Location: Des Plaines
Top Things to do in Des Plaines
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The 10 Best Things to Do in Des Plaines, United States
Des Plaines /dɪsˈpleɪnz/ is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 58,364. It is a suburb of Chicago and is just north of O'Hare International Airport. It is located on, and named for, the Des Plaines River, which runs through the city just east of its downtown area.
Restaurants in Des Plaines
1. iFLY Indoor Skydiving - Chicago (Rosemont)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 253 reviews
Ever dream of flying? Now you can at iFLY Indoor Skydiving in Rosemont. Experience the thrill of skydiving without having to jump from a perfectly good airplane - no falling, no parachutes, just you floating on a smooth cushion of air with our professional instructor right next to you. No special skills are needed, just a sense of adventure. iFLY is safe for kids 3 and up, fun for the entire family, and perfect for birthday parties or groups. iFLY is the experience of a lifetime.
Reviewed By thelittlebird - Rocky River, Ohio
Well oiled machine! People all VERY friendly! Entire experience from time you enter the door to exiting is 1 hour. Pricey, but totally worth it! Give yourself extra time to get there. Coming from the north, it was not easy finding the parking lot in front of iFLY. Our instructor was fantastic - friendly, knowledgeable, entertaining, etc..!! My 10 year old and 13 year old daughters LOVED it (& made the extra $9.95 for the high fly worth it). We had a (just turned) 5 year old and older, "less athletic" people in our group and each one looked to have an equally fun time! HIGHLY recommend!!
2. Lake Opeka
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By Allen21096 - Chicago, Illinois
From 29 Sep 17 through 1 Oct 17, Lake Opeka was blessed to be the home of the half-sized Travelling Vietnam War Memorial. It was displayed on the east side of the lake, just south of the Lake Park Memorial Pavilion. The entire display was nicely done, and there was more than just a half-sized wall. At half-sized, the Wall still seemed too long. There were more than a few bouquets of flowers and messages left at the Wall. Among other ceremonies were a wreath ceremony, a candle light ceremony and a closing ceremony were held. Thanks to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund for having the Wall and bringing it to the Chicagoland area! And to Des Plaines Park District for hosting the Wall. I did find the name of the only person that I knew that died in Vietnam whom I worked with in 1967 & 1968 at our high school jobs. Thanks to U.S.M.C. PFC William Allen Hayes for your service. He gave his life on 6 Jun 1968 and was awarded a Silver Star for his actions in combat. Semper Fi, Billy!
3. Kohl Children's Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 176 reviews
A bright and friendly place for children of all ages, featuring a life-sized train car and a water room.
Reviewed By Bjshanks
My 8 year old was bored with this museum but my 6 year old stayed busy. But both got bored after about 2 hours. All staff very interacting and interested in ensuring the kids were being entertained. Very crowded when I went. I don't know if we will be back though. But if my children were under 5 I think I would return.
4. Busse Woods Trail System
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 161 reviews
Reviewed By comfortnurse - Ohio
The greater Chicago area has many "Forest Preserves." This one is readily accessible to highways and major roads and on a rainy, dreary, November day was a great spot of fall foliage. The drive through the park passes several parking lots and rest areas. There were picnic tables throughout. What a resource for people nearby. We would come back if in the area again.
5. Pickwick Theater
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 56 reviews
Reviewed By Anna G - Chicago
Location of this theater is great. Just in the center of Park Ridge and next to the Amtrak train station. And than you have free convenient parking which helps a lot. Historic ArtDeco building designed by well know architect in IL.
6. Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
Overall Ratings
5 based on 200 reviews
Designed by renowned architect Stanley Tigerman, the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is one of Chicagoland's premier attractions. The Museum uses lessons from the Holocaust to focus attention on contemporary issues of genocide, intolerance, and inhumanity at home and worldwide.
Reviewed By binduAustralia - Melbourne, Australia
This collection of permanent and temporary exhibitions is not something you can -- or should -- allocate a couple of hours to, and do it any justice. Probably half a day, or four hours at the very least.
We had about three hours and what we really should have done was move quickly through the whole facility and get an overview, then go back and spend more time reading, watching the videos that are dotted around the displays, and inspecting the exhibits more closely.
As a result we really didn't get a chance to see the last exhibits much at all, as we had run out of time. But the material is compelling, the stories are well told and the events are explained in a way that means you really want to take your time. We have visited a number of Holocaust museums around the world and this one certainly is one of the most memorable.
We were advised by staff to make sure that we were in the auditorium area in time for the late afternoon Hologram feature, which is a new initiative. Take A Stand is a hologram program of holocaust survivors who share their experiences and stories and then "answer questions" from the audience. A moderator feeds the questions back and the questions are matched to the extensive recordings made, so the idea is that you feel like you are speaking directly with the presenter.
The concept is impressive, and the stories are, of course, dramatic and memorable, however the technology still needs work....various attempts at questions didn't work and several different questions triggered the same, repetitive response. In addition, the session didn't seem to have a cut-off time, or our moderator didn't handle the schedule properly. Once the doors closed, we were not able to leave until the whole question time was over. We were then rushed out, missing a craft market we would very much like to have visited, and having no time at all in the shop which also looked very interesting.
Given the lateness, and the fact we had skipped the final displays to attend the presentation, the 50 minutes we spent could have been productively divided into 20 or 25 minutes of the presentation and then an opportunity to finish seeing the main displays and the shop.
7. Rivers Casino
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 535 reviews
Rivers Casino is Chicagoland's newest gaming and entertainment destination! If you are just looking to have some fun on your favorite table games, we offer 50 games, including Blackjack, Spanish 2, Craps featuring Fire Bet, Roulette, Baccarat featuring Dragon Bonus Side Bet, Mississippi Stud, 3-card poker, Pai Gow Poker featuring Fortune side bet, Caribbean Stud Poker,Texas Hold'Em Bonus. We also feature over 1,000 slots including Wheel of Fortune, Sex in the City, Sphinx 3-D, Lucky 88, and more! From a juicy steak to a basket of wings, Rivers has got you covered. We have seven bars, buffets, and restaurants to suit any taste. We are also excited to be home to the newest member of the Gibson's restaurant group, Hugo's Frog Bar and Chop House.
Reviewed By tommyl024
Nice venue but not like Wisconsin or Michigan Casinos. Don't think the slot payouts are correct. Put $50 in a machine and received ZERO return. No bars, no nothing. Got lucky on a bonus machine after someone put in $300 with no return. I would rather pay for a reservation college tuition payment with a few hours of "play" than return here.
8. The Grove
Overall Ratings
5 based on 57 reviews
Reviewed By SculptableDesign - Alexandria, Virginia
The Grove has a quaint indoor animal sanctuary with snakes, turtles, birds, fish etc. All of of varying heights but they have step stools for ease of viewing by smaller children. Most of the area encompasses trails, and has a few different viewing area of historical buildings and materials. It's a lot of walking so bring your sneakers. We had the wonderful chance of seeing a deer feeding roadside within 5-10' of us. He wasn't startled and adorably allowed us to take his picture! This is a great nature hike, even for younger children.
9. Fashion Outlets of Chicago
Overall Ratings
4 based on 681 reviews
Fashion Outlets of Chicago is conveniently located just five minutes from O'Hare International Airport and about 15 minutes from downtown Chicago, in Rosemont, Illinois. It is the area's only two-level indoor outlet shopping experience featuring over 130 designer outlets offering great savings up to 75% off every day. The Center is anchored by Bloomingdale's The Outlet Store, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th and Forever 21 and is home to world-class brands like Gucci, Prada, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Burberry, plus national brands like Banana Republic, J.Crew, Swarovski, Nike, Under Armour, Cole Haan and more. In addition to an outstanding selection of outlet retailers, Fashion Outlets of Chicago features a variety of quick-service food options available to shoppers at the food court. Fashion Outlets of Chicago also offers unique services for domestic and international travelers including a partnership with TSA-certified BAGS Inc. for special concierge programs, enabling visitors to print boarding passes and check shopping bags and luggage directly to their final destination. Additional amenities and shopping incentives are available such as the Green Savings Card offering exclusive discounts and incentives at your favorite participating stores and restaurants for only $5!
Reviewed By Edward-A A - Hong Kong, China
It is a 2 floor outlet that is located within 15 minutes of the convention center in Rosemont, IL. It is also within walking distance to many hotels including Crowne Plaza, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hilton O'Hare and Hyatt Regency O'Hare. It is also next to a movie threater. There are parking lots both indoor and outdoor to choose.
There are many different kind of outlets of different brands here, e.g., Gap, Banana Republic, etc., and there is a food court with 5 to 6 stalls selling Chinese food, Japaneae food, burgers and others.
10. McDonald's #1 Store Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By Allen21096 - Chicago, Illinois
Well, consider that this is the ninth McDonald's every built and the first one by Ray Kroc, who would go on to build an empire. This particular McDonald's was opened on April 15, 1955. Currently, there are more than 37,000 McDonald's restaurants throughout 120 countries and McDonald's serves 68 million customers daily. No wonder they can't keep with the signs anymore. Sometimes there are vintage cars from the 1950's parked in the lot and if you are able to get up close, you can see how far things have come, especially since the McDonald's Corporation is flirting with automated equipment at its locations. Though they have expanded to 120 countries, some of the countries McDonald's actually have different things on the menu and it is always fun when traveling internationally to stop at a McDonald's at least once to see the differences.
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