Once and while this city girl needs to leave for a fun filled family day. We did just that the other weekend and went to Santa’s Village in East Dundee Illinois. Originally opened in 1959, it’s a rite of passage for any kid in the Chicago land area. I went as a kid, so naturally I wanted the girls to experience it as well. The park is located about 35 miles northwest of Chicago and is the perfect escape from the city for the day. It has two facilities, the amusement park and a water park and both are included with entry. Let’s just say we literally spent all day there. We were one of the first people in the door and one of the last out.
Santa’s Village Amusement Park
There are nearly 20 rides for everyone to enjoy. Rides are height based, not age based and rider heights are clearly displayed at the front of each ride. We measured Lizzie ahead of going just to make sure there wouldn’t be any huge disappointments when picking rides. There were so many rides for her height (she is 43 inches) that we didn’t even get to all of them.
Lizzie loved the Farmer’s Fling Roller Coaster and the Snowball Spin. I’m personally going to have to get a stronger stomach though to enjoy all the rides with this thrill-seeking kid. Maggie was able to get in on the fun too! There were a hand full of rides she could go on with an adult. Her favorite was the Kringle’s Convoy, a cute truck driving ride. Of course, the Country Carousel was a family favorite of ours because we could all ride it together.
The park has more than just rides to offer, which is great for parents who can’t stomach the rides! Game Alley offers fun carnival style games where everyone is a winner. Let’s just say we gained several new stuffies in our home after our visit. Santa’s Tree House Slide is a classic slide that provided a lot of fun for Lizzie. And we also enjoyed the Mining Experience, where you can mine for gems. It was so cute to see the look on Lizzie’s face when she washed away the sand and beautiful gems appeared. We didn’t have a chance to check out Old McDonald’s Barn, but in there you could pet and feed the animals.
Concessions at Santa’s Village
All the rides made us hungry! Of course, I had to carefully plan lunch around the biggest rides to avoid any potential issues and it was successful. The concessions were plentiful and had classic items for the kids and more enhanced options for adults. I loved it! Here is what we indulged in:
- Dole Whip Pineapple
- Bill’s Freshly Squeezed Lemonade
- Pretzels
- Chicken Tenders and Fries
Here is what I wish I had a chance to try:
- BBQ Plates with Brisket and Chicken
- Backyard Mac & Cheese
- Funnel Cakes
- Dirt N Worm Sundae
- Mini Melts Ice Cream
Santa Spring Water Park
After we rode all the rides and played all the games, we headed over to the other side of the park to check out the Santa Spring Water Park. The main attraction is Lighthouse Harbor, which is a giant playground with 9 slides, 2 giant tipping buckets, sprinklers and a 4-lane racer slide. Lizzie was a wild woman and couldn’t get enough of the slides. Maggie enjoyed the zero-depth entry and 8-inch-deep wading pool surrounding it. It was perfect to sit on the sidelines with her and watch Lizzie run around.
Other amenities that we didn’t partake in were the 3-story body slides and cabana rentals. We arrived around 3pm and it was crowded, but we found a spot to sit in the general seating area. We pretty much shut the water park down and it started to thin out around 5pm.
Admissions and Hours at Santa’s Village
Park hours vary based on season. You can check the website for exact times on specific dates here.
The cost for admissions is $36.99 for anyone over 36 inches (under that height is free) and gets you access to both the amusement park and water park. We added on the “Ultimate Package” package for the kids and it was worth it. For $29.49 you get a carnival game, a mining experience, a meal and a feed cup. You know I did the math for you and you end up saving money getting this package.
The girls had the best time at the park. I absolutely loved seeing them enjoy the park I once enjoyed as a child.
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