7 Family-Friendly Outdoor Activities To Enjoy This Summer In IL

ILLINOIS — Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, and if you're aching to get out of the house, there are plenty of adventures to be had across the Land of Lincoln. Hiking, camping, boating, sports, history — there's something for everyone. Here are some of Patch's favorite family-friendly outdoor activities — be sure to leave us a comment and let us know which is yours.

Get your kicks on Route 66

Once called The Mother Road, Historic U.S. Route 66 ran more than 2,400 miles, from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Today's it largely been bypassed by the interstate highway system, but several sections have been preserved as a National Scenic Byway, so you can still get your kicks at tons of kitchy stops between Chicago and East St. Louis.

From Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket (and cocktail lounge), a classic roadhouse featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives," to a 19-foot Paul Bunyon Statue (clutching a giant hot dog, of course) and the world's largest covered wagon, there are plenty of sights to take in on the nearly 300-mile Illinois stretch of the road.

You may also want to check out the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, catch a double feature at the Sky View Drive-in Theater in Belleville or peruse the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston.

Catch a baseball game

After a long hiatus, Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate Fields are back open to fans, with some COVID-19 precautions still in place. Both stadiums will increase their capacity to 60 percent starting May 28, and the Cubs are even offering free hot dogs and special seating for fully vaccinated fans.

Find a schedule of games and buy tickets at cubs.com or whitesox.com.

Visit the Navy Pier

As long as you're in Chicago, why not visit the Navy Pier? After being closed for eight months during the pandemic, the 50-acre pier with shops, theaters and amusement rides jutting into Lake Michigan plans to fully reopen for Memorial Day weekend.

Summer events also start next week, with a neighborhood artisan market on the south dock, as well as dance performances, DJ concerts and live music starting Saturday.

The pier will be open all summer long, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Hike Starved Rock State Park

Or maybe you want to get away from the crowds. Located southeast of Utica along the Illinois River in LaSalle County, the 2,630-acre Starved Rock State Park has miles of trails, as well as glacier-formed canyons, waterfalls, fishing, camping and boating.

The park was named for Native American legend, according to the park's website:

In the 1760s, Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe, was attending a tribal council meeting. At this council of the Illinois and the Pottawatomie, an Illinois-Peoria brave stabbed Chief Pontiac. Vengeance arose in Pontiac's followers. A great battle started. The Illinois, fearing death, took refuge on the great rock. After many days, the remaining Illinois died of starvation giving this historic park its name – Starved Rock.

In 2018, Starved Rock State Park was also voted the most beautiful place in Illinois by Condé Nast Traveler.

Take a river cruise

While you're at Starved Rock State Park, why not book a cruise along the Illinois River? Lunch tours, narrated history tours, and canyon boat rides are available at Starved Rock Lodge.

Longer 2- 3- and 5-day cruises are also available about an hour or so south, from Peoria to Starved Rock, Peoria to St. Louis or Peoria to Hannibal, Missouri. There are also themed cruises out of Peoria, including BBQ and blues, murder mystery and beer, wine and whiskey tasting options.

Of course, if you don't want to drive that far, there are still ways to get on the water, even in the big city. Take an architectural tour along the Chicago River, rent a yacht for a private party or explore the concrete canyons of Chicago by kayak.

Hit the beach

Chicago's beaches are also back open, just in time for summer. Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago Park District said Wednesday that 22 of the city's Lake Michigan beaches will reopen to the public Friday after being closed for more than a year.

Visit Cahokia

If you do want to drive a little ways, however, one of the state's most interesting sites lies just across the river from St. Louis, Missouri.

At the end of a rural road dotted with repurposed storefronts, coin laundries, budget inns and rundown mini-marts, stands the ancient city of Cahokia. The largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas north of Mexico, Cahokia was once an economic and cultural center, facilitating trade from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast and possibly beyond.

The Native American metropolis would have rivaled London, Paris or any city in Europe when it was built around the 13th Century. Today the site features a reconstructed ring of timbers called Woodhenge, which marks the solstices and equinoxes, and it boasts one of the largest earthen pyramids in the world, Monk's Mound.

RELATED: How To Take Better Photos This Summer In Illinois

Of course, Illinois is a big state, and we're sure to have forgotten something. Let us know your favorite outdoor activities in the comments.