Key Lime Cove, Gurnee Illinois

September 21, 2011 By

The following pit stop is submitted by Jessie Voigts of WanderingEducators.com.

Heading to Wisconsin, north of Chicago, and stopping to shop at Gurnee? Or perhaps spending some time at Six Flags? We’ve got the perfect place to stay: Key Lime Cove, in Gurnee, Illinois.

Key Lime Cove is a Key West-inspired waterpark and destination hotel. It includes a Key West-themed marketplace, restaurant, bar, and ice cream parlor, a huge arcade, a spa, and more. The interior is uniquely themed with Key West beach shops and kids’ activities.

The hotel rooms are spacious and well-equipped. We had a separate room for the bedroom and then another room (with southern-type sliding doors) to the family area. There was a microwave and fridge, a kitchen table, a couch and lounge chair, and a large flat screen tv. In the bedroom, there was an ipod dock that served as a charging station and speakers. There was also a Keurig coffeemaker and Paul Newman Organic Coffee pods.

There are plenty of kids activities, from a scavenger hunt in the marketplace to an entire kid activity area, with things to do, color, and play.

The waterpark is set at 82 degrees, so it is a perfect winter getaway. There are towels, many lifeguards, and a manned first-aid station that helps set the tone for safety. While the waterpark isn’t as large as, say, Great Wolf Lodge, it is plenty big enough. There is a hot tub, a lazy river and wave pool, a smaller kiddie area, and several slides. For more information, read a full review at Wandering Educators!

Distance from the interstate: Just off I-94.

Room rates and reservations: For reservations and current room rates, visit the website at www.KeyLimeCove.com or call 877-360-0403.

Directions: Key Lime Cove is located at 1700 Nations Drive, Gurnee, IL, midway between Chicago and Milwaukee. Take the Grand Avenue exit (132) off I-94. The hotel is right next to Six Flags Great America, across from Gurnee Mills.

County Line Orchard

August 29, 2011 By

The following pit stop is submitted by reader Erica Smith.

Hobart Indiana’s County Line Orchard is located right on the Lake and Porter county line, and offers all kinds of outdoor activities in the autumn season. Kids can pick apples, press cider, and visit the Kids’ Farm, featuring a mini-maze, play areas, bee yurts, animals, and more. A full-sized corn maze and country store will keep older kids and adults happy, too!

Date last visited: Fall 2010

Distance from the interstate: One hour from I-94.

Hours of operation: Store: 8 am to 6 pm daily. Kids’ Farm: 10 am to 6 pm daily.

Admission cost: Families can purchase admission to individual attractions, or save money on an all-access pass ($10). Full admission information is found at the County Line Orchard site.

Dining options: The orchard houses a full grill, a picnic area, a donut shop, and a country store. Trust me, you won’t go hungry! (Their donuts are highly acclaimed locally!)

Directions: The orchard is located at 200 South County Road in Hobart Indiana. From I-80 & 94, take exit 15A, or from I-90 (the Indiana Toll Road), take exit 21 (Ripley Ave.) At the second stop light (approximately 3 miles), turn left (east), staying on Rt. 6. At the third stop light, turn right (south) onto County Line Road. The orchard is one mile ahead just past a stop sign, on the right (west) side of the road.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

August 10, 2011 By

The following pit stop is submitted by reader Erica Smith.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is located along the shores of Lake Michigan and is easily accessed from I-94. With 15 miles of beach, outdoor activities, and park programs, there’s plenty for families to do. Stop for a few hours en route on I-94, or make it an overnight!
Indiana dunes

Things to do: Hike the sand dune of Mt. Baldy, then reward yourself with a swim at the bottom of the trail, or spend the day at either Central Beach or Kemil Beach in Michigan City. For more area hikes, stop by the Indiana Dunes visitor’s center (directions below). Don’t forget to enroll kids to become Junior Rangers!

Date last visited: Summer 2011

Distance from the interstate: Several minutes from I-94.

Hours of operation: Most locations are open sunrise to sunset.

Admission cost: $6.00 per car, per day. Camping fees are $15.00 per night.

Dining options: There’s great picnicking at Lake View, located at the NW corner of Lake Front Drive and Broadway Street in Beverly Shores. Restaurant dining is available in all towns, as are convenience stores and grocery stores.

Overnight options: Dunewood Campground offers 75 sites (both tent and hook-up).

Directions: Families can access the national lakeshore via I-94, the Indiana Toll Road, I-80/90, U.S. Highway 20, Indiana State Highway 12, and various state roads. Check the official page for full driving directions. The visitor’s center is a good place to start: it’s located on Highway 49 between highways U.S. 20 and Interstate 94.

North Point Lighthouse

June 10, 2010 By
Wind Point Lighthouse, Wind Point, Wisconsin. ...

Image via Wikipedia

2650 N. Wahl Ave.
Milwaukee, WI

The North Point Lighthouse, standing since 1855, is a fixture in scenic Milwaukee, WI. Better yet for traveling families, it’s located adjacent to a great park for kids! Says Kara (AKA Vacation Gals’ ColoradoGal), “After snapping a photo of both families in front of the lighthouse, we explored a bit: (Double the Adventure’s)Sharlene’s husband actually pointed out this great trail with wooden steps leading down into the woods, and of course we had to explore it. After all, that’s how my family rolls…the kids led the way through all sorts of lush foliage down to the shore of Lake Michigan!”

Extra Tip!: Public tours are offered from 1-4 pm on Saturdays, year-round.

Date last visited: June 2010

Distance off the interstate: Six minutes off I-43.

Admission Prices:

Under 5: Free
Under 12: $3.00
Age 12 and up: $5.00 per person

Money-saving Tip! If you think you might be back, family memberships (starting at $35) might be a better deal for you, depending upon the size of your family!

Bathrooms: Need this information. If you know, please answer in the comments!

Website: North Point Lighthouse

Directions: From Interstate 43 in Milwaukee, drive east on Interstate 794. Take the Lakefront exit and go north on Lincoln Memorial Drive for 2.2 miles. Turn left opposite McKinley Park Beach and drive up the hill on E. Water Tower Road. Turn right on Terrace Avenue and make a quick right onto Wahl Avenue. The lighthouse will be on your right after about half a mile, in the southern end of Lake Park.
(From I-94, go north on I-43, then follow the above directions.)


Cady Cheese Factory

June 7, 2010 By

Shelves stocked with country goodness at Cady Cheese Factory

126 State Road 128
Wilson, WI

Quick: what’s the first thing you think of when I say ‘Wisconsin’? If you said ‘cheese’ and have plans to drive down I-94, then you’re in luck! Make a pit stop at The Cady Cheese Shop and Factory to samples of over 20 varieties and flavors of real Wisconsin longhorn cheese, shop in their store, and learn about how cheese is made. Located a stone’s throw of I-94, the factory is iconic of Wisconsin’s country charm, and tasty to boot!

From the official website: “Cady Cheese makes and sells over 50,000 lbs of cheese per production day. Stop by the factory to see for yourself how it is made. Enjoy free samples of our many flavors. That’s 100% natural cheese, as fresh as it gets!”

Cady Cheese was today’s stop for Vacation Gals’ ColoradoGal and her family in their first leg of the 1K Country Adventure, sponsored by Country Inn and Suites. 

Date last visited: June 2010

Distance off the interstate: Five minutes off I-94.

Hours:

January 1st – April 30th:
Mon.-Fri. 9am – 5pm
Sat. & Sun. 9am – 5pm

May 1st-December 31st:
Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-6pm
Sat. & Sun. 9am – 5pm

Admission Prices: None.

Food Services: While you could probably make a meal out of the cheeses, candies, and other gourmet offerings for sale in the store, there is not an actual restaurant on the premises.

Bathrooms: Located on-site.

Website: Cady Cheese

Directions: From I-94, take 128 straight to the factory!

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