This amphitheater is perfect for outdoor theaters and concert theaters and concerts. You can bring…read moreyour own chairs, blankets and food but to get a good spot, come early. Parking can be hard to find but there's plenty if you don't mind driving around.

Tucked behind a skate park, church parking lot annex, and community swimming pool lies this neat…read morelittle outdoor amphitheater. It's not at all visible from street view or the main path... in fact, you actually have to walk down what looks like a maintenance path to a storage building to find it in Palatine Community Park, but once you're there, it's pretty cool. You can check the Park District website for performances, but don't expect anything too grand. Lots of stuff for kids and some battle of the bands stuff, but it's nice to have in the area for the youth population , and I like it because most days there's absolutely nothing going on here, so you can set up shop for a picnic, play frisbee, or just yell loud enough on stage to hear your echo... which is fun for both kids and adults, in case you're wondering. If you've got a kid who's in to acting or making their own plays, this would be the perfect place to take them and their friends on an evening or day that nothing is scheduled to play in the open-air amphitheater. I come by here a few times a week and there's never anyone else over here even trying to use the area... which could roughly fit 150-200 people via picnic-style seating.

Wow! Over the last few years and especially this summer I've visited quite a few local historical…read moremuseums and this is another one that really stands out as truly excellent. In addition to having some unique items and very nice looking exhibits, the tour given by two volunteers was done very well. Kevin provided an excellent tour of the Applebee House and Donlea-Kincaid house, giving plenty of information about where the various items were from and providing plenty of background about the family and how different items were used. He was extremely knowledgeable about all different questions ranging from the ornate decorations, to the different tools used, challenges faced in different time periods, and how to best preserve all the different items available. Michael provided a great tour of the Blacksmith Shop, with an amazing set of stories about all the different items, how they arrived at the museum, how to restore different items, and about various other topics. He is clearly a history lover with an immense amount of knowledge and a passion for teaching others. He is also excellent at getting others interested in history with his amazing ability to help people relate historic times to modern times, and thoroughly explain anything that is asked about any part of the museum. Definitely worth a visit to learn a lot about local history and historic artifacts. The quality of preservation and the completeness of several collections is truly amazing.

This was a gem to run across. It's easy to miss on Lake-Cook Road. There is a parking lot in the…read moreback between the two houses. It is hard to find the entrance to the museum but once you get there it is very much worth the effort. We were given a tour by two very knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guides. They gave us personal attention. There are so many stores and artifacts that an hour and a half want nearly enough. Highly recommend is you live in the Barrington area or like history.

Great place for a rainy day activity with the kids. Various activities to keep the kids busy.read more

This Free Children's Museum is a gem in Palatine. I would highly recommend this place for kids 3-9read more

I don't have much experience with the Lithuanian culture, scratch that, I don't have ANY experience…read morewith the Lithuanian culture so I was intrigued by this place with signs in a very unfamiliar language. This was the ceremony site of a friends wedding and it was a great choice. Very cute little cathedral with very high ceilings that connected at an angle. The father speaks Lithuanian so he can perform a dual language ceremony for you (and apparently they have classes in the language here as well). Beyond the cathedral this place is huge! Classrooms, bathrooms, a bathroom with a tub and shower, a kitchen, a beautician on site, a banquet hall, and a dining room that leads out onto a lawn with extra seating. We had the rehearsal dinner here with traditional Lithuanian food, wine and beer catered in (so alcohol is allowed). Definitely a place to keep in mind if you are looking for traditional Lithuanian. i sveikata!

Pretty cool looking church. Very modern design combining glass and wood. Must be nice in winter.read more

Absolutely phenomenal kathak teacher and school. I am inspired to dance by them and my learning…read morejourney continues for more than 5+ years with this school.

An amazing Kathak and Bollywood dance school! Learn from…read morethe best and the most authentic Kathak guru, Guru Kiran Chouhan. I have been learning from her for the past 11 years and couldn't have asked for a better guru. She is an amazing dancer, teacher and choreographer. I-RADHA follows a very authentic, structured and rich Kathak curriculum. Students can earn a degree in Kathak dance after completing a 6 year course. If you want to learn this wonderful Indian Dance form from the best, this is the school for you!!!

Mr. Fadrowski taught my daughter how to create music with her cello. He shared his love of this…read moreregal instrument and taught her how to use it to bring out the most beautiful music. As a result, our home was filled with soulful sounds only a cello can bring. He also pushed her past her comfort level, demanded more discipline, and been a constant in her life since she was 9 years old. He used a balance of humor and strict commands to bring out the best in her. She has graduated and will now be moving on. We will never forget Mr. Fadrowski and the priceless gift he has given my daughter. Because of him, she will always have the ability to play and share her music.

We have been extremely pleased with the BMA and in particular the owner/teacher Marian Fadrowski…read more  Our 12 year old son plays cello and is in the school orchestra.  While the school does a nice job, the instruction my son receives from Marian in private lessons is priceless.   Beyond the lessons, there are also recitals and group playing available.   Highly highly recommend!

Lovely historic venue with beautiful woodwork inside. I enjoyed the Silent Film Society of Chicago…read moreevent there and the auction they had as part of the show.

I love the Carlow! I mean who can complain about $5 movies and reasonably priced (for a movie…read moretheater) concessions!? You can even get food delivered from Baloney's. Just not on Sundays because they are closed. The seats in the back are new and more comfortable but obviously further away. These are often the first to go. I love supporting family businesses and Carlow definitely fits the bill. They even have the kids there helping out some nights and they are super cute. The little girl is a natural when comes to selling me candy, drinks and other concessions!

Edd Fairman's magic was fantastic and made our birthday party a lot of fun. The show was great for…read moreour audience of children and adults. There was a good deal of comedy and audience participation in addition to delightfully mystifying magic tricks. Edd's website offered us clear choices, his communication was prompt, and his confirmation emails leading up to the event were informative and useful. Edd made our party extra special, and we highly recommend his wizardry.

Edd was amazing! He entertained a group of around 30 kids, their ages ranged from 2 to 7 with the…read moremajority of them being 2 or 5:) They were all very engaged and he was hilarious to the kids and the parents! He even gave several parents the opportunity to talk to each other rather than chase their kids as they were so entertained by the show!