Top 17 Things To Do In Waukegan, Illinois

1. Watch a concert at Genesee Theatre

Catch a concert at the historic, 1927-built Genesee Theatre, an active and vibrant movie palace and concert hall in Waukegan. Used as both a cinema and a vaudeville theatre, the Genesee Theatre has played host to many different shows and musical artists. Today, the renovated theatre is a state-of-the-art facility, complete with an ornate lounge and lobby and a huge stage, making it one of the largest facilities of its kind in the area. However, despite the changes, the historic integrity of the Genesee Theatre remains even today, and it continues to be a centre of the Waukegan community.

Genesee Theatre

Address: 203 N Genesee St, Waukegan

Website: Genesee Theatre

2. Chill out at Waukegan Municipal Beach

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

On the shores of Lake Michigan, just east of downtown Waukegan lies a pretty little stretch of sand which is perfect for picnicking, sandcastle-building, and sunbathing. This is Waukegan Municipal Beach, a beautiful one-mile (one km) wide beach of sand with what are some of the region’s only remaining natural sand dunes. The beach is enclosed by two piers with crystal clear water that is safe to swim in. Free to residents of Waukegan (you just need a Waukegan City Sticker on your car), the beach has a grassy area and plenty of picnic tables and it is perfect for spending a quiet afternoon. It also has three sand volleyball nets.

Waukegan Municipal Beach

Address: 201 N Sea Horse Dr, Waukegan

Website: Waukegan Municipal Beach

3. Dine on classic Middle Eastern & American eats at Papa Marcos Restaurant

In 2017, Yelp’s ‘Annual Top 100 Places to Eat’ list included only one Illinois restaurant - and it wasn’t in Chicago. No. 64 on the list of delectable eateries was Waukegan’s very own Papa Marcos! Specialising in Middle-Eastern fare as well as serving American grub, Papa Marcos’ signature tahini and hummus are much loved by patrons. Some must-try dishes here include Lamb/Beef/Chicken Kabobs and Shawarmas, the vegetarian delight of Falafel with lip-smacking Baba Ghanoush, Koobee, Gyros, Beef Kafta, and more. Being close to the Windy City, the restaurant even serves up Chicago-style sandwiches with fries!

Papa Marcos

Address: 622 Grand Ave, Waukegan

Website: Papa Marcos

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 11am - 8:30pm (closed on Sun)

4. Get entertained at The People's Choice Family Fun Center

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

An indoor glow-in-the-dark mini-golf space, a food court, and an arcade - the recreational People’s Choice Family Fun Centre is 43,000 sq. feet (4,000 sq. m) of fun. Located in the heart of Waukegan, the People’s Choice Family Fun Center offers family entertainment for all ages with more than 150 arcade games and more than 1,000 prizes! Don’t miss heading to the amazing 18-hole glow-in-the-dark mini-golf course, where you can practice your golfing skills to the hilt.

The People's Choice Family Fun Center

Address: 2415 Grand Ave, Waukegan

Website: The People’s Choice Family Fun Center

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 12pm - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 12am; Sat: 24 hours

5. Enjoy a show at Jack Benny Center for the Arts

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Located in the beautiful Bowen Park of Waukegan, Jack Benny Center for the Arts is Waukegan Park District’s Cultural Arts Division, playing host to the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra and Concert Chorus, Bowen Park Theatre and Opera Company, and many other private voice and music lessons, visual art and dance classes, and theatre classes as well. Enjoy a wonderful concert or even a rendition of a Shakespearean play at the Jack Benny Centre while you’re in Waukegan.

Jack Benny Center for the Arts

Address: 39 Jack Benny Dr, Waukegan

Website: Jack Benny Center for the Arts

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 10am - 9pm; Fri: 10am - 5pm; Sat: 9am - 4pm (closed on Sun)

6. Try pizza at Quonset Pizza

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

A Waukegan tradition, Quonset Pizza has all the best qualities of an old-school, friendly, come-as-you-are neighbourhood tavern selling the most delicious thin crust pizzas you can find in the region. The thin-crusted black olives, onions, and sausage pizza with a well done, golden-brown cheese topping is undoubtedly Quonset’s most popular dish, as is the Double Decker Pizza, Cheese and Sausage Pizza, and the Bomber sandwich. Wash it all down with a cold draft beer or some of the delicious cocktails on the Quonset menu!

Quonset Pizza

Address: 2602 Grand Ave, Waukegan

Website: Quonset Pizza

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 11pm

7. Visit the Waukegan Harbor Light

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Catch sweeping views of Waukegan and Lake Michigan from the 19th-century built Waukegan Harbor Light lighthouse. An active light owned and maintained by the US Coast Guard, Waukegan Harbor Light is something of a landmark and it is located at the end of the Government Pier on the western shores of Lake Michigan. Once hit by a fire that ravaged the lantern room, the lighthouse today has an exposed beacon standing where the lens once was. Take a walk on the pier, fish, or relax and watch a wonderful sunrise from the pier.

Waukegan Harbor Light

Address: 1 E Water St, Waukegan

Website: Waukegan Harbor Light

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

8. Tour the exceptional Ray Bradbury Experience Museum

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

If you’re a fan of science fiction, then you’ll feel right at home in the upcoming Ray Bradbury Experience Museum dedicated to Waukegan native Ray Bradbury. Whether it was Dandelion Wine, Fahrenheit 451, or The Martian Chronicles, the iconic Ray Bradbury left behind a relevant, telling legacy. The 3,500-square-foot (325 sq. metres) interactive facility is set to explore the major themes and high points of Bradbury’s life and work, through the wonders of sounds, voices and interactive images.

Ray Bradbury Experience Museum

Address: 13 N Genesee St, Waukegan

Website: Ray Bradbury Experience Museum

9. Explore the unique Waukegan History Museum

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Headquarters of the Waukegan Historical Society, the one-of-a-kind Waukegan History Museum is housed in Haines House in Bowen Park. The 1843-built place is one of Lake County’s oldest surviving buildings and today portrays the life of the late Victorian period in Waukegan. A range of artefacts, photographs, and exhibits featuring period furnishings, light fixtures, drapes, carpets, and wallpapers in the museum highlight Waukegan’s history. A particular highlight is the bed Abe Lincoln slept on and a trunk belonging to a young Jack Benny used during his early Vaudeville days.

Waukegan History Museum

Address: 1917 N Sheridan Rd, Waukegan

Website: Waukegan History Museum

Opening hours: Tue & Thu: 10am - 4pm; Sat: 1pm - 4pm (closed on Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun)

10. Try sushi at Ikigai Sushi

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

All sushi, ramen, and Korean food cravings in Waukegan can be more than satisfied at Ikigai Sushi, one of the best places for Asian food in the area. The ramen, Korean wings, and sushi restaurant has a kitschy charm with tasteful, modern decor. Try the Miso soup with various kinds of Nori, the subtly smoky Seaweed Salad, the crowd-pleasing, spicy Willis Tower which is a deconstructed spicy California and Tuna roll, Unadon with angel hair Daikon and a slightly picked carrot, and sushi burritos, which are a dish in themselves.

Ikigai Sushi

Address: 550 N Green Bay Rd, Waukegan

Website: Ikigai Sushi

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 11pm; Sun: 5pm - 9pm

11. Admire nature at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

A 4,000-acre park (~174 million sq. feet) with 6.5 miles (10.4 km) of the sandy shore of the Lake Michigan, oak forests, sprawling marshes, and more than 650 plants species and loads of animal and aquatic life - all a mere 5 miles (8 km) from Waukegan. The Illinois Beach State Park is a captivating, unique biosystem that also encompasses the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in Illinois, having been created during glacial times. Feast your eyes on colourful wildflowers, wet prairies, fragrant pine forests, and sandy ridges, as well as enjoy the many amazing opportunities for camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking, boating, swimming, and for simply enjoying nature and its beauty.

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

Address: N Sheridan Rd, Waukegan

Website: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

12. Play basketball at Founders Park

If you’re visiting Waukegan with children, then spend a day at Founders Park. The park has three playgrounds, one for big kids, one for the pre-teens, and one for the little kids, allowing them to enjoy to the hilt. Indulge in climbing a rock wall, zip lining, climbing a spider web, spin around things, a rope ladder, and a balancing beam, or walk on the walking path or play tennis, basketball, or softball. The park also has bars, platforms and slides, as well as many picnic tables and a water fountain.

Founders Park

Address: 10385 W Beach Rd, Beach Park, IL

Website: Founders Park

Opening hours: 7am - 7pm (daily)

13. Enjoy dancing at J's Reggae Bar

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

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If you want to strap on your dancing shoes in Waukegan, then head to J’s Reggae Bar for some amazing, foot-tapping Soca, Dancehall, and Reggae music and a whole lot of dancing fun. Sometimes known as the only real reggae spot between Chicago and Wisconsin, J’s Reggae Bar is where you head to if you want to indulge in a cool night out, chill with your friends after work, or want to dance the night away. Amazing food and great drinks are a plus point!

J's Reggae Bar

Address: 2201 Grand Ave, Waukegan

Website: J’s Reggae Bar

Opening hours: Mon - Wed: 2pm - 12am; Thu & Sun: 2pm - 1am; Fri - Sat: 2pm - 2am

14. Drink and watch a game at Stretch's Sports Bar & Grill

If you want to wind down your Waukegan day with a game and a drink in hand, Stretch’s Sports Bar and Grill welcomes you with open arms. The pub has a wonderful ambience and atmosphere, giving off a true sports bar feel. Terrific pub grub and finger food, along with a great drinks collection including daily specials, and lots of television screens to watch the games of your choice make Stretch’s the best place to kick off an amazing after-work, fun evening. What’s more, the wings they serve are reputed to be some of the best in Lake County!

Stretch's Sports Bar & Grill

Address: 200 N Green Bay Rd, Waukegan

Website: Stretch’s Sports Bar & Grill

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 1am; Fri - Sat: 11am - 2am

15. Go skating at Bowen Park

Relax on the lap of nature at the stunning, green spaces of Bowen Park, a 60-acre (~2.6 million-sq-foot) verdant wonder in the heart of Waukegan. Housing a ravine and an old-growth forest both, the beautiful park features a six-station exercise/fitness trail, greenhouse/flower beds, picnic areas with grills, a pond/stream and even a skating park, where you can skate to your heart’s content and even bring your kids along. Apart from modern playground amenities, Bowen Park also has tiered play areas in the forest ecosystem.

Bowen Park

Address: 1800 N Sheridan Rd, Waukegan

Website: Bowen Park

Opening hours: 7:15am - 8:45pm (daily)

16. Enjoy bird watching at Lyons Woods Forest Preserve

Revel in nature at the lovely wooded area of Lyons Woods Forest Preserve in Waukegan, featuring 2.5 miles (4 km) of gravel trails which tie to the local McClory Trail. Named for the Lyons family of Waukegan, Lyons Woods is a diverse supporting fen, woodland, savanna, and prairie with a contrasting mix of terrain. The woods are full of black, bur, and white oaks, goldenrod, big bluestem, and dropseed as well. Ornithophiles will particularly love the bird-watching trails and areas in the preserve, where a variety of birds can be spotted in warmer weather.

Lyons Woods Forest Preserve

Address: 10200 Blanchard Rd, Waukegan

Website: Lyons Woods Forest Preserve

17. Go to picnic at Hinkston Park

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How long has it been since you went picnicking? Featuring everything from grassy areas, jogging/hiking trails, and play equipment to picnic shelters, picnic areas and grills, Hinkston Park is a great place to spend a relaxing day in town. If you’re looking for an energetic way to begin your day, start at the Field House Sports, Fitness & Aquatics Center which is a modern, state-of-the-art indoor facility with amenities like a gym, a climbing wall, etc. at an affordable price.

Hinkston Park

Address: 810 Baldwin Ave, Waukegan

Website: Hinkston Park

Opening hours: 6am - 7pm (daily)

Enjoy your time in fascinating Waukegan

Natural lakes and parks, a beautiful shoreline of one of the Great Five Lakes of the US, wonderful eating joints with cuisines from all around the world, museums with a world of history housed in them - exploring Waukegan is a wonderful opportunity to begin your exploration of the Great American Midwest.