Buffalo Grove is located in the northern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Geographically speaking, Route 83 leads north towards central Lake County and south towards O'Hare International Airport, the third busiest airport in the U.S. East-west streets can take residents east to Lake Michigan and other North Shore suburbs such as Lake Forest, Highland Park, and Glencoe. This suburb is a great option to escape the city chaos and hang out and do some fun indoor or outdoor games and activities that are nearby. There are also many accommodations in Buffalo Grove including Airbnb vacation rentals. You may even be staying in a hotel with a waterpark in Chicago and you can still visit Buffalo Grove as it’s just less than an hour’s drive from Windy City. If you want to know more about this amazing place, read on to find out about the top things to do in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.
1. Spray 'n Play
If you’re thinking of what to do in Buffalo Grove with your kids during your visit, take your family to Spray ‘n Play and enjoy a fun afternoon under the sun! This fun spot is the ultimate quick summer getaway for families as it features a large interactive play area with over 20 water toys, sprays, and fountains. It’s a place where your kids will surely have a great time playing with other kids shooting water cannons and splashing each other through rainbow arches.
You can also bring your own food and enjoy picnicking at the designated picnic area. Visit Spray ‘n Play with your family today and have some fun under the sun!
Spray 'n Play
Address: 951 McHenry Rd, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089, United States
Website: Spray ‘n Play
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 10am - 7pm; Sat - Sun: 12:30pm - 7pm
Price: 4 USD
2. Didier Farms
There are nearby places to visit as well if you’re in Buffalo Grove. Located in Lincolnshire, which is just minutes away northeast of Buffalo Grove, Didier Farms is the go-to place if you want to experience the charm of rural living without having to travel too far. This awesome farm offers a wide array of freshly harvested vegetables and beautiful flowers in the spring and summer. There are also lots of fun things to do with your kids as the farm features camel rides, hayrides, pony rides, kiddie rides, a corn maze, a straw maze, and a pumpkin play area.
There’s also an Animal Land where kids can see and interact with different farm animal friends. If you time your visit just right, your kids will also have a great time at the annual Halloween Pumpkinfest!
Didier Farms
Address: 16678 Aptakisic Rd, Lincolnshire, IL 60069, United States
Website: Didier Farms
Opening hours: 9am - 6pm (daily)
3. Long Grove Confectionery Co.
Let’s face it: everybody loves chocolate. Sure, there are people with a sweet tooth, and people who are more into savory or salty (or spicy) foods, but the fact is that chocolate bonds all of those beautiful things together into some pretty spectacular creations, almost all of which you can find at Long Grove Confectionary Co. Combining artisan and fine craft with gorgeous chocolates (and the wrapping isn’t bad either), there’s something for everyone, with everyday chocolate, special occasions, samples, bars, and so much more. No really, there’s a lot. Go wild and try something new.
Long Grove Confectionary Co.
Address: 333 Lexington Drive, 60089 Buffalo Grove, IL
Website: Long Grove Confectionary Co
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4. Rockin' Jump Buffalo Grove
Editor’s note: Establishment is permanently closed
If you’re looking for Buffalo Grove activities that that the whole family can enjoy, visit this ultimate trampoline park! Book parties, hold private parties, snack on quality food, and get all your super fun fitness in at (almost) the same time. Rockin’ Jump in Buffalo Grove is the perfect location and ensures total safety, to ensure everyone is going to have an awesome time. You can book online to expedite your experience. Be sure to check the events calendar!
Rockin' Jump Buffalo Grove
Address: 950 Busch Parkway, 60089 Buffalo Grove, IL
Website: Rockin’ Jump
5. Raupp Museum
If you think a museum can’t be all that fun and you can spend a minimal amount of time there at best, don’t worry, there’s the Raupp Museum. The Raupp Museum could probably be one of the most involved museums out there, especially in Illinois. Literally, no shortage of exhibits and galleries to observe and take in. If history is your main thing, there are three exhibits that focus specifically on the history of the location, which is sure to be educational.
Raupp Museum
Address: 901 Dunham Lane, 60089 Buffalo Grove, IL
Website: Raupp Museum
6. K1 Speed Buffalo Grove
If you dare to dream (and indeed have the need for speed), or you just want to try something new, go-karts are a super fun and relatively inexpensive thing to check out. And yes, you can host parties here, too. This is certainly one of the places to check if ever you’re looking for fun activities in Buffalo Grove.
K1 Speed Buffalo Grove
Address: 301 Hastings Dr., 60089 Buffalo Grove, IL
Website: K1 Speed
7. Wheeling Aquatic Center
Another fun for all activity destination that’s sure to provide tons of excitement, Wheeling Park is also perfect for hosting events, but if you’re going to be around for a short time, make sure to tackle all the amenities, such as Volcano Valley (tube and body slides), Paradise Falls (two drop slides), Tsunami Splash (water playground with large tipping bucket), and Willie’s Coconut Café. There’s bound to be hours and hours of enjoyment!
Wheeling Aquatic Center
Address: 327 W. Dundee Road, 60090 Wheeling, IL
Website: Wheeling Aquatic Center
8. Downtown Palatine Street Fest
Downtown Palatine is located approximately 37 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Chicago, where you can become part of the action, and see and celebrate what it means to be a vital part of the community. Shop, dance, sing, and interact with locals, and no matter what, make sure you’re having a good time, though it’s hard to imagine not. Be a patron to local businesses. Pay it forward and experience downtown Palatine!
Downtown Palatine Street Fest
Address: 35 N Brockway St, 60067 Palatine, Illinois
Website: Downtown Palatine Street Fest
9. Kohl Children's Museum
Located about 20 minutes away in Glenview, packed with the totally coolest way to learn: education, interaction and fun combined. It would be awesome enough to go for a field trip (you can do that), but you could spend an entire day just walking around. With a mixture of fixed and permanent exhibits and temporary ones (get them while you still can!), there are things to see that cover just about all the topics: math, art, history, science, and so much more. What a super fun opportunity to experience everything but through fun! There is no better way to learn.
Kohl Children's Museum
Address: 2100 Patriot Boulevard, 60026 Glenview, IL
Website: Kohl Children’s Museum
10. No Escape
Saw. Five Nights at Freddy’s. Ok, those are pretty scary and both involve being super scared in a psychological way.
This is kind of similar but without crazy killers and being frightened. It’s more about using your brain to figure out riddles, like how and why you were possibly framed, and how you can get out of this hairy situation. Better than a dinner theater and more interactive than a suspense/thriller/horror video game, you’re physically in on the action, which could quite possibly be a pretty fun, unique, and refreshing experience.
No Escape
Address: 1501 W Dundee Rd, Suite 103, 60089 Buffalo Grove, IL
Website: No Escape
11. Orbit Skate Center
It seems like skating centers just aren’t in vogue anymore. Back in the 70s at its peak and into the 90s, skate centers were really really fun. There were loud, fun, danceable music, arcade consoles, and yummy food to tuck into, but those are seemingly obsolete in the 21st century. That’s not totally true; with Orbit Skate Center, you can relive a bit of your childhood and get in a fun workout at the same time!
Orbit Skate Center
Address: 615 S. Consumers Avenue, 60074 Palatine, IL
Website: Orbit Skate Center
12. Bowlero Buffalo Grove
On the topic of things similar to skate centers and the like, the next is bowling alleys. Remember when those were things? Now you can (again) relive parts of your youth and create new memories, at Bowlero in Buffalo Grove. With a great menu (and drinks), there’s also laser tag, arcade games, and billiards, all amazing ways to take a load off and enjoy yourself. Seriously, what are you waiting for? If you’re staying a bit longer in town, check out the specials part on the site and see what you can get involved with!
Bowlero Buffalo Grove
Address: 350 Mchenry Road, 60089 Buffalo Grove, IL
Website: Bowlero Buffalo Grove
A surrounding area for fun activities
Buffalo Grove, as you can see, is not the only destination, it’s the surrounding area too. No matter what destination or current location you have, don’t limit yourself to just one town. There’s plenty to do and see if, at first glance, it’s slim pickings. Sometimes in quiet suburbs, the attractions can seem few and far between other nearby places, so it’s good to keep your options open, and the more you do that, the more you’re open to fun things you can check out!