Kick off 2026 with fun and free things to do in Connecticut this January! Family Day event photo courtesy of the Yale University Art Galleries.
Top Free Things To Do with Kids in CT in January 2026, According to Mommy Poppins Editors
Lay back and let gravity do all the work with the best snow turning in Connecticut for families! Photo courtesy of Canva
Best Snow Tubing near Connecticut for Families in 2026
Bubbles are a classic free fun activity for Connecticut kids
GUIDE
Guide to Free Fun Things to Do for Connecticut Kids
Find fun for all ages at these Connecticut attractions, museums, and things to do! Photo courtesy of the Yale Peabody Museum
Things To Do in Connecticut That Everyone Will Love—From Toddlers to Teens (and Parents Too!)
The kids can hang out and have fun with the top free things to do in Connecticut! Earthplace photo by Zoe Brown, courtesy of the center.
100 Free Things To Do in Connecticut with Kids
New England Family Travel Guide
Our ultimate Connecticut bucket list has all the things to do in Connecticut with kids! Mystic Seaport photo by author Kelly Patino
Ultimate Connecticut Bucket List: 100 Things To Do With Kids in CT
Roll on in to the top birthday party places in Connecticut for teens and tweens in 2025! Photo courtesy of Bowlero
Fun Birthday Party Places in Connecticut for Tweens and Teens in 2025
Costumed interpreters share stories of colonial life along the historic Mystic seaport. Photo courtesy of the Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic, Connecticut with Kids: Top Things to Do on a Weekend Getaway
By land, by sea, by river—however!— families are coming to the best Museums in Connecticut! Connecticut River Museum photo by Ally Noel for Mommy Poppins
Best Museums for Kids in Connecticut: Children’s Museums and Family-Friendly Museums
Hop aboard for a trip through Litchfield County and fun things to do with kids! Naugatuck Railroad photo courtesy of the Railroad Museum of New England.
25 Things to Do With Kids in Litchfield, Connecticut
Indoor spots offer plenty of adventure in Connecticut.
GUIDE
Connecticut Guide to Indoor Play Spaces & Fun Zones
Bike the ground of Fort Trumbull. Photo courtesy Visit CT
GUIDE
Connecticut Day Trips & Weekend Getaways Guide
Photo courtesy of Flamig Farm
Best Petting Zoos in Connecticut: Animals Up Close at Farms and Petting Zoos
As classic as the roller rink or modern as a VR experience, these fun indoor places are perfect spots for teens and tweens to hang out! Photo by Ally Noel
Fun Places in Connecticut Where Tweens and Teens Can Hang Out Indoors
Parents can enjoy some relaxation when their kids spend time at the
10 Family-Friendly Hotels and Spa Resorts in Connecticut
A double slide at Jonathan's Dream. Photo courtesy of O'Brien and Sons Landscape Structures
The Best Tot Lots and Toddler Playgrounds in Connecticut
Ball pit fun at Chelsea Piers.
Great Birthday Party Places in Connecticut for Preschoolers
Find family fare and great deals at these Connecticut restaurants where kids eat free! Photo courtesy of Canva
Kids Eat Free: Connecticut Restaurants for Every Day of the Week
Flat walking trails make Wharton Brook State Park a sure bet for kid hikers. Photo by Mommy Poppins
A Dozen Short Hikes in Connecticut for Preschoolers and Toddlers
Take a step back in time with a visit to Mystic Seaport. Photo courtesy of Ally Noel
Top Attractions in Connecticut: Best Things to See and Do with Kids
From rolling hills and lakes to scenic views and summits, there's great outdoor adventure for families at Connecticut state parks. Photo courtesy of Visit CT
25 Connecticut State Parks and Forests That Are Great to Visit with Kids
Outdoor fun and healthy activity await at one of the top Connecticut playgrounds! Jonathan's Dream playground photo courtesy of O'Brien & Sons
Top Connecticut Playgrounds That Families Will Love
Run through the vineyards at Aquila's Nest. Photo courtesy of Aquila's Nest, Facebook
The Best Family-Friendly Vineyards and Wineries in Connecticut
Ride, splash, and have gallons of fun at the best outdoor water parks in New England! Splash Away Bay Water Park photo courtesy of Quassy Amusement Park
Best Outdoor Water Parks in New England for Family Fun
Practice new skills at Calf's Pasture Beach, photo courtesy of Norwalk Skate Park, Facebook
Top Skate Parks in Connecticut
Create colorful storm clouds out of shaving cream and food coloring.
  VIDEO
25 Preschool Science Experiments: Simple Science for Toddlers through Kindergarten Kids
Revel in nature's majesty at Webb Mountain. Photo by Ally Noel
Best Nature Centers in Connecticut To Visit with Kids
We’ve rounded up the best escape rooms in Connecticut for a fun family outing!
Awesome Escape Rooms in CT: Kid-Friendly Parties and Family Adventures
The festivities get downright magical with Kids' Birthday Party Entertainers in CT! Photo courtesy of Dean Davids Magician
Kids' Birthday Party Entertainers in CT That Come To You
Big fun comes roaring into Connecticut for kids this weekend! Dinosaur World Live photo by Pamela Wraith courtesy of the event
Dinosaur World Live, Cocoa and Trains, and More Fun Things To Do in CT This Weekend

10 Zip Lines and Aerial Adventure Parks Near Chicago

Walk the bridges at Go Ape USA. Photo courtesy the park
Walk the bridges at Go Ape USA. Photo courtesy the park
10/14/20 - By Maureen Wilkey

A number of Chicago's outdoor adventure parks are open from spring into the fall. These parks offer zip lines, aerial ropes courses, suspended bridges, and sometimes climbing walls, too.

Many of these adventure parks could become part of a larger weekend trip or a special birthday trip, especially when your Chicago kid finally hits the height requirement! 

 

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Take in the view from above at the Forge Lemont Quarries. Photo courtesy the park
Take in the view from above at the Forge Lemont Quarries. Photo courtesy the park

Adventure Parks within one hour of Chicago

Bison's Bluff Nature Playground

Part of the Vera Meineke Nature Center, this playground has play features designed out of nature or made to mimic nature such as a rock bluff, a cliff face, a flowing stream, and a beaver dam. Kids can also explore a 3-mile nature trail. READ MORE

Go Ape Bemis Woods

This nature center offers tours of its treetops via zip line, suspension bridge, obstacles, and Tarzan swings. Families can choose between the Treetop Adventure, featuring 43 obstacles at heights of up to 45 feet, or the Treetop Journey, with 21 obstacles up to 30 feet high. READ MORE

The Forge: Lemont Quarries

Ropes courses, zip lines, and climbing walls are just the beginning of the adventure at this outdoor adventure park. Families can also enjoy live music and outdoor movies near the Lemont Quarries. READ MORE

Deep River Aerial Park

Reopens in 2021
Kids and grown-ups can play at their own level on ladders, bridges, suspended climbs, tight ropes, canopy platforms, and zip lines at this Northwest Indiana adventure park. READ MORE
Zip-line or hit the aerial walkways at Boundless Adventures Wisconsin. Photo courtesy the park
Zip-line or hit the aerial walkways at Boundless Adventures Wisconsin. Photo courtesy the park

Adventure Parks within two hours of Chicago

Zip Rockford

Tour Rockford via air with Indiana Jones-style suspension bridges and zip lines. Families can also enjoy night zip-lining and seasonal zombie tours. READ MORE

Lake Geneva Ziplines and Adventures

Nine unique zip lines and a high ropes course take families on an adventurous exploration of Southeast Wisconsin. Outdoor education and team-building experiences are also available. READ MORE

Boundless Adventures Wisconsin

Kids ages 7 and up can challenge themselves through obstacle courses, low- or- high-speed zip lines, bridges, balance beams, and more at this aerial adventure park in Southeast Wisconsin. READ MORE

Rum Village Aerial Park

Ascend ladders, traverse bridges, balance across tight ropes, and cruise down zip lines at this South Bend, Indiana aerial park. Night climbs are also available throughout October. READ MORE

Long Hollow Canopy Tour

Thrilling canopy tours near Galena include a UTV ride, balance bridge, and zip lines that reach up to 40 mph at a length of 1,250 feet. Families can also enjoy the tree-based challenge course with unique elements to match different skill levels.  READ MORE

Zip Chicago

Zip down eight different zip lines 85 feet above the river valley at this central Illinois adventure park. Some tours include dual racing lines and suspension bridges. READ MORE

Places featured in this article: