I-72 to Veterans Parkway. Take Veterans to Woodside Road (left), Woodside to Chatham (left), and Chatham to Recreation Drive (right).
Boulder Creek Fun Park This entertainment center, just off Dirksen Parkway north of Sangamon (2400 Hilton Head Dr., first light after
Sangamon, take a right), has miniature golf, batting cages, “Bankshot Basketball” and a driving range. After the fun, cool off with ice cream or frozen yogurt. Boulder Creek is open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily April 1 through Nov. 1. Birthday-package discounts are available. For info, call 217-525- 2400.
Route 66 Drive-in Just like the old days, only with better sound quality: the Route 66 Twin Drive-In, with two screens showing double features weekends April through October and every night Lake Springfield from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. In keeping with tradition, the first show is usually for the kids, the second more for the grownups. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for kids ages 3-12. The drive-in is located next door to Knight’s Action Park. For more information, call 217-698-0066 or visit the theater’s Web site, www.route66-drivein.com.
The lake has a lot to offer, including a public beach open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily from Memorial Day weekend through mid-August, conditions permitting.
Admission is free. Call 217- 786-4032 or 217-757-8660, ext. 1011, for more information. Lake Springfield Marina (217-483-3625) rents everything from personal watercraft, pedal boats and canoes to pontoon boats and party barges. The legendary “Rock the Dock” Independence Day celebration happens July 3, with food and fun beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by major rockin’ bands starting at 7 and con cludes
with a smash fireworks display visible (we understand) from Saturn. Beginning May 1, the Marina is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m., seven days a week For hours before then, call ahead or visit www.lakespringfieldmarina.com.
Follow the directions off exit 88 on Interstate 55 south of Springfield. Lake Springfield is partly surrounded by some great parks featuring shelters, benches, playground equipment and grills.
Henson Robinson Zoo While you’re in the Lake Springfield area, be sure to visit the more than 300 wild creatures from Africa, Asia, Australia and North and South America who now reside at the Henson Robinson Zoo. From April through October the zoo is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. and Sun. From Nov. through March., it’s open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every day. Admission is $2.50 for seniors 62 and older, $4 for adults 13-61, $2.25 for children 3-13, and
free to kids 2 and under. Parking is free. Food is available, or you can bring your own and have a picnic in the pavilion. For more information, call 217-753-6217 or visit the zoo’s Web site, www.hensonrobinsonzoo.org.
Kicks Family Entertainment Center Since opening for business in October 2006, Kicks has raised the entertainment standard a notch or two, providing more than 60 arcade games and rides (including an indoor go-kart track) for children and parents of all ages. There’s even a toddler play area. Most of the parties are optimized for the younger set, but there are games for teens and adults. The buffet, always open during business hours, includes pasta, pizza, tacos, salads and desserts, as well as a “make your own horseshoe sandwich” bar with four kinds of meat. Kicks Family Entertainment Center, 2744 S. Sixth St., 217-753-2000
