Need for Speed

Do you feel the need, the need for speed? Do you ever break into “Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer, GO!” while driving on the highway? Do you have the inability to drive 55? Do you like to live life in the fast lane (surely makes you lose your mind!)? Had enough of the lame speed-related references? Us too!

While all go-karting locations have size limits to drive, Haunted Trails Family Entertainment Center in Burbank (HauntedTrailsBurbank.com) offers a two-seater car, allowing younger guests to ride with a paying driver. Haunted Trails truly is a family amusement park, offering mini golf, crazy cabs spinning ride, Miner Mike Coaster for junior roller coaster enthusiasts and batting cages.

In Crestwood, In The Game Hollywood Park (Crestwood.InTheGame.net) has both solo and two-seat cars for racers while also offering a fun slide, the Himalaya spin ride, indoor bumper cars, mini bowling, a sky tykes ropes course, mini golf and a typhoon motion simulator.

If you prefer the real thing, the Chicago Southland also has local cruise nights where car enthusiasts show off their beautiful old and new, souped-up cars (insert your best Tim “The Toolman” Taylor grunt here). On Mondays beginning in June, the Village of Crete (VillageofCrete.org) and the Frankfort Car Club in downtown Frankfort (FrankfortIL.org) have large participation cruise nights. You can find monthly cruise nights throughout the summer in Lansing (VillageofLansing.org). Plus, be sure to check out the Chicago Southland event guide for a monthly listing of pop-up cruise events in other cities within the region.

All the listed activities can be done solo, but it’s more fun with a wingman!