim in a pool
  53. Play at the beach
  54. Pack a picnic lunch or dinner
  55. Spend a whole day without screens (no phones, tv, Kindle, iPad) and write in a journal instead
  56. Visit the Wildlife Discovery Center in Lake Forest
  57. Have a water fight while you wash the car
  58. Play tennis
  59. Play golf
  60. Run through a sprinkler
  61. Take care of family–schedule a dental appointment, or the kids’ back to school physicals (and one for yourself, too!)
  62. Walk around the neighborhood and find a garage sale
  63. Fly a kite
  64. Join us on safari – Playground Safari!
    Little Lake Cunty Playground Tour
  65. Build a sand castle
  66. Watch a parade
  67. Watch a boat parade (Mundelein has one on Diamond Lake in July)
  68. Go to the Chicago Botanic Gardens
  69. Do a messy science experiment (like mentos and diet coke)
  70. Ride a carnival ride
  71. See the Grayslake Color Aloft Balloon Festival
  72. Take a glass blowing class
  73. Take an art class
  74. Read a new book
  75. Read an old book–find your favorite children’s literature and make your own story time
  76. Rent a paddle boat
  77. Rain? Go bowling! Sign up for kids free summer bowling or try one of Little Lake County’s favorite places.
  78. Write a song about someone you love
  79. Visit the Great Lakes Naval Museum
  80. Play disc golf
  81. Visit a driving range
  82. Water ski
  83. Road Trip! Visit the Planes, Trains and Automobile Motel in Gurnee
  84. Rollerblade
  85. Have a pajama day
  86. Visit the Volo Auto Museum
  87. Go to the playground
  88. Hula Hoop
  89. Visit a local history museum
  90. Play at Warren Township Park
  91. Build a fort
  92. Search for something weird in your neighborhood (we found this graffiti ninja under a bridge at Hanrahan Park in Mundelein)

    Lake County summer fun, things to do in summer
    © C. Keegan | Little Lake County.com | 2016
  93. Visit Lambs Farm Farmyard & Attractions (with a petting zoo)
  94. Get Crafty!
  95. Make sure you’ve done the whole 2015 LLC list!
  96. Take a nap!
  97. Search Little Lake County for a place you haven’t been before
  98. Hang out at a Cruise Night
  99. Take and PRINT photos of your kids doing ordinary things
  100. Watch a drive-in movie
  101. Do a Random Act of Kindness

 

summer in Lake County, things to do in summer
© C. Keegan | Little Lake County.com | 2016

BONUS! Our 100 things to do list from last summer is now a printable checklist! Click the link or the picture to print your own.

100 Things to do this Summer

Summer100HEader

What is on your not-to-miss list for the summer? Share it with us in the comments section below.

About Cheryl 49 Articles
Cheryl is a hyper-tasking mom (because who has time to only multi-task?) who stops to take pictures (and smell the roses), loves to jog (slowly) and volunteers way too much.

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