The best places in Springfield to unwind
after a long day of sightseeing
You did the right thing, for sure. You brought them here to learn about history, Lincoln, the Civil War — yadda, yadda, yadda. But kids are kids. And it’s a fact: All Lincoln and no play make Jack and Jill dull youngsters! How’s about a wild ride down a water slide, a spin on a go-kart or a whirl on a Ferris wheel? Take heart. There are plenty of places in town “just for fun.”
Illinois State Fairgrounds
This place understandably comes alive during the Illinois State Fair, when hundreds of thousands of people flock to Springfield for a taste of the Land of Lincoln. There are rides — both mechanical and living — games, handson exhibits and entertaining demonstrations such as high-divers, birds of prey, lumberjacking and more, and that’s not even touching on all the music, food, car and horse races, agricultural and craft exhibits, Conservation World, the Illinois Wines tent and on and on. The 2010 fair takes place Aug. 13-22. For more information, call 217-782-6661 or see www.agr.state.il.us/isf.
The fairgrounds is also home to Adventure Village, a small carnival next to the main entrance that opens in early May and runs through mid- September. Admission to Adventure Village is free, but there’s a cost for each ride. Until the fair starts, Adventure Village is open on weekends and by appointment for private parties. Call 217-528-9207 to see whether Adventure Village will be open the day you’re in town.
Entrances to the fairgrounds are found along Sangamon Avenue and Peoria Road. The main entrance is at the corner of Sangamon Ave. and 11 th Street.
The fairgrounds hosts many other events throughout the year. To find out what’s up, check out the calendar in the back of this Visitor Guide.
Knight’s Action Park and Caribbean Water Adventure
Springfield’s largest water-theme and amusement park has bumper boats, water slides, pedal boats, a Caribbean Wild River ride, a wave pool, a fourstory spine-tingler known as the Devil Ray, and a giant bowl-shaped swisher aptly named the Royal Flush. For land lubbers, Knight’s Action Park has gokarts, batting cages, a challenging miniature-golf course, laser tag, a driving range and plenty of places to sit down for a bite to eat.
Each activity has its own set of prices and hours. However, there are packages that include multiple activities. Knight’s Action Park’s hours change with the time of year, so call ahead at 217-546-8881 or visit the Web site, www.knightsactionpark.com. At many area tourist attractions, you’ll find Knight’s Action Park fliers that offer coupons and discounts. For operating dates go to www.knightsactionpark.com. To get to the park, take I-55/72 south out of Springfield then west on I-72 to Veterans Parkway. Take Veterans to Woodside Road (left),
