One-Night Stay for Up to Six in a Queen Deluxe Guest Room with Water-Park Passes. Combine Up to Six Nights.

Value: $200 From: $129

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Family-Friendly Indoor Water-Park Resort

The Hurricane’s Vortex whirlpool ride at KeyLime Cove Waterpark Resort looks like a giant pinwheel painted with gold and orange stripes. But once the ride begins, those stripes blur into red as a torrent of water whips you around before safely dropping you in the Lazy River. The ride is one of eight major aquatic attractions featured in KeyLime Cove’s sprawling 65,000-square-foot indoor water-park, located about an hour north of downtown Chicago in Gurnee, Illinois. This getaway includes admission for six to the water park.

Kids of all ages will find something to do in the water park. The tropical indoor environment—kept at a balmy 84 degrees—is home to a wealth of wild rides, including the two 500-foot Splash Down & Slip Slidin’ Away water slides, a wave pool, and the interactive Toukie’s Big Deluge aquatic playground for kids. KeyLime Cove is a conveniently cashless resort. Upon check-in, you’ll receive a high-tech wristband that also functions as your room key, water-park ticket, and credit card for anything and everything around the resort, allowing you to leave your wallet safely sewn into the mattress.

While the kids play games in the RipTide Reef Arcade, adults can unwind in the Paradise Mist Spa. Families can meet up for dinner at any of the resort’s six eateries, including Anna Chovy’s Pizzeria and D.W. Anderson's, an old-fashioned soda fountain with 1950s decor. The resort’s deluxe rooms accommodate up to six people with two queen-size beds and a pullout sofa, as well as flat-screen televisions and complimentary WiFi.

Gurnee, Illinois: Near Chicago’s North Shore

About halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee, the city of Gurnee attracts millions of visitors every year from across the Midwest. They come in droves to shop at Gurnee Mills, one of Illinois’ largest malls and home to hundreds of stores and restaurants.

Gurnee lies just west of Chicago’s North Shore, a group of affluent suburbs along Lake Michigan. There are several sites to explore among these nearby cities—the picturesque college town of Evanston was named one of the Coolest Suburbs Worth a Visit by Travel + Leisure and is home to Northwestern University. In nearby Glencoe is the Chicago Botanic Garden, a year-round garden with more than 9,000 types of plants.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.