From water parks to an inspirational museum, local attractions are a terrific way to bond with the kids. Schedule some family time into your busy week and spend quality time together. Here are our top picks for the five best kid-friendly attractions the whole family will love in the Romeoville, Illinois, area.

Cypress Cove Family Aquatic Park

A young boy standing under a waterfall feature at a local water park.

Image via Flickr by anjanettew 

Summertime fun starts at Cypress Cove Family Aquatic Park. Located at 2398 83rd St. in Bolingbrook, it’s the place to go to escape the heat. The Mud Bug Beach awaits your little ones. They can build a sandcastle or bury their toes in the sand. Spray guns, bubblers, and a dumping bucket in Bullfrog Bayou will have your preschoolers squealing for more.

You and your teenagers can relax with a trip down the 600-foot long lazy river. It’s the ideal choice for floating along on your inner tube without a care in the world. For those daredevils in your family, pick from one of three slides in the Pelican’s Plunge area — or do them all! Make sure to stop by Tabasco Falls where you can hunker down right under a waterfall. 

All this activity is sure to work up an appetite. Head over to the Swamp Shack Cafe for a cold drink and a tasty snack. Peruse the menu for kid-friendly staples like burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, and healthier choices like turkey wraps and salads. Satisfy that sweet tooth at the Snapper’s Snack Shack with ice cream and sundaes. Admission is $15.50, and the park is open seasonally from May through September.

Haunted Trails Family Amusement Park

A young boy having fun driving a go kart around a go cart track.

Image via Flickr by MyLifeStory

Celebrate Fall at the Haunted Trails Family Amusement Park. Where else can you find a thrilling combination of miniature golf, go-karts, carnival rides, batting cages, and year-round Halloween fun? Head to 1423 N. Broadway St. in Joliet to this award-winning 14-acre indoor/outdoor amusement park. It features a host of fun activities that promise a terrific outing for everyone. 

Start with the go-karts and put those driving skills to the test. Drivers, get ready to rev your engines, then race to the finish line. You’ll navigate a winding track featuring challenging hairpin turns. There are also junior go-karts for little ones as young as 4 years old. After you see the checkered flag, miniature golf is up next. Haunted Trails touts not just one, but two uniquely themed 18-hole golf courses. Will dad get a hole-in-one? All we know is that you’ll love the friendly competition.

Who’s up for laser tag? Armed with your phasers, keep your eyes up and your head down. In this game, the hunter is also the hunted. Don’t worry, parents. The artillery is entirely safe and only shoots a beam of light.

And what amusement park would be complete without rides? Kids 2 years old and up can climb aboard the Dragon Coaster, while older siblings will test their bravery on the Bone Shaker. There’s no cost to enter the park. You’ll pay as you play from $2.50.

Seven Bridges Ice Arena

Girls having fun at the Fort Wainright Ice Rink.

Image via Flickr by Fort Wainwright Public Affairs Office

Put on your coats and mittens and head to Seven Bridges Ice Arena for some wintertime fun. Seven Bridges Ice Arena at 6690 IL-53 in Woodridge offers a fun-filled activity the whole family will enjoy. With public skating, skate lessons, and hockey leagues, this ice arena is a premier entertainment complex. It features an NHL rink, an Olympic rink, and an indoor soccer field. 

There’s no doubt about it. Zooming around the ice is a fantastic way to embrace the season. It’s great for all ages and experience levels and is a healthy, lifelong activity. Whether your kids are hanging out with family and friends, or mom and dad are on a date, ice skating is a terrific, budget-friendly activity for all occasions.

What if you don’t know how to skate? The trained professionals at Seven Bridges’ skate school offer multiple programs for people who want to master this skill. Learn in a positive atmosphere, and with this rink’s world-class program, it’s both fun and rewarding. Soon, you’ll be lacing up your skates and hitting the ice like a pro. The cost to skate is $9 for adults and eight bucks for kids.

Cosley Zoo

A white baby llama wrapping around its mother.

Image via Flickr by Tambako the Jaguar

Springtime is the perfect occasion to see baby animals, and the Cosley Zoo is the best place to see them. Located at 1356 N. Gary Ave. in Wheaton, this park sits on 5 acres and allows kids to experience more than 150 animals in 60 species, including local wildlife and domestic farm animals.

It’s the ideal opportunity to get up close to sweet woolly llamas and bleating goats. They’re just a few critters waiting to make your acquaintance at the farm. Explore the more unusual animal residents of Illinois like the curious red fox and the sweet and gentle white-tailed deer. There are playful raccoons and creepy crawlies like bugs, turtles, snakes, and frogs that live in over 20 different exhibits.

Why not celebrate your child’s birthday at Cosley Zoo? The staff offers tons of themes to choose from, and you can even stay overnight on the grounds. Become a zookeeper for the day or engage in the zoo’s many family-fun programs. The cost to visit the zoo is just $5 for adults and $4 for seniors. Kids are always free.

DuPage Children’s Museum

Part of the staff gathering around the sign at the DuPage Children's Museum.

Image via Flickr by COD Newsroom 

This indoor activity offers anytime fun, no matter the season. Located at 301 N. Washington St. in Naperville, DuPage Children’s Museum is more than merely your typical gallery of ancient bones. It’s an unstoppable force for early education. Families will take playtime to new heights through its interactive exhibits and programs. DuPage makes learning fun by developing curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills in young children. Visit today for $11 for adults, $10 for grandparents, and $9.50 for the kiddos.