It has one of America’s biggest and best theme parks, and a huge shopping mall to boot. What’s not to love about Gurnee?
While you might not have heard of Gurnee, Illinois, we’re pretty sure you’ll have heard of its most famous attraction: Six Flags Great America. After all, this enormous theme and water park attracts millions of people through its doors. Want to be one of them? Read on (don’t forget to check your dates though, as the park isn’t open year round.)
So what should you do at Six Flags Great America? Plan your adventure carefully! There are so many rides it’s hard to know where to start. How about jumping on board the Goliath, a record-breaking wooden roller coaster. Or for something high-tech, try The Justice League: Battle for Metropolis, a 4-D interactive gaming ride. If you’re feeling brave, there’s full-on screamfest Raging Bull, the tallest, fastest, and longest ride in the park.
Luckily, it’s not all stomach-churning roller coasters. Families with kids will also find calmer and more age-appropriate rides, including log flumes, teacup carousels, and the classic dodgems.
Oh, and don’t forget your swimsuit. The theme park includes an enormous water park (open during the summer season). Laze along on the creek river or drift gently around Monsoon Lagoon. Or go all-out action on one of the water park’s faster rides, like a vertical fall from five stories up – it’s not called the Mega Wedgie for nothing. If you’ve still got your stomach, Six Flags has plenty of dining options available, with lots of healthy options. Vegetarians and vegans are well catered for, too.
Take a break from Six Flags with a trip to Gurnee Mills, the largest mall in Illinois. There are over 200 stores here, from fashion to electronics, skincare to gaming. After all the excitement of Six Flags, you can recuperate here with a little retail therapy.