Living in an outer suburb of Chicago means that during our time off we have lots of places to go. Sometimes, though, we don’t want to travel downtown or don’t have the money for a day in the city so, local places to hang out for the day are the best option.

If you want…

…to spend a day biking through trails, go to Virgil. “It’s relaxing with the wind and the beautiful views through farmland and the countryside,” freshman Jacob Petrik said.

…to hike and learn about wildlife, go to Red Oak Nature Center. According to foxvalleyparkdistrict.org, this center is 40 acres and holds the only known cave in the Aurora area. “It’s very peaceful there, nice and quiet, and the inside of the main building has lots of wildlife that you can see up close,” freshman Jack Woodward said.

…a peaceful walk down by a river, go to downtown Batavia where freshman Maya Rangel loves to hang out. “When I first moved here from California, I was pretty scared and nervous so I wanted a quiet, relaxing place to hang out at,” Rangel said.

…to soak up the sun, go to Centennial Beach in Naperville. “It reminds me of a beach I used to go to with my step-grandparents when I visited. I used to go with my friend at least three times a week,” junior Victoria Petkus said.

…to walk around a small, downtown area, go to downtown Geneva. Geneva also hosts the festival Swedish Days every year. “I like going during Swedish Days because it’s a nice little festival and there are a lot of shops there,” junior Laura Venneri said.

…to explore your theatrical side, go to St. Charles. “I do a lot of theatre there and there are a lot of events and activities over the summer,” junior Christina Rausch said.

…to spend your day volunteering, go to the Sugar Grove Public Library. “I like volunteering there and helping to plan things for kids who go there,” freshman Abril Salinas said.

…to spend your day volunteering with animals, go to Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin. “I love animals and being around them. I volunteer to work with them and give them a second chance for a happier life,” junior Megan Wolski said.

…to spend a day learning about and looking at exotic animals, go to the Brookfield Zoo. “I’ve gone there since I was really young and it has a lot of memories attached to it. It’s nice to go walk around and see all the animals and enjoy a hot, bright, summer day with your friends and family,” junior Matt Zoppa said.

…to watch car races, go to the Sycamore Speedway. “I have lots of buddies who race there and I race sometimes myself,” said freshman Aron Payton.

If you are up for a little driving and want to have summer day like those you see in the movies, go to Six Flags Great America. “I always go with my family. Me and my dad love roller coasters, I get to see him act like a little kid and it’s always super fun,” freshman Matilda Van Niekerk said.